6 best nerdy Last of Us 2 Easter eggs, including Crash Bandicoot porn
There's a secret in every corner ... or a porny pun.
Playing The Last of Us Part 2 can’t exactly be described as “fun” all the time considering the grisly violence, but there are still plenty of fun little Easter eggs sprinkled throughout the experience. The franchises’ engrossing narrative, world-class pacing, and seemingly endless basket of Easter eggs have made the Naughty Dog sequel impossible to put down for its legions of fans.
Here are five nerdy Easter eggs you may have missed that reference other games, particularly within Naughty Dog's catalogue.
Players have been keeping a careful eye out for hidden details in TLOU 2 as intensely as they’ve searched every dark corner for lurking Infected. The game’s stunning dystopian landscapes are riddled with hat-tips to other Naughty Dog titles and old Sony consoles that makes every abandoned house Ellie crawls into a new opportunity to stumble upon an unexpected gaming reference.
Gamers looking to try and loot every collectible the game has to offer should expect a nearly 27 to 30 hour-long campaign, but that could take even longer if they stop to appreciate all of the geeky nuances Naughty Dog weaved into TLOU 2’s environments.
Minor TLOU 2 spoilers ahead.
6. Tons of PlayStation 3s and a single Vita
Ellie does strike us as someone who would be into 'Uncharted.'
Any time you see a TV, take a look around. There’s probably an old PS3 near it with a stack of classic games. You’ll first encounter the gaming system from yesteryear and copies of Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 2 and Jak & Daxter in Ellie’s garage apartment in Jackson, Wyoming at the very beginning of TLOU 2. It's next to where she hangs her shirts and jackets.
As the game progresses, there are numerous other PS3s in the ruins of people’s homes. You’ll run into the next one when Ellie and Dina wander around Eugene’s hideout in the book store. The former-Firefly clearly enjoyed gaming among other recreational activities. There's also a single person who's seen more than once playing a PS Vita.
5. Crash Bandicoot porn
Crash Bandicoot is back...?
While in Eugene's book store hideout early in the Jackson portion of the game that includes a secret marijuana grow lab, Ellie and Dina can examine Eugene's personal possessions. Not only is there a gas mask bong, but they also find Eugene's smutty VHS collection.
Included among the fake tapes are some fictional porn movies, namely Dong of the Wolf and Smash Brandi’s Cooch. The latter is a clear pun on Naughty Dog's Crash Bandicoot franchise.
4. Jak X: Combat Racing Arcade Machine
If only it was still working.
The Jak & Daxter references don’t stop there. During Chapter 4 - Seattle Day 3, Ellie has to navigate through an old arcade where a Jak X: Combat Racing arcade cabinet can be found among a row of generic arcade machines.
The 2001 title was a cult-classic for anyone who was into racing spin-offs from popular series like Crash Team Racing during the PS2 days. The game was even ported to the PS4 in 2017. It’s no surprise Naughty Dog included this Easter egg for all the gaming speedsters who are probably playing TLOU 2.
3. Nathan Drake’s Ring
The ring Ellie finds in Westlake Bank isn't a code for anything. It's just an 'Uncharted' reference.
When Ellie and Dina explore the ruins of an old bank during Chapter 2 - Seattle Day 1, players will also be able to loot a ring that diehard Uncharted fans will recognize.
Once you overcome the dangers waiting for you at the Westlake Bank in Downtown Seattle, Ellie can open one of the lockboxes at the back of the bank to find a silver ring with the engraving “Sic Parvis Magna 29 Januarie 1596 9 32 79." No this isn’t a code for a safe, but it’s a very old ring worn as a necklace by Uncharted protagonist Nathan Drake.
The ring was said to belong to Sir Francis Drake, the first Englishman to sail around the world, and the Latin engraving translates to “Greatness from Small Beginnings.” It's a fitting motto for Naughty Dog's other immensely popular game series.
2. Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer 4000 references
Some of Naughty Dog’s developers are clearly avid tabletop gamers. Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer 40,000 figurines can be found in multiple apartments when playing as Abby.
Gamers can find Warhammer 40K figurines on the shelves of ransacked apartments as they explore Seattle with Manny during Chapter 6, Seattle Day 1. Abby then makes her way into another apartment during Chapter 7, Seattle Day 2 where D&D figurines and game manuals litter a dining room table.
1. A Precursor orb from the Jak and Daxter games
Talk about an Easter egg.
Naughty Dog added yet another Easter egg to the TLOU 2 and it’s a literal egg that serves as a callback to the Uncharted and Jak and Daxter series.
When playing as Abby early on in Chapter 6 - Seattle Day 1, you’ll find yourself in a portion of Seattle’s Chinatown. As you explore the ruins of abandoned storefronts, you’ll eventually make your way into Jasmine’s Bakery.
Once inside, head upstairs where you’ll see a room where the entrance is cut off by a hole in the floor. Jump over the gap and investigate a table in the room where you’ll find a golden egg called the "Relic of the Sages," which actually refers to the eco sages from Naughty Dog's Jak and Daxter games.
This ancient-looking artifact is also a reoccurring treasure that can be looted in many Uncharted games, but it’s known just as the “strange relic” to Nathan Drake.
The Last of Us: Part II is now available for PS4.
