Remasters, remakes, and refinement: The Last of Us Part 1 feels like a true final draft – Hands-on impressions

gamepur.com:

The prospect of diving back into the world of The Last of Us was a daunting one. Not so much because of its depressing setting, nor was it the jaded cynicism that runs through Joel and the various inhabitants of a post-apocalypse America. It’s not even because of my experience with fatherhood since the game’s original release. It’s because I consider The Last of Us to be a classic, groundbreaking title. When The Last of Us Part I remake for PlayStation 5 was announced, I wondered how much could really change with a third pass at what is ostensibly the same story, gameplay, and overall experience.

To my surprise, diving back into the story of Joel and Ellie reminds me of the editorial process it takes to put a story like this one together. The Last of Us Part I has everything you’d expect to see when a first draft goes through the wringer and comes out of a final edit. Refinement is the word that springs to mind after playing and spending extensive time in Naughty Dog’s third edition of The Last of Us.

Related: The Last of Us Part I gets fiery 4K comparison videos to the original game

This final edit of the PS3 classic makes a strong first impression due to its presentation. Outside of polycounts, advanced rendering techniques, and framerates, the graphical update that comes to mind is one of nuance. Every smile, every grimace, and every set piece are packed with subtle improvements across the board. The amount of detail on display in character animation is profound when placed alongside the original version of The Last of Us.

“Remake” has become a term that brings expectations of an experience people love transformed into something almost unrecognizable. Nothing in my playtime has