The Last of Us Part II Remastered review: The best version of a masterpiece

Platforms: PS5 (reviewed) Price: $59 Release Date: January 19, 2023 Genre: Action adventure The Last of Us Part II Remastered brings one of the best PS4 games of all time to PS5 with some visual and performance upgrades and a smattering of extra content. On paper, that sounds like an excellent package, but much like 2022’s The Last of Us Part I , this remaster has courted a fairly significant amount of online controversy since its initial announcement.

Questions have been raised about the necessity of a PS5 remaster considering the original game was released less than five years ago, and even though it’s technically confined to last gen hardware, it still looks better than many recent releases. Not to mention the PS4 version is already fully playable on PS5 and even got a framerate boost via a free update.

There’s no denying that The Last of Us Part II didn’t need remastering. And yet, now that The Last of Us Part II Remastered is here, it’s impossible to imagine experiencing this masterpiece any other way. Yes, the graphical upgrades are minor, but the additional content is the real show stealer.

The epic new No Return mode justifies this game's existence entirely. If you’re a newcomer, then The Last of Us Part II Remastered is an essential purchase. And the $10 upgrade for returning players who own the original game on PS4 is one of the biggest bargains of the year. Read on for our full The Last of Us Part II Remastered review.

Picking up several years after its predecessor, The Last of Us Part II packs one of the most narratively ambitious and emotionally complex stories ever told in the medium. The epic 30 hour campaign tackles weighty themes and offers a layered examination of its characters. Some critics have accused it of being merely a “revenge is bad” tale, but to reduce this multifaceted journey into such simple terms does the game a huge disservice.

The main story is a sprawling adventure encompassing a large cast of characters and set across multiple locations from the (relative) safe haven of Jackson to the lawless chaos of an overrun Seattle. You’ll split your time playing as returning protagonist Ellie, as well as newcomer Abby. The latter is initially framed as the primary antagonist but throughout the game, you’ll discover her tragic backstory and surprisingly understandable motivations.

The narrative is gripping from the get go, and while some of the beats have proved to be divisive with an (extremely vocal) group of players, writers Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross could never be accused of playing things safe. The Last of Us Part II takes more than a few risks, and incredibly, they all pay off in spades.

Just be warned that things get dark, uncomfortably dark at times. The harrowing tone and the brutal violence may be off putting to some players, but there is light to be found in all the darkness — you just need to look for it. However, if there’s one criticism that can be leveled at the narrative, it’s the slightly wonky pacing.

As noted, The Last of Us Part II has two lead characters, and it also incorporates numerous flashbacks and a couple of time skips as well. All this jumping around negatively impacts the flow of the story, and there’s one very harsh cut that serves as a real momentum killer. Fortunately, the pacing problems aren’t enough to spoil the experience.

The Last of Us as a franchise has never offered especially innovative gameplay. It follows a well established blueprint set out by numerous third person action games. Combat scenarios begin with you sneaking around open areas, transitioning into shooting galleries should you be spotted. Throw in some simple environmental puzzles in between enemy encounters, and you’ve got the general gist of what it’s like to play The Last of Us Part II.

Even though this sequel isn’t breaking new ground, its moment to moment gameplay is so cinematic and the levels you traverse are so carefully crafted, that combat feels phenomenal throughout. Slinking through tall grass and choking out a burly enemy soldier is satisfying, and when detected by a horde of infected Clickers, the ensuing adrenaline rush is palatable.

Especially on harder difficulties, prepare for a stiff challenge. Compared to the first The Last of Us, Part II’s skirmishes are considerably more dynamic. Ellie (and Abby) are much more nimble than Joel. The playable pair can clamber up ledges, and crawl into tight spaces. These new abilities add an increased verticality to levels and give you plenty of options when clearing out an area or ghosting through undetected.

They can also perform a quick dodge that makes close quarters combat much more engaging. Resource gathering is another core pillar of The Last of Us Part II. And your hunt for consumables also serves as an excuse to search every corner of the highly detailed levels. Scavenged resources are used for crafting, while slightly more scarce materials are used for permanent upgrades.

You’re not showered with items, so you’ll often have to make difficult decisions about which character or weapon stats to upgrade or which useful tools to craft. The Last of Us Part II main story is presented entirely unaltered in The Last of Us Part II Remastered, but there is a handful of new content to explore.

All the new stuff is accessed separately from the main menu, and the most substantial addition is the No Return mode. Described by Naughty Dog as a “roguelike survival” experience, No Return drops you into a series of randomized encounters that take place in levels from the main Last of Us Part II campaign.

You progress along a user determined path, picking your next combat encounter from a board at your hideout base and each run culminates in a challenging boss battle. As you might expect from a roguelike mode, death is permanent in No Return. As you progress through encounters you’ll unlock new weapons and abilities, but die and you’ll have to start again with nothing but your character’s base gear.

Fortunately, not quite everything is lost upon defeat as any progress toward the dozens of optional challenges is retained. The mode also offers the chance to play as different characters beyond Ellie and Abby. Yes, that does include everyone's favorite video game father figure Joel, but the most exciting inclusions are previously unplayable characters such as Dina, Jesse, Lev and Yara.

Plus, each character has unique starting items and abilities which adds even more variety to runs. No Return alone is worth the $10 upgrade fee for returning players. It’s a highly replayable mode thanks to its randomized nature. And there’s meaningful progress in the form of unlockable characters and cosmetic skins, as well as mods and gambits that change the conditions of levels.

The Last of Us Part II was always a joy to play, and No Return stands as the best way to enjoy its exceptional combat in its purest form. You’ll be returning frequently. Other new editions to The Last of Us Part II Remastered are slightly smaller in scale. For starters, there’s a collection of new character skins that can be used in the main campaign and there’s a guitar freeplay mode that lets you strum away to your heart's content.

The remaster also packs a suite of behind the scenes content including new developer commentaries, concept art and a making of documentary, that will arrive via a post launch patch. However, the biggest peek behind the curtain comes in the form of The Lost Levels. These are a trio of levels that were cut from the original game and are now playable for the first time.

An introductory video from Druckmann stresses that these levels are unfinished — one of them lacks recorded dialogue and sports rudimentary animations — but they are an interesting insight into the development process. Glowing speech bubbles dotted about each level explain why these sections were removed and provide much needed context.

It’s novel to get to see this cut content, but The Lost Levels are a minor distraction. None of the three levels are especially memorable, and you can experience them all in around 30 minutes. Once you’ve taken a first tour of the Lost Levels, you’re unlikely to do so again. There’s no denying that the “Remastered” bit of The Last of Us Part II Remastered feels perfunctory.

Side by side screenshots of the game on PS4 and PS5 showcase only minor visual enchantments. In fact, I don’t expect many players will even notice a difference. Of course, that’s because The Last of Us Part II still looks downright stunning, even on PS4. The facial capturing is industry leading, the animation work is world class and the level of detail in the game’s post apocalyptic world is unmatched.

Plus, the game already runs like a dream on PS5 thanks to a 60 fps performance boost added via a free patch back in 2022. At least The Last of Us Part II Remastered adds full DualSense controller implementation bringing an immersive quality to actions like drawing back a bowstring or firing a volley of bullets.

But, while proper DualSense support is an appreciated inclusion, the controller’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback feel a lot less impactful than they did back when the PS5 launched. Even if the visual upgrades aren’t immediately striking, The Last of Us Part II Remastered is one of the best looking games on PS5.

And it serves as an exciting teaser of what Naughty Dog might be able to achieve with a game designed exclusively for Sony’s flagship console. The Last of Us Part II Remastered is the best way to play this generation defining sequel. Judged purely as a remaster, the visual and performance upgrades barely register, but the suite of additional content is surprisingly worthwhile.

The No Return mode fits the franchise like a glove, and the insights into the game’s turbulent development are fascinating for fans. If you’ve yet to experience Ellie and Abby’s harrowing journey across the fungus infected USA, The Last of Us Part II Remastered is an essential purchase. And for returning players, the $10 upgrade fee is extremely reasonable.

Sure, The Last of Us Part II didn’t exactly need remastering, but this PS5 package serves as the definitive version of a true masterpiece..