It certainly is still The Last Of Us (Part 1). To focus on the positive first, this game looks amazing, it's a massive improvement over the original and remaster, the new models and facial animations add so much to certain moments, especially ones involving Tess and Ellie I noticed. The new accessibility options are great as well! It also has fun new gameplay modifiers and skins included! It is simply the best version of The Last Of Us, with every change and addition being a positive one.
Now on the more negative side of things, did this remake need to happen? Absolutely not. The improved visuals and facial animations are great, but it still looks a little weird at times. Most body animations seem the exact same and they just look kinda stiff sometimes. Joel's still got his same dorky and clunky looking crouch walk which you'll have seen enough of if you've played the original, and you'll see it just as much in this remake. Besides visuals, every other positive thing really should've just been added to the remaster, a game that's already playable on PS5. Accessibility options, while fantastic, aren't enough of a reason to remake a game when they should've just been added to the previous version.
This remake still plays almost identically to the original, which I enjoyed gameplay wise and still do, but it's a game that came out almost a decade ago and before Part 2 vastly improved the gameplay. It's disappointing they didn't use this remake as an opportunity to rework the gameplay and make it as smooth of an experience as Part 2. The AI also doesn't seem that much better than the original game but I can't decide if it's due to the level design constricting the AI more than it does in Part 2, or if it's actually just hardly an improvement compared to the original. They really had the chance to make the best possible version of this game, and instead they just made a version that's the best by comparison.
Even though it's disappointing they didn't push this remake as far as it could've gone, it is still The Last Of Us and it's still one of the best games I've ever played, but improved. Is the game going to be worth it for most people who've already played the game? Nah, but if you're someone who really loves this game and replays it from time to time it might be worth it for you. For me at least I know I'll have no reason to go back to the original over this remake. Is the game worth it if you've never played the original before? I would say yes, and if the price is a a concern I would recommend waiting for a discount on the remake, over purchasing the remaster or original as I consider it a big enough improvement.
I just want to add that giving this game a low score since it's a "lazy remake" is dumb. It was a great game when it came out, and it still is now. It's like giving a collection a low score since they're all old games that have been released, that doesn't change the quality of the actual product. This remake is strictly a better version than the original, so I'll give it the same score I gave the original, 5/5 stars.
Now on the more negative side of things, did this remake need to happen? Absolutely not. The improved visuals and facial animations are great, but it still looks a little weird at times. Most body animations seem the exact same and they just look kinda stiff sometimes. Joel's still got his same dorky and clunky looking crouch walk which you'll have seen enough of if you've played the original, and you'll see it just as much in this remake. Besides visuals, every other positive thing really should've just been added to the remaster, a game that's already playable on PS5. Accessibility options, while fantastic, aren't enough of a reason to remake a game when they should've just been added to the previous version.
This remake still plays almost identically to the original, which I enjoyed gameplay wise and still do, but it's a game that came out almost a decade ago and before Part 2 vastly improved the gameplay. It's disappointing they didn't use this remake as an opportunity to rework the gameplay and make it as smooth of an experience as Part 2. The AI also doesn't seem that much better than the original game but I can't decide if it's due to the level design constricting the AI more than it does in Part 2, or if it's actually just hardly an improvement compared to the original. They really had the chance to make the best possible version of this game, and instead they just made a version that's the best by comparison.
Even though it's disappointing they didn't push this remake as far as it could've gone, it is still The Last Of Us and it's still one of the best games I've ever played, but improved. Is the game going to be worth it for most people who've already played the game? Nah, but if you're someone who really loves this game and replays it from time to time it might be worth it for you. For me at least I know I'll have no reason to go back to the original over this remake. Is the game worth it if you've never played the original before? I would say yes, and if the price is a a concern I would recommend waiting for a discount on the remake, over purchasing the remaster or original as I consider it a big enough improvement.
I just want to add that giving this game a low score since it's a "lazy remake" is dumb. It was a great game when it came out, and it still is now. It's like giving a collection a low score since they're all old games that have been released, that doesn't change the quality of the actual product. This remake is strictly a better version than the original, so I'll give it the same score I gave the original, 5/5 stars.