While gamers remain split on whether the original The Last of Us game needs a remake, Naughty Dog has finally confirmed that it is on the way. Leaking ahead of Summer Game Fest and being fully revealed at the end of the event, the remake sees Naughty Dog rebuilding its classic from the ground up for the PlayStation 5.
While the remake for The Last of Us Part 1 is likely happening due to the HBO show, as viewers who enjoy the adaptation will have a modern version of the source material to play, Naughty Dog is still putting a lot of effort into this remake. Not only will the PS5 remake feature modernized gameplay that resembles The Last of Us 2, but a massive improvement has been made to the character models, lighting, and environments. These visual upgrades are visible within the reveal trailer, standing out clearly in a few scenes.
Joel Gets Attacked By a Clicker
While the reveal trailer for The Last of Us Part 1 prioritizes cutscenes over raw gameplay, it does feature an in-game moment from early in the story where Joel is tackled by a Clicker. Perhaps the most obvious example of the differences between the two versions of The Last of Us, the changes are night and day when looking at the old and new Clicker models.
Muddy textures are present all over the old Clicker, with far less detail visible as well. The creature’s mouth is hard to distinguish, and the fungus that covers it lacks any small touches. In the remake, there is a stunning amount of work done to make this Clicker look particularly great, and all of it is more noticeable due to better lighting effects. From smaller mushroom heads on the Clicker’s arm to the one atop its head having multiple layers, gamers can rest assured that the remake will provide enemies that look as good as the human characters.
Joel and Ellie’s Car Ride
After Joel and Ellie meet Bill and leave his town, a memorable sequence plays out with the two protagonists sitting together in a car. After a funny conversation where Ellie cracks jokes about one of Bill’s dirty magazines, a beautiful shot of Ellie staring out the window can be seen. This is one of the moments where the remake’s character model improvements are obvious.
While the pre-rendered cutscenes in the original The Last of Us hold up quite well, they do show their age in the sense that Ellie looks like an animated character as opposed to a real person. With the game first releasing in 2013, it is impressive that they still look so good, though the step forward in technology is undeniable. Not only does Ellie look more lifelike, and closer to her appearance in The Last of Us 2, but these cutscenes are apparently rendered in real time - allowing for perfect transitions from gameplay to cinematics.
Joel Teaching Ellie To Shoot
While there are many great conversations between Joel and Ellie throughout the first game that allow their bond to grow, the moment where Joel teaches Ellie to shoot is an important one. While he does a great job of protecting her throughout the story, even Joel is not untouchable, and Ellie needs to know how to survive on her own. With Joel also needing her to cover him during a fight, he gives her a quick rundown on guns, and the scene provides a close-up look at Joel’s character model.
While the scene looked great when the game debuted back in 2013, the old Joel model is not as mind-blowing as it once was. Fortunately, Naughty Dog has knocked it out of the park with Joel’s updated look, as more detail can be seen on his face than ever before - ensuring that his design is just as realistic as Ellie's. His eyes are reflective and look far more lifelike, and the bags under his eyes are a good sign of what he has been through in his life. His hair is more textured and the wrinkles on his face are distinct, while the shirt having a more cloth-like texture adds a lot of photorealism to the moment.
Ellie Kills David
Without a doubt the darkest point in the original game, Ellie being forced to kill David is a moment that changed her. After being tricked and tormented by the creepy cannibal, she has to battle him throughout a restaurant, using bottles to distract, stun, and sneak up on him. After avoiding him for long enough and doing enough damage, the boss fight ends with Ellie brutally murdering David with a machete. Joel arrives too late to do the deed for her, with Ellie being forced to change so she can survive in the dangerous world of The Last of Us.
While this moment only flashes briefly in the new trailer, it looks incredible. Though many will surely remember the moment where blood splatters on the screen and the building burns around an enraged, crying Ellie, the scene never looked close to as good as it does on PS5. The fire effects and lighting are stellar, and the shot of Ellie crying in Joel’s arms shows just how great the facial animation is going to be in the remake.
While some fans may have wanted a reimagining of The Last of Us instead of the same exact story, others will likely be happy that the narrative is being left untouched. Given how beloved the game is by fans and critics, a remake adding scenes and changing others could have been very risky. Focusing more on improving the gameplay and giving the game a visual overhaul makes sense, and while the remake’s combat has not yet been shown, comparing the updated scenes to the original versions makes it clear just how much better the graphics are.
The Last of Us Part 1 releases on September 2 for PS5. A PC version is currently in development.
