The Last of Us Part II Remastered releases today on PlayStation 5, bringing fans of the post-apocalyptic franchise the most up-to-date rendition of the 2020 award-winning title. While some are complaining that Naughty Dog is pumping out far too many remasters (2013’s The Last of Us has three), the reviews for Part II Remastered are mostly positive and speak of it being the pinnacle of the series – at least technically.
In this latest release, various in-game skins can be unlocked and equipped for the leading characters – Ellie and Abby. There are some nods to various sentimental scenes from the series, but most of them are representations of other PlayStation games — and one of them has me feeling melancholy and nostalgic.
It Has Been 11 Years
One of the outfits that Ellie can wear in The Last of Us Part II Remastered features a t-shirt emblazoned with a Killzone icon. It’s arguably the first time any PlayStation-focused studio has referenced the franchise in more than ten years, and it’s a punch in the gut for old-school fans still holding out hope for a new title in the series.
Killzone was once poised to be a dominant shooter, challenging the likes of Halo in the sci-fi stakes with next-generation gunplay, an immersive storyline, and an entirely new universe dripping in lore and ingenuity. It dawned on the PlayStation 2, had two releases on the PlayStation 3, and then a final iteration on the PlayStation 4 in 2013. Between those releases, Killzone also popped up on the PSP and the PS Vita.
Related: It Has Been 10 Years Since Killzone Died – What’s Next?
It was developed by Guerrilla, who pivoted after 2013’s Killzone Shadowfall to focus on Horizon: Zero Dawn, taking their developmental talents in an entirely different direction. I still mourn the loss of Killzone and the disappearance of the series from storefronts the world over. While Killzone Shadowfall wasn’t a monumental title, it offered up a sumptuous plethora of top-tier visuals, a lengthy campaign, and a ‘good enough’ multiplayer platform.
It was just beaten out by the likes of Battlefield 4, COD Ghosts, and Halo 4.
So, the closest reference we’ll get to the long-forgotten Killzone franchise is a t-shirt in a remake of a 2020 game made by a completely different studio.
It hurts.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that many developers are working on Switch 2 games
