It was just a dusty music shop in a ruined Seattle.
You’re playing as Ellie, scanning for scrap, maybe a bit of ammo, and suddenly there’s a guitar case. Most games would make this a quick cinematic or a "press X to play" prompt that lasts five seconds. But Naughty Dog didn't do that. Instead, we got a stripped-back, hauntingly fragile cover of a 1980s synth-pop anthem.
The Ellie Take On Me moment wasn’t just a callback to the 80s. It was a pivot point for the entire narrative of The Last of Us Part II. Honestly, if you weren't at least a little bit choked up when she started singing, you might want to check your pulse. It’s rare for a triple-A blockbuster to go that quiet. No explosions. No zombies clicking in the distance. Just a girl and a guitar.
Why "Take On Me" Was the Perfect Choice
Choosing a song for a moment like this is tricky. Go too obscure, and the audience feels nothing. Go too "on the nose," and it feels like a Hallmark card. A-ha’s "Take On Me" is weird because everyone knows it as this upbeat, high-energy track with the iconic keyboard riff. But if you strip away the 80s production? The lyrics are actually pretty desperate.
"I'll be gone in a day or two."
Think about that in the context of Ellie’s life. She’s immune. She’s been told her life is the only thing that matters for the cure, and then she's told it doesn't. She’s constantly losing people. When she sings those lines to Dina, it’s not a pop song anymore. It’s a plea. It’s Ellie saying, "I'm fleeting. Everything here is fleeting. Please just look at me while I'm still here."
Ashley Johnson, the actress who plays Ellie, actually performed the song herself. She’s a legitimate musician, and you can hear the raw, unpolished edges in her voice. It isn't a studio-perfect recording. It’s a teenager who learned to play from a father figure she’s currently at odds with. That’s the layers of storytelling we're talking about here.
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The Joel Connection You Might Have Missed
Everything in these games comes back to Joel. He’s the one who promised to teach Ellie how to play the guitar at the end of the first game. By the time we get to the Ellie Take On Me scene, the guitar has become a surrogate for Joel himself.
When she picks up the instrument, she’s connecting to him, even if she’s still angry at him. The song is a bridge. It shows that despite the violence and the cycle of revenge that drives the plot, there is still this kernel of humanity that Joel managed to preserve in her. It’s a moment of peace she’s allowed to have before the world turns dark again.
The Technical Wizardry Behind the Music
Let’s talk about the guitar mechanic for a second. It’s genuinely impressive.
Naughty Dog used the touchpad on the PS4/PS5 controller to simulate strumming. It wasn't just a gimmick. You can actually play other songs if you know the chords. Since the game launched, the "Ellie Take On Me" scene inspired a whole subculture of players trying to cover everything from Pink Floyd to Radiohead using the in-game interface.
The developers worked with Gustavo Santaolalla—the legendary composer who did the score for both games and the HBO show—to make sure the guitar felt "real." It has a specific resonance. You can hear the fingers sliding across the strings. It’s that attention to detail that makes the scene feel like a documentary moment rather than a scripted event.
What the Critics Said
When the game launched in 2020, this specific scene was highlighted by almost every major outlet. IGN and GamesRadar pointed to it as the "human heart" of a very bleak story. Interestingly, the original music video for "Take On Me" featured a pencil-sketch animation style, which some fans have pointed out mirrors the sketches in Ellie’s journal. Whether that was intentional or a happy accident, it adds another layer of "meta" depth to the whole experience.
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The Impact on Pop Culture and the HBO Series
Since the scene went viral, "Take On Me" saw a massive spike in streaming. It's the "Stranger Things / Running Up That Hill" effect before that was even a thing. People started seeing the song differently. It’s no longer just the "funny music video with the racing cars." Now, it’s associated with the rainy streets of Seattle and the weight of grief.
There’s also the question of the HBO show. Without spoiling too much for those who haven't followed the production of Season 2, fans are dying to see if Bella Ramsey will get her "Take On Me" moment. The show has already proven it isn't afraid to lean into the musical side of the world—remember the Bill and Frank episode with "Long Long Time"?
Music is the emotional language of The Last of Us.
Real-World Takeaways for Your Own Playlist
If you’re looking to capture that same vibe, you don't need a post-apocalyptic bunker. The key to the "Ellie style" is the acoustic arrangement.
- Slow it down. The original is roughly 168 BPM. Ellie drops it way down to a melancholic crawl.
- Focus on the minor chords. The song is naturally in A major, but leaning into the B minor and E chords gives it that sad, longing feel.
- Keep the vocals breathy. Don't try to hit the high notes like Morten Harket. Keep it intimate.
The Misconception of Choice
Some people think the Ellie Take On Me scene is a mandatory cinematic. It’s actually missable. If you don't explore the Valiant Music shop in the "Downtown" section of Seattle Day 1, you might never see it.
This is a bold move by the developers. They tucked one of the most emotional moments of the game into an optional corner of the map. It rewards players for slowing down. In a game that is often criticized for being "too long" or "too violent," this scene proves that the quiet moments are exactly why we care about the characters in the first place.
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How to Master the In-Game Guitar
If you’re still playing and want to mess around with the guitar mechanic beyond the scripted song, here’s the deal:
- Use the left stick to select the chord wheel.
- Use the touchpad to strum. The speed and direction of your swipe change the sound.
- Practice the transitions. The game actually tracks the "fingering" on the fretboard, so it looks realistic to anyone watching you play.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you want to dive deeper into the world of Ellie’s music, there are a few things you should actually do rather than just reading about it.
First, check out the official soundtrack by Gustavo Santaolalla. It’s on every major streaming platform and includes the ambient tracks that set the mood for the music shop. Second, if you play guitar in real life, look up the "Unplugged" version of A-ha's "Take On Me" from their MTV Unplugged - Summer Solstice album. It’s the version that clearly inspired the game's arrangement. It’s haunting, beautiful, and much closer to Ellie’s vibe than the 1985 radio edit.
Finally, go back and read Ellie’s journal entries in the game immediately after the song ends. She writes about Dina, her nerves, and how she felt in that moment. It fills in the gaps that the song leaves behind. It’s the most "human" the character ever feels.
To truly appreciate the artistry, try playing the sequence with a pair of high-quality headphones. The spatial audio captures the way the sound bounces off the shop's walls, making the isolation feel heavy and real. This isn't just a game scene; it's a masterclass in how to use licensed music to tell a story that words can't quite cover.
Explore the music shop thoroughly. Look at the posters on the walls. Read the notes left behind by the owners. The game tells a story of the world ending, but the music tells the story of how people tried to stay alive while it happened.
Next Steps for Your Last of Us Journey:
- Listen to the A-ha MTV Unplugged version to hear the direct inspiration for the slowed-down tempo.
- Find the Valiant Music shop in Seattle Day 1 if you missed it on your first playthrough; it’s located near the intersection of 5th and Marion.
- Check out the "Making of" documentaries by Naughty Dog on YouTube, which specifically detail how they motion-captured the guitar playing to ensure every finger placement was accurate to the chords being played.