Music of The Last of Us Part II

Lore & Background

Gustavo Santaolalla returned to compose and perform the score for The Last of Us Part II, as he had done with the first game. Naughty Dog tasked him to create emotional, character-based tracks, and he worked on the game for two to three years. He created music based on the story pitch by creative director Neil Druckmann and they fit the music into the scenes later, occasionally requiring minor rewrites. Santaolalla delivered small parts over time, often inspiring Druckmann to write new scenes. With the game still in development, Santaolalla worked with the story, characters, and artwork to craft the score, though he was familiar with 'the visual language' after the first game. He wanted to maintain and extend the first game's motifs while introducing new elements. He felt his approach in composing had not changed as the themes of love (continued from the first game) and hate (new to Part II) were linked: the latter a deformation of the former.

Santaolalla continued using the ronroco, his signature instrument used in the first game's theme, as he felt it enhanced Ellie's qualities through feminine sounds, while he introduced a banjo for Abby's theme. He composed Part II's score around the banjo and an electric guitar, feeling the increased characters and complexities demanded more timbre. The developers encouraged him to use the banjo despite his initial hesitance; he felt it reflected the game's American setting and origin and his spontaneous use imparted a 'searching, reflective, pensive' feeling. Santaolalla wanted Joel's themes rendered acoustically in Part II, replacing the first game's Fender VI bass guitar with esoteric Argentine strings called 'Magma', which maintained the Fender's darkness but emitted a more virile sound. For the orchestral parts, Santaolalla favored the bass clarinet for its five octave range and warm quality, akin to a flute.

Mac Quayle was hired in early 2018 to create the combat music. The developers were familiar with his work on the television series Mr. Robot. Quayle bought a PlayStation 4 and The Last of Us to familiarize himself with the series. He began writing ideas in May 2018 and delivered final music in January 2020; he found the deadlines more relaxed than film and television. Though they discussed potentially sharing stems and sessions, Santaolalla and Quayle's collaborations were minimal; they performed a three-day recording session in PlayStation's offices in October 2018, experimenting to create 'grooves and textures'. Quayle attributed their similarities to the developers 'really knowing what they wanted'. Quayle's music aimed to represent the gameplay's 'relentless tension', consistently moving the action forward and heightening suspense and anxiety.

Reader's Guide

The music of The Last of Us Part II is significant for its dual-composer approach, with Gustavo Santaolalla handling emotional, character-based tracks and Mac Quayle composing combat music to heighten tension. Santaolalla's use of the ronroco for Ellie and the banjo for Abby created distinct sonic identities for the protagonists, while his incorporation of the bass clarinet and Argentine strings added new timbres. Quayle's work, inspired by his experience on Mr. Robot, aimed to reflect the anxiety-inducing gameplay. The soundtrack was released digitally in June 2020, with vinyl editions later. The covers performed by actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson became integral to character development, particularly Ellie's guitar playing, which allowed her to access memories and emotions. The song 'Future Days' by Pearl Jam served as a theme between Ellie and Joel. Critical reception was positive, with reviewers noting the music's connection to the narrative and its addition of tension. The soundtrack was nominated for Best Physical Soundtrack Release at the 18th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards.

Did You Know?

• Santaolalla used the ronroco to represent Ellie and the banjo for Abby.
• Mac Quayle was hired in 2018 due to his work on the television series Mr. Robot.
• The cover of 'Wayfaring Stranger' by Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson plays over the game's credits.
• The soundtrack ranked 11 in the United Kingdom in February to March 2021.