The Last of Us Part II Remastered PC Analysis – Lacks NVIDIA DLSS 4 MFG, Yet Delivers Smooth Gameplay

The Last of Us Part II Remastered: A Deep Dive into the PC Release

With the launch of The Last of Us Part II Remastered, PC gamers now have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the next chapter of Joel and Ellie’s gripping narrative. As this installment of their story prepares to be reimagined in the forthcoming second season of the HBO series, this remastered version has generated substantial excitement among fans.

A Collaborative Effort in Development

This PC adaptation is the result of a partnership between Naughty Dog—the original creators of the game—Nixxes Software and Iron Galaxy Studios. Following its acquisition by Sony, Nixxes has been instrumental in developing most of Sony’s PC ports, while Iron Galaxy has its notable history in porting games. However, Iron Galaxy’s previous effort on The Last of Us Part I faced criticism upon release, which improved with subsequent patches.

Enhanced Graphics and Compatibility Features

This remastered version of The Last of Us Part II includes a range of upscaling technologies to enhance visual fidelity:

NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution, including DLAA (listed as part of anti-aliasing options)
AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 3.1 and FSR 4, though the latter currently appears inaccessible on NVIDIA systems
Intel XeSS

Moreover, for reduced latency, it supports NVIDIA Reflex on compatible hardware and AMD’s Anti-Lag 2. Additionally, frame generation abilities are offered through NVIDIA Frame Generation and AMD Frame Generation 3. However, current functionalities do not extend to NVIDIA DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation, which were mentioned in a NVIDIA blog post, yet seem absent from the game at launch. Despite attempts to gather further information from both NVIDIA and Sony, responses have been elusive. There is speculation that these features may be added in a future patch.

Customizable Graphics Settings for Optimal Performance

PC gamers will appreciate the extensive graphics settings available in this remastered title, which include:

Level of Detail
Texture Quality (notably affecting VRAM use)
Texture Filtering
Shadow Quality
Screen Space Shadows
Image Based Lighting
Bounced Lighting
Ambient Occlusion
Screen Space Reflections
Real-Time Reflections Quality
Volumetric Effects Quality
Particle Density
Depth of Field and its Quality settings
Motion Blur Quality
Bloom
Lens Flare

In addition to these settings, players can utilize sliders for Motion Blur Intensity, Camera Shake, Film Grain Intensity, Lens Dirt Intensity, and Field of View—a particularly user-friendly feature in a third-person perspective game.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered PC 4K Gameplay – Max Settings on GeForce RTX 5090 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axwEzdvOp7g)

Performance Insights and Technical Capabilities

From the impressive range of graphic settings, it appears the PC port does not introduce substantial new graphical technologies beyond what was available on the PlayStation. This is somewhat disappointing, given the game’s initial release nearly five years ago, as certain elements do show some age, especially character models. Nonetheless, the artistic direction and animations benefit from PC’s enhanced resolution and fidelity.

On high-end hardware, with a configuration involving NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5090 and AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, performance metrics reveal significant room for advanced features, such as ray tracing. Running at 4K with maximized settings and DLAA enabled, the game achieved an average of 150 frames per second—peaking at 185 and dropping to a minimum of 119.

DLAA Performance in The Last of Us Part II Remastered

In further testing within densely populated areas using DLSS Quality and Performance modes, the frame rates surged to 175 FPS and reached up to 190 FPS, respectively. Notably, despite the absence of new DLSS technologies, the image quality remains strong, and stuttering is minimal—a crucial factor for a narrative-driven game.

DLSS Performance in The Last of Us Part II Remastered

Additional Features and Game Content

In line with recent trends in Sony’s PC ports, the game incorporates spatial audio and fully leverages the DualSense controller’s unique features, enhancing immersion through haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Alongside support for HDR displays and ultrawide resolutions, players can enjoy a visually compelling experience.

While the core gameplay mirrors that of the PS5 version, two new characters—Bill and Marlene—along with four fresh maps for the roguelike survival mode ‘No Return’ will be added later today to coincide with the console release.

Conclusion: An Unmissable Experience

The main attraction for PC players remains the immersive narrative campaign. Without delving too deeply into the specifics, I echo Kai’s sentiments from the original review: this title stands as one of the finest in its genre, making it a must-experience for fans of The Last of Us series. While the port may feel straightforward in its execution, the storytelling and gameplay are undeniably compelling, solidifying its place as an essential addition to any gaming library.

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