New video highlights how detail is everything in The Last of Us

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The devil is in the details.

More work has gone into customizing the environments of HBO’s The Last of Us than you might think, and a new video explains why.

The video, released on February 7 via the official PlayStation YouTube channel, offers input from both those who helped create the show and those who worked on the original game, and shows how tiny Details for the game have been adjusted or changed. This includes Naughty Dog co-president and Last of Us series creator Neil Druckmann, those involved in the making of the series, designers who worked on the original game, and key cast members like Pedro Pascal and Merle Dandridge who Joel and Marlene play resp.

The video begins with a look at how the original game was designed and how certain design elements were used to bring environments to life. The QZs were given edgier designs to evoke a rougher vibe while exploring, while wilder areas like Bill’s Town were meant to feel more natural and wild.

This was something the showrunners wanted to capture for their adaptation, and they spent a lot of time recreating and expanding on it in a believable way. Not only did they recreate minute details related to characters or scenes, but they also built on the environments, making them feel more alive and active than before.

“I think, and I know Neil agrees, that we’re obsessed with details,” said Craig Mazin, executive producer of the series. “The details are everything. It’s almost like there’s detail in places you can never see.”

This, in turn, allowed the actors to bring more life to characters that were otherwise not seen as often in the game, thanks in large part to the more polished environments and settings.

“What I also love is that there were opportunities to see Marlene doing different things,” says Dandridge. “Because the story is so rich, you could probably walk into any room and experience a whole new story, and we can do that.

It’s an interesting deep dive into the production of the original game, and adds further weight to the show, which made certain decisions to enhance the story. Fans won’t want to miss checking out the full video below.

HBO’s The Last of Us currently airs on HBO every Sunday at 6:00 p.m. PST and 9:00 p.m. EST (excluding Super Bowl weekend, when it premieres on Friday). For more information on the show, check out one of our related articles below.