I Played ‘The Last of Us’ For The First Time In 2022
Image Source: PlayStation
The wait for one of the most anticipated games of the year is over. The remake of the 2013 PlayStation 3 title The Last of Us Part I has finally arrived on PlayStation 5. As someone who has not played the 2013 original release or the 2014 remaster for more than 5 minutes, this will be my first full play-through of The Last of Us Story.
I was introduced to the story of Ellie and Joel in The Last of Us Part II back in 2020, and I instantly fell in love. With it being the first game in the series that I played, I had to catch up on a lot of the story that I missed in the first installment of the game. Unfortunately, the graphics and gameplay of The Last of Us Remastered (2014) gave me horrible motion sickness, and I have not completed the story to this day. I only know the general concept of the game and some key story points in that 1 hour of gameplay. To say the least, I am very excited about this particular remake.
Gameplay
Image Source: Press Start
I have to give Naughty Dog a lot of credit for the amazing job that they did on this title. One of the main problems with the 2013 original was the jittery movement of the camera and some of the core gameplay mechanics. The game revolves around surviving the environment and the creatures and various human factions. Its tense and well-rounded combat moments are definitely anxiety-inducing.
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Playing through about 3 hours of the game, the one thing I noticed more than anything with the gameplay was its buttery smoothness. The game was built on a modified version of The Last of Us Part II engine, so I did not expect anything less. The aiming system was brought over from the second game and was just as easy to use, and as reactive as it needed to be. Overall, from graphics to movement and aiming, the gameplay is a 10 out of 10. The only thing that I did miss from the second game was the option to lie prone and dodge which were absent in the game, just as it was absent in the original game.
Graphics
Image Source: PCMag
One of the main improvements was the graphical changes between the 2013 original, the 2014 remaster, and this 2022 remake. The first trailer revealed the astounding graphical enhancements that are possible with the PS5 hardware. From dynamic lighting with shadows to facial expressions, every aspect of this game was jaw-droppingly beautiful.
The 2014 remaster unfortunately gave me massive migraines and made my head spin while playing. I am not sure if it was the general motion blur or semi-muddy textures that PS3 titles of the day were famous for. As a huge fan of how The Last of Us Part II looked graphically and seeing this game rebuilt for the PS5, I was still taken aback by how beautiful everything was and how much the graphics had improved from the original game almost a decade ago.
If you are looking for a visually stunning game, The Last of Us Part I is the title for you.
Story
Source: GamingBolt
Players take on the role of Joel as he escorted 14-year-old Ellie to the Fireflies, a radical group that is determined to overthrow government rule and bring back power to the people. The story and fantastic dialog between Joel and Ellie would keep you engaged through the 10 to 15-hour campaign. The game also featured the DLC content from the first game in the form of The Last of Us: Left Behind, which dove into the story before Ellie met Joel and filled in some gaps in the main narrative that were missing from the game.
The story and plot of The Last of Us Part I are identical to the original. Playing through the story for the first time, however, has been an experience. From the get-go, the story hooked you with the flash bang beginning and the quickly escalating action. Even though I knew some of the events from the first game from playing The Last of Us Part II, I was still not prepared for the emotional rollercoaster that this game put you through in the first three hours of gameplay.
One thing about the story that surprised me a lot was the dynamic between Joel and Ellie at the beginning of the game. They started not liking each other and were always at odds with each other. Throughout the game, they would bond in a father-daughter manner that was so clearly depicted in Part II. The exchange between Ellie and Joel was hilarious because you can tell how much they did not like each other. Ellie’s quips and banter towards Joel helped the player bond with these characters just as much as they bond with each other. The writing and story of this game are unmatched and drive home a deep connection between two people in extreme circumstances coming together to fight and protect each other.
Pros And Cons
Image Source: Eurogamer
As someone who played bits and pieces of the first game while getting extremely sick, being able to play this game without any issues was a huge pro. The graphical improvement is hands down the number one thing you are getting with this game.
One thing I noticed between this game and Part II was the AI improvements from not only the companion character but the enemies in the game. While not perfect, the companion characters and the enemies reacted much differently in this game. I can not tell you how many times Dina would just walk out into the line of sight of an enemy for them to be fully blind to her existence. The reactiveness of the AI is impressive, and it showed how this game was a remake rather than a mere remaster.
The price of the game is definitely a con but not as much as you would think. Take into perspective that there are a lot of people that have not and will not have played The Last of Us back in 2013 and are just being introduced to this world now in 2022. Not to mention that the HBO The Last of Us Series is set to release in the next few months. I can not think of a more perfect time to have the game that started it all be remade for a fresh fanbase that is going to come along once the series gets underway. Yes, $70 is a lot to charge for a game, but the time and effort that everyone put into remaking this classic is a massive undertaking. If you have played The Last of Us a decade ago, then maybe this remake is not for you. For someone like me who has not played the original, I am very hyped for this game more than any other game in 2022.
Verdict
Source: Esporto
The Last of Us Part I is perfect for old and new fans of The Last of Us series. I do think that the sheer amount of graphical improvements and gameplay upgrades are worth the $70 price tag. If price is an issue for you, this game will probably be on sale at some point in the next year. With the HBO series right around the corner, the game’s release has been perfectly timed for the soon-to-be influx of fans for this game.
There is no better remake of a 10-year-old game in my mind. Yes, I would like to have some of the gameplay features from The Last Of Us Part II, but those are just small nitpicks compared to this absolute marvel of a game. I highly suggest picking this game up if you are even slightly interested in this title.
There has also been an announcement that Naughty Dog is working on a multiplayer game that is due to release sometime in the next few years.
The Last of Us Part I is now available for PlayStation 5 with plans for release on PC at a later date.
Rating: 9.75/10
Developer: Naughty Dog; Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment; Players: 1; Released: September 2, 2022; ESRB: M for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs; MSRP: $69.99
Review played on PlayStation 5
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