The Last Of Us' Ellie Redesign Leaves Gamers Horrified

Published Aug 31, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT

Paul Farrelly is a Contributing Writer for Screen Rant’s Gaming section and the founder of GeekGasm.org, a site dedicated to celebrating all things gaming, from triple A blockbusters to weird and wonderful indie hits. Based in Louth, Ireland, Paul has spent years writing about games, pop culture, and tech, turning his lifelong love of gaming into a career that lets him talk (probably too much) about what makes this industry so endlessly fascinating.
He’s previously written and collaborated with several entertainment outlets, including LADbible, gaining a wide perspective on how gaming fits into today’s pop culture conversation. His work blends genuine enthusiasm with thoughtful analysis, exploring how design, storytelling, and community have made gaming one of the most creative mediums around.
When he’s not glued to a controller or keyboard, Paul’s usually spinning vinyl, plotting his next horror marathon, or debating which Resident Evil entry really reigns supreme.
 

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The Last of Us Part 2 is now over 6 years old. With its divisive plot, it wasn't a game for everyone, but the visuals and gameplay are undeniably good. Even by today's standards, The Last of Us Part 2 still holds up well and flexes harder than most modern triple-A games. Recently though, The Last of Us Part 2 and, in particular, its visuals, have been getting headlines for all the wrong reasons. Let's get into it!

Thanks to a recent showcase of Nvidia's DLSS 5, we now have a brand-new look at characters and scenes from The Last of Us Part 2. And, in case you were wondering, the Internet is not very happy. With comments on X, ranging from kind words about how impressive the lighting and detail is, right down to accusations of AI slop! It would seem that Nvidia's foray into AI has not gone down too well with fans.

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A variety of comments from X include the following:

In some aspects it looks good but with most it looks exactly like Ai

Useless AI slop. why would you use this one of the most expressive games ever

The only interesting thing that changes here is the lighting, especially on the faces ; and maybe some amount of "increased definition" (but not always interesting). They should've just called it "dynamic AI lighting" and stick to that purpose, that would actually be useful

While the side-by-side comparison videos do show off improvements in lighting and facial details, it's clear that the majority of The Last of Us Part 2 fans don't appreciate the makeover. The clap back against AI in gaming is very real and many in the comments are calling out developers for being lazy or looking to cut corners when they incorporate AI into the development process. Nvidia's DLSS 5 is not getting a warm welcome from gamers.

Nvidia's showcase went on to highlight the power AI has to render more details and provide dynamic lighting to existing games like The Last of Us Part 2 and, thanks to leaks, we're now seeing this powerful filter being applied to games like Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, Mass Effect, Resident Evil 7 and Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced with mixed results.

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At its best, it makes character models look sharper and more detailed and adds lighting and shade to enhance our favorite games. At its worst though, it looks eerily similar to a Snapchat filter that makes everything look really fake and ruins moments in gaming that we've grown to love. With characters becoming expressionless with glazed-over eyeballs, it's starting to feel like we're entering a new freakish era of gaming.

Perhaps the only saving grace for DLSS 5 is that it's optional. Once officially released, you'll be able to try it out on supported games and turn it off if you don't like the results. Personally, I think Ellie and the rest of The Last of Us Part 2 should be left well alone. The game already looks gorgeous, no need to tinker with it.

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