With The Last of Us Part 1 set to make its debut on September 2, Naughty Dog has gotten the ball rolling when it comes to promotional material for the remake. Fans have gotten to experience a launch trailer, details have been revealed about The Last of Us Part 1’s many accessibility features, and some key AI improvements have been highlighted. With leaks providing an early look at the Trophy list, too, plenty is known about what the game has to offer.
Just like the original version, The Last of Us Part 1 will include some alternate outfits for Joel and Ellie to wear as they journey across a post apocalyptic version of America. Though these skins are limited and primarily focus on alternate clothing styles for the two leads, it would be interesting to see Naughty Dog get more experimental with its unlockable skins. Outside of silly redesigns that are comparable to Doughnut Drake from Uncharted, full model swaps for the game’s cast that closely resemble actors from the HBO show could be a nice bonus.
Why The Last of Us Part 1 Skins Based on The HBO Series Make Sense
While some fans are hyped about the chance to play Naughty Dog’s masterpiece again, or try it for the first time, others have been quick to criticize the remake. Some have called The Last of Us Part 1 overpriced, others have shared their frustrations with the lack of dodge and prone mechanics from The Last of Us 2, and a few fans have argued that it is simply unnecessary. However, the upcoming HBO adaptation of The Last of Us is a solid justification for this remake's existence,
Following the recent teaser for The Last of Us on HBO, it is clear that expectations are high for the live action retelling of the story. With a talented team both behind and on the screen, it can be assumed that the show will maintain the strong writing, acting, and storytelling of Naughty Dog’s modern classic. If the series does meet expectations, The Last of Us will reach a whole new level of popularity, and those that enjoy the show could be motivated to play the game that inspired it.
Though The Last of Us looked and played great back in 2013, it has become a bit outdated in recent years, especially with the progress made by The Last of Us 2. As such, rebuilding the game for a modern audience of gamers makes sense, especially when some non-gamers will be playing it for the first time after watching the HBO show. Newcomers could be turned away by the lacking AI and the rougher in-game models from the 2013 game and its PS4 remaster, but with a remake built for the PS5, they could be just as blown away as PS3 users were nearly ten years ago.
This same logic can be applied to some potential HBO skins. Those that attempt to play the game after watching the show could be caught off guard by the different appearances for Joel, Ellie, and all the supporting characters. As such, some HBO-inspired models that make Joel look like Pedro Pascal and Ellie look like Bella Ramsey could be a perfect way to make fans of the show feel at home. While outright replacing the original designs would have been a poor move, some fully optional model swaps based on the live action versions of the characters could be a solid middle ground.
Much like how a modern remake of The Last of Us makes sense for a fresh audience, skins that cater to said audience would also be welcome. This way, those that fall in love with the HBO versions of the characters could feel right at home in the game, giving the cast of characters a makeover so that they look a bit more familiar. Though the alternate costumes based on games like Sly Cooper, God of War, and Resistance are fun to see, some HBO cosmetics could prove to be popular additions.
The Last of Us Part 1 launches September 2 for PS5. A PC version is currently in development.
