The Last of Us Part II dives once again into the post-apocalyptic universe created by the studio Naughty Dog, with the refined music of Gustavo Santaolalla, a regular collaborator of director Alejandro González Iñárritu and winner of two Oscars (Brokeback Mountain and Babel).
Taking advantage of the talents of this kind of composer is a great luxury that video game studios are increasingly able to afford. That said, Santaolalla’s score, written mainly for guitar (acoustic and electric, or sometimes a banjo), doesn’t venture very far on the melodic and harmonic levels. The main theme, very beautiful and above all adequately introspective in this world where the last good humans are rare and confronted with their solitude, is repeated many times with a few variations according to the requirements of the corresponding scenes.
A few threatening passages make a soft industrial-noise use of the electric guitar, with the addition of electronic percussion and insistent sound drones.
All in all, The Last of Us Part II is a soundtrack of certain quality, taking advantage of a strong main theme, but that we would have liked to see developed in a much more elaborate way, considering that Santaolalla is one of the most intelligent and sophisticated musicians currently working in Hollywood.
