The Last of Us Part II, the controversial sequel in the acclaimed game series by Naughty Dog, has recently been re-released for the PlayStation 5, dubbed the Remastered version. This update features graphical improvements that bring it up to par with the quality of the current generation of consoles and includes additional content.
A commendable move by the creators is allowing owners of the original game, released in 2020 for the PS4, to upgrade to the new version for just $10.
This is a stark contrast to the re-launch of the first installment of The Last of Us, which required owners of any previous versions to pay the full price of the game. However, that was a complete overhaul, rebuilt from the ground up. In the case of the remastered second installment, it’s essentially the same game released for the PS4, now enhanced with new graphical models.
The original version of The Last of Us Part II already featured exceptional graphics, so don’t expect a drastic change in this new version. Nevertheless, the graphical enhancement to PS5 quality is significant and substantially enriches the gaming experience.
The additional features of this new version include: a survival gameplay mode focusing on combat sequences, a mode exclusively for freestyle guitar playing, a short documentary on the making of the game, the option to listen to audio tracks with creators’ commentary during many of the cinematics, three segments originally intended for inclusion in the game but not present in the final version, and a few other minor extras.
For me, the main draw was the enhanced way to re-experience The Last of Us Part II, something I had planned to do soon anyway, making the release of the remastered version quite timely.
As someone who had already played the game once, a significant decision was whether to start a brand-new game or play in New Game+ mode. This mode allows you to begin the game with all the weapons you acquired and the upgrades you made to your characters the first time around. This option is available in the remastered version by loading a saved game from a completed playthrough of the original.
After some deliberation, I decided to give New Game+ a try. This, while offering certain advantages and easing the gameplay, also allows one to maximize the level of weapons and characters during the playthrough, which is impossible on the first run.
I must say that, even playing on the same difficulty level as before, the game felt easier, but I wouldn’t attribute that entirely to the New Game+ benefits.
Sure, having my health bar maxed out from the beginning allowed me to survive encounters more easily, but I believe the additional ease mainly came from having completed the game once before, giving me the experience and knowledge of what to do in many situations.
Having all weapons available from the start didn’t make a huge difference, to be honest. This is The Last of Us. Weapon usage depends on the limited ammunition available, which was as scarce as ever. And honestly, even playing New Game+, finishing the game was still a formidable challenge. It’s a tough, lengthy, and intense game.
Nevertheless, since I first played The Last of Us Part II, it has remained memorably etched in my mind, and it was worth revisiting in its enhanced form.
For those who own the PS4 version and are contemplating playing it again, $10 is more than a fair price for the enhancements and new content. And if you’ve never joined Ellie on her journey through Seattle, there’s no better time than now. Highly recommended.
