Arrangement of the Week: The Last of Us

For this entry of Arrangement of the Week, we’ll be looking at an arrangement from a more recent game. The Last of Us, like many great games, boasts a wonderful score. The game’s main theme “The Last of Us” is a beautiful and mournful piece from composer Gustavo Santaolalla, that sets the mood for the game’s world and story perfectly.

The arranger for this week’s selection is nckmusic who presents his own acoustic interpretation of the main theme from The Last of Us.

Much of what nckmusic does with music isn’t too far from the tone of the original soundtrack. If anything, this version is much more solemn. The arrangement begins with the piano playing the opening arpeggios that were previously performed on guitar. When the strings come in to accompany, they create a haunting ambient boom in the lower register, helping build on the sorrowful atmosphere. At 1’37” a solo cello enters with another solemn presentation of the original melody.

What I like most about this arrangement is how small scale and intimate it stays. While later parts of the track do build up with percussion, and even a few siren effects, it maintains its haunting and somber tone throughout. Overall, a wonderful adaptation of an already excellent piece of music.

Have any favorite game music arrangements, remixes, or covers? Let us know in the comment section. You can check out nckmusic’s “The Last of Us” arrangement on OC ReMix.