A gamer playing through The Last of Us discovers a detail in the game's skybox that appears out of place within the rest of its apocalyptic world. For a title with such intensive attention to detail in its ruined landscape, this small inconsistency in The Last of Us sticks out like a sore thumb.
While it has been three years since the 2020 release of The Last of Us 2, the marquis franchise from Naughty Dog Studios is currently undergoing a blitz of renewed relevance. Between the hit HBO series which launched in January 2023 and The Last of Us Part 1 remake which launched in September 2022, new fans are being introduced daily to Naughty Dog's unique fungal take on a zombie apocalypse. That momentum of interest is showing no signs of slowing, as a PC port of The Last of Us Part 1 remake is due out in March, and The Last of Us 2Factions multiplayer mode, which is currently being kept under wraps, will presumably have more information shown off about it soon after.
Reddit user Base73 shared a screenshot online which appears to show the distant jet stream of a commercial airliner during their playthrough of The Last of Us. Since society had decades since collapsed by the time the events of the game unfold, the inclusion of a plane flying overhead is clearly at odds with the in-game lore. While some commenters attempted to reason the UFO as a possible FEDRA reconnaissance flight, others countered by explaining the distance and shape of that type of jet stream could only be produced by a large commercial airliner. While fans speculated on how something like this could slip under Naughty Dog's radar, one commenter reckoned that the sky box was reused for The Last of Us Part 1 remake from the studio's previous title, Uncharted 4.
In a way, relatively inconsequential breaks in the immersion like the one Base73 shared highlight just how impressive the overall package of The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2 truly is. Such minute and loving attention to detail in the game world and its characters means discerning fans have to dig deep to find critiques. While neither game is perfect, to some they represent a high watermark in visual design and nuanced storytelling, where no moral truth is as binary as black and white.
While Naughty Dog is hard at work on The Last of Us 2 Factions as well as one or several unrevealed projects, posts like Base73's represent the franchise's impressive continued streak of staying in the spotlight. Whatever is next for The Last of Us, if the standard set by Naughty Dog is any indicator, it will be another harrowing and unforgettable experience.
The Last of Us Part 1 is available now on PS5, and a PC port will be released on March 28, 2023.
