There are classics, and then there are stone-cold classics. The Last of Us: Remastered came out in July 2014, for PS4. By that time, the PS3 version (The Last of Us) was already a classic.
A decade later, nothing has changed. Millions of gamers worldwide still say the same thing: watching the credits roll when you complete it for the first time is like watching a friend go away forever.
I replayed The Last of Us: Remastered this year, and I'm dumbstruck. It's like this game stands on an island—there's a whole universe of great games, but there's The Last of Us: Remastered, standing alone. And this time, I know I'm in a huge community of millions who agree. So here's my two cents on what I feel makes The Last of Us: Remastered a classic.
It's Not a New Story, But It's Told Like Nothing Ever
The Last of Us isn't the first post-apocalyptic survival game, and it won't be the last, but it might be the greatest ever. This is because Joel and Ellie, the main characters, are navigating a world where there's no room for human bonding, yet the question is whether they can form a bond—and how that bond strengthens as life becomes more difficult in their journey. The world is brutal, and you see it everywhere, whether in the deserted, overgrown cities or the claustrophobic quarantine zones.
It's hardly a surprise this game has won so many awards, from the British Academy Video Games Awards to the Game Developers Choice Awards. Just talk to someone who's played it, and you'll understand how deeply people connect with the story. In fact, the dialogue between Joel and Ellie is part of gaming folklore. The developers managed to ground the characters like few others have done, making them feel so real that, as a player, you feel like you share a lot with both of them.
It's a Visual Feast on PS5
When Naughty Dog launched The Last of Us: Remastered on PS5 there was a debate on whether the upgrade from 30fps to 60fps made any difference. This in itself is a tribute to the PS3 version because, even at 30fps, the graphics were so clear, and the lighting was so good that the difference wasn't immediately obvious, even when the 60fps version came out on PS4.
I've done an objective comparison because, in the PS5 version, there's an option to switch back to 30fps. The moment you see that, you can detect that the 60fps version is even better. The higher frame rate makes the world Joel and Ellie are navigating feel more dangerous and immersive.
Some call it the best-looking game ever on PS5 including critics from IGN and TechRadar,and the game developers knew it too. That's why they added the fan-favorite Photo Mode, where you can pause the action, mess around with camera settings, and capture beautiful moments from inside the game.
The Combat is Super Smooth and Super Tense
It feels raw and gritty; it's almost like you're inside a movie directed by George Miller (Mad Max), Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men), or John Hillcoat (The Road). Take the sound design, for example. When you're sneaking past clickers, their dreadful clicks give you real fear. Every fight feels urgent. Even when you pause to sort through your inventory, the game doesn't stop, adding a sense of realism to the combat.
The DualShock 4's updated triggers make aiming and shooting feel much more natural than they did on the PS3. But it's not just the combat that adds to the rawness of the game—it's also Joel and Ellie's interactions. For instance, when Ellie experiences music for the first time or when she asks Joel what a job is, these are hard-hitting scenes. What's amazing is that the story develops right alongside the gameplay. You don't enter cutscenes to get immersed in the story. The hints and marks on the walls of the abandoned cities you're exploring reveal the story, making it feel that real.
So, if I go back to my original question: what makes this game a classic? Is it because it's sold 20 million copies on PS3 and PS5? Is it because it's already a member of the World Video Game Hall of Fame? Or is it because it's one of the highest-rated games on Metacritic? Well, it could be any of these.
But for me, The Last of Us: Remastered is a classic because it delivers an experience of living in a world full of pain, yet still holding on to the hope of survival.
