All New Characters & Locations in The Last of Us Part I

Meet Riley Abel and new locations from The Last of Us Part I. Learn about these additions and their narrative significance within the game.

New Characters & Locations in The Left Behind DLC

The Left Behind DLC for The Last of Us Part I significantly expands upon Ellie's backstory, introducing a pivotal character and a memorable new environment that deeply informs her motivations and emotional landscape. This section details these additions, providing context and highlighting the gameplay and narrative significance of each.

Riley Abel: Ellie's Lost Friend

Riley Abel is more than just a new character; she is the emotional core of the Left Behind DLC and a crucial figure in Ellie's past. Her relationship with Ellie offers a profound insight into Ellie's capacity for love, loyalty, and her yearning for a life beyond survival.

• Background: Riley is Ellie's best friend and a fellow resident of the Boston Quarantine Zone. She is older, more experienced, and possesses a rebellious spirit that contrasts with Ellie's youthful idealism. Riley has recently joined the Fireflies, a decision that creates a rift and a sense of abandonment for Ellie.
• Personality: Adventurous, charismatic, and a natural leader, Riley is the driving force behind the events of the DLC. She is fiercely protective of Ellie and seeks to offer her a night of escape and normalcy before she leaves for her Firefly duties. Her bravery and quick thinking are often put to the test.
• Narrative Significance: Riley's character is essential for understanding Ellie's emotional development. Her bond with Ellie is depicted as deep and complex, hinting at a romantic connection that adds another layer to Ellie's character. The events that transpire between them are a major turning point, shaping Ellie's resilience and her fear of loss.

New Locations: A Glimpse of the Past

The Left Behind DLC introduces a primary new location that serves as a stark contrast to the desolate environments of the main game, offering moments of levity and poignant reflection.

Abandoned Shopping Mall: A Playground of Memories

The majority of the Left Behind DLC unfolds within a sprawling, abandoned shopping mall. This location, frozen in time before the outbreak, becomes a canvas for Ellie and Riley's escapades, offering a surreal and evocative experience.

• Atmosphere: The mall is a time capsule of pre-apocalyptic life, filled with remnants of consumerism and youthful leisure. Its decay is palpable, yet the presence of Ellie and Riley's youthful energy injects it with a vibrant, albeit temporary, life. The juxtaposition of past normalcy and present ruin is a central theme.
• Gameplay Mechanics & Interactions: The mall is designed to be highly interactive, encouraging exploration and offering unique gameplay moments that deviate from combat.
  • Arcade Mini-Games: A significant highlight is the fully functional arcade. You can engage in several classic arcade games, including:
    • "Barfight!": A simple beat-'em-up game where players must defeat waves of enemies.
    • "Rabbit in a Hat": A luck-based game where players try to guess the correct hat.
    • "U.S.S. Chimera": A space shooter game.
    These mini-games are not only for fun but also serve to deepen the bond between Ellie and Riley as they compete and laugh together. Achieving high scores can unlock specific dialogue and interactions.
  • Photo Booth: Ellie and Riley use a photo booth to capture their memories. find the correct combination of poses and prompts to get the best photos, which are then displayed in Ellie's journal later in the game. This is a key interactive element for character development.
  • Interactive Environment: Beyond the mini-games, the mall is filled with objects that Ellie and Riley can interact with to trigger dialogue, reminisce, or simply have fun. This includes:
    • Playing with a toy water gun.
    • Trying on different masks and costumes.
    • Exploring various shops like a clothing store, a music store, and a Halloween costume shop.
    • Riding a carousel.
  • Environmental Puzzles: While less combat-focused, players will still encounter light environmental puzzles, such as finding ways to access different areas of the mall or using Ellie's switchblade to cut through obstacles.
• Narrative Progression: The mall serves as the primary setting for the emotional arc between Ellie and Riley. Their shared experiences here, from playful banter to moments of vulnerability, build the foundation for the tragic events that follow.

Military Boarding School: The Starting Point

The Military Boarding School acts as the initial setting for Ellie and Riley's story, providing the context for their escape and their desperate search for freedom and excitement.

• Context: Ellie and Riley reside at this boarding school, which functions as a form of containment or discipline within the Boston Quarantine Zone. The school is depicted as a strict and oppressive environment, implying that both girls have a history of trouble or defiance.
• Reason for Escape: Riley, having recently joined the Fireflies, orchestrates their escape from the boarding school. She wants to give Ellie one last memorable night of fun and adventure before she is potentially relocated or leaves for Firefly duties. This escape is driven by Riley's desire to give Ellie a taste of freedom and to reconnect with her before a potential separation.
• Gameplay: While not as extensively explorable as the mall, the boarding school serves as a brief introductory area where You can witness the oppressive atmosphere and the initial dynamic between Ellie and Riley. It sets the stage for their subsequent journey into the abandoned mall.

The introduction of Riley and the detailed exploration of the abandoned mall are fundamental to understanding Ellie's character. They provide crucial context for her emotional depth, her capacity for deep relationships, and the formative experiences that shaped her resilience and her fear of abandonment long before she met Joel. The Left Behind DLC offers a more intimate and personal narrative, enriching the overall understanding of Ellie's journey and her complex place in the world of The Last of Us.