The Last of Us Remake= Bad Idea

There is some fun with The Last of Us. But compared to most people, I do see it as a bit overrated. It took about five years for me to really warm up to it. Great game, but not one I'd put in the best games ever category. Same with the sequel. Word on the street now is that Sony is doing a remake of it and it's bothered a number of smaller developers that they own. It also came about as a new sequel to Days Gone got rejected.

Judging by places like IGN and TheVerge, something is brewing inside Sony. The way I look at it, this is a very bad idea. We're talking a game that turns eight in June. With The Last of Us, it was a reason to still stick with the PlayStation 3. It was a showpiece for a late release. Hardware pushing that could have been a very early PS4 game. Different approach to gameplay compared to Uncharted. Fantastic audio direction. The PS4 got a remaster a year after its debut. What else can you do with this game?

Honestly, there are a lot of PlayStation games from Sony that deserve a remake a lot more than The Last of Us. How about a Syphon Filter remake? Or something like Jet Moto, Legend of Dragoon? This is a problem across all companies to make games that could potentially be franchises. Sony downsized on several Japanese studios recently, so that might make things a bit more difficult. I see people complain about stuff Sony Japan Studio made and not continue on. Maybe if some of them bought more of Ape Escape and other titles, they wouldn't be in this situation. Same with many developers.

The only thing I could see improved with The Last of Us is the graphics and that's it. Supposedly, there might be one or two additional stuff that could be done with the game, but who knows. I don't know where this will go. It's one thing to re-release a game for a new generation (Switch Online, Doom, Resident Evil), but a full blown remake? This will do well, but at what cost? I've enjoyed Naughty Dog's output since 1996, but resources could have been put into a new IP or another developer.

The Last of Us Part II Initial Thoughts

I don't go out of my way often to get games on day one or within the first week. There are at least a handful of PS4 games I have done that for, and this latest one being for The Last of Us Part II. It took a good while for me to warm up to the first one and I've heard the ups and downs to this sequel over the last three plus years. I've put in a few hours in and these initial thoughts 24 hours after getting it.

The plot is very interesting and it centers around Ellie, who was the basis for the original game's story. Without spoiling, it is a revenge type of game, going after people. Some surprises will come, which isn't hugely stunning, but some might find the opposite. Much like the first one pushing the PS3 to its limits, this might be the best graphical game for PS4. So much detail in the environments. The amount of lighting put into it. The character modeling. When you look at the leap to this generation, it's not huge, but when using the right tools, it can be.

Gustavo Santaolalla returned to do the music. It sticks out, particularly with the guitar based material and other weird instruments utilized. As far as gameplay goes, it's not award winning, but you do a bit more in your first couple hours compared to the first. Lots of exploration. Controls are very much similar. The crafting aspect returns. There is enough to make it differentiate but still be similar to where it won't turn off customers and fans.

It's not a guns blazing type of game, so keep that in mind. But you will be doing some gunplay at points or running than fighting. There aren't any complaints I have so far. Maybe a cheap spot or two in certain areas, but from what I've played, it's good. Definitely worth a purchase. I would like to do another blog with my final thoughts on it after completing it. Keep an eye out for that in the future. But this is one of the last major releases from Sony before the PS5 debuts this fall.

Sony Interactive Delay

Like many companies, Sony has put a lot of their stuff on delay amidst this crisis. A couple I'll look at. One that's good and one that's bad.

There have been a few movies that they have decided to push back. Peter Rabbit 2 won't be until January of next year. Morbius next March. Also next March will be the new Ghostbusters film, Afterlife. It is disappointing for fans who probably wanted a real sequel after 30 years. With the virus putting everything on hold, maybe this might help. It's not like the summer of 1984 where the original was something very fresh and making everyone go bananas for it. This has a better chance of doing well and without feeling like it has stiff competition. Sony could have 2021 in the bag for a short while.

One of the hyped games for this year was The Last of Us Part II. Sony has plans for several other games as well, but Naughty Dog's survival adventure was high on the list. With it being delayed indefinitely, it's hard to know when it could come out. The original debuted on PS3 in June of 2013, roughly five months before PS4 debuted and just over a year before the remaster. And this sequel was delayed from its February release to a month from now. They want people to buy the copies in stores and the pandemic doesn't help them out. You have to hope that they can have something ready by September if things were to be calm and back to normal. If not, it could hurt sales a little bit, but I have a feeling we're going to see Part II on PS5.

Sony's not taking huge risks. Hopefully it rebounds them for a strong year in 2021.

The Last of Us Part II Trailer Impression

Despite being a late release on the PlayStation 3, The Last of Us was a title that kept people into the system as it reached its waning years in 2013. It's a game that has garnered a very warm reception along with criticism from gamers. Last year saw Sony and Naughty Dog bring forth a trailer for The Last of Us Part II. In the last few days, articles have spread about the latest trailer, both positive and negative since being shown at Sony's Paris Gamers Week conference. THIS TRAILER WILL BE SPOILED, SO DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU!

The video, which has been seen currently with 2.6 million views, shows what looks to be Ellie being dragged by two people. They put a noose around her neck and one of them almost has a knife touch her stomach. Another one appears, bringing another woman and holding her arms, with the other bad guy helping him. The knife wielder asks a question only to be spit on. She has her henchmen break the woman's arms with a hammer. Things get hectic as one of the henchmen gets an arrow to the head and the woman fights back and kills the other one with the hammer.

The knife wielder pulls out a gun and fires wherever the arrow shooter is. She looks to shoot the woman, but Ellie tries strangling her with her legs and altering her from firing the gun. The two get the last laugh as the woman kills the knife wielder with the hammer in her head. Unfortunately, Ellie has nothing to stand on and looks to be on the way to dying by hanging. A guy, the arrow shooter, comes into the picture and asked by the broken armed woman to cut the rope. He is reluctant, but does what he's asked. With saving Ellie, the three face off against what looks to be clickers and cutting to the title before anything happens.

As far as how it looks, I am very impressed. The new generation is not a huge leap in graphics, which is easy to notice. To me, it's the little details that help some games stand out. However, that really depends on the title. Something like a South Park or Sonic Mania may look great (which they do), but they don't exactly push hardware to their limits. I get that feeling that I am looking at a live action version of Ellie. Obviously, Ashley Johnson was motion captured as her character, but it looks so real, especially considering last year's trailer. Even the other characters and some of the other stuff like trees and weather effects are jaw dropping. Keep in mind, however, this is still a trailer of a game with no release date yet. Things can change over time with the game engine.

Some websites have put a bit of criticism on the use of violence in the trailer. Honestly, I didn't see anything too cringe worthy, and I say that as someone who doesn't watch slasher flicks or any disturbing R rated material. I've played Grand Theft Auto V and it's torture mission, and I would say that was more uncomfortable. Television gets away with a lot more. You consider stuff like most crime shows since the 90s. Even stuff from non-serious and/or non crime shows have material that you wouldn't think otherwise. Name any South Park episode, Walking Dead, etc... Still, I can see where it is warranted. The part with the knife wielder getting the hammer to her head might be a little too much. Same thing with the hammer breaking the woman's arm. I don't think it will bother anyone for months on end.

A problem with gaming is that it is looked at differently. We are still in that part of an era where adults still think it is for little kids. On the other side, some may not want it to be Hollywood and have some of the same tendencies that impressing people with violence. With The Last of Us Part II, I think this will be ignored. It is going to be high on most people's lists of titles that they want. There isn't much controversy on this game at the moment. Excitement will build around gamers as they get another adventure with both Joel and Ellie.

In the end, it's just another way to show people that it is on the way. Whenever it does, it will be a hit as long as it doesn't release too late on PlayStation 4.