The Last of Us Part 1 Should Feature Riley in the Story

gamerant.com:

To many, The Last of Us is one of the finest single player experiences of all time. Joel and Ellie's journey to reach the Fireflies across a post-apocalyptic America is littered with superb story beats and some of the best character development in gaming, so when a remake was announced by developer Naughty Dog, all eyes became fixed on how it will change an experience that is so loved. Visuals have been significantly improved (though the original still holds up beautifully) and gameplay has been refined to closer resemble the sequel, but with many of the franchise's best characters being found outside the main campaign, it'd be a missed opportunity to not feature some of them.

Since its release in the Summer of 2013, The Last of Us has become more than just the sum of one game, as a polarizing sequel and an often-underrated DLC do well to give the world and its inhabitants more context. In the latter, Ellie received the most development she's ever had; the story of Left Behind follows her life before Joel barrels into it, frequently shifting focus between her early years in a military school in Boston and how she deals with the injury Joel sustained at the University of Eastern Colorado. Joel isn't the first friendly face in Ellie's life, though, as Riley was a friend long before the events of the first game takes place.

Naughty Dog Should Consider These The Last Of Us Prequels

Despite being such a significant part of Ellie's life before Joel, Riley is only mentioned in the first game and has no real impact on the story. It's a shame given how she was one of Ellie's biggest influences, and fans only get a glimpse at their friendship after the first game released. The Last of Us: American Dreams is a comic that sheds light