10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Last Of Us
Seven years later, there's still plenty on offer.
Created by Naughty Dog, the developers of the original three Crash Bandicoot titles and the Uncharted franchise, The Last Of Us is an outright masterpiece.
Critically acclaimed, winner of hundreds of awards, available on the PS3 and PS4 and soon to have a second instalment, many of us have experienced Naughty Dog’s work, and particularly the journey Joel and Ellie take through the ravaged wasteland of America.
For those of you that haven’t played it due to PlayStation exclusivity or otherwise, it’s a sure thing you at least know of the game.
But what you might not know is that there are handfuls of secrets to uncover throughout the world, and no, we’re not talking about those pesky Firefly pendant collectibles.
The game offers a deep, rich narrative that focuses on Joel, a guardian, coming to terms with the fact he has to protect a younger Ellie as they make it cross-country. This list will look deeper at their experience, letting you know all the things you might have missed, be it in-game, off-screen, post-production or through the inner workings of development.
10. You Can Catch Ellie Stealing Sam’s Toy
Let’s start with a classic. If you’re sharp, you might have seen this one as it happened back in 2013. There’s no surprise if you missed it, though, because if you blink, it’s gone.
Near the
midpoint of the game you’ll come across Sam and Henry, other survivors similar
to Joel and Ellie. A man protecting a younger child. Just like Joel, Henry is a
hard-ass who is stern with his survival rules. If you don’t need it, you don’t
take it with you, he reiterates to Sam as he plays with a toy robot. Dropped on
the floor, that’s the end of it.
Well, until a later cut-scene shows Ellie gifting the toy to Sam, revealing she retrieved it back in the abandoned building. Most would assume this was an off-screen instance used for a throwaway interaction between the two children.
That assumption is wrong! In fact, in said abandoned building, if you flick the camera quick enough, away from Ellie, standing over the dropped toy and back again, you’ll catch her in the act.
It’s less than a second or two, but it’s there, and that’s the kind of detail we love The Last Of Us for.