The Last of Us Multiplayer Images Begin to Surface

The Last of Us is out this week, and until recently, we had no idea what the multiplayer was even about. Unlike most projects where we seem to have a general idea of each component months before release, Naughty Dog has been pretty tightlipped about the competitive nature of its upcoming PlayStation 3 release. However, a crop of fresh images have finally appeared that seem to give the world a better idea of just what exactly the Uncharted developer has planned for this June blockbuster.

The team has a pretty big order to fill. Ever since Nate Wells, a Naughty Dog artist, called the online component of The Last of Us "the best multiplayer ever conceived," people have been keeping an eye on each and every detail released. We just learned that there will be a focus on a group of NPCs which the player can train to stay alive in this post-infection world.  Disease, combat, and hunger can kill your squad at any time, but there will be in-game events that will let players recruit new members to the team. Really, it sounds as if there will be some sort of narrative element to the online modes, which is similar to what we’ve seen with the Uncharted games in the past.

All the images that come along with the previews show these factions doing their best to survive, which is really what The Last of Us is all about. It’s unlikely that this will be the part of the game that players spend their $60 for, but you just never know what will catch on. We’ll all find out, though, when the game hits the PS3 June 14.