The Last of Us Part II Remastered Review (PlayStation 5)

If there was ever a time to reignite the flame beneath Joel and Ellie’s tale of post-apocalyptic camaraderie and ill fortune, it would be right now, in the clutches of Naughty Dog’s newest revamped revival, The Last of Us Part II Remastered. And while I am, in all fairness, a little worse for wear having spent yet another truckload of hours meandering around flesh-imbued Seattle and the far corners of the American wasteland, I am, for lack of a better word, content. I’m content, mainly down to the fact that I already knew what I was getting at long before the hammer (or golf club, in this case) struck the anvil. What’s more, I knew that I wouldn’t have to mop away any additional tears, as I had already shoveled through the breadth of the emotional torment back in 2020. And yet, in spite of everything, I came back.

Of course, I will put my hands up and join the collective in saying this: was a remastered version of a game that only launched three years back really necessary? After all, with the scent of the Seattle shoreline and sky-high winds still fresh in our nostrils, it does seem awfully strange that there’s even a second gust of wind in Naughty Dog’s toolkit, to begin with. With that said, it is here, and it’s bound to knock over a few apple carts, regardless.

Aside from all of the revamped visuals and mechanics, does The Last of Us Part II Remastered offer much else by way of gameplay improvements or technical achievements? To answer that question, we’ll have to slip back to the very beginning—into the preliminary phases of Ellie’s whirlwind adventure across war-torn America and the ruins of the Firefly boroughs. Care to tag along? Then let’s jump in.

Welcome Back, Kiddo

The Last of Us Part II Remastered arrives at the dock with a treasure trove of fresh features, namely No Return—a roguelike mode that allows players to dive into the boots of previously unplayable characters from the series and duke it out across a series of randomized maps and encounters. This, along with a selection of revitalized cities and mechanics, are what make up the breadth of the newest installment. And it works — even if, at least for the most part, it is indeed a repackage of a game that didn’t exactly warrant a remaster, to begin with.

Sure enough, the lion’s share of the game does play into the same hands as its predecessor, in the fact that, from a narrative standpoint, it’s still the same campaign, and it’s still in receipt of all the same emotional trimmings and harrowing moments as the original. Being a remastered version of said original, however, there are several new additions to the core blueprint, such as better performance, and even a palette of glossier audiovisual elements, to list just a couple.

To offer a deeper understanding, the Remastered version comes loaded with a new Fidelity Mode—a high-performance powerhouse that offers true 4K resolution at 30 frames-per-second, as well as a signature Performance Mode, which touts 1440p at 60 frames-per-second. Suffice it to say, The Last of Us Part II has never looked so squeaky clean, and it helps that it also boasts better Dual Sense support and haptic feedback, too. True to their word, Naughty Dog signed, sealed, and delivered a definitive edition of an already widely versed, award-winning product — and they even went as far as to staple on a few additional bells and whistles to make it thrice as aesthetically appealing, too. There’s ten points, right there, ND.

More Than a Port

Aside from the newly created No Return mode, The Last of Us Part II Remastered also coughs up a few additional playable segments—episodic tales that, although cut from the same cloth, failed to make it into the original blueprint back in 2020. These chapters, aptly titled Lost Levels, provide further insight into Joel, Ellie, and Abby’s struggles during the aftermath of the epidemic, if not through jam-packed, action-focused playable portions, then through hearty cutscenes and cinematic moments. And I think I speak for everyone when I say that this, being presented in an uncut format, is a treat that any die-hard fan of the series will want stowed away in their catalogs, regardless of the length or depth.

No Return and Lost Levels out of the limelight, the game does manage to present its original nodes in a clearer light, also. And when I say clearer, I’m mainly referring to the scenery and overall atmosphere of Seattle and the surrounding areas. To cut a long story short, the campaign not only looks a lot better, but it also responds like any next-gen game should — both during combat encounters and cinematic events. From its foliage to its ever-shifting weather patterns, the world has a certain polish lathered over it, and it doesn’t take long to realize that, although a port of a recent game, Naughty Dog clearly put a great deal of blood, sweat, and tears into reinventing the framework to take full advantage of the PlayStation 5 and its myriad of technical achievements.

What impressed me about the latest version, really, was the additional context that Naughty Dog was able to provide from behind the scenes. Modes aside, the game also features a spool of exclusive talks—bonuses that, quite frankly, serve as the icing on the cake, truly.

Homecoming

When all’s said and done, you could certainly do a lot worse than The Last of Us Part II Remastered. Matter of fact, you could’ve taken the plunge into another port of an acclaimed series and discovered that, boasts and features aside, it wasn’t much more than a bog-standard rehash with a few additional bits and pieces. However, this isn’t the case with Naughty Dog’s latest revival, as it not only showcases the award-winning concept in a whole new light, but it also conjures up a rather impressive batch of never-before-seen scenarios, encounters, and modes. Add the fact that it also goes out of its way to supply avid fans of the series with a web of exclusive content and backstage interviews, and it’s easy to see why such a version was worth returning to.

There is, of course, a burning question that looms over us: was it needed? Perhaps not. With that said, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed with all it had to offer. And sure, it could’ve waited for a few years — at least until fans of the franchise urged for an update or some form of DLC. Needless to say, though, that Naughty Dog rarely does things by halves — so I’m willing to let it slide, if only to support the legendary prowess of such a stellar story.

Verdict

If you happen to fall into the 1% of PlayStation gamers who have yet to take the plunge into the emotional rollercoaster that is The Last of Us Part II, then there’s no doubt about it — this is, in all honesty, the best way to make amends for your wrongdoings. Sure, it’s essentially a repackage of a relatively new game, but it’s also a package that just so happens to envelope all of the best features and components in a single love letter. And what’s more, it’s also a letter that, unlike a lot of copy-and-paste rehashes of popular ports, makes a genuine effort to chalk up new material and exclusive content for those seeking new ways to keep the verses from concluding. To that I say, well played, Naughty Dog.

To answer the question, is The Last of Us Part II Remastered really worth playing when the original is still relatively hot off the press and embroidered in our minds? Yes, it most certainly is, and not just for the opportunity to relive the highlights from an award-winning masterpiece, but to experience a vast array of different aspects and behind-the-scenes snippets on a completely different canvas, too.

If you have just slugged through the original, and aren’t entirely sure whether or not to return to the saddle and do it all over again, then take it from me. To cut straight to the point, if you’re still feeling the gaping void from your previous endeavors in and around Seattle, then The Last of Us Part II Remastered will no doubt fit snuggly into the leftover crags and crevices — and then some.