Joel is different in The Last of Us Part I. It took me a while to notice, but once I did, it was hard to miss. His eyes hurt. Her clothes and features are the same, but a calm and unmistakable agony is imprinted on her face. I’ve played The Last of Us almost a dozen times on PS3 and PS4, and I’ve never seen it worn so clearly. I know Joel has a troubled past because the last of us, Part I, goes out of our way to show you a traumatic expired in the opening scene, but that pain has never been so clearly imprinted on his features.
There is an Argument that The Last of Us Part I is too similar to the PS3 and PS4 versions to be considered a Remake, and part of me agrees with this sentiment. The story is identical, the level design is exactly the same, and the Gameplay – with the exception of some improvements in the quality of life – is unchanged. On paper, if you played The Last of Us and remember it well, there are few reasons to return to it on PS5.
But The Last of Us Part I is more than the sum of its parts. It’s a relentless Tour de Force that strategically uses the power of the PlayStation 5 to evolve its story and its themes a little. No matter how small, all the improvements are in the service of the story, and the story is as good as it was nine years ago.
The most obvious way The Last of Us Part I does this is with its visuals. The revamped lighting, crisp new textures and smoother animations make The Last of Us a more enjoyable game, but it’s the details of the faces and characters that make it more meaningful. I can feel the pent-up pain in Joel, feel the omnipresent hope in Marlene and see fleeting moments of innocence in Ellie.
These details may not change the way you think about these characters, but they certainly give them more depth. Of course, these are also details that I have internalized through my multiple parts, years of reflection on the game and hours of elaborate analysis. But the subtleties of the way the characters are now portrayed mean that, especially for newcomers, the nuances are more immediately noticeable. The writing and the action remain as strong as ever, and although none of the changes recontextualize the characters or the events, the delicate retouching gives them a greater gravity.
What recontextualizes the characters is The existence of The Last of Us Part II.Joel’s actions are harder to bear once you know their possible consequences, and Ellie’s bloody quest for revenge in the sequel makes her character arc in Part I all the more tragic. Even if you didn’t like the direction the story of Part II took, The last moments of The Last of Us Part I make it harder for you to swallow.
What’s more interesting is that although I knew how things would end up going, I rarely questioned Joel’s motives during the game, even in those last moments. It’s a testament to Naughty Dog’s great storytelling and fantastic characters who – even though I knew exactly what Joel’s actions entailed – wanted to protect Ellie at all costs. All those complicated feelings with which the last of us left me nine years ago came back stronger when I finish ed Part I.
The improvements in the Gameplay, although subtle, are also made in the service of the story. The aiming is more responsive, the weapons have a satisfactory weight and Joel is a little easier to maneuver. He is not as agile as Ellie in Part II, but most of the rough edges of the Original have been smoothed out. This kind of thing is to be expected in Remaster or Remake, but in the matter of The Last of Us Part I, it removes another obstacle from the experience. The improvements in action and gameplay give Joel a more consistent characterization on the screen. It may seem that you are reading a little too much, but think about the times when you clumsily missed your strike because the aiming works and how this undermined a character who we were told had been actioning to survive in a hellish post – Apocalypse for 20 years – he shouldn’t sniff life or expired strike. With the adjustments, Joel from The Last of Us Part I looks more like a cold and calculated fighter. He is as ruthless as you would expect from someone in his place and with his tragic history.
The improved AI, on the other hand, brings a greater sense of harmful, especially with the most difficult difficulties. The enemies are more aggressive and use advanced tactics. Some will pressure you from a distance, while others will flank you if you are not careful. From time to time, an enemy is waiting for you to approach and ambush you. The unpredictable AI creates heartbreaking fire action. Success requires a mixture of foresight, Improvisation and ability.
What really makes AI so effective is its tenacity. Enemies will action with teeth and claws to survive. If you take an enemy hostage, they will try to negotiate with you. Others nearby will try to persuade you before taking action. If you hold a hostage for too long, you will free yourself and action back. The enemies you experience don’t just feel like an obstacle that you have to overcome. You feel like people who are desperately trying to survive in a world that has been torn apart.
