Review: The Last of Us Part I

PlatformStudioReleasePlayed
PS5Naughty DogSeptember
2022		March
2023

I played The Last of Us Remastered in 2014 on PS4 and still have very good memories my playthrough. Many games of the time had entertaining stories, but “The Last of Us” was the one of the very few to make a lasting impression. Therefore, I was skeptical that remake only 9 years later would be really necessary.

However, this skepticism quickly vanished after the first few minutes of play. The remake is just as captivating as the remastered was back then. The improved graphics, including a more detailed game world, is less of a deciding factor. For me, the decisive point of improvement are the facial animations of the characters. Whether it’s Joel’s grim face or the despair on Ellie’s face, the Last of Us Part I simply plays in a different league when it comes to realistically animated facial expressions.

Excellent facial animations, example 1
Excellent facial animations, example 2
The levels were thoroughly redesigned with detailed models and textures

In terms of gameplay, The Last of Us Part I is certainly inferior to its direct successor (The Last of Us Part II, 2020). Crafting bandages or Molotov cocktails works just like back then in the original, as does the combination of sneaking and shooting. The levels, which are more linear compared to Part II lead to a less tactical gameplay, but thanks to the graphic restoration they don’t feel outdated. The Last of Us Part just feels like more straightforward gaming experience in direct comparison.

The only negative point is still, as in the original, that in stealth passages fellow NPCs occasionally run into the enemies’ field of vision but are invisible to them and do not trigger an alarm. This hurts the otherwise excellent immersion from time to time. The soundtrack and the voice acting are excellent, just like in the original. Both the conversations in the cutscenes and the dialogues between Joel and Ellie during the game contribute a lot to the identification with the two. All in all in this technically enhanced version, The Last of Us Part I is still one of the best games in video game history.

Positive

  • facial animation of characters are just amazing
  • one of the best stories in history of video games
  • major graphical rework

Negative

  • NPCs occasionally not behave adequate in stealth sequences

Verdict

Sample Title 93%

93

“The Last of Us Part I is the state-of-the-art version of one of the best video games of all time bringing the excellent story and original gameplay into the new console generation ”

Sources:
Screenshots: own screen captures