The Last of Us Part II Remastered PC Review – Outstanding

The Last of Us Part II Remastered arrived on PC on April 4, 2025, allowing Naughty Dog to present the critically acclaimed sequel to PC players ahead of the second season of the TV show. Building upon the already impressive PS5 remaster, this PC version leverages the power and flexibility of modern GPUs. As with the console version, the core experience remains a harrowing, emotionally charged journey through a post-apocalyptic America, but now, it’s rendered with even greater fidelity and customisation.

Much like Dan’s original PS5 review, which lauded the game’s narrative power and technical achievements, this PC port doesn’t disappoint in terms of visual and auditory splendour. The textures, lighting, and environmental detail are breathtaking, even on my ageing RTX3080 Super. The ability to unlock frame rates, adjust graphical settings, and utilise ultrawide monitors elevates the experience. For those with the rigs to handle it, this is undoubtedly the definitive way to experience the visual masterpiece that is The Last of Us Part II.

While the Steam forums were littered with people having issues running the game smoothly at higher settings, I was fortunate to have no issues in the first 4 hours at least. At that point I had one crash in a heavy open world scene in the city, but it was a once off and didn’t have another problem. A recent hotfix was released on Steam on April 8 so that may have attributed to the smooth experience.

The PC version retains all the enhancements of the PS5 remaster, including the “No Return” roguelike survival mode and “Lost Levels,” which offer fascinating insights into the game’s development process. Playing the game with mouse and keyboard offers the advantage of precision aiming, especially in those close quarters and intense moments with clickers.

The game’s hard-hitting narrative beats remains unchanged. The complex, often brutal story of Ellie and Abby continues to evoke strong emotions. The PC port doesn’t alter the core experience, but it does present it in a way that feels more immersive and personal, thanks to the increased visuals and tighter controls.

The audio design, already a highlight on the PS5, is further amplified on PC. With proper surround sound headphones, the game’s sound effects are fully immersive, from the subtle rustling of leaves to the thunderous roar of infected encounters. This is a game that should be experienced with high-quality audio to fully appreciate its impact.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered on PC delivers a visually stunning and immersive experience with enhanced audio and tighter controls with mouse and keyboard. The game ran very well on my RTX3080 Super, and these PlayStation PC ports are continuing to push the boundaries of storytelling and visual fidelity in gaming. It’s a challenging, emotional journey, now made even more impactful by the power of the PC.

This review utilised a Steam key provided by PlayStation AU and The Last of Us II Remastered is out now on Steam and PlayStation.

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