It’s time for another Retro Ad Replay article! This is the series where we head backwards in time to reminisce and celebrate the anniversary of some of the most significant moments in gaming. If you find yourself wanting more content like this, be sure to visit Mandatory.com.
In this July 29 edition of Retro Ad Replay, we’re taking a trip back six years to when The Last of Us Remastered launched on PS4. That’s July 29, 2014. Developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, The Last of Us Remastered featured the same masterclass in storytelling as the original, but spruced up to look incredible on the next-gen console. Visuals were enhanced further when the PS4 Pro launched, with Naughty Dog rolling out an update for a choice between higher frame-rates or crisper resolution.
The GameRevolution The Last of Us Remastered review awarded the game a 5/5, praising it for the “blood everywhere,” “extreme violence and tension,” “Joel and Ellie,” the way that the “inventory adds to the stress, but doesn’t become a source of it,” and the “redefining survival horror gameplay.” The “deep multiplayer” also received a nod.
Here’s a snippet from the GR review:
REMASTERED’s approach to updating the original game from PS3 to PS4 fidelity goes for the no-frills approach. The menus, user interface, and overall game design remain unchanged and in doing so provide a sense that this release will please new PlayStation owners who’ve made the switch in-between generations. That said, you might not want to pay a full $50 rather on top of the price of a PLAYSTATION 4 if THE LAST OF US REMASTERED is the only game you want to play at this point in the new hardware’s lifecycle.
It’s not unlike a pair of clickers trying to nibble on you while Joel struggles to manipulate a puzzle element or craft a new weapon. The price nagged at me the entire time I followed Joel and Ellie across America, but THE LAST OF US is one of those unique video games that blend media in a way I just love, love, love. Many games feel more like movies while my favorites often unfold slowly over dozens of hours of play like an incredibly gripping novel. The experience manages to blend the two with all your favorite gaming tropes.
Check out The Last of Us 2 launch trailer embedded below:
