Naughty Dog has recently announced a new feature in the upcoming The Last of Us 2 Remastered that will excite players. They will have the opportunity to play the banjo, in addition to the existing guitar minigame, as Gustavo, a minor character who serves as a cameo for the game’s composer, Gustavo Santaolalla.

The Last of Us 2 Remastered: Playing the Banjo as the Composer

Aside from the already known free-play mode for the guitar, players will now have the chance to experience playing the banjo as well. This new feature will allow players to take on the role of Gustavo, Jackson’s resident banjo player, instead of the protagonist Ellie.

In the game, players will encounter Gustavo playing the banjo in Jackson’s main square alongside the dog Buckley. Although a minor character, the man behind Gustavo has had a significant impact on the series.

Gustavo Santaolalla, the real-life composer for The Last of Us, The Last of Us 2, and the ongoing HBO series, has made substantial contributions to the game. Santaolalla has not composed for any other video games but he has a strong background in film and television, including his work on 2005’s Brokeback Mountain, which won him an Academy Award for Best Original Score. His work also includes compositions for Guillermo del Toro’s The Book of Life and the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico.

The Last of Us 2 Remastered is set to launch for PlayStation 5 on January 19, with a cost of $49.99. However, owners of the PS5 version will have the option to purchase it for only $10. Whether a game from 2020 really needs a remaster is a decision that fans will have to make for themselves.