The Last of Us was one of the biggest games of the last decade that were critically acclaimed by fans and reviewers.
It wasn't just praised for its amazing gameplay, but critics reveled in the game's fantastic character development, visual, and sound design.
The game also received significant recognition for the depiction of its female and LGBT characters.
Naughty Dog really really pulled all the stops to grant players an experience like nothing before it.
Since its release on the Playstation 3, there has been additional DLC content, a sequel, and even a remastered version for the Playstation 4.
But now almost ten years after its initial release, Naughty Dog and Sony have teamed up once again to bring a new remake.
The Last of Us Part I has been rebuilt from the ground up to offer players an elevated experience.
This version of the game will also include the emotional DLC, The Last of Us: Left Behind.
The Last of Us Part I follows a smuggler called Joel who is tasked with escorting a teenage girl called Ellie through a mutant-filled USA.
Its original story remains untouched, but through Naughty Dog’s new technology that utilises an updated version of their artificial intelligence and motion capture technology, each emotional moment hits hard like playing the game for the first time.
The realistic performances from each of the characters are just amazing, creating a much more immersive experience.
So much of what made the Last Of Us such an enjoyable experience was the stunning world that was a core part of its identity helping to accentuate the overall atmosphere of the game.
All of the locations have been reimagined to deliver a heightened experience where players will feel like one with the world.
Each of the main elements from humidity, lighting, textures, and more have all been elevated to a grander scale making Joel and Ellie’s adventure much more captivating.
The game already looked fantastic on the Playstation 4 remaster, but Naughty Dog have taken it up a notch with two new visual settings, Fidelity Mode and Performance modes.
Fidelity Mode, which has been seen on a number of games on the Playstation 5 allows players to experience the game in 4K running at 30fps.
The game looked stunning with a lot more clarity and sharpness than its predecessor on the Playstation 4.
Performance Mode seemed to display at my televisions highest resolution which is 4K, running at 60fps and I have to say this was my preferred mode, as there was just no beating the super smooth frame rate during those high-octane action scenes.
The sound design in the original game was fantastic with the soundtrack and diegetic sound complementing each to create an immersive experience.
The Playstation 5’s 3D audio has allowed numerous titles like Ghost of Tsushima or Death Stranding to really expand their audio capabilities.
The Last Of Us Part I also takes full advantage of this function, broadening the game’s atmosphere and storytelling options.
Little things like being able to hear the infected scurrying around make elements like exploration and foraging much more exhilarating.
The Playstation 5’s Dualsense plays a massive role in this remake improving each character's fluidity during combat.
The adaptive triggers work really well allowing players to feel different levels of resistance depending on what weapon is being used at the time.
The adaptive triggers are most notable when using Ellie’s bow and arrow where players will really feel the resistance of the bow being pulled back.
It's all amazing and the level of detail that Naughty Dog have gone to is phenomenal.
The Last of Us Part I integration of the Dualsense really shines with the haptic feedback which massively enhances the game's immersive experience by letting players feel everything, from touching animals, jumping, fighting, and more.
The response levels of the controller really enhance the storytelling especially during low and high-tension moments during gameplay.
The Last of Us Part I Includes fantastic accessibility options that make the game more inclusive for fans who are visually impaired, hard of hearing, or have a physical disability. Naughty Dog's level of detail to make this remake an inclusive experience is simply immense.
Specific enhancements such as audio description, subtitles, combat vibration cues or awareness indicated to name a few, allows this iteration of the game to reach fans who might not have been able to experience it till now.
This sets a huge precedent for how developers should be designing their games to make them more inclusive.
The game also includes a few extra modes for different styles of play, the most notable being the Permadeath function, which adds a phenomenal level of difficulty to the game.
There is also a new speed run mode where players can share their best completion time with other players.
Verdict 5 / 5
The Last Of Us Part I is a phenomenal remake that has elevated every department from the original and even the remaster.
The developers have included intricate details that deliver a modern experience by taking advantage of today's tech, for existing and new players.
The elevated functionality of the game has created a much more immersive experience that has raised the bar for an already near-perfect game.
The Last of Us Part I is out for the Playstation 5 on 2nd September
