Games | Last of Us 2, one of the games of all time, returns even more spectacular – What does it say to fans of the TV series?

Survival action game

The Last of Us Part II Remastered. Developer: Naughty Dog. Available: PS5. Peggy 18.

★★★★★

PlayStation based on the hugely popular game series The Last of Us was one of the biggest TV hits of early 2023. The HBO series of the post-apocalyptic world watched by millions, whose second season is eagerly awaited.

For them and those who have just played the first game, something great is now being offered.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered is a remake of the second part of the game series released in 2020, even better for PS5.

The second game requires knowledge of the previous part and is twice as long. I'm betting that the show will be stretched into a TV series for two seasons.

In the story wild twists and turns are known. Without revealing too much, we can say that we jump forward five years in time. Joel and the girl Ellie he protects live safe from zombies in an idyllic winter village.

Except that Ellie is no longer a child, but a young adult. When Ellie rides into the snow Gustavo Santaolalla accompanied by piercing music, the point of view shifts.

Abby wakes up from the sleeping bag. He is sheltered from the wind in a cabin somewhere, accompanied by a handful of other people. Abby goes out and we start playing with her.

But who is Abby and what is her mission?

Experience consists of exploring the environment, solving puzzles and hard-hitting survival horror.

There is an obvious reason why of The Last of Us Part II the logo is in the same style as in the movie The Godfather Part II (1974). The movie classic in question has always been the ultimate defense for the existence of sequels, proof that even in them the bar can be set high.

The game equally wants to surpass its predecessor. Shake and shock, forget expectations.

In the gaming industry, which usually sifts similar sequels from the pipeline, this was too much for many. Sales exceeded ten million copies, but the reception was torn.

Along with the praise, we heard that the story was perceived as too violent, too surprising. It wasn't based on the characters, as many thought.

I myself had a different opinion.

For the first time, it felt like those digital characters weren't just that anymore, but real people with secret hopes and dreams. As if their souls came out of the screen.

This is an unapologetic and insightful vision of revenge, evocative in attitude and structure John Ford's master movie Searchers (1956). The power of the experience is also just as wild.

The violence is relentless, but fascinatingly handled. For once, we want the player to reflect on his terrible deeds. At the same time, the game plays deliciously Hitchcock-like with what the player knows and what he doesn't know in relation to the characters.

It will be interesting to see how everything will be handled in the TV series.

The first season showed that the game and the TV series support each other. It doesn't matter which one you experience first, as both offer their own perspective on the story. But when the second game relies more strongly on the presence of the player in its narrative, creative solutions are required.

At issue is one of the games of all time, but who is the remake for?

Four years since the original release is not much. On the other hand, it was enough for me to want to experience everything again.

The remastering is among the most stunning on the PS5, especially from a 120Hz 4K TV, but the casual viewer might not notice much of a difference.

But if The Last of Us Part II is unprecedented, the time is now.

There is shocking storytelling and addictive gameplay that overlaps everything. In addition, updating the graphics for the better serves the realistic style. Space and feeling become closer.

There are so many remakes, remasters and reboots in the gaming industry that you often get bored with them. Still, the sadness dissipates when you have such a grandiose case on your hands.

In addition to better picture and sound, the new version offers deleted scenes, a fresh game format, a haptic controller and a commentary track by the creators. The changes are interesting. Picture: Naughty Dog