Some players have reported that the shader building process took longer than the two-hour refund window offered by Steam
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The highly anticipated PC release of The Last Of Us Part 1, a beloved stealth-action game that originally launched on PlayStation in 2013, has unfortunately been marred by significant performance issues. Despite efforts from developer Naughty Dog and Nvidia to address the problems with two patches and a driver hotfix, the issues persist even over a week after launch. The Last of Us Part 1: A Compelling Storytelling Experience and Review of Naughty Dog’s Hit Game.
Many gamers were eagerly anticipating the PC release, hoping to enjoy the game as a companion piece to the popular HBO TV adaptation of The Last Of Us, which has generated a flurry of memes and discussions online. However, the reality has been disappointing. The game’s shader cache, responsible for rendering graphics, takes an incredibly long time to load, surpassing even the load times of poorly optimized console emulators found on obscure gaming forums.
Some players have reported that the shader building process took longer than the two-hour refund window offered by Steam, prompting the platform to make exceptions and provide refunds without questions asked. This speaks to the severity of the launch situation and how poorly the game has performed on PC.
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As a player who has attempted to install the game multiple times on different systems, I have experienced shader build times ranging from 40 minutes to well over two hours after the 1.0.1.6 patch. There are even reports from users with high-end graphics cards, such as the RTX 4090, facing shader build times of over an hour.
If you don’t wait for the shaders to finish building in my experience, playing The Last of Us feels like flipping through a disjointed flip book. Regardless of whether I’m using an RTX 2080 TI or a 3060, the performance is severely impacted with an incomplete shader cache, resulting in unplayable frame rates and graphical artifacts all over the screen. Joel’s hair and eyebrows become pixelated squares of block colors, and Sarah’s bedroom turns into a chaotic mess of floating objects in some cutscenes. However, once the shaders are compiled, the visual artifacts disappear, making the wait for shader compilation a mandatory one.
Even on medium settings, the frame rate is inconsistent and not enjoyable during combat sequences. Cycling through different presets doesn’t seem to have a significant impact on frame rate, but what’s noticeable is that my CPU, an i7 9700K which is usually not a bottleneck in other games, is constantly running at 99% or 100% usage, along with my system memory. This puts my system at risk of freezes and crashes. I’ve experienced occasional crashes when alt-tabbing, and freezes are common while navigating the streets of Boston. Not to mention the frustratingly long load times.
Despite being able to achieve the best graphics quality on high settings, the performance issues and resource utilization in The Last of Us make it challenging to enjoy the game fully. technically playable at launch, the overall enjoyment of the game is lacking due to various patches and driver updates that are needed for optimization. This is in stark contrast to Sony’s recent PC ports, such as Horizon: Zero Dawn, which had fewer pronounced issues. Despite the evident detail and effort put into this version, with comprehensive audio settings and a robust graphics options menu, it is bewildering that the game’s performance falls short. It is evident that the developers are diligent and hardworking, and it’s puzzling why the issues persisted despite the game’s delay for further optimization.
Immersive Storytelling and Gritty Realism: Reflecting on The Last of Us and Its Impact on Gaming History
Let’s delve into the game, shall we? Despite the uncertainty of its future playability, I vividly recall my time on staff at Official PlayStation Magazine UK when The Last of Us (TLOU) first launched in 2013. The buzz around the office was palpable, a rare occurrence in my career. In an industry already saturated with post-apocalyptic narratives and urban decay, TLOU stood out by placing its emphasis on the human element, with remarkable impact.
Fast forward to 2023, and the impact of TLOU’s mature tone may have dulled, but that’s partly because Naughty Dog’s distinctive style of dialogue scripting and performance capture has become so pervasive. As the iconic intro played out, with Sarah waking up alone in a hauntingly realistic home and stumbling through a world in chaos, it was evident that TLOU was no ordinary game. Its ability to ground players in a gritty, real-world setting without relying on flashy action or exaggerated expressions, as seen in Uncharted, was a hallmark of its unique approach. The thought “This could be a movie or a TV show” echoed among us in the office, a testament to the game’s cinematic quality and immersive storytelling.
Similar to Bioshock Infinite, released in 2013, this game also explores the theme of fatherhood. However, unlike the intricate time loops and paternal paradoxes in Bioshock Infinite, Joel’s story is stripped down to its raw and messy essentials. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where infrastructure and civilization have crumbled, the game raises questions about how humanity can survive and maintain their personal humanity in the face of such devastation.
Joel is grappling with grief, and he has learned to use it to his advantage by shutting off his emotions and doing whatever it takes to stay alive. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he is tasked with smuggling a 14-year-old girl named Ellie, who reminds him of his own daughter. As Joel’s paternal instincts awaken, both he and the player are torn between wanting what’s best for Ellie and the monstrous acts they must commit to keep her safe. With every fight and sacrifice, Joel must trade away pieces of his own humanity to protect Ellie’s.
It’s truly remarkable how you can sense the emotional investment in The Last of Us, both then and now, despite the minimal mechanical engagement in the game’s early hours. Whether it’s walking alongside a character who explains the world or moving a ladder into place, the game may not offer much in terms of traditional gameplay, but it still manages to captivate. As an old PlayStation magazine alumnus, I can attest that while The Last of Us may have the BAFTAs, Uncharted goes above and beyond to keep players entertained with its mechanics.
When The Last of Us does require more from you than simply moving forward with the left stick, its combat presents choices. You can go in guns blazing with your shotgun, creating chaos, or you can opt for a stealthier approach, sneaking around cover and using homemade shivs to dispatch enemies quietly. While it may not be as complex as Metal Gear Solid 5, the game’s high-quality animations and weapon and item crafting systems elevate it beyond a typical action game.
The fights were never meant to be flashy or stylish, unlike Doomguy’s elaborate melee moves synchronized with a deathcore breakdown. As a man in a worn-out shirt, you’re forced into combat by the circumstances, not by choice. The combat is gritty and raw, rarely satisfying, and the color palette feels like a gloomy Monday morning in Manchester, keeping me at a distance from The Last of Us unlike others.
However, The Last of Us holds significant importance in gaming history. It’s a pivotal moment where a triple-A developer attempted to tell a mature and cinematic story, focusing on the nuances of its performers – the little breaks in their voices, lingering looks, and unspoken words. While I may not have been deeply invested in the Fireflies, the giraffe, or the double-crossing survivors, I appreciate the consistent tone maintained throughout the game.
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