The Last of Us Remastered

The opinions of the videogame reviewers regarding the story of The Last of Us Remastered are overwhelmingly positive. Many critics praise the game for its exceptional storytelling and emotional impact. CalmDownTom notes that the story and production values of The Last of Us are the closest a videogame has come to a movie yet, with expertly voiced and motion captured main characters and a perfectly post-apocalyptic world. Critical Hit describes the story as wonderfully crafted and better than very nearly all other games. DarkStation calls it a masterful tale of two authentic and flawed individuals, creating one of the most memorable video game experiences. Digital Chumps applauds the game for its excellence and instant classic status. Digital Spy highlights the fantastic narrative and great characters, with the relationship between Joel and Ellie elevating the narrative above its uninspired roots. Game Informer praises the powerful story of moral grays and unlikely bonds set in a post-apocalyptic world filled with infected humans hungry for flesh. Game Revolution mentions that the storytelling blends the gripping nature of a novel with gaming tropes, with expositional moments and emotional tethers between the characters being highlights. While the majority of critics found the story of The Last of Us Remastered to be very good, there are few negative aspects mentioned. Gaming Age states that the story and theme can be exhausting and mentally draining at times, but still a journey worth taking. However, this can be seen as a testament to the game's ability to evoke strong emotions and create a compelling narrative. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that The Last of Us Remastered has a powerful and emotionally driven storyline with well-developed characters. The story explores themes of survival, hope, responsibility, and self-interest. It deconstructs video game cliches and features complex, flawed characters performed brilliantly by their respective actors. The Digital Fix describes the story as emotional and personal, with a hard-hitting ending. The Escapist praises it as a finely structured, provocative story that blends action, stealth, and survival horror. The Last of Us Remastered is hailed as an exceptional piece of interactive storytelling, oscillating between white-knuckle adrenaline and wrenching drama, according to Toronto Sun. The overall consensus is that The Last of Us Remastered delivers a compelling narrative experience that sets it apart from other zombie games by emphasizing the human element, as noted by ZTGD.

The majority of the critics praised the gameplay of The Last of Us Remastered, with many highlighting its positive aspects. COGconnected describes the gameplay as "awesome," while CalmDownTom commends the game for giving a fresh twist to the zombie/survival horror genre. DarkStation mentions the intelligent AI and brutal hand-to-hand combat, which adds depth to the gameplay. Game Informer praises the solid and visceral gameplay, with satisfying survival challenges and the option to sneak past or stealthily take out enemies. GamingTrend even goes as far as calling it one of the greatest survival horror games since Resident Evil 4. These positive opinions indicate that the gameplay of The Last of Us Remastered was highly regarded by the critics. However, there were some criticisms regarding certain aspects of the gameplay. Critical Hit points out that the game's mechanics and character AI are not as strong as its story. GameSpot mentions that the tension of combat is sometimes undermined by erratic ally behavior. Game Revolution notes that gameplay aspects such as puzzle-solving and crafting can sometimes break immersion. Slant Magazine suggests that the running and gunning sections are less interesting compared to the mechanics of exploration, tense stealth, and scavenging. These criticisms highlight some areas where the gameplay of The Last of Us Remastered could have been improved. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the gameplay of The Last of Us Remastered is very good. The positive opinions outweigh the negative ones, with the majority of the critics praising the game's mechanics, AI, combat, and survival elements. The Digital Fix commends the game for its variety of ways to tackle encounters and weaponry options. Telegraph describes the combat as panicked and brutal, demanding acute spatial awareness and resource management. The Escapist appreciates the flexibility in combat that feels empowering without making the player feel too powerful. These opinions, combined with the overall positive sentiment expressed by the majority of the critics, indicate that The Last of Us Remastered offers a highly enjoyable and immersive gameplay experience.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of The Last of Us Remastered are overwhelmingly positive. The majority of the critics praised the game for its stunning visuals, improved textures, and detailed character models. COGconnected describes the graphics as "crisp, clean, and sharp," while Cheat Code Central mentions that the game is one of the best looking games on the PS4, with sharper images and more visible details in the environments. Digital Spy also commends the improved visuals, character models, and textures, stating that the lighting system adds richness to the environments. The Digital Fix notes that the graphics have been improved, with character models and lighting making the game look even better than before. The Last of Us Remastered is described as visually stunning and comparable to a movie by Gameplanet. Despite the overwhelmingly positive opinions, there are a few critics who had some minor criticisms. GameSpot mentions that while the game features visual enhancements such as higher frame rate, richer lighting, sharper textures, and increased draw distance, these improvements may not significantly impact the overall experience. Softpedia points out some issues of pop-in and jagged edges in the visuals. God is a Geek states that the game doesn't look as good as expected, without providing further details. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that The Last of Us Remastered boasts impressive graphics and visual design. The game has been praised for its improved textures, detailed character models, realistic lighting, and enhanced visuals. Critics like CalmDownTom and Digital Chumps highlight the beautiful design of the world, which adds to the eeriness of the post-apocalyptic setting. The majority of the critics agree that the graphics are significantly better than the PS3 version, with the PS4 version being described as visually enhanced, stunning, and reaching for perfection. The Last of Us Remastered is considered one of the best looking games on the PS4 and showcases the capabilities of the console.

The majority of the critics praised the sound design and music of The Last of Us Remastered, considering it a standout aspect of the game. COGconnected describes the music as integral to the game, helping to build tension and stir emotions. DarkStation also highlights the game's sound design, noting how it adds to the intensity of combat with crunching sounds and the use of a 5.1 Surround Sound setup. Game Revolution and Digital Spy both mention the clever use of audio and sound effects to enhance immersion. PSX Extreme and Softpedia specifically commend the voice acting and soundtrack, with PSX Extreme stating it has some of the best audio in the industry. While the majority of the critics had positive opinions, there were a few who did not provide any negative feedback regarding the sound design and music. This lack of criticism suggests that the sound design and music were generally well-received by the reviewers. However, it would have been helpful to have more diverse opinions to provide a balanced analysis. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the sound design and music of The Last of Us Remastered were very good. The positive feedback emphasizes the immersive experience created by the clever sound design, the quality of the voice acting, and the emotional impact of the musical score. The Escapist particularly highlights the unnerving sound design and animation of the game's enemies, creating a sense of dread. ZTGD praises the excellent voice work for the main characters and the top-notch enemy and ambient sound, stating that the audio sets the tone without relying on cheap jump scares. This overall positive consensus suggests that the sound design and music greatly contributed to the overall experience of The Last of Us Remastered.

The voice acting in The Last of Us Remastered has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from the majority of critics. CalmDownTom, Digital Spy, Game Revolution, GameSpot, Impulsegamer, PSX Extreme, Softpedia, Telegraph, Toronto Sun, and ZTGD all praised the voice acting in the game. Critics specifically highlighted the performances of Troy Baker as Joel and Ashley Johnson as Ellie, noting their expert portrayal of the main characters. The voice acting was described as excellent, superb, stellar, and perfect, with critics commending the natural delivery and emotional depth brought to the characters. Ashley Johnson even won a BAFTA for her performance as Ellie, further emphasizing the high quality of the voice acting. While the overwhelming consensus among critics is positive, it is worth noting that Gameplanet did not provide a specific evaluation of the voice acting, focusing instead on the inclusion of cutscene commentary from the developers and voice actors. This omission suggests that they may not have found the voice acting to be a standout aspect of the game. Overall, the positive sentiment regarding the voice acting in The Last of Us Remastered is clear. Critics consistently praised the performances of Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, highlighting their exceptional portrayal of the main characters. The voice acting was described as adding depth to the characters, supporting emotional moments, and contributing to the movie-like experience of the game. The general consensus is that the voice acting in The Last of Us Remastered was very good, making it one of the standout aspects of the game's overall quality.

Analysis: In terms of the technical performance on the PS4, the majority of critics praised The Last of Us Remastered for its impressive visuals and smooth gameplay. Many reviewers highlighted the game's ability to run at a consistent 60 frames per second (fps), which contributed to a highly immersive and enjoyable experience. Critics such as CalmDownTom, Cheat Code Central, Digital Spy, Game Revolution, Gaming Age, Impulsegamer, NZGamer, Telegraph, The Digital Fix, Toronto Sun, VideoGamer, and ZTGD all mentioned the smoothness of the gameplay and the absence of any significant performance issues. They commended the polished graphics, flawless framerate, and beautiful animations, which showcased the technical prowess of the game on the PS4 platform. However, there were a few critics who noted some minor technical issues. GamingTrend mentioned that The Last of Us Remastered had some minor graphical glitches and technical issues, but overall, it was still considered a technical and artistic marvel. Softpedia mentioned texture pop-in and jagged shadows and objects as minor issues. God is a Geek also mentioned occasional stuttering during high-stress sections, but it did not significantly impact the overall experience. These criticisms were relatively minor in comparison to the overall positive sentiment expressed by the majority of critics. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the technical performance of The Last of Us Remastered on the PS4 is highly impressive. The game's ability to run at a smooth 60fps, coupled with its polished graphics and animations, contributed to a visually stunning and immersive experience. The positive opinions expressed by critics such as CalmDownTom, Critical Hit, Digital Chumps, Gameplanet, Gamer.nl, IGN, and PSX Extreme further reinforce the notion that the technical performance on the PS4 platform was exceptional. The minor issues mentioned by a few critics did not significantly detract from the overall positive reception of the game's technical performance.

The overall sentiment regarding the replay value of The Last of Us Remastered is generally positive. Many critics highlight the inclusion of additional content such as DLC, multiplayer modes, and bonus features as factors that add to the game's replayability. COGconnected mentions the multiplayer component and bonus featurettes as factors that enhance the replay value. Critical Hit praises the remastered version for including all DLC and a photo mode, making it a good package for fans of the multiplayer or those seeking the full experience. DarkStation mentions replaying the game and having an even greater appreciation the second time through, with the inclusion of The Last of Us: Left Behind and a multiplayer mode adding to the replay value. GameSpot also emphasizes the inclusion of the original game's multiplayer mode and DLC story chapter, Left Behind, as elements that enhance the replay value. However, there are some critics who express reservations about the replay value of The Last of Us Remastered. Game Revolution notes that the emotional impact of the story and characters may make players reluctant to replay the game, but overall, the experience is still worth it. NZGamer states that the game doesn't offer much more on a second playthrough, but the additional downloadable content expands on character developments. Softpedia mentions matchmaking issues in the multiplayer mode, which may hinder the replay value for some players. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that The Last of Us Remastered offers a good amount of replay value. The inclusion of DLC, multiplayer modes, and bonus features is generally seen as a positive aspect that enhances the overall experience. The improved visuals, opportunity to play the Left Behind expansion, and the addition of a photo mode are also mentioned as features that add to the game's replayability. While some critics acknowledge that the emotional impact of the story and characters may deter players from replaying the game, the overall consensus is that the game still offers a worthwhile experience for both newcomers and fans of the original.