If Sony has sanctioned and funded a remake of The Last Of Us, then there’s only one way it would be worth it. That’s by making the game from the ground up in the engine used for The Last Of Us Part 2. At this point, the sequel’s engine pushed the PS4 to its limit, but wasn’t pushing the PS5 that far. With a new console to power it, and a new engine running it, The Last Of Us could be a glorious game if released in that form. A straight remaster for PS5 isn’t going to cut it. We need a full remake or nothing.
I honestly don’t see the point of doing a complete remake of a game that’s so young that most people played it when it first released. Remakes should be reserved for classics that are so old that anyone getting into games now won’t play them. With that said, I do see the point in a remake of The Last Of Us with Naughty Dog’s brand new engine.
The Last Of Us Part 2 did things that I’ve never seen a game do. The world was big and detailed, it also looked beautiful. Improving the visuals of the first game with this engine alone would be enough. However, the gameplay was also a lot more engaging. Encounters feel meaningful, and you’re genuinely afraid of what’s around the corner. It would also be nice to see the characters brought up to date with this engine, giving us some visual continuity between the first and second titles.
However, the best thing about the original getting a remake in this engine would definitely be the multiplayer. Adding in all the new features that the sequel’s engine has to the multiplayer mode would make for such an intense experience. Every match would be different, and the tense standoffs that Factions is known for would be born again. This is the only reason I’d even play the remake, because it’s still the best multiplayer mode I’ve ever encountered in a game. As I’ve already mentioned, the new console and engine provide the space needed for new characters, weapons, and perks. If this is what the remake of The Last Of Us is going to be like, you can definitely count me in.