Games
Here be spoilers, but they're cool spoilers
The Last Of Us Part II is a game brimming with extra details, ones which both explore the wider world the game exists within and those which wink at Naughty Dog’s past. A few of these are needed for Trophies, but most are just either for fun or to drag you even deeper into the compelling world The Last Of Us builds around you. Here, we’ll look at each one in chronological order, including how to find them, what they mean, and which Trophies they unlock.
A Dusty PS3
The first major Easter Egg you can find is still in Jackson, and it doesn’t take much exploration to find it. In Ellie’s house, you’ll find a dusty PS3 with a few games strewn around it. These games are Uncharted 2 and Jak & Daxter, both developed by Naughty Dog and both referenced in more detail later on.
This isn’t the first time Naughty Dog has self-referenced its own back catalogue either, as there was a small playable section of Crash Bandicoot hidden in Uncharted 4. You can’t play any of these, however, though the PS3 does seem to be operational. No small feat considering the game takes place in 2039.
Later on, in Elijah’s place, you can find another PS3 as well, this one also with Uncharted next to it.
A Giraffe
Giraffes were a recurring motif in The Last Of Us, culminating in the scene where the gentle beasts stroll right up to Ellie and Joel. This time around, they’re back, though in a much smaller form.
Still in Jackson, you’ll shelter from the storm with Dina, and you’ll wander into a nursery area. Double back to the door and you’ll find a stuffed giraffe sitting on a bookshelf.
A Crash Bandicoot Adult Film
Yep, that’s right. Whether or not it’s actual Crash smut or just a reference to the name is unclear, as (un?)fortunately we never get to actually see the film in question.
Again, still in Jackson, you’ll find a hidden weed lab on your travels; this is part of the story and unmissable. Down there, you’ll find some VHS tapes, including one labeled “Smash Brandi’s Cooch.”
The mind boggles.
Nathan Drake’s Ring
This is the first Easter Egg which nets you a Trophy, and you’ll find it in the bank on Seattle Day 1. In there, you’ll also find a shotgun and some bank robbers who met their doom during the heist. Most importantly though, you’ll find the bank vault.
The code to get in is 60-23-06, and once inside, you’ll find Drake’s ring in one of the lock boxes. The bank itself is at the very bottom of the map, to the immediate left of the bridge. There’s a few infected in there though, so be ready for a fight.
Getting the ring also unlocks the So Great And Small Trophy.
Nathan Drake Costume
The second Nathan Drake reference is also a The Last Of Us 1 reference, as the very same costume appeared in Left Behind. On Seattle Day 1 you’ll come across a Halloween costume store, immediately after entering Capitol Hill. Cross the street and it is the first store you see.
In there, you’ll find a mannequin from Left Behind, as well as a Nathan Drake costume on one of the racks. Unfortunately, it cannot be worn. Bummer.
Hotline Miami On The PS Vita
Much was made of the PS Vita we saw in one of the final trailers, but if you look closely at it - once you’ve ahem, disposed of its owner, Whitney - you’ll see that it’s running Hotline Miami.
It’s just as violent as The Last Of Us Part II, so that seems like a good fit. This isn’t the last PS Vita reference the game throws your way either.
If you miss it here, you can see Whitney playing Hotline Miami again on the first day playing as Abby, and in far more peaceful surroundings.
As well as Whitney, you can also find Jordan playing on a PS Vita, although he has different tastes. It’s a bit difficult to make out, but if you’re a big Jak & Daxter fan, you’ll have it sussed. It’s the familiar orange glow of the lava tubes level, and you can find this as you wander around the WLF base as Abby on Day 1.
The Turning
In the arcade section of Seattle Day 3, once you’ve dealt with the Bloater (check out this boss guide for tips on how), it’s well worth wandering around, as there’s a few Easter Eggs to be found.
One of these is ‘The Turning’, the game Ellie plays in Left Behind. What’s most interesting here though is that Ellie completely fails to reference it herself. Ellie’s charm fades through the game until she hardens, and the jokey demeanour of Day 1 has disappeared by Day 3.
Jak X Combat Racing
In the very same section, you’ll also find a Jak X Combat racing machine, but unlike in Left Behind, Ellie doesn’t jump in the seat and pretend to play it.
I suppose that would clash quite a bit with the hardened Ellie we’ve reached by Day 3. The next Easter Egg is Jak too, as well as the PS Vita one we covered earlier but you won’t actually get to see until later.
Precursor Orb
This is basically Abby’s version of Ellie finding Nathan Drake’s ring, in that both are clear references to other Naughty Dog games, and both will earn you Trophies. You’ll earn this on Seattle Day 1 (as Abby), during the Hostile Territory chapter, just after the aquarium flashback.
On the main street, you need to enter the Red Dragon bar and go upstairs. Leap across the alley and you’ll see stairs up to the roof, and a room inside with a hole in the floor. Don't drop down as the game seems to invite you to. Instead, look to the right of the door to find the Precusor Orb on the desk, which unlocks the Relic Of The Sages trophy.
And that’s all the major Easter Eggs in The Last Of Us! It’s chock full of detail though, so be sure to explore absolutely everywhere you can.
