The Last of Us: Remastered -- First Impressions

This isn't a formal review.  While I don't feel that you have to finish a game to review it, that is preferable, and if not completed one should be a substantial way into the game before they try to actually review it.  Tonight I only had time to play up until Joel's introduction to Ellie, not far enough to have solid opinions on plot or anything like that, but far enough to have formed some first impressions.

The controls are what you expect from a third-person perspective game, no surprises there.  I haven't played a ton of console games over the years but the few I have played had very similar controls.  Everything is pretty smooth, vaulting, quick turning and moving into a sprint all happen in what looks like very believable ways, aiming is easy and just as responsive as I wanted it to be.  I also liked that instead of having some sort of quasi-supernatural explanation as to how Joel can tell where people are in a room, he just listens for them.  He doesn't need to have some sort of preternatural ability, he just does what the rest of us can do if we take the time to slow down and do it.

The game is beautiful, the environments are extremely detailed, different cloths have different textures.  There are different ways to approach a situation depending on the terrain, your ammo situation and the number of enemies.  One thing I noticed is that the enemies aren't very bright, but hey, they never are.  I'd like to see a game that pressed its numerical advantage sometime.  If the player slips up and reveals themselves while trying to sneak around ten guys you shouldn't be able to hunker down and have them come to you in ones and twos from cover.  Bum-rush me and let there be consequences to my misstep!

The voice acting is top-notch.  It's fun to think about how far that's come in video games.  Gone are the stilted conversations of the past, now we have real professionals doing the job and it's great.  Troy Baker's performance as Joel is especially impressive.  Having been born and raised in the south one of my biggest pet-peeves is hearing an over-done southern accent.  Baker puts just enough drawl into his work for me to believe he's a Texan without ever taking me out of the game by overdoing it.  Take a second to look him up and, lo and behold he's a Texas guy.  He's been hearing that accent since he was a kid most likely, and his apparent familiarity with it shows.

All in all, I enjoyed my first play session of The Last of Us:  Remastered and can't wait to get back to it.  Unfortunately for me, I might not have the time until Friday.