The development team at Naughty Dog sneaks in a snazzy little Easter egg inUncharted 4: A Thief’s Endnodding to its post-apocalyptic title,The Last of Us.
Based on therave reviewsforUncharted 4: A Thief’s End, it’s no secret that Naughty Dog has not only imbued the latest title in the series with an unparalleled sense of grandiosity, but also has meticulously pieced together the smallest details of its world. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise to fans of the game that Naughty Dog decided to slip in a secret or two, likean Easter egg referencing one of the studio’s classic projects.
Should players be using Nathan Drake to closely scour the expansive environments found withinUncharted 4, it’s quite possible that they will come across an item alluding to the studio’s critically acclaimed release,The Last of Us. Rather than have fans aimlessly poke and prod throughout the game’s landscapes for the hidden gem, though, folks can read on to find out where to discover the collectible treasure. However, be forewarned: Light spoilers are inbound.
As seen in the stills below, the treasure is called “Strange Pendant,” and it can be picked up in Chapter 9. After solving the water puzzle and opening the door that leads to the next area, it’s imperative to follow along the path to the right until finding a hidden grapple point. Then, players will want to swing over to a cave on the far side of the cavern where a skeleton with a sword and hat will rest. The collectible ought to be on the floor next to the once-living figure.
Although Drake considers the pendant to be odd-looking, eagle-eyed fans ofThe Last of Uswill immediately recognize that the emblem is the crest of the Fireflies, which happen to be a revolutionary militia group important to the plot of Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic title. Plus, as a fun little bonus, the name “Druckley” on the back can be broken down as a combination of the last names forUncharted 4’s andThe Last of Us' co-directors, Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley.
While the Easter egg may simply be nothing more than an innocuous allusion toThe Last of Us, it could very well be a sly reference to the contents of next project the two directors will be tackling. After all, a little over a month ago, Druckmann said thatThe Last of Us 2’s development is to move forwardafterUncharted 4’s DLC is complete. However, with the base game having just released yesterday, fans still have plenty more ofthe PS4 title’s trophy listto unlock as well as collectibles to find before expansions come about. Nevertheless, it’s hard to imagine fans would be upset if a sequel toTLOUis officially announced.
What do you think aboutThe Last of UsEaster egg inUncharted 4? Do you believe the pendant holds some significance to the Fireflies' role in a sequel to Naughty Dog’s post-pandemic title? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s Endis out now and is available exclusively for PlayStation 4.
