Thoughts on the upcoming remake of The Last of Us

If you have been a reader of this column for any time, I’m sure you know that The Last of Us is my favorite game series. I have played through 2013’s The Last of Us (TLOU) on the PlayStation 3 (PS3) literally dozens of times, and I adored 2020’s The Last of Us Part II. A remaster of The Last of Us was released for the PlayStation 4 (PS4) back in 2014, which provided some significant visual upgrades compared to the PS3 version, as well as an updated version of Left Behind - a prequel to the first game that follows the story of Ellie and her best friend Riley. Well, now it’s 2022 and we are getting yet another version of the original TLOU - renamed The Last of Us Part I to be more cohesive with its sequel. Ever since this remake was announced, it has been shrouded in controversy and debate on the ol’ interwebs. People are angry about video games - what else is new? 

I’m obviously coming from a biased place, as I have a deep love for this series. My original reaction to all the backlash was just pure frustration and exhaustion; every time anything is mentioned about this series on the internet, there is so much hate and negativity, and I get tired of reading it and seeing it. The world is dark enough as it is, can’t we just enjoy things? After the drama that surrounded the leaks of Part II, I am just tired of all the negativity. Once I got those feelings out of my system, I thought about the situation rationally, and I concluded this remake is ultimately a good thing for gamers. One of the main criticisms of this remake is its hefty price tag; Sony is charging $70 for a remake of a game from 2013, which is the same price they charge for a brand-new IP. People are calling this remake a cash grab and saying it is ultimately a waste of developer Naughty Dog’s resources. I am torn on this; with TLOU being my favorite game series, it is hard for me to say that this remake is unnecessary. It’s kind of how I feel about the Red Dead Redemption (RDR) series; after playing RDR 2, it is kind of jarring to go back to the dated visuals and mechanics of the first game. Rumors of a RDR remake have been floating around for years, and that would be something I would gladly shell out $70 for, but I realize that’s a personal decision. The Last of Us is one of PlayStation’s most successful IPs, and it makes sense to me why executives would want to target PS5 owners who have never played the game, or who just haven’t played since it came out in 2013. It is pretty obvious to me that this whole project is an advertisement for the upcoming live-action HBO series based on the TLOU video game series. A lot of people who have never played the video game are going to see the HBO show and possibly get interested in playing the game. At least, I’m sure that’s what Sony is hoping for. 

Something that frustrates me and honestly makes me laugh is seeing people saying the remake looks just like TLOU Remastered on PS4. That is just simply untrue. Whether graphics are important to you or not, it is undeniable that Part I is a huge visual upgrade, with the most obvious being the upgrades to the character models. Some screenshots and videos of the remake were leaked online (Sony seems to have a serious problem with their games getting leaked), and this was followed by Sony releasing a 10-minute video called “The Last of Us Part I Rebuilt for PS5 - Features and Gameplay Trailer.” This video was obviously going to come out at some point regardless of the leaks, but I’m pretty sure it was pushed out earlier than planned to combat the leaks. For some, this video just made things worse. People are outraged that the prone and dodge mechanics from Part II weren’t added to this remake. I understand wanting those mechanics, as they worked super well in Part II. I do understand the combat sequences and levels in Part I weren’t designed with going prone in mind, but I do think they could have at least added the dodge mechanic. 

I think something that is being drowned out by all the negativity is the fact that TLOU is finally coming to PC! I am not someone who is against console exclusives coming to PC; I don’t understand people who feel somehow offended that their favorite games are coming to PC. Games coming to more platforms means more people get to experience them, and that is ultimately a beautiful thing. 

So, does this remake really need to exist? No, it doesn’t need to - but I’ll welcome it with open arms and I’ll be geeking out when it releases. I think charging $70 for a remake that doesn’t include multiplayer is a bad move on Sony’s part. It is pretty silly to ask someone like me, who has now purchased TLOU at full price twice, to pay full price for the third time for what is ultimately the same game. Not everyone cares about visuals, and I would advise those people to just pick up TLOU Remastered for PS4, which you can play at 60 FPS on PS4 and PS5. It’s inevitable that Part I will go on sale before too long, so if you’re someone who is totally against the $70 price tag, just wait. Unfortunately for my wallet, I don’t have that willpower.

The Last of Us Part I releases on the PS5 on September 2 and is in development for PC. The release date for the PC version is currently unknown.