The Last of Us Part 1 vs Part 2 - Game Scout
The Last of Us Part 1 vs Part 2 at a glance
| Part 1 | Part 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 (PS5 remake) | 2024 (PS5 remaster) |
| Platforms | PS5 | PS5 |
| Main story length | About 19 hours | About 31 hours |
| Full completion | About 21 hours | About 43 hours |
| Focus | Story first, tighter run | Combat and exploration, longer |
| Game-Scout rating | 4.89 from 129,748 players | 4.52 from 290,639 players |
| Reception | Great, broad agreement | Mixed, sharply split |
| PS Plus | Extra | Extra |
| Mode | Single-player | Single-player |
Which one to play first
Start with Part 1. Part 2 is a direct sequel that picks up years after the first game and builds its entire opening on characters and events from Part 1, so playing it first spoils the ending you have not earned yet and skips the setup the sequel leans on the whole way through.
The release order is what trips people up. The Part 1 remake arrived in 2022, two years after Part 2's original launch, so the newer-looking game is actually the earlier story. If you are buying in now, the story order and the smart play order are the same: Part 1, then Part 2. Both are single-player only and both sit on PS Plus Extra, so if you have that tier you can run the pair back to back without paying twice.
Part 1 wins on story, Part 2 splits the room
This is where the two games separate, and the Game-Scout review data draws the line cleanly. Read across Part 1's reviews and they tally up the same way every time: the engaging storyline and the emotional impact are the whole draw, with only a mild wish for a more immersive world. That is why it lands at 4.89 with almost no argument.
Part 2 is the opposite shape. Its praise is all about the moment-to-moment game: the combat mechanics, the visuals, the world-building, and the replay value. Its complaints are all about the story: reviewers repeatedly call out disappointing narrative choices, character arcs that feel unearned, and pacing that sags. So the 4.52 is not a craft problem, it is a story split. When people say Part 1 has the better story and Part 2 has the better gameplay, the ratings back both halves of that claim at once.
How much more game Part 2 is, and whether it is worth the grind
Part 2 is the bigger game by a wide margin. Game-Scout time-to-beat estimates put the main story at about 31 hours against Part 1's 19, and a full clear at about 43 hours against 21. A lot of that extra time is genuine: Part 2 adds collectible sets and hidden areas the first game never tracked, so there is real optional content to comb through rather than a padded main path.
- Part 1 keeps it tight: about two hours separate the main story from a full clear, so there is little beyond the campaign to chase.
- Part 2 roughly doubles that gap, and the reviews credit the extra world-building and replay value rather than writing it off as filler.
- The recurring knock is pacing, so the length that rewards completionists is the same length some players find drags.
If you clear side content for its own sake, Part 2 gives you more worth doing and the reviews say the platinum grind holds up. If you mainly want the story beats, Part 1 is the leaner sit and the higher-rated one.
Featured The last of us part 1 vs part 2
The Last of Us™ Part I
The Last of Us Part 1 is the ground-up PS5 remake of the 2013 original, and it is the one to start with. It runs about 19 hours for the main story and roughly 21 for a full clear, so there is not much beyond the campaign to track, but what is here holds a 4.89 from 129,748 Game-Scout players. The reviews tally up the same way every time: the story and the emotional payoff are the draw, and almost nobody argues with them.
Key Features
- Ground-up PS5 remake of the 2013 original, bundled with the Left Behind chapter
- About 19 hours for the main story, about 21 for a full clear
- 4.89 from 129,748 players, the higher-rated of the two games
- Reviews center on the story and emotional impact, with broad agreement
- Single-player, on PS Plus Extra, rated Mature 17+
Also in this series
Gameplay Video
The Last of Us Part 1 - Aggressive Gameplay: Grounded | PS5
The Last of Us™ Part II
The Last of Us Part 2 is the direct sequel and the bigger game by a wide margin: about 31 hours for the main story, about 43 for a full clear, with collectible sets and hidden areas the first game never had. It carries a 4.52 from 290,639 Game-Scout players, more than twice Part 1's rating count and a full step lower. The split is the whole story here: the reviews consistently credit the combat, the world-building, and the replay value, then just as consistently push back on the narrative choices.
Key Features
- Direct sequel, about 31 hours for the main story and about 43 for a full clear
- Adds collectible sets and hidden areas, more to comb through than Part 1
- 4.52 from 290,639 players, the more-played and more-divisive of the two
- Reviews praise the combat, visuals, and world-building
- Reviews split hard on the narrative and the pacing
Also in this series
Gameplay Video
The Last of Us Part I - Before You Buy
Frequently Asked Questions
- Should you play The Last of Us Part 1 before Part 2?
- Yes, play Part 1 first. Part 2 is a direct sequel that opens on the aftermath of Part 1's ending and assumes you know the characters, so starting with Part 2 spoils the first game and skips the setup its story depends on.
- Which is better, The Last of Us Part 1 or Part 2?
- By Game-Scout player ratings, Part 1: it holds a 4.89 from 129,748 players versus Part 2's 4.52 from 290,639. Reviews give Part 2 the edge on combat and scale, but Part 1 wins on story and draws far less pushback.
- Why don't some players like The Last of Us Part 2?
- The recurring complaint in reviews is the narrative: players cite disappointing story choices, character arcs that feel unearned, and pacing problems. The gameplay, visuals, and world-building are widely praised, so the 4.52 rating is a story split, not a quality-of-craft one.
- Is The Last of Us Part 2 worth it if you loved Part 1?
- If you value gameplay and are open to a darker, more divisive story, yes: Part 2 is longer, about 31 hours to Part 1's 19, with more to explore, and reviews rate the combat and world higher. If you played Part 1 mainly for the story and characters, go in knowing the sequel's narrative is the single most divisive thing about it.
- Is The Last of Us Part 1 or Part 2 longer?
- Part 2, by a wide margin. Game-Scout time-to-beat estimates put Part 1 at about 19 hours for the main story and 21 for a full clear, and Part 2 at about 31 hours main and 43 for full completion, thanks partly to collectible sets and hidden areas Part 1 does not have.