While nothing has been officially announced quite yet,The Last of Us Part 3likely looms on the horizon. Naughty Dog has crafted a fantastic post-apocalyptic world filled with some of the most iconic modern characters in gaming, and after the success of the HBO show, it feels like the perfect time to continue that story. Although the studio has proven it has what it takes to tell a great follow-up,The Last of Us Part 3also needs to shake up its more violent side.

Through these two games,The Last of Ushas introduced players to some wild zombified enemy types.Zombies like Clickers and Bloatershave given this franchise a unique flair, and so far, they’ve worked well in constant encounters with them. But, even if they have become a core part of the series, this next chapter may also want to inject a few new enemies into the mix.

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The Last of Us Part 3 Really Needs to Spruce Up the Enemy Types

Last of Us Fans Know What to Mostly Expect Now

The firstLast of Usintroduced players to a world ravaged by a mutated fungus known as Cordyceps. This fungus not only spread through city streets, but it also turned many people into vile cannibalistic mutations. As the mutation grew and aged, so too did the creatures that it created. As such, the likes of Joel and Ellie have to constantly fight for their lives against these terrifying beings.

Across the twoLast of Usgames, players have encountered Runners, Stalkers, Clickers, Bloaters, and Shamblers. Each of these infected requires new strategies to take out while also showing the progression of the mutation, with the most evolved beingthe Rat King fromThe Last of Us Part 2. Outside of that, there have not been any other notable new infected. But, that could all change whenThe Last of Us Part 3finally hits store shelves.

The Last of Us Has the Perfect Route to New Enemies

Just like the first two games before it,The Last of Us Part 3will likely add at least one or two new infected types. One of the easiest ways to do that would be by simply showing players another stage of the infection.The thirdLast of Usmight take place years after the second, so the infection will have grown and evolved since then. So far, the Rat King has shown players what a 20-year mutation can look like, and the third game could show them something even older.

Along with that,The Last of Us Part 3could further expand the conceptwith regional variants. As of now, it seems like the infection mutates the same no matter where it is located in the country. But, in reality, different regions tend to have different plants and animals due to their climates. So, it would only make sense for the infection to follow in those footsteps and mutate humans a bit differently depending upon where they are in the world. While it does not have to be game-changing, even the slightest variation could go a long way in diversifying the enemy types.

Even thoughThe Last of Us Part 2did introduce some new enemies, the majority of the enemies have been the same across both games. That has worked out well, yet the third game could really use some fun new types for players to combat. Because not only would that help spruce up the gameplay immensely, but it could also expand the franchise’s lore in the process, which could lead to even more unique storytelling opportunities. And if that is not enough, crafting dozens of regional variants sounds like hours of fun.

The Last of Us Part 2

WHERE TO PLAY

Play the winner of over 300 Game of the Year awards, remastered for the PlayStation®5 console. Relive or play for the first time Ellie and Abby’s story, now with graphical enhancements, new gameplay modes like the roguelike survival experience No Return, full DualSense® wireless controller integration, and more. Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closur