A Magnificent, but Expensive, Way to Revisit a Masterpiece is with "The Last of Us Part 1"

 The PS5 version of Naughty Dog's first post-apocalyptic adventure is available, but newbies may do best with the PS4 edition.

A pistol is given to surrogate daughter Ellie by protagonist Joel early on in The Last of Us Part 1, a PS5 version of Naughty Dog's 2013 dystopian classic, so she may protect herself on their post-apocalyptic journey across the US. She has already shown herself by protecting Joel with a weapon as he kills many robbers.

Since I completed the original PS3 version of this survival horror adventure in 2013, I've forgotten many details, including many that I probably skipped through. After all, exhausted Joel could use the backup, and 14-year-old Ellie seems to know what she's doing.

Knowing that violence and death will be a significant part of Joel and Ellie's journey in both this adventure and its heartbreaking 2020 sequel changes how the scenario impacts you. Joel is admitting that Ellie can't continue to act innocent in the modern world's horror show. It's one of their journey's most subtly pivotal moments.

Despite the delight of impressive sequences like these, The Last of Us Part 1's $70 price tag on the PS5 is difficult to defend given the availability of other cheaper alternatives.

Remaster or remake?

I believed I could clearly recall The Last of Us. It's one of the PlayStation's crown jewel exclusive series and was created by Naughty Dog, the Uncharted series' developer. How is it possible that time has robbed me of one of the most memorable gaming moments?

It turns out that it did; all I truly recalled were the frightening beginning and the emotionally charged conclusion. I had forgotten the majority of the individuals you meet (such as the twin survivors Henry and Sam), a number of the locations Joel and Ellie visit (including Pittsburgh and a hydroelectric dam), and the majority of the horrifying combat situations you must survive (like the intense boss battle in the high school gym). The Last of Us felt startlingly new to play through.

Given that the PS4 remaster of the original Last of Us was out one year after the PS3 version in 2014, it's reasonable to question if Part 1 is worthwhile investing your time or money in.

It's aggravating that the internet has started using these phrases interchangeably. Naughty Dog has been referring to the PS5 release as a remake rather than a remaster, and it's undeniably a significant improvement visually. A larger audience can now enjoy the experience thanks to the abundance of new accessibility choices (these could justify the price tag for some players).

But unlike the 2019 Resident Evil 2 or the 2020 Final Fantasy 7, it isn't a remake. The gameplay is the same, so don't anticipate any surprises in the story unless you've forgotten just as much as I did.

A masterpiece even now

A few decades have passed since a disturbingly plausible fungal brain sickness transformed a large portion of the populace into hostile, cannibalistic mutants when The Last of Us takes place. (In-game news stories regarding millions of deaths, nations banning travel, and the inability to develop a vaccine now appear differently.)

The only three alternatives left to the survivors of this planet are to relocate to totalitarian military quarantine zones, find a home in an autonomous colony of dubious safety, or flee with nomads who frequently do atrocious acts to survive.

All three factions, as well as the various Infected species, have unpleasant interactions with Joel and Ellie (acted to perfection by Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson). You frequently find yourself thrust into little gameplay sandboxes where you must defeat several opponents (or sneak past, sometimes). Even though the landscapes are less expansive and grandiose than those in the second game, it's always stressful, enjoyable, and fulfilling.

By using a covert strategy, you may slip about the area while choking, shivving, or bow-and-arrowing your opponents. Humans frequently plead for their lives, which is always upsetting. You can also choose to attack your enemies head-on with a wide variety of entertaining weapons. If you make a mistake and get caught, don't go loading your save since the best encounters typically combine the two.

As you progress through the game, your strategy might change as new talents are unlocked through collectible pills and upgraded weapons are made with screws. Also included here as a menu option distinct from the main game is the wonderful prequel chapter Left Behind, which provides additional background on Ellie. It is recommended that you play this chapter after finishing the main tale.

It has the feel of a more realistic episode of the sister series Uncharted. I'll admit that after playing the first game, I mentally categorized The Last of Us as "GrimUncharted," but that was simplistic and immature. Now that I'm older and wiser, I value the realism of this series.

Those who have played Part 2 might find the original to be extremely bare-bones. It doesn't provide quite as much entertainment value due to its lengthy 15-hour running period, less highly terrifying encounters with the Infected, and more narrowly focused plot.

A gloomy odyssey

You're in for a treat if you've managed to dodge spoilers for this series, especially the bad faith debate surrounding the similarly fantastic sequel. The PS5 version of The Last of Us is without a doubt the finest way to play it, and it ranks among the best-written, most mature games I've ever played.

The environments are gorgeous, the characters are as lifelike as any I've seen on a console, and everything plays really smoothly. I only had a few small graphics bugs while playing. Although the DualSense controller's use in the game is minimal, the resistance I felt when I pulled the trigger on a rifle or prepared my bow offered a pleasant element of immersion.

The Last of Us Part 1 is excellent, but it's also a full-priced release of a title that's also accessible in a variety of other formats and doesn't have the multiplayer functionality found in earlier iterations. This is probably because a standalone multiplayer game is on the way.

You should think about getting the PS3 original, which is still simple to obtain, or even the PS4 remaster (which is playable on PS5 and is included for free with the $18 a month PS Plus Premium membership service). The HBO show will be available to non-gamers the following year.

The Last of Us: Part 1 is also coming to PCs at some time, so I recommend everyone to enjoy (or reexperience) it in some way. You'll be hooked for every terrifying minute of your gameplay, and it'll make you feel in a way that few other games can. Some moments could fade with time.