The Last of Us 2 is hiding a pretty nifty dodge animation

the last of us 2
(Image credit: Sony)

The Last of Us 2 is hiding a pretty handy dodge animation to help Ellie get out of a tough spot.

Just below, you can see a brief clip of gameplay from The Last of Us 2, that was posted to The Last of Us subreddit earlier today. In the clip, the player dives backwards onto the ground to escape the clutches of a rambling Bloater, effectively dodging the towering enemy, and readying their shotgun for a quick blast to the face to finish the monster off.

Did you guys knew about this dodge animation? from r/thelastofus

We had absolutely no idea this was a thing in Naughty Dog's sequel, and it turns out neither did many of the people who viewed the clip on Reddit. The comments section underneath the post above is full of people expressing admiration for Naughty Dog's animation, as the entire process of seeing Ellie dive to the ground and ready her weapon is seamless.

Further down the thread, the posted explains how they're able to ensure they pull of the dodge every time. When sprinting in The Last of Us 2, you can hold circle to dive headfirst onto the ground, but you should be be able to replicate the clip above if you sprint, hold circle, and then immediately hold down the left trigger to bring up your weapon. That's going to save us countless times on our next playthrough of the sequel.

This isn't the only community discovery surrounding Naughty Dog's sequel to come about in 2021. Just last week, a player discovered that if you grab a standard "runner" infected and let a Clicker grab you, the Clicker will chow down on the hapless runner instead of you, letting you maneuver behind the Clicker for a swift melee kill. It's an astounding discovery, and can really change how the player approaches zombie-filled situations.

For a list of other hidden tidbits you might've missed in your time with Ellie and Abby's tale, head over to our guide on The Last of Us 2 easter eggs for more.

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.