'The Last of Us: Remastered' Modernizes a Near-Perfect Game

Jeb Haught
Thu, 07 Aug 2014 21:00:00 -0700
Lifestyle

DEVELOPER: Naughty Dog

PUBLISHER: Sony

SYSTEM: Sony PlayStation 4
Updated: Fri Aug 08, 2014

DEVELOPER: Naughty Dog

PUBLISHER: Sony

SYSTEM: Sony PlayStation 4

PRICE: $49.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 5.0 stars (out of 5)

Many gamers consider "The Last of Us" to be the pinnacle of game development for the Sony PlayStation 3, but the developers have actually improved upon it for the PS4 debut. With "The Last of Us: Remastered," gamers can now enter the next generation of gaming without leaving a truly exceptional title behind.

For anyone who missed the original game, the story is set in a post-apocalyptic world 20 years after a deadly infection has wiped out most of America's population. Players are taken on a roller-coaster ride of emotion from the very beginning as the protagonist, Joel, is harshly introduced to the virus. This devastating experience forges his anti-hero personality and also dulls his emotions! As a result, Joel has to be coerced into accepting the arduous mission of escorting a young girl to safety.

Ellie is the young girl, and thankfully, she isn't a cowering damsel in distress. Instead, this plucky youngster has a strong mind of her own, which helps her reforge Joel's moral compass. She even helps Joel out in combat sometimes. What sets the story apart is the exploration into how far people are willing to go and what they're willing to do in order to survive.

Joel and Ellie will have to battle infected creatures that are as deadly as they are ugly, but the most dangerous enemies seem to be fellow survivors. They like to gang up and eliminate other humans just to scavenge their resources! It's up to players to determine if they want to fight these scavengers or try to sneak by them unnoticed. Sneaking around without attracting attention is also necessary to avoid being overwhelmed by groups of enemies.

Most infected in this game don't lumber around like zombies, but instead run right at players! Even scarier are the blind "clickers" that accurately hone in on sound once they're disturbed. It takes several bullets or one good shotgun blast to down these freakish creatures, which is why I enjoy taking them out quietly using the handy stealth system. Believe me; you don't want to be swarmed by infected clickers and runners.

As one would expect, scarce resources and plentiful enemies forces players to be resourceful in their endeavors. Fortunately, it's possible to craft makeshift weapons including shivs, Molotov cocktails and bombs out of everyday materials scavenged from the surroundings. It's also possible to upgrade weapons to make them reload faster, hold more bullets and increase the range. Some of the most useful items to craft are an extra holster for pistols and one for rifles so players can quickly switch between them during combat.

New to this version are high-res visuals that run at 60 frames per second at 1080p resolution as well as advanced textures and improved character models. This makes a great game look truly fantastic, and there are no frame rate issues in single or online multiplayer! It's even possible to take screenshots with the game's new Photo Mode!

I also like how every piece of previously released downloadable content is also included on this disc. This includes several items for characters in online multiplayer, new multiplayer maps and the single-player adventure "Left Behind," which focuses on Ellie and Riley's foray into the local mall.

The original may be over a year old, but "The Last of Us: Remastered" still ends up as one of the best games available on the PS4.

REVIEW SCORING SYSTEM

5 stars = Must Have

4 stars = Very Good

3 stars = Above Average

2 stars = Bargain Bin

1 star = Don't Bother

RATINGS KEY

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)

E: Everyone

E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)

T: Teen (13 and older)

M: Mature (17 and older)

"The Last of Us: Remastered 1"

"The Last of Us: Remastered 2"