Now, this is an interesting game to review. Only five years since its original release, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is here. A game you swear you only played a little while ago, back with a vengeance. Word on the street is it’s shinier than last time, with some extra goodies added to tempt you and your wallet into the fray.
But is it worth playing the game again on PC for those that have already invested time in it before? What about those who’ll finish the new season of the HBO show and have to choose between this remaster or the original package? I was skeptical at first, leaning into the camp of those unconvinced that such a modern game needed freshening up, I’ve got to say it’s a superb upgrade to the original package.
TLOU2 is a cinematic tale of vengeance and the cost of single-minded revenge, masterfully exploring the mental (and physical) cost of seeking justice in a world where such concepts no longer exist. It’s visually gorgeous, throwing players into a derelict, pessimistic USA, overtaken by nature, where old societies and their norms have long since died. The game knows it looks good, too. You’re given ample time to take it all in, your journey accompanied by amazing performances and emotionally charged dialogue that forces you to care about the characters and their struggles.
In your hands, it’s a fantastic testament to violence. The combat itself is brutal. Gunshot wounds rupture people in a very real, borderline-uncomfortable fashion. This sends their friends frantically ducking behind cover while crying out the names of the dead. You’re rewarded for using your brain in The Last of Us Part 2 – running and gunning is fun, but costly. Taking a more methodical approach, managing your resources and picking off foes one at a time, is incredibly morish. I felt drawn to the action with the same ferocity as I did half a decade ago; there’s no other game doing this quite as good as Naughty Dog even today.
So. All this was great in 2020, and it’s still great now. What The Last of Us 2 Remastered on PC brings to the table comes in two parts: technical improvements and new ways to play, like the rogue-like game mode: No Return. Both bring added value to the game, even if you’ve played it before (say, on PS4 Pro, during the pandemic – this new version is better, especially if you’ve got a juicy PC). Five years isn’t too long ago, really, so The Last of Us 2 Remastered inevitably has to work harder to convince folks to buy it when a cheaper copy of the game can be grabbed at your local gaming store on PS4. Especially when that cheaper copy that largely will provide the same experience.
Let’s touch on those technical improvements, first. Looking better and with quicker loading times, it’s all certainly a welcome addition. Even for myself – someone who, frankly, is still perfectly happy with how the original game looks and plays – it’s something you notice. I mean hey, if you’re paying for a remastered version of the game, you’d hope so right? The game does take some time to compile shaders between new settings, something that isn’t a huge deal during the main story, but certainly is a more prominent presence playing No Return. If you’ve got a proper nuts PC, you should see the game at its sharpest.
It’s not all peachy. During my time playing the game, I ran into multiple crashes, and a momentary freeze here and there. For me, crashing took place when I tried crafting stuff, and it was a real bummer. Thankfully the game checkpoints you well, so not much progress is lost each time, it’s still not something you want to see from a big budget triple-A remaster. I’m not playing on a potato either, so this may very well be something players will have to confront making their way through the story.
As for those extra modes, while the option to speedrun the game and strum away at guitar in free play are both nice touches, the real star is No Return. It had a lot riding on its shoulders, being the main draw for those who had already played the game and didn’t really fancy sitting through the story again. In this mode, you pick a character and take off through various levels, gathering crafting material and fighting for your life. When you complete a mission, you’re given scrap, supplements, and currency to upgrade your “build” to better power through the run.
This mode is an absolute scorcher. The way it thrusts you into challenging encounters, throws randomized weapons at you so each run is different, and doesn’t shy away from sticking you in a real jam is absurdly fun. I believe the Remaster should get points for implementing this extra activity in a way that doesn’t feel ham-fisted. It’s not an afterthought. It’s a meaningful addition to the game and, as someone who played the 2020 version, I must admit, a bigger draw than actually playing the story itself these days.
Special shout out to all the challenges, fun unlockable cosmetics, and knowing nods to both The Last of Us Part 1 and 2 via playable characters. You start with Ellie and Abby, protags of Part 2, but can get your hands on more players than that. I shan’t spoil who here, though, and I would absolutely recommend you follow the advice the game gives you and beat the story first if this is your first time around.
If you’ve played the original version of Part 2, and want to experience it again in an envigorating way, this PC re-release perfect for that. If you’ve never touched the game before in any form, it’s a great opportunity to hop on board. The timing, with The Last of Us Season 2 about to hit HBO, is ideal.