While Mass Effect and The Last of Us are vastly different games, one clever comic artist has created a crossover between the two universes. In the sketches, Mass Effect characters are shown copying poses from iconic pieces of The Last of Us art.
The sketches come courtesy of @RonDanChan on Twitter, a skilled comic artist that works for Dark Horse Comics. In each sketch, Ron Chan’s signature style is seen, as the artist’s work on Earth Boy and the Plants vs. Zombies comics boasts a similar feel. However, rather than focusing on well-known Mass Effect companions or Commander Shepard, Chan incorporates two NPCs from Mass Effect 3. Showing that inspiration can strike at any time, Chan places the lesser-known characters in the roles of Joel and Ellie.
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Focusing on scenes from the first The Last of Us game, the artist’s first piece shows the older Turian instructing the young human on how to use a gun. Calling back to how Joel taught Ellie, the moment sees the old hunting rifle replaced with a futuristic pistol from the Mass Effect series. The second piece recreates the bedroom scene from the first game that happened after Ellie ran away. However, this dialogue is slightly different, focusing on how the Turian lost their wife and daughter due to a war on Palaven.
Giving the Turian a dark backstory like Joel is a nice touch, and the sketch itself is terrific. The stand-in for Ellie looking back at her protector is great, while the grey shading reflects the mood of the moment. Next, Chan shows his fans a splash page of this Mass Effect and The Last of Us crossover, and it is truly gorgeous. The page focuses on four different pieces of The Last of Us art, combining them into one large image. Each should be instantly recognizable to fans of the first Last of Us, though all have been given their own spin.
In the top left corner, the cover art for the first The Last of Us game is seen, with the Turian and human looking back. A nice touch sees Ellie’s rifle replaced with a more futuristic Mass Effect design, improving the believability of the piece. Below this, the human can be seen watching an injured Turian sleep, a callback to Ellie protecting Joel in the Winter portion of the game. The Turian is seen holding a passed-out human in the top right, a nod to the original game’s ending. Finally, the Joel and Ellie stand-ins are seen fighting a Husk instead of a Clicker.
With smart but meaningful changes in each sketch, Ron Chan brings this unexpected crossover to life with ease. In turn, it is easier to imagine a Last of Us-like game set in the destroyed cities of the third Mass Effect.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.