Last week, we put the spotlight on The Last of Us Part II Remastered using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
16.01.2024 - 16:09 / destructoid.com / Neil Druckmann / Last Of Us
Sometimes, a game has a lot riding against it, and it has to go the extra mile to prove its excellence. The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered isn’t in the worst position pre-launch, although it has a steep hill ahead of it to prove why it should exist at all. Staying true to its history, Naughty Dog manages to not disappoint, and delivers a package filled with upgrades and a few surprises.
The studio didn’t have to try too hard to sway me in its direction regarding the game. The Last of Us Part 2 sits up there as one of my favorite games of all time, and around the announcement of the remaster, I was already easing into another playthrough, which I excitedly put on pause to cleanse my palette for this new offering.
Despite this, I could sense that my perception might not be the norm, and even its most ardent fans were asking worthwhile questions. Was this a sincere gaming product, or an advertisement for the upcoming HBO series? It’s hard to argue against the sentiment that this is far from a title that requires a remaster, for either technical or preservation reasons. Nevertheless, it manages to not only justify itself but also gives the most seasoned veterans something new to experience.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered ( PS5 [reviewed])
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Released: January 19, 2024
MSRP: $49.99 ($10 upgrade for owners of the PS4 title)
I’ve previously discussed the concept of trauma and its depiction in indie games, and how the personal element amplifies the impact of these experiences. The Last of Us Part 2 is a triple-A attempting to explore trauma, specifically that which is intertwined with love, hate, and regret. Despite the lack of the “reading a personal diary” effect of indies, the sequel manages to pack some weight behind its message.
Part of that punch comes from the coincidental state of world politics and, more specifically, the currently ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. As game director Neil Druckmann has explained, growing up in Israel and witnessing the bloody relationship between Israel and Palestine. In his 20s, he saw footage of that violence, which triggered feelings of revenge followed by self-disgust. As the Washington Post explains, with TLOU P2, “he wanted to explore that emotional tumult on a didactic level.”
The conflict, along with its sociopolitical foundations, have been discussed and debated at length and continue to be. If you want to feel an artistic exploration of the underlying theory from a somewhat controversial but deeply human perspective I’d argue it’s hard to do better than The Last of Us Part 2.
We’ve already got a review of the base game, so I’ll keep the story synopsis brief. It’s the sequel to The Last of Us, which
Last week, we put the spotlight on The Last of Us Part II Remastered using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
The Last of Us Part II Remastered arrived last week, and if the cutscene commentary from the game's director, writer and key actors wasn't enough for you, Naughty Dog has another behind the scenes piece coming. Grounded II: Making The Last Of Us Part II, a documentary on the game's creation, will arrive on February 2 at 12PM ET on YouTube as well as in the game itself. There's a trailer in the remastered game currently, and the full documentary will be added via a downloadable patch. That patch will also have some new skins for Ellie and Abby in the main game.
With the release of The Last of Us Part II Remastered, gamers are again going through the emotions of playing this title and the incredibly dark story that Naughty Dog presented to them originally on the PS4. Now, with the PS5 version, fans aren’t just getting the most “aesthetically pleasing version” of the game but also getting insight into what made this game what it was. The documentary attached to the new game brought the voice actors into the mix and creative director Neil Druckmann to explain some of the game’s key moments. But the biggest moment that everyone wanted to hear about was the “final battle” between Abby and Ellie.
Rewards from new boss encounters, hero skins, and game-changing mods are all available in when you complete different challenges in the roguelike No Return mode. The survival missions your chosen character can attempt in a run could unlock additional features. It may take time to meet every goal, but each challenge offers an exciting opportunity.
Naughty Dog has received plenty of criticism of late for the renewed emphasis it’s placed on re-releases, but clearly, those re-releases are paying off for it and Sony. The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered launched last week, and it seems to have got off to a solid start where its sales are concerned, having debuted at No. 3 in the weekly UK physical sales charts.
This article has MAJOR SPOILERS for The Last of Us Series
Avatar: The Last Airbender fans have every reason to be skeptical of Netflix’s new show. Even if they hadn’t been legendarily burned by a live-action production before, there’s the departure of the original series’ creators for their own sandbox of upcoming animated Avatar efforts.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered boasts some pretty good-looking 4K textures, but one player found that the downside of the ultra-high-resolution images is that they've been stuffed with some lorem ipsum details. Although The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered has been subjected to some criticism, this little «issue» is at least on the harmless and funny side.
Sony is seemingly issuing automatic refunds for some PlayStation 5 gamers that purchased The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered for full price when they could have upgraded from the PS4 version for just $10. The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is just the latest PlayStation exclusive to get the PS5 upgrade treatment. A variety of PS4 games have been given upgrades on the PS5, with some offering free upgrades and others charging players for the boost.
It’s true that when The Last Of Us Part II Remastered was announced that many gamers rolled their eyes. This was a PS4 game that was getting a “remaster” for PS5, and it once again felt like a company trying to get a money grab because they knew how popular the game was on a previous system, so they “upgraded it slightly” and then brought it to the newest system. However, we’ll give Naughty Dog credit. Not only did they upgrade the visuals for the title, but they also gave players more to do than in the PS4 version. Key among these additions was “No Return Mode.”
Sony is offering Last of Us Part 2 Remastered refunds for those who already owned the PS4 version but also pre-ordered the PS5 remaster.
Sony is issuing refunds to those who purchased The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered full price by accident, if they have it on PS4 already.