The Last of Us Part I hits PS Plus Extra — great news, with a few caveats

This PS Plus drop actually matters

The Last of Us Part I, Naughty Dog’s 2022 PS5 remake of its 2013 classic, just joined the PlayStation Plus Extra catalog. This caught my attention because it’s the first time Sony’s $70 remake lands in the subscription, and it changes the conversation from “is this worth a repurchase?” to “why haven’t you played it yet?” If you skipped the remake on principle or price, Extra finally makes it a no-brainer-with a couple of gotchas to keep in mind.

Key takeaways

• It’s not “free”-you need a PS Plus Extra or Premium sub, and catalog titles rotate.
• This remake is visually stunning and adds accessibility, haptics, and new modes, but gameplay design is largely unchanged.
• No Factions multiplayer; Left Behind DLC is included.
• Great timing: newcomers from the HBO series can jump in, and returning fans get the best console version at no extra cost.

Breaking down what’s actually new in Part I

Naughty Dog rebuilt environments, character models, lighting, and VFX for PS5, and it shows. Facial animation is sharper, storms feel heavier, and the overgrown urban decay hits a level of detail the 2014 PS4 remaster couldn’t dream of. The dual protagonists, Joel and Ellie, benefit most-close-ups carry more nuance, and performance capture reads cleaner in every scene.

Combat AI was also tuned. Enemies flank more convincingly, and infected react more believably to noise and sightlines. Don’t expect a Part II leap in systems, though—there’s no prone, no dodge, and level layouts are basically intact. It’s still a 2013 encounter design, dressed in 2022 tech.

On the feature side, the remake adds:

• DualSense haptics and adaptive trigger feedback that sell every shot and stealth takedown.
• Performance options: a 4K fidelity mode, a 60 fps-aimed performance mode (with VRR support if your TV has it).
• Industry-leading accessibility (visual contrast modes, audio cues, controller remapping, navigation assistance, and more).
• New modes like Permadeath and Speedrun for masochists and leaderboard chasers.
• Photo Mode upgrades and the Left Behind prequel DLC included.

What’s missing: Factions, the beloved PS3/PS4 multiplayer, is still gone. If that was your main draw, this package won’t replace it.

What this means for PlayStation Plus

Sony won’t do day-one first-party drops on PS Plus, but we’re seeing a pattern: the big exclusives hit Extra about 12-24 months after launch. Horizon Forbidden West, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and now The Last of Us Part I have all followed that arc. It’s a smart compromise—sell to superfans at launch, then juice subscriber value later.

Just remember, Extra’s catalog rotates. If you’re mid-run when it leaves, you’ll be blocked from launching until it returns or you buy it. The safe play is to download and prioritize it while it’s here. Premium members also get access to the Extra catalog, but Essential doesn’t cut it—you need at least Extra to play Part I.

The gamer’s perspective: who should jump in?

If you’ve never played The Last of Us, stop reading and queue the download. Part I on PS5 is the best single-player version on console, full stop. The story holds up, the performances still punch through your ribs, and the remake’s audiovisual upgrade makes it feel current without rewriting its DNA.

If you finished the PS3/PS4 versions and skipped the remake, this is the perfect “I refuse to double-dip” victory lap. You’re not paying extra, and you get the improvements that actually matter in practice: near-instant loads, cleaner combat readability, superb accessibility, and a presentation worthy of a prestige TV adaptation—fitting, given the HBO show’s success. It’s also a good on-ramp if you’re eyeing The Last of Us Part II Remastered on PS5 and want the full saga on the same hardware.

If you’re replaying for mechanics, temper expectations. Part I doesn’t adopt Part II’s more flexible stealth and traversal. Encounters are better behaved thanks to AI tweaks, but it’s still a methodical, cover-and-bottle-throw kind of game with limited build experimentation. For many, that’s part of its identity; for others, it’ll feel dated in spots.

Context matters: the remake debate, revisited

When Part I launched at $70, the backlash wasn’t about quality—it was about timing. We’d already had a PS4 remaster, and people questioned whether a full-priced remake was necessary. Dropping it into PS Plus Extra sidesteps that friction. As a subscription inclusion, it becomes what it arguably should’ve been for many players: the definitive, accessible way to experience a landmark game without a second checkout.

Also worth noting: the contentious PC port isn’t part of this conversation. That version launched rough in 2023 and was patched substantially, but the PS5 release has been rock solid since day one. On console, this is the clean, curated way to play.

TL;DR

The Last of Us Part I joining PS Plus Extra is the right move at the right time. Visuals, haptics, and accessibility shine; level design remains vintage 2013. If you’ve never played it, it’s essential. If you have, it’s the easiest, best-looking revisit—just start it soon in case it rotates out.