The Last of Us is truly one of the finest video games of all time. The story of Joel and Ellie’s journey, told across a post-apocalyptic United States is one of the greatest stories ever told within gaming. To be able to play it with modern day audio and visual upgrades is a dream.
The only thing holding this back from being a universal recommendation is the fact it is a £70 remake of a not-even 10 year old game. This does mean that for those who played the original, or the 2014 remaster on either the PS3 or PS4 may want to wait until it inevitably goes on sale before jumping back in.
If you’re even remotely into gaming, I’m sure you’ve heard the overwhelming praise and love that fans have for The Last of Us. Upon the game’s original release in 2013, the Naughty Dog developed game received critical acclaim from critics and fans alike, due to the incredible story, graphics and performances from its leads.
This all still rings true for Part I, with the game remaining completely untouched in its story and motion capture, with all of the improvements coming through graphical fidelity, audio and lighting. This game is clearly a product of 2022, achieving such technical benchmarks which are only available on the current ninth generation of consoles. Those early impressions on twitter declaring that the game does not look like a formidable upgrade are completely incorrect.
To spend too long talking of the story would be a waste, as the story is still the same, sombre, father and adopted-daughter road trip that it has always been. Joel and Ellie’s dynamic is still as strong as ever, except thanks to the increase in hardware capabilities, every wrinkle, drop of sweat and emotion is clear on the faces of the survivors who inhabit the overgrown world.
A great scene to compare involves Tess talking to Joel and Ellie when they reach the original drop-off point. Tess’ face as she talks of the hope she has found in a land of hopelessness is so structured and real, something Naughty Dog (despite their best efforts) couldn’t fully achieve before.
The story will also make you cry multiple times over the roughly 15 hours you’ll spend fighting clickers, infected and the humans that are left. The Last of Us puts you through the wringer and you’ll love every second of it. With this remake, you also get TLOU: Left Behind as part of the package, which is a lovely little prequel that explores Ellie before she met Joel.
As previously mentioned, one major thing working against this game is the £69.99 price tag attached to it. Sony has seemingly committed to it this console generation and when that’s the cost of a remake of a 9 year old game, it has to be asked whether it’s better to spend it on this or on a game you’ve never played before.
Ultimately, this does depend on your attachment to the original and the franchise as a whole, (for me it was more than worth it just for the Giraffe scene alone) but only you can make that decision.
Overall, The Last of Us Part I is the definitive way to play one of gaming’s greatest. Whether you’re jumping in for the first time or playing again as a refresher before The Last of Us TV show comes to Sky Atlantic in 2023, there is more than enough old and updated to make this a must-buy.
5/5 stars
Image credits: Playstation