The Last of Us: Echoes of the Past Launches, Praised as 'Near Perfection'

The Last of Us’ future remains weirdly uncertain.

HBO’s TV adaptation is, of course, returning for a third season that’ll adapt Abby’s side of The Last of Us Part II.

According to recent reports though, that could be the show’s final outing.

That implies that we could see the Santa Barbara chapter of the story also adapted this season as opposed to it being in a separate fourth season.

What we’re all really craving is The Last of Us Part III and while I do think Naughty Dog will eventually create that title and close out the franchise as a trilogy, it’s certainly not something that’s happening right now.

Amid the wait for news then, there is a fan project I’d like to direct your attention towards.

Echoes of the Past Is Set Between Part I and Part II

As a major fan of the franchise myself, I know just how inspiring The Last of Us can be. I’ve personally written songs inspired by several of the characters’ experiences.

It’s for that reason that I’m always interested to see how other fans’ creative sparks are ignited by this duology.

The Last of Us: Echoes of the Past is one such fan project that’s really caught my eye.

Created by Lumen Productions, The Last of Us: Echoes of the Past is set between the events of The Last of Us Part I and Part II and reunites Ellie and Joel.

It follows the duo as they operate on separate scavenging missions.

At just under seven minutes long, it won’t take up much of your day to give this one a watch and you won’t regret it.

I can only praise Lumen Productions. The cinematography is really wonderful. In fact, the production value is much higher than you might expect for a fan project.

Solid performances are offered up by the cast, with the project also featuring some nice little nods to in-game actions like looting or accessing a workbench.

To whoever on the creative team decided to play ‘Take On Me’ while Ellie was reminiscing about Riley, you’re responsible for my heart being ripped apart.

I will warn you, the film ends on a cliffhanger so I hope you’re prepared for that.

I’m not the only one who seems to have enjoyed the project.

“That Joel is just...damn near perfection,” wrote Reddit user MikeyM079.

“This was pretty well done. Liked the actors for Joel and Ellie, and nailed the costume and creature designs,” added Jonaskin83.

“F**K YES. Just watched this. Just an incredible piece! Thank you so much for sharing this,” remarked areyoufreemrhumphrie.

It’s lovely to see fans keeping the franchise alive, even when there’s nothing official on the imminent horizon.