Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: PlayStation Publishing
Platform: PC, PS5
Tested on: PC
The Last of Us Part II Remastered (PC) – Review
Does The Last of Us even still need an introduction? Since the release of the first game back in 2013, this franchise has grown to unimaginable popularity. And it’s easy to see why. The original game was met with instant fandom because of its graphics, storytelling, and gameplay. The sequel was similarly lauded, even if some fans were more divided on it. HBO has also been adapting the story into a TV show that’s currently also enjoying success. Both games got a remastered edition at some point after their release, to upgrade the graphics and add extra content. What we’re looking at today is The Last of Us Part II Remastered for the PC, which is also the first time that this sequel arrives on PC since it used to be a PlayStation exclusive.
Story
Most of you will already know what The Last of Us is about, but just in case, we’ll give a brief synopsis of the setting. In a post-apocalyptic world, survivors must try to evade people infected with a fungus disease that causes them to turn into hostile, blind monsters. Technically not zombies, though they basically work the same. After the end of the first game, Joel and Ellie have been surviving in a small settlement that seems to have found relative peace. However, as is often the case in post-apocalyptic worlds, that peace can be easily shattered. When a bitter young woman named Abby comes into contact with our main characters, this sets in motion a chain of events that changes Ellie’s life forever as she seeks revenge.
The narrative switches between Ellie and Abby as playable characters and seems to make an effort to make both of them well-rounded in their own regard, with the moral of the story revolving around the cycle of violence and how it only continues to hurt people if they can’t let go of the past. Though we honestly found it much easier to feel sympathy for Ellie, perhaps since she’s a character we’ve already grown to love in the previous game. Regardless, the story is engaging and complex, and we liked all the side characters too.
Graphics
The main difference between The Last of Us Part II and its remastered version was an update to the graphics. And once again, in bringing the game to PC, the graphics seem to be the focal point of what changed. Making use of the fact that a lot of modern gaming PCs have the hardware for it, the game upgraded its textures, character models, and animations in a bunch of subtle ways. Individually, the changes seem small in direct comparisons, but if you have a decent enough PC, the game really will look better and run smoother than ever before. Older PCs might experience some issues unless you lower the graphics settings. For those who have a wide-screen monitor, The Last of Us Part II Remastered now has wide-screen support. There’s nothing we can say that hasn’t been said before about how wonderful this game looks, especially when it comes to the abandoned and overgrown Seattle environments.
Sound
The sound design remains completely unchanged from previous releases of the game as far as we can tell. The Last of Us Part II has always had a great soundtrack, leaning into country vibes and with lots of emotional music played at the right time, composed by Gustavo Santaolalla, who also did the excellent music from the first game. They also know how to tug on your nostalgia by including some ’90s bangers. The voice acting is top-notch, which is unsurprising with how experienced the actors are. We also can’t leave out that the echolocation of the Clickers still manages to make us tense years later.
Gameplay
The Last of Us Part II: Remastered remains a classic survival horror action game that tries to reward players for choosing how they want to play. Most encounters with enemies allow for different approaches, be it stealth or head-on combat. Different enemy types, ranging from humans to various infected, make it so you can’t always keep doing the same thing, and you have to improvise to get through these segments. This keeps the game from growing stale. A lot of the actual combat is identical to the previous game, though there are more weapons to experiment with.
When you’re not fighting enemies, you’re probably walking through open areas and exploring, finding resources you can use to craft. These segments also focus on the story more, allowing optional side content for those who make the effort to really check out an area fully. The Last of Us Part II is very good at pretending to be almost an open-world game with how big the locations are, though the game is actually extremely streamlined. The upside is that you can’t get lost too easily.
As was the case for the PlayStation version, this PC version of The Last of Us Part II: Remastered includes a new game mode called No Return. This is a sort of challenge mode inspired by roguelites where players unlock playable characters with unique traits and abilities, and try to survive a series of randomized encounters in an effort to last as long as possible. It’s a pretty fun mode for people who really enjoy the gameplay. The Last of Us Part II: Remastered also includes a buttload of bonus content focused on the development of the game, such as hours of developer commentary and an opportunity to explore maps that were cut from the game.
Conclusion
The Last of Us Part II: Remastered is the same as it’s always been, so that means it’s pretty damn good. We’re happy this specific release can bring this lovely game to a new audience, as the tragic story of Ellie and Abby makes its debut on PC for the first time. However, the graphics are the only tangible change, and if you already played this game before, we can’t see much reason to get it again, except if you really like unlocking Steam achievements or feel strongly about having it in your library.
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[…] A surprising and unique addition to the game world is playable musical instruments. Stumbling upon a guitar and playing a few notes in an abandoned farmhouse adds moments of surreal calm in an otherwise brutal environment. You almost feel like Ellie from The Last of US Part II. […]