The Last of Ushas some of the most horrifying enemy types in video game history. WhileResident Evil 2’s Mr. X will stalk the player slowly,Alien Isolation’s Xenomorph is waiting around every corner, andDead Space’s Necromorphsare visual monstrosities,The Last of Us' enemies have all of that and then some. Known simply as the infected,The Last of Us' primary threat consists of mutated monsters of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the ferocious zombie-like Runners and the iconic blind Clickers to the creeping Stalkers.
Created by a fungi infection known as the Cordyceps virus,The Last of Us' infected are essentially controlled by a mushroom in their brain, making them behave more aggressively and eventually switching off their brain function completely. As the infected continue to survive, they undergo new stages of infection, eventually mutating and becoming one ofThe Last of Us' special infected. And while these special infected all have their own uniquely disturbing quirks, there’s one type in particular that could do with an overhaul in a potentialLast of Us Part 3.
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Shamblers Need a Big Glow Up in The Last of Us Part 3
The originalLast of Ushad plenty of memorable encounters with the infected, and some of the most iconic involve the Bloater special infected type. The largest type of infected in the entire series, Bloaters are formed after years of exposure tothe Cordyceps virus, marking the fourth stage in the infection process.
Due to their prolonged exposure, Bloaters are also the most dangerous type of infected inThe Last of Us, capable of ripping apart a human with ease. Bloaters also have a set of glowing pustules on their body and back which can then be thrown at a survivor, causing a toxic mist to appear in the area of effect.
Whenever Bloaters crop up in the originalLast of Us, players know they’re in for a lengthy fight, and usually an incredibly intense one. On harder difficulties, a fight with a Bloater can be extremely difficult, especially when other infected types are also rushing the player. These fights lead to some ofThe Last of Us' most memorable gameplay moments, and it’s only natural that Naughty Dog would want to capture that magic again in the sequel, albeit with some new twists.
The Last of Us Part 2introduced a handful of new enemy types to the series, including one new special infected type. Called the Shambler, this new type of infected shared a very close resemblance withThe Last of Us Part 1’s Bloaters, appearing as hulking, slow-moving creatures with spores covering their entire body and face.
But while Shamblers share a lot of DNA with Bloaters, they’re even more lethal up close, emitting a constant toxic mist around themselves when close to a survivor. Though this is a big difference, it’s not quite significant enough to make Shamblers really stand out on their own, and to most fans, they’re still the poor man’s Bloater.
AhypotheticalLast of Us Part 3could give the Shambler infected type another chance in the spotlight, this time with some changes that make it truly stand out from its predecessor’s iteration.The Last of Us Part 3should make Shamblers even more lethal than they were inPart 2, increasing the amount of damage that their toxic mist deals, thus encouraging the player to keep some distance between them and the Shambler.
Shamblers should also get some new attacks, such as a charge forward that emits toxic mist along the way. Shamblers could also be given a more varied visual design so that they stand out from Bloaters a bit more, such as giving their pustules a more distinctive color.
The Last of Us Part 1is out now on PlayStation 5 and PC.
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