The Last of Us Part I is a complete remake of Naughty Dog’s acclaimed 2013 survival-action game, rebuilt from the ground up for modern hardware.

Rather than simply increasing the resolution of the original, Part I reconstructs the environments, character models, animations, lighting and gameplay presentation while preserving the core story that made The Last of Us so memorable.

The result is one of Naughty Dog’s most visually impressive single-player experiences.

Story

The story follows Joel, a hardened survivor living in a world devastated by a fungal pandemic.

His life changes when he is tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl who may be connected to a potential solution to the infection.

What begins as a dangerous journey gradually becomes a much more personal relationship between the two characters.

The strength of the narrative comes from its character development. Joel and Ellie are not simply traveling from one location to another; their relationship evolves throughout the journey, creating some of the game’s most memorable moments.

The story also explores grief, survival, trust and the difficult choices people make in extreme circumstances.

Even years after the original release, the writing remains one of the game’s biggest strengths.

Gameplay

The Last of Us Part I combines exploration, stealth, environmental interaction and combat.

The remake preserves the fundamental gameplay of the original while taking advantage of modern technology to create a more detailed and immersive experience.

Players can explore environments, search for supplies, solve environmental puzzles and choose different approaches to encounters.

Stealth is particularly important. Moving carefully through environments and paying attention to enemy positions can often change how an encounter develops.

The game also gives players opportunities to upgrade equipment and abilities, creating a gradual sense of progression throughout the campaign.

Exploration

Exploration is an important part of the experience.

The world is filled with abandoned buildings, destroyed streets and hidden locations containing resources, documents and optional conversations.

These details help make the world feel lived-in despite its post-apocalyptic setting.

Exploration also contributes to the relationship between Joel and Ellie, with optional interactions providing additional characterization outside the main story.

The environments are particularly impressive in Part I because the remake’s technology allows Naughty Dog to add substantially more visual detail.

Graphics

This is where The Last of Us Part I makes its biggest leap over the original.

The remake was rebuilt specifically for PS5, with significantly more detailed character models, environments, lighting and animations.

Facial expressions are especially impressive. Subtle changes in characters’ expressions help make conversations feel more natural and cinematic.

Environmental details are also considerably richer.

Abandoned buildings, overgrown streets, damaged vehicles and other elements of the world contribute to a convincing sense of decay.

The PC version also offers extensive graphical customization, allowing players to adjust settings according to their hardware.

For players experiencing The Last of Us for the first time, the visual presentation is one of the strongest reasons to choose Part I.

Audio

The audio design remains excellent.

Environmental sounds help create tension during exploration, while the soundtrack supports the emotional moments without overwhelming them.

Voice performances are another major part of the experience.

Joel and Ellie’s conversations feel natural, and the combination of dialogue, music and environmental audio gives the game a cinematic quality.

The remake also benefits from modern audio technologies and improved sound presentation on supported hardware.

Performance

On PS5, The Last of Us Part I provides multiple graphical modes designed around different visual and performance priorities.

The remake takes advantage of the console’s hardware to deliver significantly improved loading times and a smoother overall presentation compared with the original PS3 release.

The PC version provides additional graphical options, including adjustable texture quality, shadows, reflections, draw distance and other settings.

This makes the PC version considerably more flexible for players with different hardware configurations.

Combat

Combat is designed around the game’s survival-focused atmosphere.

Resources are limited, encouraging players to think carefully about how they approach encounters rather than simply moving through every situation in the same way.

Stealth, positioning and environmental awareness can be just as important as direct confrontation.

The remake also benefits from improved enemy animations and visual presentation, making encounters feel more responsive and immersive.

Characters

Joel and Ellie are the heart of The Last of Us Part I.

Joel begins the story as a guarded and emotionally distant survivor. Ellie, meanwhile, brings a very different personality into his life.

Their relationship gradually develops as they travel together.

This character progression gives the gameplay and exploration additional meaning because the player is not simply moving through a sequence of levels.

The supporting cast also contributes to the world, although Joel and Ellie remain the clear center of the experience.

Accessibility

The Last of Us Part I includes a substantial collection of accessibility features.

Players can customize different aspects of the experience, including visual, audio and gameplay-related options.

This makes the game considerably more adaptable to different needs and playstyles.

Naughty Dog’s focus on accessibility is one of the strongest technical aspects of the remake.

Left Behind

Part I also includes Left Behind, the acclaimed story expansion originally released for The Last of Us.

The expansion focuses on Ellie and provides additional context surrounding her life and relationships.

It works particularly well as a companion piece to the main campaign because it expands Ellie’s character while providing another perspective on events surrounding the main story.

For players who purchase Part I, having the expansion included makes the package considerably more complete.

Replayability

The main campaign is primarily designed as a linear narrative experience, so replayability comes mostly from returning to the story rather than an extensive collection of alternative activities.

Players can revisit the campaign on different difficulty levels, search for collectibles and explore areas they may have missed.

The inclusion of Left Behind also provides additional content beyond the main story.

However, players looking for an open-world experience or extensive post-game content may find the structure relatively limited.

Playtime

The main campaign generally takes around 15–20 hours, depending on difficulty, exploration and playstyle.

Completing Left Behind adds several additional hours to the overall experience.

Players who want to find collectibles and explore more thoroughly can spend considerably longer with the game.