The Last of US Part II Remastered: Better! (PS5)

We have already offered you a test of this opus on PS4, I suggest you (again) find some lines here:

Let’s recall the context of the license: the world is infected. A kind of disease turns people into crazy, aggressive creatures. You tell me nothing is really new, that is very true. This is already what we thought about the first opus but this apparent banality hides an extraordinary game, as you can read here. We find Ellie and Joel several years after the events of the first opus. They found refuge in a community of survivors. in peace But this doesn’t last, Ellie has to leave the community to face the outside world. There you have it, this time we are asked to play her role, she who will find herself between two new armed groups, the Scars and the Washington Liberation Front.

Gameplay in continuity
Never change a winning team. We get the same recipe for Opus 1. You’ll find optional stages of pure exploration with a few small puzzles and TPS sequences. The game repeats the gameplay of the first opus. A good part of the exploration. We are invited to walk from place to place and admire the landscapes. And they are magnificent.

In closed spaces, you will search every drawer, every nook and cranny to gather everything you need for survival. Thus, as in the first opus, there are basic elements (scotch tape, blades, etc.) that allow you to create care kits, molotov cocktails, traps, etc. There are also capsules that allow you to access the skill tree. Improve Ellie’s abilities. And then there are the documents that provide context to the story, they have a lot to do with the immersion they offer the player. Finally, there is ammo that you have to conserve. This way of finding everything really immerses us in the atmosphere of existence. Ah, I forgot a detail: some areas give you little puzzles to spice up your progress a bit.

Obviously, the most impatient among us will definitely want to move on and not spend too much time looking around. Don’t worry, you can but skirmishes can become more complicated in the absence of a real reserve of ammunition.

Strategic battles
So we see fights even in TPS mode. Then we have a concealment system and the possibility of coming out of your hiding place to accommodate the enemy. Arsenal wise, we’re not in Call of Duty, that’s a bit of a bummer. You’ll have a pistol or two, a simple rifle or pump, a bow and that’s about it. Fortunately you will also have the explosive weapons I told you about above. The arsenal is so meager and this is what gives this game its flavor as it gives you an impression of permanent fragility. And this is all the more so because the arenas of combat are quite open, leaving plenty of room for stealth and your enemies won’t hesitate to do so. Speaking of which, the AI ​​is pretty decent, enemies hide, move, try to surprise you. I’m talking about human enemies here, the infected are more basic but their numbers and their liveliness make them formidable opponents. Don’t forget to use your radar vision which is based on the sounds your enemies make and so you can detect them even through walls.
Being a jerk is a very bad idea. No, the idea is intrusive. Get behind enemies and eliminate them discreetly, or better yet, find a way that allows you to avoid any contact with your opponents altogether. In this game, you shouldn’t shy away from confrontation. In the end, everyone will play as they wish, this is also the strength of the title, this ability to let us be the masters of our adventure. But I must admit that clearing an area is always pleasant because you must first analyze the situation, prepare your strategy and then take it slowly. And then you’ll be surprised, which adds spice to the whole thing. These strategies, of course, depend on the type of opponent but in all cases pay attention to the sound you make. A bit of innovation: dogs. They will be able to sniff your trail and thus send troops towards you. It is not uncommon for you to run away to forget. All of this distills an exhilarating tension. So this game is not only a story of adventure and exploration, no, it is also a hell of a TPS.

If you want to know more, read our review from that time.

What is new ?

Now it’s time to tell you a little about this version. Let’s start with the new mode without compensation. It is a roguelike survival mode that offers you several encounters before reaching the final boss. You should know that death is final, if you don’t go through it, you have to start from the beginning. It is definitely roguelike as weapons and upgrades will also be reset. On the other hand, there is a system of passive bonuses that continue over time, fortunately, this allows you to progress more easily.

Initially there are two types of encounters: attack Which allows you to overcome waves of enemies and hunting For which you need to survive till time runs out. All of this is linked to challenges, such as: completing two encounters with Ellie. These challenges allow you to unlock lots of bonuses like new characters. Creating a session with your own parameters is also possible and a really good idea. In terms of sensation, we’re having fun but it’s hard! Finally, for your servant who struggled a bit before progressing through the levels, here’s my pull! Note that there are also daily sessions that you can only attempt once and your results will be compared with players from around the world.

More jokes, there are mods Free Play Guitar. We are offered to have fun with the guitar, and not only that, and with various characters. It’s quite funny. Operation is simple, you pick a chord with the stick and rub the chord with the pad of the DualSense controller.

Speaking of the latter, it exploits very well and brings what is needed for the enjoyment of playing. You will feel the terrain in all your movements. There’s also a nice feel to the triggers that make you feel each weapon you use. Finally, the DualSense speaker is used very well. In short, success.

There’s also a plethora of bonuses: skins, filters, game modifiers, everything you need to please the most die-hard collectors among us. We are also offered 3 levels that were deleted during the development of the game. We also have the right to comments from developers. And then I’m not talking to you about the trailers and other documentaries that we offer here, I’ll leave you the joy of discovery.

Let’s finish on the graphics. The difference with the PS4 version is significant. Well yes, the goal was to be able to reach the level of The Last of Us Part I (PS5 remake of Episode 1) and it is indeed here, we get beautiful animations and fine textures. Note that the differences are less noticeable if you run this PS4 version but on the PS5, things improve a bit on the latter. I offer you a comparison video below that shows you the possible differences. As you can see, there is no gulf between the two titles, but we still appreciate the increase in quality.

Let’s stay on the graphics, you will have a choice between two configurations. Mod Loyalty Offers you native 4K but aims for 30 fps instead. It’s disappointing, we were expecting 60. Mod performance Offers rendering in 1440p with upscaled 4K and output in 60 fps.

Let’s finish with the loading time which really decreases and is a real plus for immersion.