The Last of Us™ Part I
" Emotional action-adventure with stunning environments and storytelling but technical issues "
The Last of Us™ Part I Review
The Last of Us™ Part I remains a deeply emotional and immersive experience, praised for its compelling storytelling and strong character development, especially the father-daughter relationship between Joel and Ellie. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke genuine feelings and its stunning post-apocalyptic world filled with detailed environments and atmospheric design. The remaster on PC is noted for enhanced graphics and smoother gameplay mechanics, making it feel fresh while preserving the original's essence.
However, the launch was marred by technical issues such as crashes, shader compilation delays, and optimization problems on various hardware, frustrating some players. Despite these issues, many found the game to be a masterpiece with excellent narrative and gameplay balance. The AI improvements are mixed, with some praising unpredictability but others criticizing enemy detection flaws. Overall, it's considered a must-play classic that combines survival, stealth, and action in a beautifully realized world.
Highlights
Players consistently praise the emotional and well-written story that deeply connects them to Joel and Ellie. The graphics and atmosphere are highly lauded, with detailed environments and realistic character models enhancing immersion. Gameplay mechanics blend stealth, survival, and action effectively, providing engaging combat and exploration. The remaster's visual enhancements and improved movement are appreciated, making the experience feel modern yet faithful. Many highlight the soundtrack and sound design as integral to the game's emotional impact.
Criticisms
Common criticisms focus on technical issues such as frequent crashes, long shader compilation times, and performance instability on some PCs. The enemy AI, while improved, is sometimes criticized for inconsistent detection and ignoring allies, breaking immersion. Some players feel the game is too short and that content like multiplayer modes are missing in this version. A few mention that gameplay can feel repetitive and the lack of meaningful player choices in the narrative reduces interactivity. The price is considered steep by some, especially given the issues and limited new content.
Pros
- • Powerful and emotional storytelling with strong character development.
- • Stunning and detailed post-apocalyptic environments and graphics.
- • Engaging blend of stealth, survival, and action gameplay mechanics.
- • Improved movement and animations over previous versions.
- • Immersive sound design and memorable soundtrack.
- • Thoughtful level design that enhances atmosphere and tension.
- • Multiple visual modes and gameplay modifiers for customization.
Cons
- • Technical issues including crashes and long shader compilation times.
- • Enemy AI inconsistencies reduce challenge and immersion.
- • Some players find the game too short for its price.
- • Lack of multiplayer mode present in previous versions.
- • Repetitive gameplay elements can lessen engagement over time.
- • Limited player agency with no impactful narrative choices.
- • Performance optimization issues on a range of PC hardware.
Rating Criteria
About This Game
Steam Exclusive Offer
In The Last of Us™ Part I for PC, get 2 free in-game t-shirt cosmetics for Ellie, as soon as you beat the main story:
- Left 4 Dead
- Portal
Digital Deluxe Edition
The Last of Us™ Part I Digital Deluxe Edition includes the following content:
- The Last of Us single-player story and Left Behind prequel chapter
- Early unlock of the following in-game items:
- Increased Crafting Speed Skill
- Increased Healing Speed Skill
- 9mm Reload Speed Increase Upgrade
- Rifle Clip Capacity Increase Upgrade
- Explosive Arrows Gameplay Modifier
- Dither Punk Filter
- Speedrun Mode
- Six Weapon Skins: Black Gold 9mm Pistol, Silver Filigree 9mm Pistol, Rubber Tactical Shotgun, Sculpted Oak Shotgun, Arctic White Bow, Carbon Black Bow
- Increased Crafting Speed Skill
About the Game
Experience the emotional storytelling and unforgettable characters in The Last of Us™, winner of over 200 Game of the Year awards.
In a ravaged civilization, where infected and hardened survivors run rampant, Joel, a weary protagonist, is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of a military quarantine zone. However, what starts as a small job soon transforms into a brutal cross-country journey.
Includes the complete The Last of Us single-player story and celebrated prequel chapter, Left Behind, which explores the events that changed the lives of Ellie and her best friend Riley forever.
Built for PC
The Last of Us Part I PC release brings with it plenty of PC features to bring Joel and Ellie’s tense and unforgettable journey to life. This version of The Last of Us Part I is optimized for PC with PC-centric quality-of-life enhancements. Part I will feature AMD FSR 2.2 support*, Nvidia DLSS Super Resolution support*, VSync and frame rate cap options, and a host of features designed specifically for PC, including adjustable Texture Quality, Shadows, Reflections, Ambient Occlusion, and more.
Through the experiences of Joel and Ellie, PC players can fully immerse themselves in beautiful yet haunting environments in stunning detail with true 4K resolutions**. From the harsh, oppressive streets of the Boston QZ to the overgrown and abandoned homes of Bill’s Town to so much more, embark on a beautiful journey across the United States of America with Ultra-Wide Monitor Support for both 21:9 Ultrawide and 32:9 Super Ultrawide aspect ratios.
Experience all these locations, stealthily sneaking through abandoned homes and cities (and picking their drawers and cabinets clean looking for supplies) or engage in tense, captivating action with 3D audio support to better hear the rustle of leaves, the crack of glass, or the footfalls of enemies trying to ambush you***.
AMD Fidelity FX Super Resolution 2
Supercharge your framerates and fight for survival as Joel and Ellie with next-level temporal upscaling technology from AMD. FSR 2 uses cutting-edge algorithms to boost your framerates and deliver high-quality, high-resolution game experiences in The Last of Us Part I across a wide range of compatible graphics cards.
Peripheral Support
The Last of Us Part I on PC features DualSense support through a wired connection so players can feel the impact of battle, the rumble of a tank rolling by, and so much more through haptic feedback and dynamic triggers. With support for the DualShock 4 controller, a wide range of other gamepads, and keyboard and mouse, players can adjust their playstyle to suit their preferences. The PC release includes a number of new control customization options including full control remapping, primary and secondary bindings for keyboard and mouse control, an adaptive mode that allows players to combine keyboard and controller inputs, and more. Part I’s PC launch will also include The Last of Us Part I’s suite of accessibility features so that players can adjust the experience to suit their needs and preferences.
* Compatible PC and graphics card required for enhanced graphics.
** Compatible PC, graphics card, and 4K display device required.
*** 3D Audio requires stereo headphones or compatible speakers.
Discover the award-winning game that inspired the critically acclaimed television show. Guide Joel and Ellie through a post-apocalyptic America, and encounter unforgettable allies and enemies in The Last of Us™.