Three years have passed since the original The Last of Us Part II was released. Whether it's the game's pursuit of high artistry or its long-standing controversies among players, the heavy burden of praise and criticism is probably something only Naughty Dog and the creator Neil can truly feel.

Of course, discussing the plot of the remastered version at this point is of little practical significance. What I want to share with everyone now are the series of new content in the remastered version and how it has evolved on the PS5 platform.

First, let's talk about PS4 save data transfer. Players can choose to import via USB or PS+ cloud save. After importing the PS4 save, the game will continue from where you left off, and PS5 trophies will be unlocked according to PS4 unlocks.

Bloodbath Without Return - Roguelike Survival Mode: More Fun Than Expected

In the game main menu, selecting "Journey to Death" will enter the newly added roguelike mode. This mode only suggests that players complete the main storyline first, but does not require it. It mainly helps players become familiar with various operations in advance.

This mode offers 6 difficulty levels, each with different score multipliers. The higher the difficulty, the fewer resources available per game. At the same time, the amount of damage players take, the accuracy and frequency of enemy shots, the enemies' aggression, their sensitivity to player presence, the complexity of melee combos, and the speed of high-threat enemies all increase accordingly.

Perhaps because I haven't played games for a long time, when I first played on normal difficulty (1.5x score), the cautious and fierce enemies almost overwhelmed me. This was when I developed some affection for this mode.

In the Bloodbath Without Return mode, each game requires selecting 6 levels out of 14, with the final level being a large boss battle. On normal difficulty, a game session takes about 20-40 minutes. You can see the enemy types and rewards of the next level in the branching map, allowing you to choose your path.

Each level's scene is taken from the main storyline, and the objectives are randomly one of three types: first, the attack mode, where enemies appear in three waves and seek the player's location, with each wave consisting of about 3-5 people. Here, I must praise the AI design. On normal difficulty and above, enemies effectively coordinate to sweep and encircle me, whether they are human factions or infected. The pressure of enemies closing in gradually increases, forcing me to carefully consider every move while sneaking.

Moreover, enemies will notify each other when they find a corpse, and the search rhythm of the remaining enemies will change accordingly. Given the limited ammunition and the low durability of melee weapons, being surrounded by 3 enemies has almost no chance of survival. The game's overall pace is effectively slowed down, highlighting the fun of stealth and assassination.

The second mode, Hunt Mode, requires facing continuously spawning enemies with a countdown. The enemies already know the player's location, so hiding is useless. How well you handle the battle is crucial.

The third mode is the Capture Mode, where enemies guard a chest at a checkpoint. The chest will lock once the countdown ends, so players need to quickly infiltrate and eliminate the obstructive enemies.

There are also three variables: the first is partners, visible when selecting levels. The second is "Challenge Factors," which are additional challenges added during the level; completing them is optional. The third is "Perilous Maneuvers," where a powerful enemy might appear, offering extra rewards if defeated.

After completing or dying in each session's 6 levels, all upgrades and rewards are reset. However, new characters, challenge progress, and weapon skins can be unlocked. You can also record scores on the online leaderboard by completing the "Daily Journey."

This mode offers 10 playable characters, from Ellie at the start to Manny, Mel, Yara, and others unlocked later. Each character excels in different weapons and combat styles. After completing a level in each session, you can return to the shelter to upgrade weapon performance, and backpack crafting and upgrading can be done at the shelter or during levels. Considering all this, each session's variables and play options are quite extensive, and the unlockable content makes replaying more meaningful, providing at least 8 hours of fresh experience.

Three Unreleased Early Development Levels: Better Than Nothing

Another highlight of the remastered version is the inclusion of three unreleased early development levels.

Honestly, don't expect too much from this content. They are short maps that can be completed in a few minutes, with relatively crude completion. It includes the developers' voice recordings setting up the development journey at various locations.

From the game main menu's "Behind the Game," select the three "Lost Levels": Jackson Party, Seattle Sewers, and Hunting. These early levels show the developers' approach to multiplayer interaction, map exploration guidance, and Ellie’s emotional gameplay expression. For players interested in the game's development story, this section has higher value. Additionally, Neil himself appears to explain the origin of these levels.

New Gameplay Mode: Guitar Playing

The main menu's "Additional Content" adds a guitar playing mode, including free play and speed run modes. The playing operation is relatively simple: use the joystick to select chords and swipe the touchpad on the controller. You can also customize the playing character, guitar type, background, and effects, making this mode quite shareable.

PS5 Platform Enhancements

The remastered version supports native 4K output in fidelity mode and also supports VRR. Texture resolution, shadow effects, and other details have visibly improved, and this improvement is not exaggerated. The difference is easily noticeable compared to the PS4 version, and the experience is more friendly for large screens.

Another enhancement is the support for the DS controller's features. Each weapon’s haptic feedback and adaptive trigger effects are different, and Naughty Dog has made detailed adjustments.

Summary

Regardless of whether it's worth it or not, it has made an effort to meet different needs. Overall, The Last of Us Part II Remastered brings some nice new features for old players to enjoy. Whether it’s the engaging roguelike mode, the atmospheric guitar playing, or the three new levels with less fun but developmental insights, these additions somewhat enrich the gaming experience. The PS5 and large screen audiovisual experience has also been improved, showing a decent level of sincerity for a "remastered" version.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered was released on the PS5 platform on January 19, 2024.