You know that feeling when a single note just guts you? That’s basically the legacy of The Last of Us video game soundtrack.
When Naughty Dog first dropped the game back in 2013, everyone was talking about the graphics and the brutal combat. But honestly? The secret sauce was a guy named Gustavo Santaolalla. He isn’t your typical "epic movie music" composer. He’s a two-time Oscar winner who, before this, hadn’t even worked on a video game. Neil Druckmann, the game’s creative director, basically hunted him down because he wanted something that didn't sound like a generic Hollywood action flick. He wanted something that sounded like... well, like the end of the world. But a quiet end.
It’s stripped back. It’s raw. It’s mostly just a Ronroco—this tiny Andean string instrument—and some weird percussion. It’s lonely music.
The Sound of Silence and Scavenging
Most AAA games at the time were leaning into these massive, sweeping orchestral scores. Think Skyrim or Call of Duty. You’ve got brass sections blaring while you’re running through the woods. It’s intense, sure, but it’s also kind of exhausting. The Last of Us video game soundtrack went the opposite direction. Santaolalla used silence as an instrument. He understood that in a post-apocalyptic world, the loudest thing is often the lack of noise.
The main theme is the perfect example. It starts with that low, thumping beat. It feels like a heartbeat, right? Then that Ronroco kicks in with a melody that feels like it's tripping over itself. It’s not "heroic." It’s mournful. It’s the sound of Joel’s grief and the dusty, overgrown streets of Boston.
What’s actually crazy is how Santaolalla recorded some of this stuff. He didn't just sit in a pristine studio. He used out-of-tune guitars. He recorded in rooms that weren't soundproofed to get that "real" air. He even used kitchen utensils for some of the percussion. If you listen closely to some of the ambient tracks, it’s just these metallic, scraping noises that put your teeth on edge. It’s uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be.
Why the Ronroco?
You might wonder why a South American folk instrument is the "voice" of a game set in the United States. It’s a fair question. The Ronroco has this specific, shimmering quality. It sounds fragile. When you’re playing as Joel, a man who has built these massive emotional walls, that fragile music acts as the subtext. It tells you what he’s feeling even when he’s being a total jerk to Ellie.
The music doesn't tell you how to feel. It just sits there with you in the dirt.
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Combat Music That Isn't "Cool"
Let’s talk about the "infected" tracks. Most games give you high-tempo techno or heavy drums when a fight starts. In the The Last of Us video game soundtrack, the combat music feels like a panic attack.
Tracks like "The Way It Was" or "Smugglers" use these dissonant, bowing strings. It sounds like someone is dragging a violin bow across a rusty pipe. There’s no rhythm you can really latch onto, which mirrors the gameplay. You’re scrounging for one last shiv. You’ve got two bullets left. The music isn't pumping you up; it’s making you sweat.
- It uses "Mickey Mousing" sparingly. That’s a film term where the music mimics the action exactly. Instead, Santaolalla lets the tension build through drone sounds.
- The use of the electric guitar is surprisingly sparse. When it does show up, it’s heavily processed, sounding more like a groan than a riff.
- The "Clicker" sounds weren't just sound design—they were integrated into the sonic atmosphere. The clicking isn't just a jump scare; it becomes part of the rhythmic tension of the score.
Left Behind and the Shift in Tone
When the Left Behind DLC came out, the music had to change. We weren't just playing as a jaded 50-year-old man anymore. We were seeing Ellie's world. The soundtrack here gets a bit more "whimsical," but in a haunting way.
"Fleeting" is a standout track. It’s got a bit more bounce to it, reflecting the childhood innocence Ellie and Riley are trying to reclaim in that abandoned mall. But there’s always this underlying sadness. You know how it ends. The music knows how it ends. It’s like watching a home movie of a house that’s since burned down. That’s the emotional weight of this score. It’s nostalgic for a present that is already gone.
The Part II Evolution: Mac Quayle Steps In
By the time The Last of Us Part II rolled around in 2020, the world had gotten even darker. Santaolalla came back, obviously—you can't have this franchise without him—but they added Mac Quayle to the mix.
If you don’t know Quayle, he did the music for Mr. Robot. He’s the master of synth-driven anxiety.
This was a genius move. While Santaolalla handled the acoustic, emotional character moments, Quayle handled the descent into madness. The music for the WLF (Washington Liberation Front) and the Seraphites is oppressive. It’s heavy on the bass. It feels industrial and cold. It represents the "civilization" that has risen from the ashes, and it’s a lot scarier than the fungus is.
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The contrast between the two composers is where the sequel’s soundtrack really shines. You go from a beautiful, weeping guitar solo to this thudding, electronic nightmare. It perfectly captures Ellie's journey from a girl seeking love to a woman consumed by hate.
The "All Gone" Variations
One of the most effective things about the The Last of Us video game soundtrack is how it uses motifs. There’s a track called "All Gone."
Throughout the first game, you hear different versions of it.
- "All Gone (No Escape)"
- "All Gone (Seasons)"
- "All Gone (Alone)"
Each version uses the same basic melody but changes the arrangement. In the beginning, it’s frantic. By the end, it’s exhausted. When that melody hits during the final scene in the hospital? Forget about it. You’re done. It’s a masterclass in leitmotif—using a musical phrase to represent an idea. In this case, the idea is loss. Every time you hear those notes, you’re reminded of what has been stripped away from these characters.
Technical Legacy and Influence
You can hear the influence of this soundtrack everywhere now. Before 2013, game music was often trying to be "big." Now, look at games like God of War (2018) or A Plague Tale. They’ve embraced that earthy, folk-heavy, intimate sound.
Santaolalla’s work proved that you don't need a 100-piece orchestra to make a player cry. You just need a detuned guitar and the guts to leave some empty space in the mix.
Interestingly, the HBO show kept Santaolalla on board. That’s almost unheard of. Usually, TV adaptations want to "reimagine" the sound. But the producers realized the music is the identity of the story. If you changed the music, it wouldn't be The Last of Us. It’s as vital as the acting or the writing.
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How to Truly Appreciate the Score
If you want to actually "experience" the soundtrack rather than just having it as background noise while you’re doing dishes, you’ve got to change how you listen.
Get some decent open-back headphones. The soundstage in these recordings is incredible. You can hear the fingers sliding across the strings. You can hear the buzz of the amp. It makes the experience feel tactile.
Listen to the vinyl pressings if you can. Mondo released some incredible vinyl sets for both games. There’s something about the analog warmth of vinyl that just fits Santaolalla’s style perfectly. It brings out those low-end frequencies in the percussion that get compressed on Spotify or YouTube.
Pay attention to the "Longing" track. It’s perhaps the most underrated piece in the entire collection. It’s just a simple, repeating guitar line, but it captures the entire essence of the franchise: the desperate hope that things might get better, even when you know they probably won’t.
Compare the game tracks to the "Covers." Throughout the series, characters actually play music. Joel playing "Future Days" by Pearl Jam isn't just a nice moment; it’s a narrative bridge. The way the score blends into these "real world" songs is seamless. It grounds the fantasy elements of the game in a reality we recognize.
The The Last of Us video game soundtrack isn't just a collection of songs. It’s a character study. It’s the atmospheric pressure of a dying world. It’s the sound of Joel and Ellie’s relationship growing and then fracturing. Next time you play, or even if you're just listening on your commute, pay attention to the silence. That’s where the real magic is.
To dig deeper into the technical side of the score, look up the "Making of" documentaries on YouTube where Santaolalla demonstrates the Ronroco. Seeing the physical effort it takes to produce those "small" sounds makes the emotional payoff even stronger. You can also find the sheet music for the main theme online; it’s surprisingly simple to learn but nearly impossible to master the "feel" of it, which says everything you need to know about why this music is so special.