It’s quite unbelievable that The Last of Us Part II made its debut nearly four years ago, right in the midst of the Covid lockdown.
There’s a haunting irony in people stuck at home due to a global pandemic, engaging with an apocalyptic video game centered around… a global pandemic..
Despite Covid persisting, The Last of Us endured. In 2021, a complimentary upgrade enabled new PS5 owners to delve into a tweaked version of the original PS4 game.
Subsequently, a critically acclaimed TV drama series broadened the audience for Ellie and Joel’s desperate tale.
Now, we have The Last of Us Part II Remastered, a revamped edition of the outstanding game. It introduces a new Fidelity Mode, boasting 4K resolution at 30 frames-per-second, and a Performance Mode, presenting 1440p at 60 fps.
While a decent display is needed to discern differences from the prior PS5 upgrade, they are indeed present.
Movement flows more smoothly, lighting is more vibrant, and the scenic details, especially on foliage, exhibit a touch more vitality, enhancing the immersion in this muddy, devastated world.
The impact is most noticeable in the game’s epic fight scenes, now remarkably fluid and intense, as well as in the emotional cinematic moments that the game already executed brilliantly.
Equally significant are the alterations to the controls, fully integrating the Dual Sense controller. Granular haptic feedback and adaptive triggers create a tangible distinction in feel between various weapons, intensifying the physicality of the combat.
The addition of a guitar mode, allowing you to strum Joel’s old acoustic using the touchpad, is a peripheral yet charming feature.
What truly elevates the game is the inclusion of bonus content. A novel mode named ‘No Return’ is a rogue-like survival game where the goal is to stay alive through multiple enemy attack waves.
Choosing paths through procedurally generated stages, each based on areas from the main game, adds a layer of strategy. If you die, it’s game over; reach the end, and a colossal boss battle awaits.
This ‘horde mode’ concept is not groundbreaking, but Naughty Dog skillfully infuses the narrative tension of the main game into these enclosed shootouts.
It’s not just about standing behind cover and shooting; you must stealthily navigate through abandoned shops and backlots, listening for enemies.
Some stages pit you against the infected, while others involve human soldiers, requiring a shift in tactics. The mix of stealth and all-out action, coupled with the ability to upgrade weapons and items at the end of each stage, makes for a compelling experience.
Playing as different characters, such as Dina and Tommy, adds variety as each character’s traits affect gameplay differently. Unfortunately, there’s no multiplayer co-op, but given the well-publicized issues with The Last of Us online, it’s not surprising.
A personal favorite addition is ‘Lost Levels,’ featuring three playable stages that were omitted from the original game.
These include an extended build-up to the Jackson Party where Dina and Ellie kiss, an elongated section in the Seattle sewers, and a late-game scene where Ellie hunts a wild boar.
While these sequences are unfinished and rough in places, they offer a captivating glimpse into the development process – a rarity shared with players (and journalists).
Each scene includes audio commentary from lead designers, providing insight into the meticulous planning behind every section of the game. This ranges from establishing the emotional context of a scene to determining the exact length of an escape ladder, enhancing the player’s sense of relief and escape.
‘Lost Levels’ echoes the enlightening talk by Uncharted lead designer Richard Lemarchand at the GameCity festival, offering valuable lessons for students of game design.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered feels like the video game equivalent of a Criterion Collection Blu-ray – a thoughtfully curated celebration of a milestone release. Reliving this brutal adventure, now in a visually and haptically enhanced format, was as impactful, moving, and invigorating as my initial playthrough.
It’s a delight to witness video games receiving such treatment, serving as a reminder of how few studios and releases get this kind of reverential repackaging. While Limited Run Games does commendable work with physical releases, imagine if all remasters and reboots could share deleted scenes and developer insights.
Such access to the process would benefit everyone, dispelling the nonsense often discussed on forums and social media.
For those who haven’t played the game or experienced it on a PS5, this is a must-have experience – the epitome of mainstream narrative gaming, lovingly reborn.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered releases on January 19 on PS5, priced at £45 for the standalone edition and £10 for the upgrade from the PS4 edition.
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