Summary
After the main story of a game concludes, developers often include endgame activities to keep players engaged even after their playthrough ends. The form of endgame often depends on the title’s genre, like open-world RPGs going with side quests that are playable in tandem with the main story or unlocked only when the central plot quests are complete. More linear games often go with a mini-game of some sort, possibly in the form of a DLC. When it comes to more action-focused shootergames likeResident Evil, the mini-games often involve players killing hordes of enemies in different stages, increasing their points and rewards as they progress.
Call of DutyandResident Evilfollow the arcade formula with azombie mode inCall of Dutyand The Mercenaries inResident Evil, where players have to survive hordes of zombies, albeit with different mechanics in the two franchises.The Last of Usis a series that has yet to focus on post-game content sinceThe Last of Us' Factions multiplayer mode in 2013. In light of this absence, perhaps Naughty Dog could implement a game mode similar to The Mercenaries inResident Evil.
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Mercenaries Could Add Some Spice to The Last of Us
The Last of Usfollows the story of Joel, Ellie, and Abby as they struggle to survive the post-apocalyptic world they’ve been thrown in, all while building normal relationships amongst the chaos. The gameplay reflects the game’s tone of realism with a focus on survival and stealth mechanics, as most stages of the game are impossible to complete with a gun-blazing approach, unlike other post-apocalyptic games. This serious disposition is the primary reason Naughty Dog has been hesitant to include other forms of gameplay in the franchise since Factions. On the other hand, althoughResident Evilhas a similarly strong emphasis on resource management and strategic gameplay, it has always embraced a more campy and action-packed experience.
Players come up against various types of creatures, including zombies, mutants, and bio-organic weapons inResident Evilgames, and this fast-paced gameplay has led to multiple arcade mini-games in theResident Evil iterations, from co-op Raid Mode to wacky Tofu Survivor and the beloved Mercenaries Mode. While Tofu Survivor won’t exactly fit intoThe Last of Us' serious theme, a mode similar to The Mercenaries might have a place in the franchise. The Mercenaries has been a recurring mini-game sinceResident Evil 3, and fans have had a place for it in their hearts since its introduction. Mercenary mode involves players using characters from the main game - either heroes or villains - and killing hordes of enemies to earn as many points as possible within a time limit.
In the recentResident Evil 4 Remake, after killing a certain amount of enemies, a goal would spawn, and gamers could progress to the next level. The various characters available have different traits and playstyles, and unlocking them may involve reaching a certain rank with a previously unlocked character. Similarly to The Mercenaries mode, a hypothetical mini-game inThe Last of Uscould involve players using different in-game characters to survive against a horde of inflected for a certain amount of time. A character like Tommy, who is not playable in the main story, could have skills centered around his sniping abilities. The brawny Abby could power up her strength, putting her into a frenzy mode and allowing her to perform barehanded takedowns faster.
The yet-to-be-titled multiplayer game Naughty Dog has been working on could be an ideal home for a mode like theMercenaries mode fromResident Evil. However, a Mercenaries-style could fit into a singleplayerThe Last of Usgame just as easily, serving as an enjoyable bonus mode for fans of the series.
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