The Last Of Us Part 1 Review: 7 Ups & 2 Downs

4. Overhauled Sound Design Is Incredible

The Last of Us Part 1
Naughty Dog

While the new graphical improvements are welcome, it’s the overhauled audio design that’s the real unsung hero.

The sound of weapons, the impact of blows, the terrifying shrieks of incoming Clickers - everything is mixed expertly. Especially with headphones and the PS5’s 3D audio, the soundscape of The Last of Us Part 1 is its secret ingredient, and perhaps the biggest improvement over The Last of Us Remastered.

Unsurprisingly this audio particularly shines in encounters with the infected, whose inhuman grunts and groans heighten the survival horror flourishes always present in The Last of Us' gameplay.

Ultimately, already tense scenes are accentuated tenfold thanks to the intricacies of the sound design, with David’s boss fight in particular genuinely leaving me a little shaky afterward.

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Writer. Mumbler. Only person on the internet who liked Spider-Man 3