Road to Vostok vs The Last of Us Part I

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only (Remake does not include Factions MP)
• Setting: Post-Apocalyptic United States
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC
• Initial Remake Release (PS5): 2022-09-02
• PC Release Date: 2023-03-28

• Ellie Williams: AI-controlled companion for most of the game. Assists in combat by throwing objects, occasionally attacking enemies, pointing out threats, and solving environmental puzzles. Cannot be directly controlled by player in main game (playable in Left Behind DLC).
  Human
• Tess Servopoulos: AI-controlled companion during the early Boston chapters. Assists in combat and navigation.
  Human
• Bill: AI-controlled companion during the Bill's Town chapter. Provides combat support and guidance through his booby-trapped town.
  Human
• Tommy Miller: AI-controlled companion during certain chapters, primarily around the dam. Assists in combat.
  Human

• Artifacts: Notes, letters, maps, voice recorders, and other items found throughout the world that provide lore, backstory, and character insights.
• Firefly Pendants: Dog tags belonging to deceased Firefly members. There are 30 to find, often in hidden or hard-to-reach areas.
• Training Manuals: Magazines that unlock upgrades for Joel's abilities, such as improved shiv durability, increased health, or faster crafting speed.
• Comic Books (Savage Starlight): A series of sci-fi comic books that Ellie collects throughout the journey.
• Supplements: Pills and medical supplies found in the environment, used to purchase Joel's skill upgrades.
• Parts: Scrap metal, tools, and components used at workbenches to upgrade weapons.

• Post-Apocalyptic
• Survival
• Found Family
• Moral Ambiguity
• Loss
• Hope
• Infected
• Human Nature

• 9mm Pistol: Pistol
  A common semi-automatic pistol. Reliable sidearm, can be upgraded for stability, clip capacity, and fire rate.
• Hunting Rifle: Rifle
  A bolt-action rifle, powerful and accurate at long range. Can be upgraded with a scope and for damage.
• Bow: Stealth Ranged
  Silent weapon ideal for stealth takedowns. Arrows can often be retrieved. Can be upgraded for range and draw speed.
• Shotgun (Pump-Action): Shotgun
  Devastating at close range, effective against Runners and human enemies. Upgrades include fire rate and reload speed.
• Flamethrower: Heavy Weapon
  Effective against groups of Infected, especially Bloaters. Limited ammunition, but high area damage.
• Melee Weapons (Various): Melee
  Pipes, 2x4s, baseball bats, machetes. Can be upgraded with bindings and scissors for increased damage and durability. Break after several uses.
• Molotov Cocktail: Throwable (Incendiary)
  Craftable incendiary device, effective for area denial and against groups.
• Nail Bomb: Throwable (Explosive/Trap)
  Craftable explosive device that detonates on proximity or impact, scattering shrapnel.

• Joel's Default Outfit: Worn flannel shirt, jeans, hiking boots. Character appearance changes slightly based on story progression and weather, but not directly customizable by player beyond pre-set unlockable skins in the remake.
• Ellie's Default Outfit: Hoodie, jeans, sneakers. Like Joel, her appearance changes subtly with story progression. Unlockable cosmetic skins are available in the remake.
• Hunter Attire: Worn by hostile human survivors; typically rugged, scavenged clothing, sometimes with makeshift armor pieces (NPCs only).
• Military Uniforms: Worn by FEDRA soldiers in quarantine zones (NPCs only).

Progression is horizontal, focused on loot and shelter customization rather than traditional leveling. Players upgrade their survival odds by finding better weapon attachments, medical supplies, and armor plates. Multi-shelter support allows players to establish safe houses across different zones.

Joel can upgrade his abilities (health, weapon sway, crafting speed, etc.) by finding training manuals and consuming supplements. Weapons can be upgraded at workbenches using scavenged parts and tools, improving attributes like fire rate, reload speed, and capacity. Crafting allows creation of health kits, melee weapon upgrades, and throwable items.

The game features map-to-map travel across three main layers: Area 05 (starting zone with traders), the Border Zone (guarded by hostile forces and physical obstacles), and Vostok (the final high-risk zone). Each area consists of multiple sub-maps like the Village, Shipyard, and Radar station.

The game features a linear series of meticulously detailed environments rather than a traditional open world. Players traverse various locations across the U.S., including Boston, Lincoln, Pittsburgh, Jackson, Salt Lake City, and rural areas, each presenting unique environmental challenges and encounters.

• Pickup Truck (Various): Land Vehicle
  Used in several sections for long-distance travel across the country. Not directly controllable for extended periods by the player beyond scripted sequences.
• Horse (Callus, etc.): Mount
  Used for traversal in specific chapters, particularly in more open rural areas. Player can control movement.

• Horse: Equus caballus
  Mount, Traversal (in specific sections)
• Deer: Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed deer implied)
  Wildlife, Hunting (provides food/resources in one sequence)
• Rabbit: Sylvilagus floridanus (Eastern cottontail implied)
  Wildlife, Environmental Ambiance
• Dog (Mentioned/Implied): Canis lupus familiaris
  Formerly companions, some feral/hostile (though not prominent gameplay elements)

• Joel Miller: Protagonist
  A hardened survivor in his late 40s, haunted by his past. Tasked with escorting Ellie across the country.
• Ellie Williams: Deuteragonist / Escortee
  A 14-year-old girl who is immune to the Cordyceps infection. She is brave, resourceful, and forms a deep bond with Joel.
• Tess Servopoulos: Ally / Joel's Partner
  Joel's smuggling partner in the Boston quarantine zone. A tough and pragmatic survivor.
• Bill: Ally (Reluctant)
  A paranoid and solitary survivor living in an isolated, booby-trapped town. Owes Joel a favor.
• Marlene: Antagonist / Firefly Leader
  The leader of the Fireflies, a rebel militia group fighting against military oppression and seeking a cure for the infection.
• Tommy Miller: Ally / Joel's Brother
  Joel's younger brother, formerly a Firefly, now living in a fortified settlement near a hydroelectric dam.
• David: Antagonist / Cannibal Leader
  The charismatic but sinister leader of a group of survivors who have resorted to cannibalism.

• Prologue (The Outbreak)
  Experience the initial hours of the Cordyceps outbreak through the eyes of Sarah Miller.
• The Quarantine Zone (Boston)
  Joel and Tess navigate the Boston QZ, undertake a smuggling job for Marlene involving Ellie.
• Bill's Town
  Seek out Bill, a paranoid survivor, to secure a working vehicle.
• Pittsburgh
  Ambushed by hunters, Joel and Ellie must fight their way through the hostile city.
• The University (Go Big Horns!)
  Search for the Fireflies at the University of Eastern Colorado, leading to a critical injury for Joel.
• Lakeside Resort (Winter)
  Ellie takes care of an injured Joel and confronts a group of cannibals led by David.
• The Firefly Lab (Salt Lake City)
  Joel and Ellie finally reach the Firefly hospital, leading to a difficult moral decision.
• Left Behind (DLC Story)
  Experience Ellie's past with her friend Riley in the Boston QZ, intertwined with her efforts to find medicine for Joel during the Winter chapter.

The Last of Us Part I (remake) does **not** include the 'Factions' multiplayer mode that was present in the original 2013 release and The Last of Us Remastered (PS4). It is a single-player only experience. A standalone multiplayer project set in The Last of Us universe was in development but has since been cancelled.

Early Access Standard Edition launches at $14.99 with a 25% launch discount for the first two weeks. The price will adjust to $19.99 thereafter until the 1.0 release. All future content builds (Nomads, Signal, Gunslinger, etc.) are included in this price.

The Last of Us Part I (remake) includes the **Left Behind** prequel story DLC, which was originally standalone DLC for the 2013 game. No new story DLC has been announced for Part I remake itself. The PC version received numerous patches addressing performance and stability issues post-launch.

• Q: What happens when I die in Vostok?
  A: Vostok is a permadeath zone. If you die there, you lose everything, including your stash/shelter progress—essentially a full game reset.
• Q: Is there a co-op mode?
  A: No. The game is designed from the ground up as a hardcore single-player survival experience.
• Q: Why did the developer switch to Godot?
  A: The switch was made following Unity's licensing controversies to ensure long-term stability and full creative control.
• Q: What is 'Area 05'?
  A: It is an evacuated zone in southeastern Finland where the player begins their journey, featuring shelters and traders.
• Q: Does the game support Linux?
  A: Windows is the primary launch OS, but native Linux support is planned to arrive a few months after the initial Early Access release.

• Q: Is The Last of Us Part I a remake or a remaster?
  A: The Last of Us Part I (released 2022 for PS5, 2023 for PC) is a full remake of the original 2013 game, rebuilt from the ground up with new graphics, animations, AI, and updated gameplay mechanics to be more in line with The Last of Us Part II. It is not simply a remaster of the PS4 version.
• Q: Does The Last of Us Part I include the Left Behind DLC?
  A: Yes, The Last of Us Part I includes the Left Behind prequel story DLC integrated into the main package.
• Q: Does The Last of Us Part I (remake) have the Factions multiplayer mode?
  A: No, the Factions multiplayer mode from the original game and The Last of Us Remastered is not included in The Last of Us Part I remake. It is a single-player only experience.
• Q: How demanding is The Last of Us Part I on PC?
  A: The PC port of The Last of Us Part I is known to be very demanding, particularly on CPU and VRAM, especially at higher settings and resolutions. An NVMe SSD is mandatory. Performance has improved with patches since its initial problematic launch.
• Q: Are there different types of Infected in the game?
  A: Yes, there are several stages of the Cordyceps infection: Runners (fast, recently infected), Stalkers (more cunning, hide and ambush), Clickers (blind but use echolocation, very dangerous), Bloaters (heavily armored, throw mycotoxin projectiles), and Shamblers (in Left Behind, release spore clouds).

Rebuilt using Naughty Dog's latest PS5 engine technology, The Last of Us Part I features significantly improved graphics over the original and remastered versions. This includes more detailed character models, enhanced lighting and shadow effects, denser environments, improved animations, and more realistic physics. The PC version supports higher resolutions, uncapped framerates, and ultrawide monitors.

Iconic and BAFTA award-winning score by Gustavo Santaolalla, featuring haunting acoustic guitar melodies. Sound design is critical for gameplay, providing cues for enemy locations (Infected clicks, human dialogue) and environmental awareness. The remake features enhanced 3D audio capabilities.

Features a relatively minimalist HUD focusing on immersion, with contextual prompts for interactions and resource management. Crafting and upgrade menus are accessible via Joel's backpack. The PC version includes extensive graphics and control customization options.

Naughty Dog is renowned for extensive accessibility options. Part I includes features for vision (e.g., screen reader, high contrast modes, audio cues for traversal/combat), hearing (e.g., subtitle customization, visual prompts), and motor skills (e.g., control remapping, aim assist, auto-pickup, navigation assistance).

• Targeting a stable 60 FPS on mid-range hardware using Godot's Vulkan renderer. Native Linux support is planned for post-launch.
• Laptop Performance Note: Grounded photogrammetry assets can be VRAM intensive; ensure your laptop is plugged in to maintain stable clock speeds for high-resolution texture streaming.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Minimum 80W recommended for consistent framerates in dense forestry.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Aggressive cooling recommended as the engine's physics calculations can lead to CPU heat spikes.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Ensure PL1 limits are not restricted to avoid stuttering during AI spawn cycles.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Recommended to bypass integrated graphics for a 15% performance gain.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: FSR 2.2 and DLSS support confirmed for the Early Access launch.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Volumetric Fog and SDFGI (Global Illumination) have the highest performance impact.
• Game Name: Road to Vostok

• Official PC system requirements as per Naughty Dog/Sony (March 2023 release). The game is known to be demanding on PC, especially for CPU and VRAM at higher settings. SSD is mandatory. Performance has improved with post-launch patches.
• Laptop Performance Note: The Last of Us Part I on PC is very demanding. High-end gaming laptops with powerful, recent discrete GPUs (e.g., RTX 3070 Mobile or higher) are recommended for a good experience at 1080p High. Achieving high framerates at higher resolutions will require top-tier mobile hardware and careful settings optimization.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: A very high TGP for the discrete GPU is crucial (e.g., 115W+ for RTX 3070M, 90W+ for RTX 3060M) as the game can heavily utilize the GPU.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Exceptional cooling is essential to prevent thermal throttling, which can significantly impact performance in this title.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A strong multi-core CPU with good sustained power limits is vital. The game can be CPU-bound in certain areas, even with powerful GPUs.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Utilizing a MUX switch or Advanced Optimus is highly recommended to maximize performance and avoid bottlenecks from the iGPU.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Supports NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution and AMD FSR 2.2. These are highly recommended for achieving target framerates at higher resolutions or settings.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Texture Quality (VRAM heavy), Shadow Quality, Draw Distance, Reflections, Ambient Occlusion, and Volumetric Effects significantly affect performance.
• Sound card: DirectX compatible soundcard (Standard requirement for audio output.)
• Peripherals: Windows-compatible keyboard, mouse, optional controller (DualSense, Xbox controllers supported) (Supports standard PC input devices and popular gamepads with haptic feedback on DualSense.)
• Game Name: The Last of Us Part I

• Upscaling Tech: Supports NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution and AMD FSR 2.2. These are highly recommended for achieving target framerates at higher resolutions or settings.
• Key Settings Impact: Texture Quality (VRAM heavy), Shadow Quality, Draw Distance, Reflections, Ambient Occlusion, and Volumetric Effects significantly affect performance.

• G P U T G P: Minimum 80W recommended for consistent framerates in dense forestry.
• Cooling Thermals: Aggressive cooling recommended as the engine's physics calculations can lead to CPU heat spikes.
• C P U Power Limits: Ensure PL1 limits are not restricted to avoid stuttering during AI spawn cycles.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Recommended to bypass integrated graphics for a 15% performance gain.

• G P U T G P: A very high TGP for the discrete GPU is crucial (e.g., 115W+ for RTX 3070M, 90W+ for RTX 3060M) as the game can heavily utilize the GPU.
• Cooling Thermals: Exceptional cooling is essential to prevent thermal throttling, which can significantly impact performance in this title.
• C P U Power Limits: A strong multi-core CPU with good sustained power limits is vital. The game can be CPU-bound in certain areas, even with powerful GPUs.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Utilizing a MUX switch or Advanced Optimus is highly recommended to maximize performance and avoid bottlenecks from the iGPU.