The last of us is known for its tragic yet touching story that chronicles Joel and Ellie’s journey across America after a zombie-like outbreak. While there are sweet moments between Ellie and Joel, for most of the game players are gripped in agony as they defend themselves from being eaten by the bloodthirsty Infected. When players are not firing guns and dodging mines, they carefully sneak up on their enemies to stealthily take them down.
One of the most terrifying characters players will encounter is David, a man who first presents himself as a friend, but soon reveals his bad intentions. He is a twisted person who has seared himself in the minds of gamers due to his complete lack of morals. Of The last of us part 1Naughty Dog David can make it even more terrifying by taking advantage of the PS5’s hardware.
David the Cannibal
During The last of us, players will encounter different types of Infected, each of which carries a unique set of dangers. The newly infected Runners are quick and usually attack in groups, while the Bloaters are late-stage infected who can rip mold from their bodies and throw them like spore bombs. However, as is the case with most zombie fiction, the biggest dangers Joel and Ellie face come from ordinary people.
In a post-apocalyptic world, the every-for-himself mentality has gripped the remnants of society and people have become very suspicious of each other. This is true for Joel, and although he has stolen the hearts of many gamers, he proves that he is capable of heinous acts to defend himself and those he loves. One of the most sinister characters gamers come across is David, whom they meet while Joel is incapacitated due to a serious injury, forcing gamers to play like Ellie. At first, David seems harmless and offers Ellie some much-needed antibiotics in exchange for some meat. However, players soon discover that David is a nefarious figure who holds a grudge.
Ellie is captured and imprisoned, and she discovers that David and his men are cannibals. It’s clear that David has plans to make Ellie their next meal, and it’s strongly implied that he also has sex crimes on his mind. Fortunately, Ellie escapes, but not without a terrifying cat-and-mouse game in an old restaurant. Despite her small size, Ellie uses her brains to outwit and outsmart David, eventually stabbing him to death. Ellie’s encounter with David has a visible effect on her, and she is calmer and more determined to complete the mission after her harrowing experience.
In a game of bloodshed and death, David still manages to stand out as it represents one of the more prominent moments when Ellie is forced to throw off her innocence and put her childhood behind. After Joel is injured, Ellie must take on the role of protector, along with all the responsibilities that come with it. For most of the trip, Ellie has had Joel around to protect her, but David is a perverted danger that she must face alone. He is also a clear illustration of how far humanity has gone, as it is unlikely that David and his gang are the only ones of their kind. Despite how terrifying the scene is, there are ways Naughty Dog can improve it in the upcoming remake.
How The Last of Us Part 1 Can Make David More Terrifying
Thanks to the PS5’s hardware, Naughty Dog has been able to make a remake The last of us from the ground up, bringing the game closer to what the developers originally envisioned. The environments have been revamped, the Dualsense controller has been integrated and plenty of new accessibility features have been added, resulting in an overall more immersive experience. These features can be used to enhance David and his terrifying scenes so that gamers really feel like they are being stalked by an insatiable madman.
The last of us part 1 will use 3D audio to enhance the soundscape. As Naughty Dog emphasized, this helps players hear Infected before they see them, adding to the creepiness of the battle. However, 3D audio would also be invaluable to David. Hearing the direction his taunts and footsteps are coming from will help players avoid becoming his prey, but it will also enhance the chilling feeling of being stalked. Naughty Dog also revealed that the environments in The last of us part 1 will be more destructible, and this should increase the sense of danger when David fires a shot into the restaurant.
Perhaps the most essential improvement in The last of us part 1 is the companion and enemy AI. Allies will be able to determine the current locations of enemies, predict where the enemies will be and therefore be better able to stay hidden. The enemy AI is based on: The last of us part 2Improved the AI, and the way enemies flank players and communicate with each other. When applied to David, this could result in a much scarier sequence with a much smarter version of him chasing players in the restaurant. Gamers will have to keep their wits about dealing with this predator that has been given an IQ boost.
The last of us part 1 won’t deviate from the original story, but Naughty Dog can do a lot to improve it. Hopefully, David’s heart-pounding episode has been given enough attention and made the already terrifying ordeal even more terrifying. It will also be interesting to see how David will be portrayed in the upcoming television adaptation of The last of uswhich will be broadcast in 2023.
The last of us part 1 is scheduled to release on September 2, 2022 on PS5. A PC port is also in development.
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