The last of us is one of the most celebrated video games of the 21st century. Naughty Dog drew on their cinematic experience of the not mapped series to create an immersive and mature post-apocalyptic world. At the core of The last of us is the struggle to survive and to find meaning in that survival.
Naughty Dog shocked players when they released a remake of the 2013 original. revealed The last of us for PlayStation 5 titled The Last of Us: Part Iwhich will later also be released for PC. Part I pack the original The last of us game and a remade version of the DLC, The Last of Us: Left Behind. The decision to recreate a game that was already considered near-perfect was met with confusion in the video game world. However, Part I does bring changes that make it the best way to experience Joel and Ellie’s story in the United States.
10 An already stunning game looks even better
At a glance, Part I may not look all that different from the original release and the 2014 remaster, however, the difference is huge when you compare scenes and character models side by side. Part I is OK, if not improved, from The Last of Us: Part II.
Joel and Tess seem much closer to their ages. Jerry Van Part II now has his rightful place as the previously unnamed surgeon. A wider range of facial expressions and lip syncing add a new level of emotion to any scene. In addition, the environments are more detailed and full of dense foliage.
9 Unlockables got a makeover with new skins and other goodies
If comparison screenshots aren’t convincing enough, players can check out the Model Viewer. Model Viewer is one of the many unlockables in Part I and allows players to view and infect different character models up close.
Other unlockable items include a new set of skins for Joel and Ellie, including shirts based on other PlayStation series and even their Part II looks like. Weapons also have skins, which was not the case before. In addition, players can unlock concept art for both Part I and the original and developer videos and podcasts. Finally, there are a whopping 29 render modes available, compared to three in the original.
8 The HUD and other quality of life updates are straight from Part II
In the time between the original The last of us and Part I, Part II built on the foundations of the original. A target Part I serves is to create a seamless transition between Part I and Part II.
The HUD in Part I is identical to Part II, all the way to the generator interface when Joel starts up an electrical generator. Switching between bottles and bricks requires holding down the triangular button to prevent accidental switching. The bow and arrow also use a similar reticle to Part IIcreating a new level of tension as players have to better judge the trajectory of an arrow.
7 New workbench and safe animations add a new level of immersion
Also to be taken from Part II are new animations and interfaces for the workbench and vaults. For the workbench, players can now watch Joel meticulously upgrade weapons similar to Ellie in Part II. And each workbench tool Joel finds is depicted as a separate tool that players can see in Joel’s tool bag.
As for safes, Joel now has to enter the combination manually. Previously, Joel would simply open the safe after players found a note with the code. The bills are still there, but players can now open the safe by cracking it themselves using audio prompts. These features may seem insignificant, but they add a level of immersion that makes The last of us more exciting than ever before.
6 Enemy and partner upgrades make for a more realistic adventure
One of the best improvements made to Part II was the improved enemy AI The AI in Part II was much more intelligent than in the original The last of us.
Enemies are much better at flanking Joel and Ellie, leaving fewer safe places to hide. Infected people can also survive if Joel shoots their legs. Wounded Infected will now crawl up to Joel and force him to finish them. As for AI support, Ellie and other partners can now predict where enemies will traverse and move to another location accordingly. No more instances of enemies staring straight at Ellie and not thinking about it.
5 Permadeath and Speedrun ModesAdd New Challenges
The last of us is a challenging game, especially in Grounded mode, available now at release. Players looking for a higher level of mastery need look no further than the Permadeath and Speedrun modes.
Permadeath works the same way as: Part II, where players can set their challenge level to individual chapters or the entire game. When you die, the player is returned to an earlier place in the game based on his setting. Speedrun mode tracks a player’s speed everywhere Part I, and describes it in a neat statistics menu. Both modes may not have trophies associated with them, but players looking for more ways to experience The last of us will have many replayability options.
4 Gameplay modifiers provide a cathartic second playthrough
Players unlock Permadeath and Speedrun upon completion Part I. In addition, players can unlock cheats through gameplay modifiers. This feature was added in addition to Grounded and Permadeath difficulty in an update to Part II shortly after release.
Players can have a stress-free second playthrough with infinite ammo, crafting resources, and one-hit kills. Explosive arrows and altered audio can also cause a lot of laughs. Being overwhelmed in a challenging video game feels very cathartic, making for a hugely fun, if not strangely peaceful, way to replay Part I. However, these features are not available for Permadeath, Speedrun, and Grounded difficulty, but that doesn’t stop players from finding solutions to those limitations.
3 Accessibility options allow more people to play
Naughty Dog is arguably the best video game developer in providing accessibility options. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End had a robust number of options, which Part II expanded on.
In Part I, Players can customize the visual, audio, navigation, and combat options to suit their needs. For example, Part I includes a potentially first-of-its-kind feature of cutscene audio descriptions. Players can also set the enemy not to flank, making battles much more manageable. Naughty Dog has made every effort to break down barriers that prevent players from experiencing this remarkable story.
2 Part I takes advantage of unique PS5 features
The PS5 has made great strides towards producing the most immersive console for players to play on. In addition to fast charging, Part I also benefits from two key PS5 features: the DualSense controller and 3D Audio.
Players playing Part I can get a better feel for the world of The last of us – literal. Haptic feedback brings The last of us to life by giving players rumble feedback and causing resistance, whether you feel raindrops landing on Joel, pet a giraffe or aim a bow. In addition, 3D Audio provides a more immersive atmosphere where players can hear more depth with each explosion or the screams of infected nearby.
1 The lack of factions was not an ideal change
Not every change made to Part I for the good. Sometimes what’s missing is just as important as what’s in it. The main omission of Part I is the lack of “Factions”.
Factions is the multiplayer mode of the original The last of us and its remaster. It’s an underrated multiplayer mode with a passionate community that continues to this day. While some will pardon Naughty Dog for developing a newer and much more expansive version of Factions, the lack of a Factions in Part I make the package feel a little incomplete.
0 Comments