FEATURE: "The Last of Us Remastered" Review

Despite the complaints of just rehashing old titles, I really like getting to play re-releases. Even though I play it every year, it was great getting to play the "ultimate" version of the almost-ten-year-old Resident Evil 4, and revisiting the more-than-a-decade-old Zone of the Enders, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, and the original Kingdom Hearts each reminded me of what I enjoyed in each game at launch, and what each one brought to the table. Why, it seems like only yesterday that I played The Last of Us, Naughty Dog's timeless survival-horror/stealth epic that came out way back in June 2013.

 

 

For those of you who don't remember our tag-team review with the illustrious Joseph Luster, The Last of Us tells the story of manly-man musk factory Joel and his partner-in-survival Ellie as they trek across the ruined remnants of the United States toward an uncertain goal. Constantly attacked by feral infected and ruthless stranded humans, Joel and Ellie have to use every ounce of wit and grit that they have just to make it to the next day. This is a pretty flexible game, encouraging stealth but not punishing aggression, with one of the only "vision mode" gameplay elements I've genuinely liked with the subtle "Listen" feature, pointing out sounds in the environment and clueing you in to surrounding threats.

 

 

This remastered edition also includes Left Behind, a story-based DLC taking place about 2/3 of the way through the main story and shedding some light on Ellie's past. While not exactly necessary to the game's overall plot, it's a bittersweet trip that's focused more on stealth, exploration, and storytelling--save for a pretty intense encounter in the story's last hour or so. Another great feature unique to the PS4 version is Camera Mode, which lets you pause the game at any time to take screenshots. During regular gameplay, you're able to move the camera around for the best possible shots, as well as add filters and borders to screenshots, taking full advantage of the PS4's sharing capabilities.

 

Dead Chillin' Guy gets a new lease on (after)life

 

My only real concern is how soon it seems to be "bringing back" The Last of Us. The problem, though, is that the PS3 didn't have the greatest library in its early years--even must-have exclusives like Valkyria Chronicles lack the mass-market familiarity that's needed for something like this. That leaves the hilariously clunky Resistance: Fall of Man, the pales-in-comparison-to-its-sequels Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (any takers on when the full trilogy is getting the remaster treatment?), and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (which might still see a remastered edition once The Phantom Pain hits), and me still hoping for Ultra Street Fighter IV to get ported over to the PS4 and XBO.

 

 

Plainly put, The Last of Us is a good (if a little too familiar, mechanics-wise) game that's more about the ride, the story, the heart of it all. The Last of Us Remastered is that exact same good (if familiar) game, only now it's prettier, and you're playing on the holy-crap-it's-comfortable DualShock 4. But therein lies the question: is that enough to get cordyceps-fighting veterans back for what is very clearly a Wind Waker HD-style holdover for the PS4? If you've already played The Last of Us, this upgraded edition isn't a good-enough reason to pick up a new console. However, The Last of Us came out in the middle of a year full of excellent titles across all platforms and genres, so there are quite a few people who missed out on it the first time, so newcomers are in for quite a treat.

 

 

The Last of Us capped off a string of heartbreaking games for me--I'd just finished working my way through X-COM: Enemy Unknown, Spec Ops: The Line, and the first season of TellTale's The Walking Dead, so while I wasn't particularly blown away by the gameplay, I was hooked on its story and characters. The Last of Us Remastered gives the exact same experience you've had before, but with a few added features to help spice the pot... but only newcomers and TLoU die-hards really need apply.

 

REVIEW ROUNDUP

+ Same excellent game, shiny new visuals

+ Left Behind and multiplayer DLC included on the disc--Left Behind is a great, emotional add-on to the story

+ Camera mode is an absolute blast, and sharing features let you bring others along for the ride

+/- In the end, it makes more sense to bring The Last of Us back compared to other games, but... this soon?

- Partner AI still comes in "let's run right in front of the enemy while you're sneaking" and "let me block this doorway" varieties