Honestly, the naming convention for Naughty Dog’s flagship title has become a total mess. You’ve got the original 2013 game, the 2014 "Remastered" version for PS4, and now The Last of Us Part 1 Remastered—which technically isn't even the name on the box, but it's how everyone searches for this specific PS5 and PC overhaul. They officially call it Part 1, but the confusion is real. People see the $70 price tag and immediately get defensive. Is Joel’s beard really worth that much?
It’s a fair question.
Most people think this is just the 2014 game with the resolution slider turned up. It isn’t. But it’s also not a "from the ground up" reimagining in the way Final Fantasy VII Remake changed the story. It’s this weird, middle-ground technical marvel that sits between a port and a sequel. If you’ve played the original ten times, you’re looking for a reason to go back. If you’re a newcomer coming from the HBO show, you’re just trying to figure out which version won't look like a blurry PS3 relic on your 4K TV.
Why the Tech Actually Matters (And Why It Doesn't)
Let's get the nerdy stuff out of the way first. When Naughty Dog rebuilt this, they didn't just copy-paste the old code into a new engine. They used the Part II engine. That matters because the original game's animations were largely "baked." This meant characters had specific, pre-set movements that didn't always react to the environment. In The Last of Us Part 1 Remastered (the PS5 version), the "Motion Matching" technology makes Joel and Ellie move with a weight that simply wasn't possible in 2013.
It feels heavy.
When Joel slams an infected against a wall, the physics engine calculates that impact differently every time. It’s brutal. You notice it most in the faces, though. The original game relied on hand-animated facial expressions that were incredible for their time but lacked the micro-expressions we see now. In the new version, you can see the literal fear in Sarah’s eyes during the opening sequence in a way that feels uncomfortably human.
Neil Druckmann has often mentioned in interviews that the goal was to bring the game closer to the original vision of the actors' performances. Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker did amazing mocap work that the PS3 just couldn't fully render. Now, the digital models actually match the intensity of the actors' real-life performances.
The Combat Dilemma
Here is where some fans get salty. The Last of Us Part II introduced a "prone" mechanic and a dodge button. It changed everything. It made combat feel fluid and vertical.
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The Last of Us Part 1 Remastered does not have a dodge button.
Some call this a missed opportunity. Others argue that adding a dodge would have broken the level design of the original game. Imagine trying to fight the Bloater in the high school gym if you could just dive-roll out of the way like it's Dark Souls. The encounters were built for a certain "clunkiness" that creates tension. If Joel was as agile as 19-year-old Ellie, the game would be too easy. So, Naughty Dog kept the layout the same but improved the AI. The enemies now "flank" more effectively. They communicate. It’s less about "if" they find you and more about "when."
What Most People Get Wrong About the Visuals
Go look at a side-by-side comparison on YouTube. At first glance, you might think, "Yeah, it looks sharper." But look at the lighting. The original game used a lot of "faked" lighting to save processing power. In this version, the light bounces. It’s global illumination. When you’re walking through the overgrown subways of Boston, the way the sunlight filters through the dust particles isn't just a static effect—it's dynamic.
- The water physics are actually reactive now.
- Glass shatters realistically rather than in pre-set chunks.
- The haptic feedback on the DualSense controller lets you feel the "thrum" of the rain.
Is that worth $70? Maybe not to everyone. But for the "immersion" junkies, it's a completely different experience. You aren't just playing a game; you're existing in a space that feels physically heavy and damp.
The PC Port Disaster and Recovery
We have to talk about the PC launch. It was bad. Like, "crashes every five minutes" bad. When The Last of Us Part 1 Remastered hit Steam, it was plagued by shader compilation issues that took hours. People with high-end RTX 4090s were seeing frame drops that made no sense. It was a stain on Naughty Dog's reputation, even though the port was handled by Iron Galaxy.
But here’s the thing: it’s fixed now.
As of 2024 and 2025 patches, the PC version is arguably the definitive way to play if you have the hardware. The ultra-wide support makes the "Pittsburgh" section feel like a cinematic masterpiece. If you tried it at launch and gave up, it’s time to go back. The VRAM management is significantly better, and the "Looking for Shaders" bar doesn't take a literal lifetime anymore.
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Accessibility: The Unsung Hero
One thing nobody talks about enough is the accessibility suite. Naughty Dog is basically the industry leader here. They added "Audio Descriptions" for cinematics. Think about that. Blind players can experience the story of Joel and Ellie through high-quality narration that describes the action. They added haptic speech, where the controller vibrates to mimic the cadence of the dialogue for deaf players.
This isn't just "remastering" graphics; it’s "remastering" who can actually play the game. It’s a massive step forward that justifies the "rebuilt" label more than any texture pack ever could.
The Missing Multiplayer
We can't ignore the elephant in the room. "Factions"—the multiplayer mode from the original—is gone.
Naughty Dog eventually canceled their standalone Last of Us multiplayer project, which makes the absence of Factions in Part 1 sting even more. If you're a die-hard fan of the competitive "stealth-crafting" loop of the original multiplayer, this remake offers you nothing. You’re paying more for less content, technically speaking. It’s a purely single-player experience. For some, that's a dealbreaker. For others, the inclusion of the Left Behind DLC in the main engine is enough.
Why This Version Still Matters Years Later
The Last of Us is a "prestige" game. It’s the Godfather of gaming. Because of the HBO show, a whole new generation of people who never owned a console are looking for a way in. They don't want to play a game that looks "old." They want it to look like the show feels.
The Last of Us Part 1 Remastered bridges that gap.
It aligns the visual language of the two games. If you play Part 1 and then immediately jump into Part 2, the transition is seamless. In the older versions, the jump in quality was jarring. Now, it feels like one long, tragic, beautiful story. Joel looks like the same man in both games. The world feels like the same world.
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Actionable Insights for Players
If you're on the fence, here is the breakdown of how you should actually approach this game:
1. Check your hardware first.
If you're on PC, do not try to run this on an HDD. It is one of the few games where an SSD is non-negotiable for the streaming of textures. If you have less than 8GB of VRAM, you're going to have to make some serious visual sacrifices in the settings menu, specifically with texture quality and environment detail.
2. Don't play it like a shooter.
The improved AI in this version means enemies will flank you much faster than they did in the 2013 version. Use the "Verticality" of the new engine. Even though you can't prone, the line-of-sight mechanics are more precise. Use the "Listen Mode" sparingly if you want the intended "grounded" experience.
3. Explore the "Permadeath" and "Speedrun" modes.
One of the coolest additions to this version is the built-in speedrun timer and the permadeath settings. If you’ve beaten the game before, try playing on "Grounded" with "Permadeath per Chapter." it turns the game into a terrifying survival horror experience where every brick and bottle matters.
4. Toggle the "Cinematic" vs "Performance" modes.
On PS5, "Performance" mode targets 60fps at a dynamic 4K. "Fidelity" targets 4K at 30fps. Honestly? Go with Performance. The motion matching and fluid animations of the new engine shine way more at 60fps. The loss in raw resolution is barely noticeable compared to the gain in "feel."
5. Look for the "Left Behind" integration.
Don't skip the DLC. In this version, it's baked into the menu, and the transitions between Ellie's mall flashbacks and the "winter" segment are visually stunning. It’s some of the best writing in the entire series.
The reality is that The Last of Us Part 1 Remastered is a luxury product. It’s the "Criterion Collection" version of a classic movie. You don't need it to understand the story, but if you want the most emotionally resonant, technically polished version of Joel and Ellie's journey, this is it. Just wait for a sale if the $70 price tag makes your stomach turn. It frequently hits the $40-$50 range now, and at that price, it's an absolute steal for any fan of narrative gaming.
If you haven't played it yet, start with the "Grounded" difficulty if you want to feel the true desperation of the world, but be prepared to die. A lot. The AI doesn't play fair anymore.
To get the most out of your purchase, dive into the "Model Viewer" after you finish your first run. The level of detail on the character models—from the pores on their skin to the stitching on their backpacks—is a testament to the thousands of hours of work that went into this "remake." It's a masterclass in digital craft, even if it is a game we've all played before.