By Dean Moses
Game: Last of Us Part II
Platform: PlayStation 5
Rating: M for Mature
Cost: $69.99 (or $10 for a digital upgrade if you own the PS4 version)
The masterpiece Last of Us first hit PlayStation shelves in 2013 and became what some may say the pinnacle of gaming narrative and has had its 2020 sequel, The Last of Us Part II remastered for PlayStation 5.
The original The Last of Us was heavily story driven as you help escort a young girl across a post-apocalyptic America. The narrative was so well received that many players compared it to Orson Welles’ classic film Citizen Kane. The Last of Us Part II follows this same trend and takes it even further. I will keep story details to a minimum in order to prevent spoilers. With that being said, the plot has you once again traversing a disheveled and overgrown America. Along this magnificently written journey, I was sucker punched with so many emotions, I commend developer Naughty Dog for having talent to portray.
Gameplay
The gameplay remains similar to the previous outing, only with the addition of new abilities. Ellie is now a lot stronger and more capable of holding her own in a fight. With the remastered version, there are new modes to play through, bonus content such as audio commentary, upscale in visuals for 40K resolution at 30 FPS or if you want to try performance mode at 1440 P and 60 FPS—both options showcase a rich environment. The character models and facial animations continue to be impressive, and the graphics are smoother with seamless lighting effects. The years since the apocalypse have been long and the earth has taken its landscape back, which is shown with the lush, overgrown vegetation and the vines creeping over every surface. Some areas look almost photorealistic thanks to the overwhelming detail. Everything isn’t all good and green though. At times the game forces you underground to abandoned subway tunnels where flares are used to light your way. The art design is also likewise beautiful even in cinematic scenes, enhancing already touching moments. There are also three stages, The Lost Levels, are included in the remastered edition that were removed from the original Last of Us Part II, adding more depth to the story.
The remastered version also utilizes the PlayStation 5’s Dual sense controller, allowing for each weapon choice and fight scenarios to be felt at the palm of your hands. Additionally, this iteration brings out a new mode that is meant for die hard fans who have the patience of a saint, where if you die, you have to restart the entire chapter. There is also a mode called No Return where you battle waves of enemies for a series of times on different stages until you face the boss.
Conclusion
Since The Last of Us Part II was first released there were grievances over the character Abby so much that with the remastered iteration hate has once again filled comment sections on gaming websites and even garnering negative feedback on fan critic ratings. Despite some revitalizing their Abby hate campaign, others have found the remastered version to rekindle a story about consequences and forgiveness, or as the Beatles once sang, “Live and Let Die.”
There is no denying The Last of Us Part II is a masterpiece, thanks in most part to its poignant plot. There have been reports that users have been leaving negative reviews on database sights in order to squash the game’s momentum. These reviews are unfounded, this game continues to be one of PlayStations best outings. Personally, I wish that the sad plot happened in a much later iteration of the game, but nonetheless it is still a powerful tale.
