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The Last Of Us Part 1 Review: The Definitive Way To Play
Widely considered as one of PlayStation’s best exclusive games, 2013’s PS3 hit The Last of Us was quick to receive a remaster following the launch of the PS4. In the years since the 2014 remaster, the franchise has gone on to receive incredible popularity - and notoriety - with The Last of Us Part 2 dividing fans over its storyline. Naughty Dog’s latest addition to the series is The Last of Us Part 1, a from-the-ground-up remake of the original game, specifically designed with PS5 in mind. With overhauled graphics, improved lighting, additional accessibility options, new game modes, and haptic feedback, is The Last of Us Part 1 worth purchasing?
Being a remake of the 2013 title, The Last of Us Part 1 changes nothing about the story many fans have grown to know and love. For players already familiar with the game, there’s nothing here to advance the adventure of Joel and Ellie, though the included Left Behind DLC might be new to some players who missed it the first time around. With nothing in the core storytelling experience changed, those purchasing the game are doing so almost exclusively for TLOU Part 1's visual improvements.
The main selling point of TLOU Part 1 is, of course, its graphics. The release offers a true current-generation experience, with impressive lighting and more realism than ever before. The game is now much closer in appearance to its 2020 sequel, with Ellie and Joel’s character models better aligning with their latter game appearances. The post-apocalyptic world and its many overgrown, decaying locations and settings truly shine in the remake. The improvements in lighting, depth, and overall polish heighten the experience of traveling through the world, inviting more exploration from the player simply because of how eerily beautiful it looks.
Unfortunately, The Last of Us Part 1 suffers from a somewhat unique problem. TLOU Part 2 included scenes from the past, with a younger Ellie and Joel whose character models were greatly improved from the first game. As such, marketing materials and merchandise featuring the new-generation version of the characters can easily cloud users’ judgment: in TLOU Part 1, Ellie and Joel look exactly as one would remember them, making their graphical upgrades less impressive.
Replaying the original game in anticipation of the remake, I found the 2013 game’s characters looked vastly different to the memory of them, while the remake showcases a much more familiar Joel and Ellie. Arguably the best way to truly appreciate the graphical improvements is by playing the original game, or remaster, before approaching the remake - however, with no changes to the storyline, this is a repetitive and far from ideal way to experience the new release.
A notable step-up from the remaster is the heightened sense of horror in The Last of Us Part 1. Even for those overly familiar with enemies such as Runners and Clickers, TLOU Part 1’s sound design makes these encounters all the more terrifying. The updated graphics also offer a new sense of fear, as Clickers look more menacing, Runners more tragic, and Bloaters more threatening. Similarly, combat is much more satisfying. Compared to other Naughty Dog releases, the original The Last of Us’ combat is much slower, more precise, and somehow heavier. Unlike the Uncharted series, players must be careful with resource management, and Joel doesn’t have the run-and-gun prowess of Nathan Drake, making his combative movements more limited and more realistic.
In Part 1, combat hasn’t fundamentally changed, but it does feel much improved. TLOU Part 2 offers incredibly realistic shooting and killing, with the weight of each shot easily felt by the player. Part 1 is the same, with the haptic feedback of the DualSense offering better immersion in battle. The improvement in graphics also makes hand-to-hand combat more brutal and meaningful, especially when it comes to killing humans, or seeing Runners put out of their misery. One of the most impressive improvements in The Last of Us Part 1 is the use of the DualSense’s haptic feedback. With the rumblings of trucks, the patter of rain, the tension of the bow, the firing of a gunshot, and more all reflected in the controller, the haptics of this game feel far from a gimmick - they bridge a gap in immersion.
Sony has made great strides in improving its accessibility options across its later releases, with games like The Last of Us Part 2 and the upcoming God of War Ragnarok boasting a wealth of options that ensure more people can play the game. As previously revealed, The Last of Us Part 1 offers a vast range of accessibility features, including audio descriptions for cinematics, alternative controls, magnification and visual aids, and new combat and HUD options, to name just a few. For those who’ve been unable to experience one of PlayStation’s most heralded games due to disabilities or impairments, the additions here are incredibly notable, and should ensure lots of players who’ve previously missed out on this title can now experience it for themselves.
Should you buy The Last of Us Part 1?
Revealed during Summer Game Fest 2022 following leaks, The Last of Us Part 1’s announcement was met with mixed reception from players, with many feeling that it didn’t deserve a remake less than a decade after its remaster. With a $70 price tag, many are likely wondering if it’s worth the price. Make no mistake, The Last of Us Part 1 is the definitive way to experience the classic story. With its beautifully bleak graphics, haptics, Left Behind DLC, accessibility options, and the addition of the new Speedrun and Permadeath modes, TLOU Part 1 is by far the most immersive way to play the game.
However, if players aren’t interested in new challenging modes or graphical improvements, 2014’s TLOU remaster is by no means an inferior way to play the game. While upgraded graphics and performance improvements are very welcome in Part 1, they don’t change the core experience, and for many, may not be worth the AAA price tag. For players who adore the series and want to experience Joel and Ellie’s adventure remade for PS5, or for those who were unable to play the original due to a lack of accessibility options, The Last of Us Part 1 is a must-play game. However, for those who already own the remaster, the price tag may be too much to swallow.
The Last of Us Part 1 releases on September 2, 2022 for PlayStation 5, with a PC release date yet to be announced. Screen Rant was provided with a PS5 code for the purpose of this review.
