‘The Last of Us,’ ‘Uncharted,’ and the Future of Single-Player Games

My first exposure to a game published by Naughty Dog (perhaps PlayStation’s premier game studio) was in high school when I played the first Uncharted game. Since then, I’ve played three other Uncharted games, and the seminal title, The Last of Us. Tinged by the lens of nostalgia, these releases loom huge in my mind as examples of everything that I love about video games. They’re action-packed, story-driven, and framed by beautiful graphics and excellent voice acting.

Over December, PlayStation and Naughty Dog announced that there would be a second The Last of Us (The Last of Us: Part II, to be exact). And I cannot wait to play this game, no matter how long its development takes. However, when I think about these Naughty Dog titles (including the spin-off to Uncharted that is coming this summer), I’m struck by how different they are from so many other games around them.

And while I’m sure that the next few releases from this studio will be well-received, I think it’s worth asking: what is the future of Naughty Dog and the games that they create?

To explore this question, it’s essential to take a deep look at the Uncharted games and The Last of Us to get a good idea for the formula behind them. Although these five games are drastically different in terms of pace, setting, and tone, many of the mechanics are the same. Both franchises are primarily single-player experiences that, crucially, rely on linear storytelling. There is no choice involved in these games — the player is living through the stories that the writers choose to tell. Level to level, scene to scene, everything is set by the developers.

This is an immensely successful formula. Because Naughty Dog releases games fairly slowly, the studio can take the time to absolutely nail the pacing and storytelling. Coupled with some of the premier voice actors in the industry, their games are always interesting and immersive. Even if the finer plot points of an Uncharted title aren’t worthy of literary acclaim, each part of the story is undeniably well-told. This is particularly true of Uncharted 4, which is in my opinion the best-told story of the franchise.

This formula has netted countless Game of the Year awards, but the most illustrative is IGN’s 2013 honor. Several writers gave their opinions of the game, awarding it the top spot over the latest Grand Theft Auto title. One writer argued:

There’ll be some out there disappointed that Grand Theft Auto V didn’t snatch our Game of the Year 2013 title, who’ll feel that Rockstar’s been snubbed. The reality is Naughty Dog managed to secure my vote thanks to the emotional resonance of its creation, coupled with a readiness to take risks. Don’t get me wrong — GTA5’s decision to have three protagonists was remarkably bold, but The Last of Us is revolutionary to its core.

About four years later, this strikes me, because the game industry looks much more like GTA than The Last of Us. Just take a look at some of the biggest games this year: Horizon: Zero Dawn, Breath of the Wild, and Mass Effect: Andromeda are all huge, sprawling, open-world experiences. Take a look down the road, as well. Sony is planning on publishing Days Gone later this year or early next, and this title looks for all the world like an open-ended version of The Last of Us. There’s also Red Dead Redemption, which is essentially a Western take on Grand Theft Auto.

In fact, linear, single-player, story-driven experiences are fewer and more far between than ever. Bioshock Infinite is one such game, another critically-acclaimed masterpiece from 2013. But after that, the first game I can think of to follow this trend is Uncharted 4, from essentially a year ago. There have been other games like Firewatch, or What Remains of Edith Finch that explore linear stories, but these indie titles are a far cry from the bombastic, explosiveness and big budget of an Uncharted title. I’m not saying that such games don’t exist, but I think it’s notable that open-world games have become much closer to the standard than more linear predecessors.

In fact, I don’t think that games like Uncharted or The Last of Us can survive anymore without competitive multiplayer. These games were originally criticized for ‘copying’ other titles like Call of Duty when they originally added these modes, but I think they’re absolutely vital, now. And fortunately, Naughty Dog absolutely nails this element. The modes in The Last of Us may be my favorite multiplayer experience ever, bar none. And it’s good that the studio has chosen this path, because it’s really the only way that these games can match the content of competitors’ massive, sprawling experiences.

Obviously, Naughty Dog and its talented developers have earned the right to create any kind of game that they want to. It became PlayStation’s best studio because of the fantastic games that it created, and I imagine that there will always be a place for their titles. Even if this type of game may not be the best investment for a lesser studio, the talented people at Naughty Dog should be able to pursue it for years. I don’t know of any upcoming titles that have attracted more buzz around the internet than The Last of Us: Part II.

But what about other, smaller developers? The focus and profitability of open-world games may make other studios likely to pursue the formula that Uncharted and The Last of Us follow. And I don’t say this purely as a complaint: Horizon and Breath of the Wild are fantastic experiences. But these linear, story-driven games from AAA publishers may be on the way out. There will probably always be a place for linear stories, since developers like Telltale and Campo Santo have found commercial and critical success. But in terms of big-name titles, I’m not so sure. At the very least, they seem to be dying out.

Regardless, there’s a new Uncharted title coming out this summer, and a follow-up to The Last of Us on the way as well. I can’t wait for these, and I know I’ll play them both. And I feel pretty confident that Naughty Dog and its formula still have a lot to give.

A previous version of this post appeared on my blog.