If you want better graphics quality
Choose Ghost of Yōtei. It scores 4.9 vs 4.4 for graphics quality, with a 4.4 overall score.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered Review
Bottom Line
Choose it for No Return, polished combat, strong extras, and the best-looking version of Part II. Skip it if you only want major story changes, dislike grim violence, or already played it and don’t value roguelike replay.
Best for
Best for players who love The Last of Us Part II’s combat and want a replayable No Return mode, richer extras, faster loading, haptics, and the most complete version of the campaign.
Not for
Not for players expecting major new story content, a dramatic graphical remake, a relaxing tone, or a family-friendly game; returning story-only players may find the additions less essential.
Verdict
Reviewers frame The Last of Us Part II Remastered less as a dramatic visual overhaul and more as a strong special edition. The campaign’s brutal story, performances, combat, environments, and accessibility remain the foundation, while PS5 features such as faster loading, haptics, 3D audio, and smoother modes add polish. The clearest new reason to return is No Return, praised for turning the game’s tense stealth-combat into a replayable roguelike loop with characters, modifiers, bosses, and custom runs. The tradeoff is that visual gains are often described as modest, Lost Levels are short, and several reviewers still find the story exhausting, divisive, or unevenly paced.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
58 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.027 (47%)
-
Positive 3.5-4.423 (40%)
-
Neutral 2.5-3.46 (10%)
-
Negative 1.5-2.42 (3%)
Pros highlights
-
Content variety was broadly praised, especially No Return, Lost Levels, commentary, guitar free play, skins, speedrun tools, and modifiers, though some extras were called short or uneven.
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Narrative quality remained divisive but mostly positive, with many reviewers calling it profound or masterful while others criticized its structure, bleakness, and execution.
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Value for money was strongly positive for the $10 upgrade, with more mixed views for first-time or double-dip buyers at full price.
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Remaster quality was generally praised as a definitive or worthwhile edition, though the visual upgrade was often called modest and content-focused.
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Graphics were widely praised as excellent or stunning, but reviewers often stressed that the jump over the PS4/PS5-patched version is modest.
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Replay value was one of the strongest remaster arguments, driven mainly by No Return, daily/custom runs, unlocks, and added extras.
Cons highlights
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Pacing was the most consistent structural complaint, with multiple reviewers saying the campaign felt long, bloated, or uneven despite strong moments.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Video Games, this product is above average in economy and resource balance, AI behavior, stealth mechanics, near average in remake/remaster quality, graphics quality, below average in family friendliness, puzzle design, innovation.
Comparison summary
58 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher37 (64%)
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Same as average within 0.3 pts13 (22%)
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Below average 0.4+ pts lower8 (14%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| family friendliness | 1.5 | 3.4 | -1.9 |
| economy and resource balance | 5.0 | 3.1 | +1.9 |
| puzzle design | 2.0 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
| AI behavior | 4.3 | 2.7 | +1.6 |
| stealth mechanics | 4.7 | 3.3 | +1.4 |
| facial animations | 5.0 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
| platform-specific feature support | 5.0 | 3.6 | +1.4 |
| character development | 5.0 | 3.6 | +1.4 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better value for money
Choose The Alters. It scores 4.9 vs 4.3 for value for money, with a 4.2 overall score.
If you want better family friendliness
Choose Donkey Kong Bananza. It scores 5.0 vs 1.5 for family friendliness, with a 4.5 overall score.
If you want better bug frequency
Choose Resident Evil Requiem. It scores 5.0 vs 3.3 for bug frequency, with a 4.4 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
Call of Duty’s Zombie mode
- Similar: Holdout mode action feel Holdout is compared to Call of Duty’s Zombie mode because it turns infected defense into over-the-top action.
God of War Ragnarok DLC
- Better: story integration No Return is described as less story-driven than the recent God of War Ragnarok DLC.
God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla
- Compared: roguelike mode structure and value The reviewer compares No Return with God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla, saying they serve different purposes.
FAQ
Is The Last of Us Part II Remastered worth the $10 upgrade?
Most reviewers say yes, mainly because No Return, faster loads, DualSense support, commentary, and Lost Levels make the package feel worthwhile. They generally agree the visual upgrade alone would not justify it.
What is the best new feature?
No Return is the standout. Reviewers repeatedly praise it for turning the game’s tense stealth and combat into a replayable roguelike mode with characters, modifiers, bosses, and daily or custom runs.
Are the graphics a major upgrade?
Reviewers still call the game beautiful, but many say the visual jump is modest because the PS4 version already looked excellent and had a PS5 60fps patch.
Does the remaster change the campaign story?
No. Reviewers describe the campaign as essentially the same story, with added commentary, Lost Levels, skins, speedrun options, and technical or controller improvements around it.
How is the PC version?
PC coverage is mostly positive about performance and visuals, especially compared with Part I’s troubled PC launch. A few reviewers still report stutter, texture or UI-related issues, so the port is not uniformly flawless.
Is it good for players who only care about story?
Newcomers still get the full acclaimed campaign, but returning story-only players may find less reason to revisit because the main scenario is unchanged and the biggest addition is combat-focused.
Is it family friendly?
No. The reviewed evidence describes it as gritty, intense, extremely violent, emotionally heavy, and better suited to mature players.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
YouTube - Girlfriend Reviews
- Review score
- 4.8
YouTube - DreamcastGuy
- Review score
- 4.5
YouTube - Electric Playground Network - EPN
- Review score
- 4.0
Article Reviews
inverse.com
- Review score
- 3.6
thegamer.com
- Review score
- 3.7
theverge.com
- Review score
- 4.5
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