The Last of Us Part II Remaster Announced for PS5
In a recent trailer and announcement blog, Sony has announced that 2020’s ‘The Last of Us Part II’ will be getting a remaster in the same vein of the original remake last year. This will come just under four years since the game’s original release, as the remaster is set to launch on January 19th, 2024. Set to launch with upgraded visuals, new outfits, and even a new game mode, the game is adding a bit more than fans may have expected, but a lot of gamers still see this as an unnecessary title considering how well the original holds up.
Image by Naughty Dog
While small graphical upgrades and the introduction of haptic feedback with the PlayStation 5 controller is nice, the biggest draw here for most people will be the ability to play certain cut levels from the cutting room floor and, of course, the new roguelike game mode. Here’s what PlayStation had to say about it in the blog announcement:
“The Last of Us Part II Remastered is designed to let you dig deeper into both its development and mechanics. Chief among these is a brand-new mode called No Return, a roguelike survival mode designed to let players prove their mettle in randomized encounters and experience The Last of Us Part II’s combat in a fresh experience.
The mode includes a host of playable characters to choose from – some playable for the first time in The Last of Us franchise (which you may have spotted in our trailer) – who each come with their own traits to suit different playstyles. Players will chart their own course on each run, choosing between various stealth and combat encounters that will pit you against a range of enemies, with unique twists that can add new, unexpected factors to any given encounter.”
While interesting, it does seem quite minor and not enough to justify another £70 purchase for a four-year-old game- despite how fantastic it is. Luckily, however, Sony has given owners of the original game the ability to pay £10 to upgrade to this new remaster- which means buying a pre-owned copy of the original and upgrading is by far the best cost-cutting solution.
Image by Naughty Dog
The release of The Last of Us Part II Remastered makes it the fifth game to come out in the series- with only two of those being original launches. That’s because the first game had two rereleases and the second is now receiving one on the PlayStation 5. Considering that its been years since we’ve heard any official news on the follow-up to the ‘Factions’ multiplayer game, fans are starting to feel fatigued and confused by Naughty Dog’s release strategy. With so many talented staff members being directed to work on these minor upgrades, its left a lot of people to wonder what new , original projects the studio has for the future- if any.
Image by Naughty Dog
Unfortunately, this seems to be a continually common process for PlayStation’s biggest brands. With sources still claiming that a remake of 2017’s Horizon: Zero Dawn is on its way, and other games like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Ghost of Tsushima getting unnecessary PS5 upgrades, more and more developer resources are being put into these small improvements that really don’t change a whole lot.The YouTube comments for the reveal trailer say it all. Take a look below to see some of the most liked ones:
“No return is definitely what im looking forward to most, i hope its not a gimmick and they've put some real effort into it” - danieljones7602
“This game came out 3 years ago and still is the best looking game today, this is a literal cashgrab” - ryanleonard5356
“Part 2 looked great on the PS5 when i first played it a year or so ago. Not sure why it needs remastering. The first one i get, because there was a big gap between upgrades.”- AduderReviews
With the PlayStation 5 already being backward compatible with the PS4, a lot of fans are asking ‘why?’- which is, unfortunately, a question that is sure to persist in the coming years.
