"Naughty Dog's Vision: The Last of Us 2's Bloodborne-Inspired Open-World Transformation"

Naughty Dog initially designed The Last of Us 2 as an open-world game inspired by Bloodborne, focusing on melee combat and open spaces, before ultimately reverting to a narrative-focused, linear action game with various upgradeable weapons due to the story's requirements. The game's original concept was drastically different from its final form, showcasing the studio's experimental approach to game development.