This review contains minor spoilers.

The Last of Us Part II, perhaps the most divisive sequel in gaming history, launched in 2020 on PS4 to both universal acclaim and intense controversy. Picking up right after the conclusion of Part I, it continues Joel and Ellie’s story in a way few could have anticipated. The game has since been remastered for PS5 and PC with new content, and unlike its predecessor’s PC release, it avoided major technical problems at launch.

▲ = Positive
▼ = Negative
▲▼ = Neutral


Built on Naughty Dog’s new cutting-edge engine, Part II was already a technical showcase, pushing the PS4 to its limits and setting a new standard for cinematic storytelling in games. The remaster doesn’t radically transform the visuals but refines them: sharper image quality, cleaner textures, and subtle enhancements that make character models, animations, and environments even more striking than before.
Years later, it remains one of the most detailed and immersive visual experiences in the medium.
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From its conception, The Last of Us Part II was written to subvert expectations. While the leaks and debates around its release clouded that intention, the game is at its most powerful when experienced blind. Its story constantly steers you toward assumptions, only to crush them with the harsh realities of its world.
The game opens with Joel confessing the truth of his actions at the end of Part I to Tommy, while Ellie remains in the dark. That tension between truth and lies, between protection and deception, runs through the heart of Part II.
“No matter how hard you try, you can’t escape your past,” Joel once said, and the sequel takes that idea to its extreme.
Five years of relative peace in Jackson end abruptly when tragedy strikes, sending Ellie on a mission of justice that leads her to Seattle. What begins as a revenge tale grows into a layered narrative about grief, obsession, violence, and the elusive possibility of forgiveness. Along the way, Ellie’s relationships, with Joel, with her friends, and with herself, become the emotional anchor of the story.

At its core, Part II asks painful questions:
Can revenge bring peace?
Can forgiveness heal wounds that feel irreparable?
And what do we lose of ourselves when we’re consumed by violence?
Ellie’s journey is one of torment, resilience, and choices that will leave players unsettled long after the credits roll.

Part II marks a major evolution over its original predecessor, and even over its subsequent remake.
Enemy AI is smarter and more coordinated, calling each other by name, flanking, and adjusting tactics on the fly. Combat feels far more fluid and brutal, thanks to improved gunplay, weighty animations, and the addition of dodging, which elevates melee encounters to a new level of intensity.
Stealth, too, is vastly expanded. With prone movement, crafting silencers, and squeezing through tight spaces, encounters can be approached with far greater creativity. Entire sections can be completed without killing anyone, or alternatively through ruthless efficiency, always with different outcomes depending on your choices.
On the plus side, there’s a larger amount of enemy variety, both in human and infected types, new boss fights, new weapons and new crafting material compared to Part I.
This remaster also introduces No Return, a roguelike mode that distills the game’s combat into tense, randomized encounters against humans and infected. Progression carries across runs, offering new characters, skins, and enemy types. It’s a brilliant addition that highlights just how strong the core gameplay loop is.

As with Part I, the music is exceptional. Gustavo Santaolalla’s iconic strings return, now complemented by Mac Quayle’s atmospheric compositions. Together, they amplify the story’s most pivotal moments with haunting precision.
Music also plays a deeper role within the narrative itself: Joel and Ellie’s guitar performances, beautifully sung and played by Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, provide emotional interludes that stand in poignant contrast to the violence surrounding them. The soundtrack doesn’t just accompany the story; it is part of the story.

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The Last of Us Part II is one of the greatest sequels in gaming history. Bold, ambitious, and emotionally devastating, it dares to challenge players’ expectations while delivering some of the most refined gameplay in the genre. With its profound narrative depth, masterful character writing, and unparalleled presentation, it remains an unforgettable achievement; one that will be debated, analyzed, and remembered for years to come.