The Last of Us: Composer Shares Proudest Soundtrack Moment

The Last of Us‘ composer is sharing the proudest moments from his work on the game’s soundtrack. In a new interview with Consequence of Sound, Gustavo Santaolalla told Liz Shannon Miller about how emotional people get when they hear certain moments from the score. Now, Sony’s huge franchise prides itself on the emotional storytelling at play in both games. But, there are some special moments like the wildlife encounters and the guitar moments in Part II that leave everyone’s eyes watery. Here’s how the composer would describe it in his own words.

“When I met Neil [Druckmann, writer/director of the original games] and Neil told me the story of The Last of Us, I said, ‘This is it, this is it. This is the game,’” he explained. “Not particularly because of the story but the concept, the idea of this emotional connection with a gamer. Then when I learned that people were crying while playing the game and crying almost at the same places, just like in the movies — you really see and can prove that there’s those peaks, those moments where the emotional connection really is made.”

In fact, the composer has even implied that the adaptation is so strong, you wouldn’t be mistaken for assuming that the TV show came first and then the game. But, in essence, that’s the hallmark of a tremendous adaptation.

Santaolalla added, “it could have been also the other way around. It could have been first the series and then the game, because it’s a great story… It’s a story that I think, particularly in the historical moment that the world is living and what we’ve been through and stuff, it touches a lot of people. I know there are a lot of people that are really into the show but probably hate video games. That’s what it is, because the story is what connects.”

How Is The Last of Us Different?

The composer has also seen the game being played first hand in his own house. He shared how his son’s consumption of the series has influenced their thinking on not only The Last of Us, but gaming in general. Check out what he had to say down below!

“I enjoyed watching him play, and I always thought, watching my son, if somebody creates a game that will connect with a gamer on an emotional level, aside from the killing and the fighting, and the combat and the survival, this is going to be a moment that is going to change the history of games,” he says.

Have you been enjoying the music on The Last of Us? Let us know down in the comments!