Everything TLOU Part 1’s Remake Does Better Than TLOU 2

Naughty Dog’s remake, TLOU Part 1, has improved visuals, sound, and AI, and is superior to TLOU 2 in its story, horror elements, and accessibility.

Naughty Dog’s remake of The Last of Us Part 1 is superior to its highly acclaimed but often-criticized sequel, TLOU 2, in some important (if not immediately obvious) ways. The remake features vastly improved graphics, sound, and AI, which elevate the original to the technical standards of TLOU 2 and effectively join two disparate games into a single gaming experience. Yet while comparisons between the original and its remake are inevitable, it is worth examining what TLOU Part 1's remake gets right that TLOU 2 didn’t or couldn’t at the time of its release.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part 1.]TLOU Part 1 has the original's memorable scenes in their entirety, with upgrades for players who first encountered the game upon its 2013 release for PS3 or its remastered version for PS4 the following year. Little if anything in the story has changed: Players will again accompany protagonists Joel and Ellie as they journey across a post-apocalyptic landscape to reach the Fireflies, where rebel scientists intend to weaponize Ellie’s brain to cure the fungus that has devastated humanity. Joel’s decision to save Ellie at the end of Part 1 sets the stage for Part 2, which follows Ellie’s quest for vengeance against Joel’s killers, including Abby, the daughter of a Firefly scientist killed by Joel.

What distinguishes the remake from the original are its technical improvements, which will be immediately apparent to fans of the series and make the new game a joy to play, especially in TLOU Part 1's improved gameplay features like combat and AI. But less obvious are the ways in which TLOU Part 1 is superior not only to the original but its sequel. Its story, scares, and accessibility make TLOU Part 1 an enduring classic, while TLOU 2 remains an entertaining but flawed video game.

The Last Of Us Part 1's Story Remains Its Greatest Strength Compared To TLOU 2

The greatest strength of TLOU Part 1 is its story. The original was universally acclaimed for its compelling characters, engaging narrative, and moral complexity, and the relationship between Joel and Ellie as a uniquely moving exploration of parental love and loyalty. These qualities remain central to TLOU Part 1. The remake’s updates only enhance them – TLOU Part 1's characters compared to the remaster are now more realistic and reflective of their inner emotions, heightening the dramatic stakes of the game. Additionally, TLOU Part 1 is a much stronger horror game than Part 2, another aspect enhanced by its improved graphics, which bring added dimensions of terror to the Infected. TLOU 2, meanwhile, is a muddy revenge tale that may lack in believability by comparison. Abby and Ellie are morally dubious characters, their decisions are questionable, and their actions are motivated simply by hatred in a story that is full of holes compared to its predecessor.

Another superior element of TLOU Part 1 is its accessibility. The remake further develops features included in TLOU 2 and introduces new ones. The extensive list includes a feature that translates emotional dialogue into TLOU Part 1 haptic feedback through the PS5 controller, enabling deaf players to experience gameplay in a way that goes far beyond subtitles. The availability of alternate controls, magnification and visual aids, adjustments to combat settings, the HUD, and difficulty levels allow differently-abled players to enjoy a game from which they might previously have been excluded.

TLOU Part 1 is not an essential purchase for fans of the original game. However, the opportunity to experience the story with fully upgraded lighting, textures, animations, haptics, and controls will appeal to many experienced players, as it will to those unable to enjoy that game because of barriers to play. What made the original great still drives The Last of Us Part 1, made even more remarkable by including things that TLOU 2 did not.