When one talks about some of the greatest games ever made, then it’s inevitable that The Last Of Us would be a part of this conversation. The fact of the matter is that Naughty Dog had created a masterpiece that transcended everything they’d ever developed up to that point, with this title further bolstering the PlayStation as the superior gaming experience by a country mile.
However, Naughty Dog wasn’t done yet with their magnum opus. The Last Of Us was also privy to an excellent standalone expansion called The Last Of Us: Left Behind, which explored Ellie’s journey in two parts — one where she searched for medical supplies for Joel, along with a flashback that explored the circumstances surrounding Ellie getting bitten by the infected, only to never transform. This expansion was lauded by critics and gamers upon release for its impressive level of quality — which was to be expected — and the various hidden secrets and subtleties present throughout the narrative. Let’s take a look at ten of the most elusive details present in this expansion pack that most people missed.
10 A Letter By The Elusive Ish Could’ve Been In The Game
Ish is a mysterious figure whose presence is only found out through notes scattered throughout The Suburbs level in The Last Of Us.
Early in the DLC’s development, Neil Druckmann toyed with the idea of putting a note from Ish in Left Behind but decided against it further down the line because it felt like forced pandering.
9 Ellie’s Shirt From The Beginning Of The Game Can Be Seen In The DLC
Ellie switches clothes throughout The Last Of Us, so most people probably didn’t even care about this. However, the shirt that Ellie wears at the beginning of the scene is actually present in Left Behind.
Observant players can see this shirt hanging in the store where Riley and Ellie have their water gun battle.
8 The Fortune-Teller Toy Skeleseer Is Present In Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Finding Skeleseer in Left Behind triggers a rather entertaining dialogue exchange in Left Behind, so it’s nice to see this otherwise throwaway toy getting a nod in another Naughty Dog product.
In Uncharted: Lost Legacy, players can actually find a rather odd-looking skeletal skill, which is a clear reference to Skeleseer.
7 A Nathan Drake Halloween Costume
Given the fact that Naughty Dog have made the insanely successful Uncharted series, it was pretty much a given that this franchise would be referenced in some way or the other in their other offerings.
This is exactly what happens to be the case in Left Behind, where players can catch a glimpse of a certain treasure hunter’s Halloween costume present in the costume shop.
6 A Jak Costume From Jak X: Combat Racing
Nathan Drake’s costume is not the only reference to Naughty Dog’s past games present in Left Behind. There’s also another costume from another beloved Naughty Dog product.
Jak & Daxter was one of Naughty Dog’s main series before they decided to make Uncharted. Jak got his own racing game in the form of Jak X: Combat Racing and this costume can be found in the same shop with Nathan’s costume.
5 The Game Itself Is Present In The Arcade
As if the costume wasn’t enough as is, the mall in Left Behind also has an arcade where the player can see the game Jak X: Combat Racing itself!
Talk about tooting your own horn. It seems Naughty Dog went above and beyond to include as many references to their games as possible.
4 Raja’s Arcade Is A Reference To Two Characters From Uncharted
The arcade where the player can see Jak X: Combat Racing is called Raja’s Arcade. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone at this point that this name is also a reference to a character present in Naughty Dog games.
The characters in question are Eddy Raja and Rika Raja, who are present in the Uncharted games.
3 A Music Record Referencing Shambala
Shambala is one of the most notable locations that’s mentioned in the Uncharted series… so it was only a matter of time before other titles by Naughty Dog mentioned this mysterious location.
This reference comes in the form of a band called The Shambalas, which can be found in the record store during the flashback sequences. And that’s not the only reference present in the music store…
2 There Are Various References To Real-Life Musicians As Well
In a first for this list, there’s a bunch of references present in the music store that isn’t related to anything that Naughty Dog has released!
This comes in the form of several records hanging on the wall that reference a number of musicians and bands in real life. Two notable examples include FallFunk — a rather obvious reference to Daft Punk — and Blaggard Boys — a not-so-obvious reference to AC/DC.
1 The Scene Where Riley And Ellie Get Bitten Was Not Supposed To Be In The DLC
The main purpose of Left Behind was to fill some narrative holes that, while not totally egregious, certainly raised more questions than answers. The DLC managed to accomplish the same, while simultaneously making Ellie feel more alive and developed than ever before. The manner in which Ellie decided to take care of Joel after the latter got pierced by the rebar is shown beautifully, and so are the flashbacks that reveal how Ellie was bitten by the infected in the first place.
However, the impact of these flashbacks could’ve been lessened considerably if Neil Druckmann had decided to go forward with his original plan and omit the scene where Riley and Ellie get bit. It would’ve been a rather puzzling decision, and we’re glad that the developers came to their senses and provided this important information to their fans.
NEXT: The Last Of Us Part 2: Abby Vs. Ellie - Who Is Better To Play As?
