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The Last of Us Part II Director doesn't understand relaunching critiscism.

I don’t understand some of the consternation about what The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered offers. It’s the best way to play The Last of Us Part 2, if you’re a new PlayStation owner and new to the franchise we want to get you the best experience with all the hardware features on a PS5 native version of the game. My sense is there’s an audience for this for whom the idea of a PS5 version is thrilling. I’m also speaking for myself, I’m excited we can bring this to the fans, and if it’s not for everyone, that’s fine.

not that i doubt this, but i find it somewhat disturbing, & i'm not sure why i do, but i do...
 

TheInfamousKira

Reseterror Resettler
Nothing screams predatory like "here's why we logically can't just release the *best version* of the game at launch, instead monetizing visual fidelity of all things," like this stuff.
 

simpatico

Member
Here’s the thing Matt *takes bite of TLOU branded pop tart*, people don’t have anything new to play.*sips TLOU branded Soylent*. Most PS5 owners think very highly of Naughty Dog, and you guys have released remasters of your last two games before even announcing a new one! *wipes mouth with TLOU branded handkerchief*. We want some new games. If you insist on just releasing remakes, make it worth our while.
Resident Evil 4 was re-released a thousand of times and nobody complained.
Yeah but not before RE5 came out

gvc3xxD.jpg


Everyone says "The Last of Us gives gaming credibility!" And I say "really?"
 
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Chuck Berry

Gold Member
Here’s the thing Matt *takes bite of TLOU branded pop tart*, people don’t have anything new to play.*sips TLOU branded Soylent*. Most PS5 owners think very highly of Naughty Dog, and you guys have released remasters of your last two games before even announcing a new one! *wipes mouth with TLOU branded handkerchief*. We want some new games. If you insist on just releasing remakes, make it worth our while.

Yeah but not before RE5 came out

gvc3xxD.jpg


Everyone says "The Last of Us gives gaming credibility!" And I say "really?"

OH MANNNNNN

I know what Ill be wearing through my entire playthrough

GOTY 2024 fight me
 

Bkdk

Member
Wouldn’t be surprised that Sony is about to sell naughty dog to MS soon as they are tried of being the bag holder for this studio. MS will pay for anything so sony could easily sell them for 5 billion+.
 

Generic

Member
Here’s the thing Matt *takes bite of TLOU branded pop tart*, people don’t have anything new to play.*sips TLOU branded Soylent*. Most PS5 owners think very highly of Naughty Dog, and you guys have released remasters of your last two games before even announcing a new one! *wipes mouth with TLOU branded handkerchief*. We want some new games. If you insist on just releasing remakes, make it worth our while.

Yeah but not before RE5 came out

gvc3xxD.jpg


Everyone says "The Last of Us gives gaming credibility!" And I say "really?"
RE4 was released on the Wii at full price. RE Remake and Zero too.

Actually Capcom is the master of milking fans with re-releases, they even separated the Megaman Collection in two parts.
 

eerik9000

Member
Maybe because it is sad cashgrab? And labelling it as a remaster is an insult to other remasters?

Especially since Sony Santa Monica gave players Valhalla DLC for free just last month...
If you compare it to GOW Ragnarok, then Part II is a great deal, no? PS5 version of GOW: R was €$10 more expensive than PS4 version and had no exclusive content. PS5 version of Part II gives you a handful of new content for the €$10 upgrade fee,
 

simpatico

Member
RE4 was released on the Wii at full price. RE Remake and Zero too.

Actually Capcom is the master of milking fans with re-releases, they even separated the Megaman Collection in two parts.
In Naughty Dog dropped TLOU2 on the Switch I don't think there would be any complaints.
 

Arsic

Loves his juicy stink trail scent
Gamers are such weaklings, crying over a game getting ported to a newer platform.
This could’ve all been a free update to the game.

It’s perfectly fine to call out the remaster label itself here being not correct because it devalues what meaty remasters have done.

Look at star ocean the second story remaster. A lot of work went into it.

This is great it’s $10, but I think a bit more could’ve been baked here to release it and call it a remaster.

I still plan to play through it all though.
 

Gojiira

Member
Never played on the PS4 so this doesnt bother me one little bit tbh, but I vote with my wallet which others should clearly do more often if they either want or dont want more releases like this…Just saying.
 

JaksGhost

Member
This could’ve all been a free update to the game.

It’s perfectly fine to call out the remaster label itself here being not correct because it devalues what meaty remasters have done.

Look at star ocean the second story remaster. A lot of work went into it.

This is great it’s $10, but I think a bit more could’ve been baked here to release it and call it a remaster.

I still plan to play through it all though.
Star Ocean The Second Story R is considered a REMAKE
The highly acclaimed second instalment in the STAR OCEAN series, returns as STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R.

Brought to life with a charming 2.5D aesthetic, which fuses 2D pixel characters and 3D environments, this remake includes everything that made the original release so great while adding new elements!

Experience new battle mechanics, full Japanese and English voice overs, original and re-arranged music and so much more!

Discover the definitive version of a classic but modernized JRPG that’s perfect for newcomers and long-time fans alike.

You guys keep conflating the two things when they're not the same.
 
Resident Evil 4 was released on PS2, then the HD version was released on PS3/X360 then that version was released on PS4/Xbone again.
Devil May Cry HD collection was ported to PS3/X360, then PS4/Xbone.

Then you have many other examples from them, Okami HD, Resident Evil Origins collections, and many many more.

I'm not saying this practice should be accepted, but some people have an increased amount of hatred towards whatever ND does.
 
Even though I have no plans on buying this, since I played the game 3 times through and think it already looks great, I also dont see what people are complaining about. As if everyone forgot this was normal practice especially at the beginning of the PS5 lifecycle. Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, COD, Gran Turismo 7....so many games included $10 upgrade for a 4K patch, whast the difference with TLOU2 then?
 
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Madflavor

Gold Member
No, what you've seen is their successes, unending and constant because despite any ideological squabbles with these guys it is well and truly evident they know what they are doing and they do it well and they have an audience.

Right. Just like many other gaming studios, but I don't often see this same level of self masturbatory behavior as I do with Naughty Dog.

Praying for ones downfall like this tends only to reflect your own perspective, not the reality of the situation.

Who's praying for their downfall? Who said that, cause it wasn't me.

Even the hilarious line about Neil 'trying' to break into Hollywood.... hes not trying. He already did it my guy.

Uh kinda? Let's not pretend Neil wasn't piggybacking off the Emmy Award winning Craig Mazin, who won awards for writing and producing. And before you think it, no I'm not rooting against Neil. If he fully breaks into Hollywood by leaving gaming behind and creates an awesome new show, then great. Hope I like it. My point was that it seems like making it in Hollywood may be taking a lot of Neil's focus away from game development.

Sometimes individuals and products you dont care for will be massive successes. Thats just how it is. You have to accept it and move on.

Really? I didn't know that something I didn't like may be liked a lot by others. Thank you for enlightening me with your unmitigated wit Aristotle.
 
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Poppyseed

Member
How about the fact that it’s the laziest "remaster" we’ve seen in years? The game looks identical to the PS4 version.

Should have called it a director’s cut and it would have been an easier pill to swallow. Never mind the fact that these guys claim improved textures and shadows but DF even with a 4x zoom can’t spot the differences.
I do think calling it a remaster is a stretch. There’s absolutely not enough here to do it justice. Even as someone who will definitely hand over the $10 to upgrade my digital copy as this is one of my favorite games of all time, it’s definitely a questionable re-release title.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
Gamers are such weaklings, crying over a game getting ported to a newer platform.
You could already play Last of Us 2 on the new platform, and it looked 99.9% identical.

Yea, there's a new game mode that could easily have been delivered in a free patch like the Ragnarok devs did. This is not RE4 on Wii or Diablo 2 that you can now play at a resolution higher than 800x600. But I guess since the Factions debacle, Naughty Dog needs to earn.
 
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Trunim

Member
I actually waited for the remaster to replay it but I think I'm not gonna spend the update money and just roll with the 60 fps patch.
 

Kokoloko85

Member
I agree.
if you are tired of buying it or played it enough- look elsewhere.
Not everyone is in that same boat. There is even more incentive with the HBO Show getting season 2 and introducing/refreshing people.

It’s like Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima remaster for PS5.
People expecting too much, its just a rerelease on PS5 with some added bonuses like added lost levels and a game mode.

Its essentially for new buyers and instead of buying the PS4 version, they buy the PS5 version. Just like TLOU1 Remaster on PS4 from PS3 but with less graphical upgrades
 

Kokoloko85

Member
You could already play Last of Us 2 on the new platform, and it looked 99.9% identical.

Yea, there's a new game mode that could easily have been delivered in a free patch like the Ragnarok devs did. This is not RE4 on Wii or Diablo 2 that you can now play at a resolution higher than 800x600. But I guess since the Factions debacle, Naughty Dog needs to earn.

It will be mostly for new buyers who dont have the original. So instead of buying a PS4 version, they buy the PS5 version. Just like Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima remasters.
People dont have to buy this….
 

saintjules

Gold Member
This could’ve all been a free update to the game.

It’s perfectly fine to call out the remaster label itself here being not correct because it devalues what meaty remasters have done.

Look at star ocean the second story remaster. A lot of work went into it.

This is great it’s $10, but I think a bit more could’ve been baked here to release it and call it a remaster.

I still plan to play through it all though.

Star Ocean 2nd Story R is not a remaster. You don't add new gameplay mechanics, change the geographic landscapes to the world map, the towns / dungeons. That's not a polish to the existing work.

Think of it like a freaking dress shoe. You add shoe polish to re-shine it to refreshen it close to its original state. You're not changing the initial design of the shoe. Changing the shoelaces or it's overall size would be 'remaking' the design.

When you remaster a song, you are cleaning up the original audio without adding new ideas, melodies to the existing work. Remaking it is adding those things, changing the overall melody, changing the arrangement.

Why do people still confuse the two??

 
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justiceiro

Marlboro: Other M
Guy changed settings from high to ultra, slaps a new price tag and ask what's wrong with that? Really? Someone should meme this...
 

CashPrizes

Member
He is just being deliberately obtuse. In a vacuum sure, nothing wrong with remastering and putting Last of Us 2 out again. But since 2020, they have already remade LoU1 and remastered Uncharted 4 with no original releases. So people are fed up with remasters in lieu of sequels/new IP.
 

consoul

Member
I think much of the dismay around this comes from the fact that the 'Remaster' of the original campaign is not massively different from the current free patch PS5 users can apply to the PS4 original. Positioning it as a Remaster is not going over well.

If they had just offered a free upgrade to a native PS5 version and the extras in TLoU2 Remastered as a $10 DLC add-on, I think this would have been less controversial while still being effectively the same thing.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
He obviously gets it. He's just doing PR poorly.
  • Minimal upgrade
  • Not free
  • Game just came out
  • Another remaster just came out
  • There are more remasters than actual games at this point
  • Oversaturation of the IP
  • TV show adds to oversaturation
  • Aiming a product exclusively at new PS5 owners excludes existing owners who have played this before
  • "If it's not for everyone that's fine." The people that's it not for will probably criticize you though.
Personally, I think the big problem is marketing. They could have just called this a free patch and it would have much better optics. Then sell the DLC for $10 with the new mode and the costumes, and the commentary track, and the lost levels. That's worth $10. What they're blowing here is marketing and messaging and how they packaged this product.
Sure, but people are pissed because on top of the DLC content you say is worth $10 they are packaging a light graphics remaster (and DualSense implementation, etc…) with it too?

The remaster is both minimal and impossible to notice as well as bad to include with the DLC only because it excludes PS4 owners and PS5 owners who do not care about the DLC and now miss a graphical uplift they would not notice anyways?

Do you realise how ridiculous this sound when you put it all together? I am not sure…
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
Should have been a free upgrade like Xbox does with Smart Delivery.
“Who can even notice it? It is shit! Give it to me for free, give it to me! Give it to me but free!!!! I want it, I want it… but it sucks and I am not able to see any benefit from it so give it to me but for free, but give it to me”… 🤷‍♂️
 

SJRB

Gold Member
It’s like Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima remaster for PS5.
People expecting too much, its just a rerelease on PS5 with some added bonuses like added lost levels and a game mode.

Its essentially for new buyers and instead of buying the PS4 version, they buy the PS5 version. Just like TLOU1 Remaster on PS4 from PS3 but with less graphical upgrades

Those games were specifically released as "director's cut" though, not as a "remaster", including heavy discounts for people already owning the base game.
 
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Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
Those games were specifically released as "director's cut" though, not as a "remaster".
Are we playing semantics?

Either the remaster graphical and controls uplift is sizeable and then $10 is actually bit bad in and of itself or the DLC alone is not too too bad for $10 especially when packed with a lighter graphical update.

Remaster is anything for small tweaks to a large scale update that still makes faithfulness the single biggest driving principle (and welcome to diminishing returns on very high quality games).
Had they priced it $39-59 I would get the anger… but $10? Nah…
 
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gtabro

Member
Watched a few YouTubers and they all say the same - there's barely a difference. So from what I gather the problems is Naughty Dog are shooting themselves in the foot by calling it a remaster.
It seems to me that would be like if FROM called Elden Ring on PS5 a remaster just because you get more and denser grass.
 
You doesn't understand that it was unnecessary ?
Well, just remaster your brain then.

The Simpsons Brain GIF
A second burger is also not necessary but McDonalds will still sell it to me if I ask for it. I think they might even do it for a third or fourth etc. burger... but I am no expert.
Games are not created on the same concept but on presumed, hoped for demand. So if the game sells enough to give Sony a positive revenue it was necessary from a business perspective. Possibly even provided some work for the tech team that might have been otherwise not fully utilised by the current state of the other games in the works. Dropping Factions might have meant that some part of the team was already parked at the port work while the leads figure out what to do with the entire team. Just shifting people from one project to another instesad of letting them go. Some doofuses figured out how to compile a PC version of Spiderman, so I doubt it was even a substantial workforce anyway. Anything that would have equaled to any substantial progress in a new game. But I assume it might have been some sort of if you are even close to be bored do this side project.
Anyway, even if the other 9X% of people were perplexed about its existence, if its selling their was a point in making it. Only if really no one cares, it was a failure. It was made for those who buy it, not for those who don't. Very much like 9X% of first released games you don't play weren't made for you either.

Yelling at "unnecessary" remasters is just stupid. In the same line of logic I could demand especially third parties, but also MS and Sony with their PC initiatives, to abandon multiplatform support since one platform suffices to buy and play their game already. Why waste energy on a port? I rather have another new game, than a port for people who don't own my prefered platform. me me me, mimimi.
 

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
Was a thing of past launch patchs and updates to upgrade or fix the game? Does that even existed back at that time?
I find that comparison extremelly disingenuous.
Most were just straight ports where the game wasn't available because of extremely poor system BC. It was announced as a Gamecube exclusive. Then ported to PS2 with Ada campaign, which was extremely controversial actually. Shinji Mikami might have even left Capcom over that. Then ported to PS3, sold for $20. Ported to Wii with new controls. Ported to Switch, so first time it was available handheld. Ported to Modern consoles yet again since BC was not available. Ported to Quest 2 but it's practically a remake.
 
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Heimdall_Xtreme

Jim Ryan Fanclub's #1 Member
What's the difference between TLOU Part 1 and the Demon Souls remake?
In Demon's Souls it adds more cinematic sound effects, particle effects, greatly improved graphics, loading time transition is non-existent, weapon clash with particle effects, animations are greatly improved.

In the last of us only the graphics improved. There are no additional scenes like Resident Evil 2,3,4.
 
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