Developer: Naughty Dog
Platform: PS5
Genre: Action, Adventure
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The Last of Us Part II Remastered is released this January on PS5. The much-acclaimed follow-up to the Last of Us II was released in mid-2020, so this version is upgraded for players on the PS5 who either want to revisit it or have played it for the first time. On the back of the TV series and the renewed interest in the Last of Us, I can see why this remastered version is being released.
The Last of Us series is undoubtedly one of the finest gaming series I have played, and after three years of playing the Last of Us II on PS4, I still feel the same way. This epic adventure game is set in a post-apocalyptic survival horror world and is a stunning piece of film mixed with fantastic gameplay. The Last of Us II meshes a tremendous story, great direction, amazing cinematics, storytelling and a fantastic video game into one complete package of awesomeness.
You play as Ellie, who, along with Joel and Tommy, lives in Jackson and follows her current life following on four years after the first outing of the Last of the US. This game is a 3rd personal adventure, which places heavy emphasis on using the right tactics to navigate areas; some parts require stealth and guile to make it through, others require the ability to blast your way through, and in some instances, running can be the best course, the choice is yours. The gameplay mechanics are slick and intuitive; you feel always fully in control of your choices when you play as the characters. There are upgrades you will acquire that will help your play style and how you approach the game; it’s up to you to upgrade what helps your play style.
The story and voice acting are superb, the story and direction are stunning, and the world is this huge place with so much going on. The voice acting brings the characters to life and helps them leave an imprint on the player; you will either love or hate some characters as their pasts unfold. The soundtrack and general sound effects fit the game; none need to be put in the right place.
The remastered version has a lot of improvements. From a graphical standpoint built for the PS5, The Last of Us Part II Remastered enhances the original PS4 game as it supports native 4K (4K TV \ monitor required) output in Fidelity Mode (30 FPS), 1440p upscaled to 4K in Performance Mode (60 FPS), and an Unlocked Framerate option for TVs that support VRR. It has vastly improved load times to let you jump back into the action; it also has complete integration with the dualsense controller. From an accessibility point of view, Descriptive Audio and Speech to Vibrations have also been added to The Last of Us Part II Remastered’s suite.
The other option as part of the Last of Us II remastered is the No Return version, a roguelike version of the game where you survive as long as you can on various random paths. I enjoyed this mode, though I was sceptical at first; several areas from the main game become the setting for this roguelike survival game; you will use the same mechanics and characters you see throughout the game in this series of challenges leading to a boss fight.
Last of Us II is a masterpiece in gaming. It manages the problematic act of creating a world with characters and a story where you become invested in them and build a fantastic narrative. The world manages to create a complex story with characters you grow to love or hate, building this into a fantastic game where the gameplay and story seamlessly live in harmony. The visuals, dialogue, voice-acting, soundtrack and the gameplay are all amazing. It finds the right balance between storytelling, gameplay, and cutscenes, which is challenging. The world is lively, with danger and intrigue around every corner. The roguelike No Return mode is an excellent addition to a fantastic game. It has been a while since I played the PS4 version, but I just remembered how good this game is; it’s a classic.
Overall: 10/10
Enjoys more than the odd game, long time gamer, somewhat a technologist and everything else in between.
Also enjoys a good solid game of FIFA online. Currently PS4, XBOX 360 and STEAM.
