The Last of Us Part 2 reaction gifs are the perfect way to celebrate the game's release

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Joel is salt bae

(Image credit: Naughty Dog)

The Last of Us 2 has officially released on PS4 and to celebrate, Naughty Dog has treated the internet to some truly brilliant recreations of reaction gifs featuring Ellie and Joel. 

Creative director Neil Druckmann posted this recreation of the classic Salt Bae meme that first went viral back in 2017. There's something so great about the way the chef sprinkles salt onto the food in the most extra and confident way to really say, "yeah, I made this." Well, The Last of Us 2 is out in the wild, and as Druckmann says, "this baby's all cooked" for you to tuck into. Joel really nails it, shades and all. 

And who hasn't used the classic excited reaction gif from Seinfeld when someone really gets your hype levels going. Naughty Dog posted this recreation featuring Jesse, Ellie, and Dina to represent how everyone at the studio feels on launch day. I'm sure everyone eagerly waiting to dive into the game feels much the same way.

Finally, Naughty Dog president Evan Wells posted this excellent reaction gif taken from Parks and Recreation, featuring Joel in place of Andy looking beyond happy that The Last of Us 2 is officially out. As our very own Leon Hurley pointed out, the gif even features the bird model in the original. It's just too good. 

This isn't the first time we've seen some stellar reaction gifs that will continue to circulate on the internet for a long time to come. Sony Santa Monica made a string of humorously accurate recreations of much-used reactions gifs with a God of War makeover after the game released. Featuring Freya, Kratos, Atreus, and even a Tatzelwurm in place of a cat, they truly are the gift that keeps on giving. 

Getting started in Naughty Dog's adventure? Here are all the Last of Us 2 tips you need. 

Heather Wald
Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good. 

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