Compare The Last of Us Part II Remastered vs It Takes Two

Accessibility options were strongly praised, with reviewers calling the expanded descriptive audio, speech-to-vibration, and broader tools meaningful additions.

Age appropriateness was limited by the game’s mature themes, violence, and emotional weight, with one reviewer saying younger players may not appreciate it.

Age appropriateness is mixed-to-cautious: reviewers note mature themes, marriage metaphors, and challenge that may not fit younger children.

AI behavior was praised in combat-focused reviews for swarming, faction pressure, and strong arena behavior.

Aiming precision received specific praise on PC, where mouse input gave reviewers strong control for headshots.

Animation is praised for Pixar-like presentation, squash-and-stretch style, and strong mocap-style character work.

Art direction was praised as visually striking, though one review also noted the remaster could look too dark in places.

Art direction is widely praised as remarkable, gorgeous, imaginative, and strong enough to survive Switch visual compromises.

Atmosphere was praised as masterful, especially for its oppressive tension and survival-horror mood.

Atmosphere is praised for wonder, warmth, and imaginative environmental mood.

Boss design stood out in one PC review, which highlighted major fights as some of Naughty Dog’s best.

Bosses are praised as fun, challenging, cinematic, and sometimes wonderful, with checkpoints supporting the tougher encounters.

Bug frequency was mixed: some PC reviewers reported minor UI or texture glitches, while others found the port clean.

Bug frequency appears low in the evidence, with one review reporting only minor graphical bugs plus one checkpoint-reset issue.

Camera behavior receives a positive note for keeping up with fast, dynamic action.

Character development was praised for its heavy character work and risky perspective structure.

Character development draws criticism from two reviews that felt May and Cody's marital issues were not explored deeply enough.

The character roster in No Return was praised for bringing secondary characters forward with different loadouts, traits, and playstyles.

Checkpointing is praised as extremely generous or instant, making experimentation and deaths less punishing.

Co-op experience is the clearest strength, with every review praising how essential, joyful, collaborative, or unusually strong the cooperative play feels.

Combat was one of the strongest areas overall, with reviewers praising its brutal feel, polish, resource pressure, and ability to shine in No Return despite a few dissenting takes.

Competitive balance is mixed: core roles are praised as equal, but some minigames or character roles are described as one-sided.

Content variety was broadly praised, especially No Return, Lost Levels, commentary, guitar free play, skins, speedrun tools, and modifiers, though some extras were called short or uneven.

Content variety is one of the strongest consensus points, with reviewers praising constant new mechanics, tools, genres, settings, and minigames.

Controls were usually described as smooth, responsive, and solid, with PC mouse-and-keyboard support adding precision for some players.

Controls are widely praised as responsive, tight, natural, and accessible, with only the Switch Joy-Con feel drawing a mild caveat.

The No Return loop was praised as a high-stakes, rewarding way to experience the game’s encounters repeatedly.

The core loop is described as a well-crafted platforming foundation that supports the game's cooperative variety.

Couch co-op is repeatedly praised as a natural or superior way to experience the game.

Crafting was praised as part of the game’s excellent survival-combat foundation.

Dialogue quality is mixed, with some humorous or realistic dialogue but repeated criticism of Dr. Hakim as cringy or uncomfortable.

Difficulty was usually viewed positively as tense and intentional, with challenge options and survival pressure fitting the game’s design.

Difficulty is mixed: several reviewers found it forgiving or not very challenging, while others noted frustration or a gradual, approachable curve.

Resource balance was praised for keeping ammo and materials scarce enough to make survival tense.

Emotional impact was extremely strong, with reviewers repeatedly describing the story as gutting, heartbreaking, or emotionally shattering.

The emotional impact is often strong, especially around relationship reflection, ending moments, and co-op connection, though divorce sensitivity is a caveat.

Enemy variety was mixed: No Return adds faction variety and AI pressure, but one reviewer criticized the limited number of new enemies.

Environmental detail drew strong praise for scenery, foliage, world texture, and dense visual craftsmanship.

Environmental detail is praised in both character materials and intricate level spaces.

Exploration was generally valued for scavenging, optional environmental stories, and player choice, though one reviewer found it sometimes too guided.

Exploration is praised where reviewers emphasize that playful, interactive spaces reward looking around and traversing levels.

Facial animation was praised as industry-leading and central to the emotional performances.

Family friendliness scored low because one reviewer explicitly described the game as gritty, intense, and extremely violent.

Family friendliness is limited by language and teen-rated content despite the otherwise loved cooperative experience.

Frame rate stability was mostly praised, especially in performance mode, with some caveats around 30fps fidelity mode and certain PC scenes.

Frame rate stability is praised across PC/console/Switch coverage, with reviewers noting steady or smooth performance.

Fun factor was strongest in No Return and combat-focused extras, though the main story’s grim tone made it less relaxing for some reviewers.

Fun factor is exceptionally strong, with most reviewers calling it joyful, blast-like, highly enjoyable, or one of their most fun recent games.

Gameplay mechanics drew mixed responses: several reviewers liked the remastered combat tools, but one felt the core stealth-loot-shoot loop had aged poorly.

Reviewers overwhelmingly praise the mechanics as simple to grasp yet constantly inventive, with several genres and toolsets executed well.

Graphics were widely praised as excellent or stunning, but reviewers often stressed that the jump over the PS4/PS5-patched version is modest.

Graphics are praised on stronger hardware but notably compromised on Switch, where reviewers describe rough visuals and graphical tradeoffs.

Handheld suitability was praised in one PC review because the Steam Deck version ran well enough to deserve verification.

Handheld suitability is positive overall, with similar handheld and docked performance, though controller and visual compromises remain.

Haptic feedback integration was strongly praised for bows, weapons, bandaging, traversal, and added immersion, though one reviewer found extended use tiring.

Horror tension was praised for causing anxiety, dread, and memorable scare sequences.

Immersion is praised through absorbing environments and gameplay that reinforces the couple/co-op premise.

Innovation was limited in one review, which found No Return fun but not especially unique as a mode.

Innovation is strongly praised for its original, constantly changing co-op mechanics and creative approach.

The learning curve is viewed positively, especially for non-gamers, with gradual skill development and inclusive design.

Level design received strong praise from one reviewer for making linear spaces feel flexible and meaningful.

Level design is consistently praised as creative, intricate, masterfully mapped out, and varied across imaginative environments.

Load times were consistently praised as much faster and a clear quality-of-life upgrade.

Map and navigation design drew one notable complaint about unclear progression paths in naturalistic environments.

Mission variety in No Return was praised for randomized objectives and encounter types, with some caveats about uneven encounters.

Monetization fairness is praised because Friend Pass/pro-consumer ownership rules let two people play without both buying full copies.

Movement is repeatedly described as freeing, smooth, delightful, and enjoyable across jumping, dashing, and traversal.

Multiplayer design is praised as fully built around two players, with local, online, and cooperative structure central to the experience.

Narrative quality remained divisive but mostly positive, with many reviewers calling it profound or masterful while others criticized its structure, bleakness, and execution.

Narrative quality is divisive: some reviewers found the relationship story moving or healthy, while others called it shallow, predictable, or poorly told.

The onboarding is praised for welcoming new or non-gamer partners without heavy-handed teaching.

Online stability is mostly positive but not perfect, with rare rubberbanding or server drops not erasing much progress.

The limited semi-open Seattle section stood out positively to one reviewer, who wished more of the game pursued that feeling.

Originality was mixed, with one review finding No Return strange and unusual but artistically awkward.

Originality is praised through reviewers calling the game rare and among the most creative co-op experiences they have played.

Pacing was the most consistent structural complaint, with multiple reviewers saying the campaign felt long, bloated, or uneven despite strong moments.

Pacing is mostly praised as breakneck, fantastic, and expertly paced, though one reviewer felt the game overstayed its welcome and another noted one section ran long.

Performance optimization was generally strong on PS5 and many PC setups, though one PC review reported stutter and texture issues.

Performance optimization is mostly positive in the cited review, with only occasional frame-rate dips in heavier scenes.

Platform-specific support was praised for PS5-native upgrades such as load times, DualSense features, and 3D audio.

Platform-specific support on Switch is praised for multiple play options, though practical compromises remain.

Platforming precision receives strong praise, with reviewers calling it responsive, precise, and effortless.

Polish was a consistent strength, with reviewers describing the package, presentation, and bonus modes as well-crafted.

Polish is praised through comments about thoughtful production, virtual glitch-free execution, and masterful construction.

Progression in No Return was praised for unlocks, challenges, and longer-term rewards that kept runs moving.

Protagonist appeal was mixed: Ellie was praised as carrying the sequel by some, while one reviewer found her harder to relate to.

Protagonist appeal is polarized: some reviewers found Cody and May real or excellent, while others found them irritating, bitter, or unlikeable.

Puzzle design was a weak point in one review, which complained that environmental puzzles were too few and underdeveloped.

Puzzle design is praised for making both players collaborate, with tools and level setups creating satisfying shared problem solving.

Remaster quality was generally praised as a definitive or worthwhile edition, though the visual upgrade was often called modest and content-focused.

Replay value was one of the strongest remaster arguments, driven mainly by No Return, daily/custom runs, unlocks, and added extras.

Replay value is generally positive due to swapped characters and replayable minigames, though one reviewer personally had no desire to replay.

No Return’s sandbox-like setup was praised as a fun way to experiment outside the campaign’s narrative constraints.

Server reliability is mixed in the Switch evidence because online play was mostly solid but had a couple of server drops.

Side characters are generally praised for providing laughs and inventive background flavor.

Skill systems were split: one reviewer liked the upgrade satisfaction, while another felt No Return upgrades did not meaningfully change play enough.

Sound design was praised for 3D audio, directionality, anxiety, and stealth-tension cues.

Sound design is repeatedly praised as outstanding, top-notch, rich, whimsical, and technically impressive.

The soundtrack was praised as atmospheric and emotionally effective.

The soundtrack is usually praised as fitting, cinematic, and emotionally effective, though one reviewer found some music generic.

Split-screen quality is praised for companionship and smooth two-window play, especially despite Switch limitations.

Stealth mechanics were widely praised as tense, flexible, and improved, especially when No Return encouraged new approaches.

User interface design had one PC-specific criticism, where mouse-related UI elements could hurt frame rate.

Value for money was strongly positive for the $10 upgrade, with more mixed views for first-time or double-dip buyers at full price.

Value for money is praised due to long runtime, Friend Pass, replay value, sale pricing, and perceived worth.

Visual effects were mostly strong, but one PC review noted distracting upscaling artifacts around transparencies.

Voice acting earned unanimous praise from scored reviews, especially for the main cast’s performances.

Voice acting is strongly praised across reviews as fantastic, phenomenal, well acted, and top-tier.

World-building was praised for Seattle’s detail, environmental storytelling, and the way the sequel frames grief and factions.

World-building is praised for imagination and character shining through the whole adventure.

Interactive spaces are a major strength, with reviewers praising playful objects, rewarded curiosity, and dense environmental interactions.

Writing quality was polarized: several reviewers praised the ambitious, intentional storytelling, while one criticized the script as unsubtle.

Writing quality is split between praise for snappy, excellent writing and criticism that the tone is uneven or disappointing beside the gameplay.