Does The Last of Us Part 1 Deserve To Be Called a Remake?

The Last of Us Part 1 reveal raises some serious questions.

[MadLad]

They should have waited a generation for something like this. The game just turned 9 years old only, and already has a remaster that holds up to this day.

[Army_of_Darkness]

I honestly think they did this remake just to get the original last of us into the spotlight and overshadow the last of us 2 due to its controversy and all... and also for the promotional benefit of the upcoming last of us HBO series.

[MadLad]

I can't say I'm a huge fan of the sequel. Thw gameplay is really solid. That's about all I'll give it.

If you're right though it just seems like a waste. A full blown remake would have been way more impactful if they just waited. If it is, to an extent, just a marketing tool for the show, then that's a waste of an amazing game that was a real stand out of that generation of consoles.

[Tacoboto]

To overshadow a 10 million unit selling title two years after it came out?

Damn, let it go already

[v_eno_m]

@Tacoboto

"To overshadow a 10 million unit selling title two years after it came out?

Damn, let it go already"

considering that there is still a side that's divided by how Part 2 ended, do you think it would have made a wise business sense for ND to spent the resources/time to spit out Part 3 next?

Do you honestly think they'll sell 10 million Part 3 units? i for one agree with Army of Darkness, as well received Part 1 was, it was in conjunction to promote the HBO series

[RauLeCreuset]

@v_eno_m

"considering that there is still a side that's divided by how Part 2 ended, do you think it would have made a wise business sense for ND to spent the resources/time to spit out Part 3 next?"

I've spent way more time crunching numbers on TLOU2 to debunk baseless claims about its reception than haters have spent making up baseless claims to put a negative spin on its reception. The Metacritic user review score is the one many of them try to use when asked for evidence to back their arguments. They conveniently ignore the obvious review bombing (I've also broken down numbers on that) and treat the user review score as a reliable metric. What they don't do is engage the data in a substantial way that goes beyond confirming their biases.

For example, did you know that the same Metacritic user review data detractors love to cite shows Part 2 has over 2.8x the number of positive reviews than both versions of the original combined? Something tells me they aren't trying to run away from Part 2. It's doing just fine.

[shinoff2183]

I think its due to the show.

[Mr_cheese]

Give it a rest. TLOU2 was a success wether you liked it or not.

This remake feels more like they're trying to get another wave of audience in anticipation for the TV adaption.

I'd also say that there have definitely been talks for a part 3 if not planning for its development however, time will tell on that and I for one will be here for any game that Naughty Dog release because let's be honest, they set a standard each time.

[Inverno]

But it's a PS3 game and a the whole ps4 gen just came and passed soooo

[MadLad]

I think you know that's not the point. the game literally just turned 9 years old. There's already a remaster that holds up to this day.

Remakes were always used to bring old games up to modern standards in terms of visuals and mechanics. To make something old feel modern.
This is an example of a company wanting to sell you a somewhat older game at full price again.

[outsider1624]

"Remakes were always used to bring old games up to modern standards in terms of visuals and mechanics. To make something old feel modern."

Isn't that exactly what it's doing?

[MadLad]

@outsider

Except there's nothing archaic about the game in question. We don't even know if they're changing much at all in terms of gameplay.

[anast]

A console generation is roughly 10 years. I am not sure one more year would make a difference.

[MadLad]

You two really need to stop taking everything so literally and actually read my posts because that's where my point of view sits. Not in the narratives you're building around them.

I didn't say anything about 10 years and how that's the magic number of when a remake makes sense. I'm saying they should have sat out this generation and left the series alone, outside of maybe a sequel. This should have waited until the days of the PS6, and should have been built from the ground up for new hardware. That was pretty much always the point of a remake.

My point being

Crash remake - 1996/2017
Spyro remake 1998/2008
Tony Hawk Pro Skater Remake - 1999/2020
Last of Us remake - 2013/2014/2022

The first 3 let 2 decades and multiple generations of hardware come to market before releasing. All built from the ground up.

Last of Us, in 9 years, is remastering a remaster. It's still the same engine, just updated; and not to a severe degree by any means.
What they should have done is wait until the days of the PS6 and built a modern version from scratch in a brand new engine. Though who is to say that's not in the plans at this point lol.

[anast]

@Mad Never said you did. Never said it was magic either. I was putting your comment into perspective. So, 20 years is your magic number? I don't get it.

[outsider1624]

@madlad..
It astounds me as most of you still don't know the difference between a remaster and a remake.

[Inverno]

They said they are changing gameplay, and tbh the first game is annoying to play with how slow Joel is crouching.

[Mobis-New-Nest]

I agree. For now I'll call it for what it really is. Not a remake, just a "Cash Grab"

[anast]

That would be obvious, yes. Publishers like to make money.

[Neonridr]

why not release a 3rd version. I feel like Capcom has released 6 different versions of RE4 at least.

[Outlawzz]

Why wait when you can make one now that people will gobble up and one later lol

It's obviously a cash grab, ppl don't care so let them fill the suits up with cash

[Knushwood Butt]

I kind of forgot that dualshockers exists.

'a remake that no one was calling for, and which will probably sell well'

?

[Silly gameAr]

They have a lot of trash opinion pieces they have to write I guess. Seems like Dualshockers is one of those sites that should be in the tabloid/clickbait category, It's a shame the crap some sites have to write for attention.

Pay attention to the people that approve these articles as well.

[rlow1]

Why? Looking for witch hunt? Sounds like something a communist country would say. Let’s hunt down these interlopers and deal with them.

[Tacoboto]

It'll come to me probably after I comment, but there was a site I can't remember the name to that was posted here multiple times daily, all tabloid crap with no context to fuel console wars.

If another outlet did an interview with a talking head, they would make a half dozen articles out of that one interview they didn't make. Example - we'd have 10 Phil Spencer articles in a week, all from that site, all based on just 1 or 2 sentences.

Dualshockers is absolutely not that (but this opinion piece is way too long for its own good on a game that literally is not even called Remake)

[Jericho1337]

Stop crying wolf over every article with speaks out against your precious piece of plastic, but then tip your hat off to articles criticising Starfield and the like. They’re making a valid point that is being echoed by enough people to be worth the discussion.

[dumahim]

I mean, before the rumors came out about a remake happening, was there anyone asking for a remake?

[Sniperwithacause]

Why does anyone have to ask for something? You had no part in making the game. Did you fund any of the production or development of the game? Things can be made or remade in this case without anyone asking for it. The game won a ton of awards, and was one of if not the best game at the time of release. So if they want to boost it up in terms of quality, then why not. To complain like you are, I just want to know who is holding a gun to your head making you buy it?
I won't be responding back if you decide to reply. I've said my peace.

[dumahim]

@Sniperwithacause

Not saying someone does. Looks like I responded to the wrong person. It seems Knushwood Butt was confused about the comment about no one calling for a remake of the game.

[Knushwood Butt]

I'm just curious how a remake nobody was calling for will sell well.
Sounds like business gold. Make stuff nobody wants and have it sell well. This must be what they teach on MBA courses.

[SoulWarrior]

Feels like these articles are beating a dead horse.at this point.

[ClayRules2012]

These articles are a joke🤦🏼‍♂️

[BrainSyphoned]

This opinion falls short of a remake and more likely falls into the category of remastering someone else's opinion.

[F0XHOUND]

Would've made far more sense imo to have TLOU1 as part of the new PS Plus offering, alongside even TLOU2, and then maybe next year (or the next) announce TLOU3 and also that the first 2 would be getting remade using the same engine as whatever pt 3 is - Maybe this is unrealistic and too much to ask, so at the least maybe a hybrid between that and the engine being used now, then releasing whatever after that, a year or 2. This is like.... 4-5 years from now? Perfect timing imo

[outsider1624]

I thought it's called The Last of Us Part II
Not The Last of Us Remake. The ps4 version was called The last of Us Remastered btw.

[Good-Smurf]

Why not just wait for them to reveal more before they ask?
Useless piece.

[LoveSpuds]

Exactly, but objectivity and honesty are not characteristics you associate with the likes of Dualshockers.

[RabbitFly]

Man how many definitions do we need for the Word remake.

This fulfills it in every way. The recreated all the assets. Case closed.

Remake does not mean reimagined. Sure sometimes remakes have more or less reimagined elements, but they don't need that to be considered a remake.

The distinction between remaster and remake, within the video game space, is commonly accepted to be whether assets are Just resized or remade. And generally - voice over is not what is being talked about.

We can perhaps question whether this remake is necesary or not, but why do we have to redefine the Word remake everytime someone wants to make a point they think is "clever".

If anything games that heavily change things, such as re2 and FF7 should perhaps not be called remakes as they change so much of the original experience. They are effectively a New experience in more ways than not.

[anast]

It is on par with Demon Souls remake? No. Is it like the GTA trilogy remaster? No. Does it deserve to be called a remake? No one knows. Can a game actually deserve anything? No one knows.

[generic-user-name]

"It is on par with Demon Souls remake? No"

Why not?

[anast]

I have to wait, but the scenes I have seen look last gen. Last of Us 2. Have you played the Demon Souls remake? The comparison from the original to Bluepoints remake are striking. Do you think that this remake will be the same in comparison? I don't. Demon Souls is night and day.

[generic-user-name]

TLOU2 on PS4 stands up to Demon's Souls on PS5. The new footage of Tess looks even more advanced.

[anast]

The improvement gap is not even close. From Demouls to remake and Last of Us to remake, the former has a more significant jump.

[generic-user-name]

"The improvement gap is not even close."

This is because From don't have half the technical ability of Naughty Dog or even Bluepoint. Elden Ring is the first time they added moving mouths for NPCs, in 2022. The foliage in Elden Ring is static. Of course it's going to be much easier to make drastic improvements to something like DS 2009.

Regardless, the size of the improvement should not be what decides what is a remake. It's whether or not the game's assets were redone from scratch, in a new or improved engine, and not just an upres of assets that already existed. This is a remake.

[anast]

The "size of the improvement" includes all of the things you mentioned. What else would that be? You are repeating what I had posted but with more words. I am not sure why you are arguing. You don't make sense to me. Maybe someone else might understand.

[generic-user-name]

"Does it deserve to be called a remake? No one knows."

This part. People do know. I just explained why.

[Vengeance1138]

You can really tell how much Naughty Dog hates Joel as a character with how small they made him compared to Ellie on the cover art.
They will definitely rewrite the narrative so Joel is the villain.

[SonyStyled]

You do realize Joel is the villain right? Do you remember him effing over every human on earth?

[LoveSpuds]

Absolutely SonyStyled. That's the whole point of the game Vengeance, it's what makes that last half in particular so interesting. I pondered how I felt about Joel's actions for days after completing the game.

[Imalwaysright]

I don't because there was no guarantee of a cure so Joel did for Ellie what he couldn't do for his own daughter. Joel's actions were those of a parent driven by his love for Ellie and the pain he experienced when he lost his daughter.

Sacrificing a child's live for what could be literally nothing seems more villainous than anything that Joel did.

[SonyStyled]

Edit: DP

[Vengeance1138]

Is that a joke? That's hugely open to interpretation. You would murder your best friend to maybe have a small chance at possibly save the Earth? With absolutely ZERO guarantee it would work? I sure as hell wouldn't. Sounds like you are the villain.
Find another way. Ellie and Joel are equals, both heroes fighting against the Fire Flies.
Why do you think TLOU 1 was such a huge success? Because ppl loved both characters Joel and Ellie and rooted for them both to make it through the world safety.
No crazed firefly doctors will seperate them. I'd do exactly the same as Joel did to save Ellie from getting murdered.

[LoveSpuds]

Vengeance, do you realise how pathetic you sound right now. Go and watch the Last of Us making of if you want to see how much all of the characters mean to ND.

[SonyStyled]

@ImAlwaysright, and that’s cool if you don’t view him as a villain. I think that’s actually why some scream at the top of their lungs of Part 2s story being awful, because they loved Joel so much.

Sure, I guess there was no guarantee there would have been a cure if Ellie’s brain was removed, but she was being operated on by the ONLY person who knew how to make a cure on the only known immune person. From the Firefly audio files in the game and in Part 2, there is little doubt a vaccine wouldn’t be successful. Joel effed the whole world and every unborn child because he was selfish and we understood his pain.

Even if a vaccine wasn’t successful and Ellie just died, she was really angry with Joel for removing her from the hospital seen in Part 2. “I should have died in that hospital. My life would have effing mattered, but you took that from me”!

Even Ellie would disagree with you that he’s NOT the villain

[kayoss]

Its more of a remastered remaster.

[RNTody]

I don't understand why this is so hard to grasp. It's a remake because it's been rebuilt, it isn't remastering old assets like the actual remaster.

Aside from the obvious answer of sales, the reason this exists is so that they can bring the original up to the level of TLOU2, and they're almost tinkering it to be Ellie's story as you can see from the promotional material and the way it's named.

If you want to debate whether it's necessary, that's fine, but I'm very keen because whether you like the story or not TLOU2 is one of the most exhilarating action games ever made in terms of gameplay, immersion, sound design and realism. Bringing the original up to that level will be a treat.

[isarai]

Most assets are "remade" new AI, new gameplay, new mocap. Yes it's a remake. Also the statement "a remake that no one asked for that will probably sell well" is an oxymoron.

[Spartacus10]

It's a... remakester.
But the main issue is Sony (and other publishers) think that their games are worth sticking a £70 RRP on them when none of them have been able to hold that price at retail for longer than a week.

[moriarty1889]

Yes because it is an actual REMAKE of the game for PS5.

[Wrex369]

Should have waited, it looks bad optically except if you're the most die hard TLoU fan or Sony Studios fan. And I mean die hard lol.

[sizeofyou]

It's a choice.
If it had been released in the same way that the Uncharted Legacy was, I'd be there.
But I'm not.
Do I think it will sell well? No...don't think so personally...

Do I mind it coming out - not at all. People who haven't had the game previously, get to try it at its "best". And I may take a look in a few years time if it's reduced to what I consider to be a better price point.

[northpaws]

Why don't they worry more about bad games being made than an actual good game getting a remake?

I don't want to spend $70, but I am also excited to play part 1 again with part 2 graphic and mechanics. From what I see, the upgrades are greater than any "remaster". People can just wait for the price to go down or eventually get it as a free game on PS Plus if they don't feel like spending $70, so what is the big deal?

So in summary, if it is an unworthy purchase for you, skip it, we don't need an article for each game you don't want to buy. If you actually want it but just don't want to pay, then maybe the problem is you but not the game itself. Unlike Nintendo games, game prices drop over time, just buy it when it is low enough for you.

[MrBaskerville]

Seems early to be asking these questions. Let's see what they changed first. Allgedly they are reworking and expanding the levels, that could be a big deal, could also be minir changes. Hard to tell from a short trailer

[StormSnooper]

only if you deserve to be called a journalist. maybe.

[TeamIcoFan]

Why not?
Everybody seems to be cool with Skyrim and GTAV getting endless re-releases.
Yet TLOU1 gets a PS5 remake with improved gameplay, graphics, and real time cutscenes and all of a sudden everybody decides it's a bad thing.

[jznrpg]

If it’s a remake yes obviously .