TL;DR
The Last of Us Part 1's PC port, initially plagued by serious bugs and performance issues, has seen significant improvements through patches, making it playable. However, even high-end PCs struggle to match PS5 performance, with persistent issues like extended loading times and frame drops. A critical bug affecting 16GB RAM systems renders reflections black. Controller input is strongly recommended over mouse and keyboard. While the game itself is a masterpiece, these ongoing technical problems prevent a full recommendation for the PC version at this time. Discover the full verdict and see if it's worth diving into the patched PC experience.
We have reviewed The Last of Us Part 1 on senses.se several times since its initial release a decade ago. The core strengths of the game remain undiminished; the primary changes have been to its technical implementation. The initial update accompanied the release of The Last of Us Part 1 for Playstation 4. I continue to play that version on my Playstation 5. While a subsequent update was released specifically for PS5, the enhancements from the 3 to 4 iteration were significantly more pronounced than those between the 4 and 5, precluding me from repurchasing the game at full price for a third time.
In March of this year, The Last of Us Part 1 debuted on PC, granting players without a Playstation access to what I consider one of the preeminent games available. Regrettably, this initial release was marred by significant technical issues. The PC port suffered from numerous bugs, inconsistent frame rates, and frequent crashes, rendering the game largely unplayable.
Now, approximately two months later, the developers have addressed many of these issues through a series of substantial patches. The Last of Us is now functional, albeit with caveats.
Achieving performance equivalent to that of a Playstation 5 requires a high-end PC configuration. Despite utilizing a top-tier graphics card (as of May 2023) and 128GB of RAM, I still encountered extended loading times, graphical anomalies, and noticeable frame rate drops during graphically intensive sequences.
Furthermore, an unresolved issue at the time of this review impacts users with systems meeting only the minimum 16GB RAM requirement. Specifically, all reflective surfaces, including water and glass, are rendered as completely black, which can significantly impede gameplay.
The Last of Us Part 1 is optimized for controller input; using a mouse and keyboard presents control challenges analogous to those encountered in Uncharted. Therefore, a controller is highly recommended for the PC version.
In conclusion, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend The Last of Us Part 1 for PC in its current state due to the persistent and distracting flaws that negatively impact the overall gaming experience. This is particularly disappointing, as the underlying game is undeniably exceptional.
