Summary
- Episode 4 of The Last of Us season 2 includes a subtle nod to the game's Listen Mode mechanic through Dina counting infected noises.
- Listen Mode in the game helps locate enemies through spatial awareness, a crucial mechanic for survival.
- The show creatively incorporates the game mechanic to enhance Dina's character, a feature appreciated by fans.
Now that The Last of Us season 2 only has two more episodes to go before it concludes, fans have been looking back at the show's previous episodes, specifically episode 4, and have found a fantastic Easter egg from the Naughty Dog sequel, which includes a much-loved and important game mechanic showcased by Dina that only gamers would understand.
Season 2 of The Last of Us has been highly anticipated by players of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part 2, and were champing at the bit about how Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann would adapt the game. As game adaptation fans will know, it hasn't been an easy road for studios to take on beloved titles in a bid to make them successful, but thankfully, HBO can officially chalk its post-apocalyptic series up to another triumphant endeavor. So far, at least, the changes between season 2 and the video game haven't been too drastic and have served the narrative for the TV show fairly well. New characters like Gail, the only therapist in Jackson, have offered a unique insight into some of the town's residents, especially Joel and Ellie. Although fans still haven't had a proper look at Gail's husband and ex-firefly Eugene, it seems as though there might be more to the story surrounding his death and possibly a dark twist regarding Joel's involvement in that. In the meantime, fans have spotted a subtle nod to the game's mechanics in episode 4 of The Last of Us season 2.
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Dina Counting Infected in Episode 4 Is Actually a Nod To Listen Mode
Over on good old Reddit, where all the interesting stuff happens, Last of Us fans have spotted a very cool Easter egg in Season 2, episode 4, which is a nod to The Last of Us' in-game listen mode mechanic. As Dina and Ellie head down into the subway, the couple come across the WLF group, who are searching for them, but before the Wolves find their hiding spot, infected can be heard in the distance, which can only mean two things: run or be eaten. However, before a massive horde turns up, viewers can see Dina counting how many clickers she can hear by using her fingers, and even though this might seem like a smart way to gauge their survival chances, this feature is actually a very important mechanic in the game called Listen Mode.
In The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part 2, Listen Mode allows Joel and Ellie to use their heightened sense of hearing and spatial awareness to more effectively locate enemies. It works by showing the player silhouettes of characters through walls and barriers, outlining them in white, and it's not only a useful mechanic, but it can be the reason either character lives or dies. Obviously, this mechanic couldn't be implemented into the show, so instead, the creators gave Dina her own form of listening to the sounds of nearby enemies, which was a brilliant feature to include for gamers.
"Okay, I literally did not put that together until just now. I love that nod to the listening skill from the game!," expressed one Redditor in the comments, while another said, "Can’t believe I didn’t realize that" until it was pointed out to them. In an interview with The Wrap, Isabela Merced, who plays Dina, said that her favorite part of episode 4 of The Last of Us was the counting feature. “My favorite part of that sequence is when Dina is counting the infected noises, incorporating that from earlier in the season. But also on top of that, incorporating the crouching in the game where you’re normally able to see where the infected might be around you,” she said. “So it’s incorporating that element but in a more clever way.”
The Last of Us Season 2 streams on Max, leading up to the season finale on May 25.
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- Release Date
- January 15, 2023
- Network
- HBO
- Showrunner
- Craig Mazin
Cast
-
Pedro PascalJoel Miller -
Bella RamseyEllie Williams
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Craig Mazin, Peter Hoar, Jeremy Webb, Ali Abbasi, Mark Mylod, Stephen Williams, Jasmila Žbanić, Liza Johnson, Nina Lopez-Corrado
- Writers
- Neil Druckmann, Craig Mazin, Halley Wegryn Gross
- Franchise(s)
- The Last of Us
- Creator(s)
- Neil Druckmann, Craig Mazin
Source: Reddit