10 Incredible DITCHED Video Game Ideas
9. Infected Animals - The Last Of Us
Shortly before the release of The Last of Us, Naughty Dog opened up about some of the features that were cut from the final game, perhaps most notably the original inclusion of animals afflicted by the Cordyceps Brain Infection.
In particular, a set-piece in the game was going to have Joel be attacked and chased around by an infected elephant, which would have had fungal growths on its legs and a giant mushroom growing out of its head.
The decision was ultimately made to take infected animals out, leading to that wonderfully serene moment late in the game where Joel and Ellie encounter a herd of giraffes.
It remains to be seen whether or not The Last of Us Part II will reincorporate infected animals, because though we've seen gameplay footage of Ellie battling ferocious guard dogs, there's no implication that they're actually infected with Cordyceps.