{"id":43921,"date":"2024-01-16T16:00:52","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T15:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1960578"},"modified":"2024-01-16T16:42:02","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T15:42:02","slug":"the-last-of-us-2-remastered-review-reanimating-a-great-games-corpse","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/the-last-of-us-2-remastered-review-reanimating-a-great-games-corpse\/","title":{"rendered":"The Last of Us 2 Remastered review: Reanimating a great game\u2019s corpse"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\"> Naughty Dog revisits The Last of Us 2, with somewhat mixed results. <\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By Rob Leane\n                \t\t<\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Tuesday, 16 January 2024 at 15:00 PM<\/p><hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body> <div class=\"editorial-rating-summary editorial-rating-summary--\"> <div class=\"ratings-stars \"> <div class=\"ratings-stars__icons\"> <i data-grunticon-embed=\"\" class=\"icon-rating-star icon-star-fill\"\/> <i data-grunticon-embed=\"\" class=\"icon-rating-star icon-star-fill\"\/> <i data-grunticon-embed=\"\" class=\"icon-rating-star icon-star-fill\"\/> <i data-grunticon-embed=\"\" class=\"icon-rating-star icon-star-fill\"\/> <i data-grunticon-embed=\"\" class=\"icon-rating-star icon-star-outline\"\/> <\/div> <span class=\"ratings-stars__value\"> <span class=\"sr-only\">4.0 out of 5 star rating<\/span> <\/span> <\/div> <\/div> <p>Let\u2019s get something cleared up first \u2014 this reviewer is a big fan of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/technology\/gaming\/the-last-of-us-2-remastered-release-date\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The Last of Us Part 2<\/a> in its original form. In fact, when put on the spot recently and asked what my favourite games of all time are, TLOU2 is one of the first that came to mind.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll probably remember that the game was pretty divisive at launch, with some being put off by a shocking major plot point early on, with later perspective shifts doing little to tamper their fury.<\/p>\n<p>It was hard to tell at the time whether this was a vocal minority or a larger pool of players, and to be honest, it still is hard to tell on that front.<\/p>\n<p>For me, however, every one of these bold storytelling choices felt like a masterstroke of gaming as an art form, with the developers challenging the player to accept the consequences of the first game\u2019s violent ending (which was recently recreated with impressive faithfulness in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/sci-fi\/the-last-of-us-episode-9-ending-explained-what-joels-decision-means\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The Last of Us TV show\u2019s first season finale<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>While many games focus on blood-hungry power fantasies, TLOU2 takes an honest look at what might happen next if an actual person in the real world shot up a whole hospital full of people to save their surrogate daughter. Even in a post-apocalyptic setting, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and this game explores that concept beautifully.<\/p>\n<p>[squirrel-affiliate-playlist squirrel_playlist_id=\u201d610\u2033 \/]<\/p>\n<p>After that amazing TV adaptation on HBO (or Sky here in the UK), it now feels like the perfect time to revisit TLOU2 while we wait for the televised version of these events in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/sci-fi\/last-of-us-season-2\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The Last of Us season 2<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/sci-fi\/last-of-us-abby-kaitlyn-dever-newsupdate\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Abby now being cast for the show<\/a>, this is the ideal point at which to refresh your memory of the second game and get ready to spot all the homages and differences in the upcoming telly version.<\/p> <div class=\"brightcove embed\"> <div class=\"embed__intrinsic\"> <div class=\"brightcove__player vjs-playlist-player-container\"> <video data-video-id=\"6344171278112\" data-account=\"69912529001\" data-player=\"ByeOf0VZEl\" data-embed=\"default\" data-application-id=\"\" controls=\"\" class=\"video-js\"> <\/video> <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script src=\"\/\/players.brightcove.net\/69912529001\/ByeOf0VZEl_default\/index.min.js\"\/> <p>Whether you\u2019ve played the game before or not, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is a great way to experience that amazing story and the impressive slate of gameplay ideas that the title boasts.<\/p>\n<p>From the brief open world map-using segment to the ingenious use of throwable ropes in puzzle situations, TLOU2 remains a great evolution of the cinematic style of the first game.<\/p>\n<p>While my love for The Last of Us Part 2 hasn\u2019t exactly been hampered by this remastered edition, this repackaged version does seem like a bit of a disappointment. The greatest things about The Last of Us are its characters and its story, and nothing new is really added in those regards here.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no new DLC chapter, which feels like a missed opportunity, considering 2014\u2019s PS4 remaster of the original TLOU came bundled with the amazing Left Behind story add-on.<\/p>\n<p>By comparison, in The Last of Us 2 Remastered, the new additions feel more like optional extras, as opposed to must-play content that will really enrich your appreciation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"image-handler__container image-handler__container--aspect\" style=\"padding-bottom: calc(100% \/ 1.501210653753);\"> <picture> <source media=\"(max-width: 320px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=299%2C199, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=599%2C399 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=899%2C599 3x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1199%2C799 4x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 320px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=299%2C199, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=599%2C399 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=899%2C599 3x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1199%2C799 4x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 375px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=354%2C236, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=708%2C472 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1064%2C709 3x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1418%2C945 4x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 375px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=354%2C236, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=708%2C472 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1064%2C709 3x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1418%2C945 4x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 425px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=404%2C269, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=809%2C539 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1214%2C809 3x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 425px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=404%2C269, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=809%2C539 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1214%2C809 3x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 589px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C369, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1108%2C738 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 589px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C369, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1108%2C738 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 992px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1240%2C826 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 992px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1240%2C826 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=407%2C271, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=815%2C543 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1223%2C815 3x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=407%2C271, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=815%2C543 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1223%2C815 3x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 590px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=555%2C370, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1111%2C740 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 590px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=555%2C370, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1111%2C740 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <img class=\"wp-image-1960697 align size-landscape_thumbnail image-handler__image image-handler__image--aspect no-wrap js-lazyload\" srcset=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-review-2-f3ffa70.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\" alt=\"Ellie faces down the Rat King in this official screenshot from The Last of Us Part II.\" title=\"TLOU-review-2\"\/>\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div><div class=\"caption-hold\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption-copy\"><i class=\"icon-arrow icon-camera-circle\"\/> Ellie faces down the Rat King in The Last of Us Part 2.<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"im-image-caption\"> <i>Naughty Dog<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<p>A lot of marketing seems to have been thrown behind No Return, the new roguelike mode where you can face off against waves of enemies, playing as familiar faces from the game (and unlocking more as you progress).<\/p>\n<p>This mode is good fun, and it\u2019ll remind you of how good the combat was in the original game, but it is totally devoid of storytelling.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a gameplay-focused mode and it does get quite addictive after you\u2019ve gotten the hang of it, but it also feels like playing The Last of Us without any of the story or character beats. And that\u2019s where this franchise has always shined.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s endless replayability here, especially once you get into the fun-filled mods like acid rain and invisible enemies, but there\u2019s certainly a limited supply of heart. They\u2019ve stripped away the narrative to focus on the gunplay, and that does leave an odd aftertaste.<\/p>\n<p>We had high hopes for the so-called Lost Levels, another new addition for the remaster, which promised to bring back a selection of moments that were cut during the game\u2019s original development.<\/p>\n<p>This, we thought, is where we\u2019d get something like Left Behind, some buried treasure that would really add to the story (and possibly inspire the TV show going forward).<\/p> <p>Sadly, the Lost Levels are short, unfinished and largely incidental to the overall tale. The last one, involving a bear, is the biggest exception to that.<\/p>\n<p>The voice acting, animations and graphics have been left in the state they were at when the content was cut, meaning these are more like pre-vis showreels as opposed to fully fledged deleted scenes (to use the parlance of DVD extras).<\/p>\n<p>That being said, the experience of playing these Lost Levels is fascinating, and it\u2019s a really interesting exploration of what the gaming equivalent of DVD extras could be. Dotted around each level are buttons you can press to hear developer commentary as you walk around the unfinished environments. We really enjoyed hearing these insights from the game-makers themselves. It was eye-opening stuff.<\/p>\n<p>We can\u2019t say the same for the commentary that has been added to the main game. Unlike the Lost Levels, where you can listen as you wander about, the commentary on the main game can only be heard during cutscenes. We turned this off after a while because it was detracting from our enjoyment of the game\u2019s killer story.<\/p>\n<p>Again, this felt counterintuitive for a franchise where narrative, dialogue and interactions are the lifeblood of what makes it great.<\/p>\n<div class=\"image-handler__container image-handler__container--aspect\" style=\"padding-bottom: calc(100% \/ 1.501210653753);\"> <picture> <source media=\"(max-width: 320px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=299%2C199, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=599%2C399 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=899%2C599 3x, 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https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1418%2C945 4x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 425px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=404%2C269, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=809%2C539 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1214%2C809 3x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 425px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=404%2C269, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=809%2C539 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1214%2C809 3x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 589px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C369, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1108%2C738 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(max-width: 589px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C369, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1108%2C738 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 992px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1240%2C826 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 992px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1240%2C826 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=407%2C271, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=815%2C543 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1223%2C815 3x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=407%2C271, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=815%2C543 2x, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1223%2C815 3x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 590px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=555%2C370, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=45&amp;resize=1111%2C740 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"> <source media=\"(min-width: 590px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=555%2C370, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=45&amp;resize=1111%2C740 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> <img class=\"wp-image-1960716 align size-landscape_thumbnail image-handler__image image-handler__image--aspect no-wrap js-lazyload\" srcset=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/TLOU-3-bab1189.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\" alt=\"The Last of Us composer Gustavo Santaolalla, now available as a player character in Free-Play Guitar mode, playing an instrument\" title=\"TLOU-3\"\/>\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div><div class=\"caption-hold\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption-copy\"><i class=\"icon-arrow icon-camera-circle\"\/> The Last of Us composer Gustavo Santaolalla, now available as a player character in Free-Play Guitar mode.<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"im-image-caption\"> <i>Naughty Dog<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Another addition that somewhat spoils the main game is the concept of swappable skins. Most of these are harmless new looks, but some of the more wacky sci-fi outfits did somewhat trample on the realism and emotional stakes.<\/p>\n<p>Again, we quickly turned those off. (Random note: swapping between options on the menus was also a bit annoying, without much highlighting going on to spotlight which option you were hovering over at any given moment.)<\/p>\n<p>Once we\u2019d done away with the distracting commentary and the more garish skins, it has to be said, we did really enjoy revisiting the main campaign.<\/p>\n<p>We opted for a New Game Plus playthrough (our old save was easy to carry over and this meant we didn\u2019t have to wait to get good guns and upgrades), and we enjoyed the improved DualSense rumbles and the reduced loading times.<\/p>\n<p>The graphics are said to have improved, as well, but they already looked pretty perfect in our eyes. And that story is still incredibly well realised.<\/p>\n<p>One of the more fun new additions is Free-Play Guitar, where you can noodle away on a number of instruments playing as Ellie, Joel and even composer Gustavo Santaolalla.<\/p>\n<p>His work on the game\u2019s score has always been exceptional, and it\u2019s great to see him recognised as a fully fledged playable character.<\/p>\n<p>The upgrade will only cost a tenner for returning players, and the core game itself is still fantastic, so we can\u2019t complain too much!<\/p>\n<p>However, The Last of Us 2 Remastered feels like an exercise in reanimating the corpse of a great game, without adding anything too meaningful. And as any piece of zombie media will tell you, when you mess with reanimation, you run the risk of losing the original soul.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Last-Us-Part-II-Remastered\/dp\/B0CP86RB95\/?tag=radtim0b-21&amp;ascsubtag=radiotimes-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"sponsored noopener noreferrer\">The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered<\/a> launches Friday 19th January 2024, exclusively for PS5.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Read more on The Last of Us:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/sci-fi\/last-of-us-tv-changes-game-newsupdate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Last of Us TV show changes<\/a> \u2013 creators talk deviations<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/sci-fi\/last-of-us-mandalorian-pedro-pascal-newsupdate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Last of Us meets The Mandalorian<\/a> \u2013 Pedro Pascal on similarities<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/technology\/gaming\/last-of-us-2-multiplayer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Last of Us 2 multiplayer<\/a> \u2013 what happened?<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/technology\/gaming\/last-of-us-2-trophy-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Last of Us 2 trophies<\/a> \u2013 full list to collect<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/technology\/gaming\/last-of-us-2-chapters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Last of Us 2 chapters<\/a> \u2013 how many are there?<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/technology\/gaming\/last-of-us-2-safe-codes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Last of Us 2 safe codes<\/a> \u2013 open all locked doors<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/technology\/gaming\/how-long-last-of-us-2-hours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How long is The Last of Us 2?<\/a> How many hours you\u2019ll need<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/technology\/gaming\/last-of-us-2-ps5-upgrade\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Last of Us 2 PS5 upgrade<\/a> \u2013 how to get it<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/technology\/gaming\/last-of-us-part-2-pc-release-date\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Last of Us 2 PC<\/a> \u2013 what we know so far<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/technology\/gaming\/last-of-us-part-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Will there be a Last of Us Part 3?<\/a> Latest on the sequel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Listen to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/technology\/gaming\/one-more-life-podcast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">One More Life podcast<\/a> and subscribe to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/gaming-newsletter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">gaming newsletter<\/a> for all the latest intel.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Looking for something to watch? Check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/tv-listings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">TV Guide<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/streaming-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Streaming Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only \u00a310 \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/magazine-subscription\/?utm_term=evergreen-article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">subscribe now<\/a>. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/audio\/podcasts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Radio Times Podcast<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> Naughty Dog revisits The Last of Us 2, with somewhat mixed results. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":43922,"template":"","categories":[8],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2024\/01\/the-last-of-us-2-remastered-review-reanimating-a-great-games-corpse.jpg",1600,1066,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2024\/01\/the-last-of-us-2-remastered-review-reanimating-a-great-games-corpse-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2024\/01\/the-last-of-us-2-remastered-review-reanimating-a-great-games-corpse-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2024\/01\/the-last-of-us-2-remastered-review-reanimating-a-great-games-corpse-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2024\/01\/the-last-of-us-2-remastered-review-reanimating-a-great-games-corpse-1024x682.jpg",800,533,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2024\/01\/the-last-of-us-2-remastered-review-reanimating-a-great-games-corpse-1536x1023.jpg",1536,1023,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2024\/01\/the-last-of-us-2-remastered-review-reanimating-a-great-games-corpse.jpg",1600,1066,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Naughty Dog revisits The Last of Us 2, with somewhat mixed results.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/43921"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}