The new beauty of “The Last of US Part II” is difficult

What advantages does a video game have when it is adapted for a console it was not originally released on? Sometimes it is simple and sometimes it is more beautiful. This is theoretically the case for “Last of Us Part II”, the “remastered” version of which is released exclusively on PlayStation 5 on Friday 19 January.

Originally, this sequel to the classic “The Last of Us” – the first opus that recently became an iconic TV series – was released on PlayStation 4. That was in June 2020.

The PS5 hit the market just a few months later in November of the same year. But since PS4 games were compatible with the new system, they immediately rushed to it like clockwork. “Last of the US Part II” was no exception. And when the “Fluidity” mode was unlocked at 60 frames per second in 2001, the same game ran slightly better on the PS5 than the PS4. Edition Remastered A bit more ambitious.

So we installed this version while mainly wondering what the magnitude of this overhaul would be. It costs 50 francs if it’s a first purchase and 10 francs if you’ve already checked out for the PS4 version.

However, we had to open our eyes to see very small differences. Not that there aren’t any, not that there hasn’t been titanic work from the studio, but they didn’t completely jump out at us. Alternating a sequence from this PS4 version then the same sequence in the PS5 version on the same console and same 4K screen. Sony mentions improvements in texture resolution, spacing, level of detail, shadow quality, animation sample rate and “a lot more”.

If we had run the game in parallel on two identical screens and two PS5s and studied the Seven Bugs game, we would have seen, for example, on the PS4 version, the foliage has become a little denser as we progress. Let’s get closer. Not at all with the PS5 version. A correction that had completely escaped us, practicing the alternative. In short, we guess that the gamer who has already played “The Last of Us Part II” has the impression of finding a significantly produced game, which will undeniably look very beautiful, but it will be possible without the improvements of the PS5 version. definitely known.

Another new feature announced, the PS5 version now handles the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller, a gamepad exclusive to the PS5. They produce new resistance effects through triggers and more subtle vibrations are present, but we are once again a very bad customer: we have integrated these new sensations with other games so much, that we no longer really feel them. It’s like 3D in the cinema with glasses, at first it seemed obvious, today it seems a little interesting to us.

The last difference between the PS5 and PS4 versions, Naughty Dogs introduces various bonuses along with the campaign, including a new game mode: “Rogue-like survival” mode. Basically, the proposal is to relive the main action sequence taken from the campaign: as long as we conquer the tests, we progress, otherwise, we start from scratch. Fans of this type of competition will find what they are looking for as Naughty Dogs Studio’s skills are high. But, in this case, the narrative aspect of the game takes second place. However, “The Last of US Part II” is and remains a story game above all else.

That’s why we highly recommend this “Remastered” version for those who have never experienced an extraordinary campaign that isn’t afraid to lead a fanboy (or fangirl) astray. Its price, for a Triple A title that isn’t even that old, has dropped.

For those who have already played the game it is a bit more complicated as the feeling of improvement will feel subjective. Basically, you’ll want to come back and convince yourself that the game is more beautiful than you should have liked the campaign. There, it will work and paying 10 francs for an update should not seem problematic.

On the other hand, if your PS5 is still connected to a 1080 line HD television (and not 4K), the slightly improved 2001 PS4 version is more than adequate for the PS5.