Summary

  • The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's No Return roguelike mode will reportedly have at least 12 levels, more than double what Naughty Dog showed in the game's reveal trailer.
  • Most, if not all, of the levels will repurpose the maps from the original game, as suggested by the five levels that Naughty Dog itself already teased.
  • No Return is just one of many new features set to debut in TLOU 2 Remastered this upcoming January.

The roguelike mode included in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered will have at least 12 levels, according to a former Naughty Dog employee. This unofficial bit of insight into the upcoming title indicates that the new gameplay content in The Last of Us 2 Remastered will be even more extensive than its first reveal trailer suggested.

Naughty Dog officially announced The Last of Us 2 Remastered in mid-November, following numerous leaks and rumors pointing to its existence. The new and improved version of the studio's 2020 hit is scheduled to be released for the PlayStation 5 on January 19, 2024. Among other novel features, the game will introduce a roguelike mode called No Return.

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The Last of Us 2 Player Spots Interesting Ellie Detail

While playing The Last of Us 2, one eagle-eyed player notices a morbid detail that connects Ellie and Joel in a very dark way.

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And while the details about that mode remain scarce, a recently updated LinkedIn profile from former Naughty Dog QA Tester Colin Freeman has potentially revealed one new piece of info about No Return; as first spotted by Spanish YouTuber Joanastic, Freeman wrote that he participated in the testing of 12 "roguelike level layouts" for The Last of Us 2 Remastered. For reference, the original game had 46 chapters of varying lengths, whereas the announcement trailer for its remastered edition already confirmed that at least some of the roguelike levels will reuse those maps, having revealed five such environments in total.

Freeman's LinkedIn profile also mentions that all 12 levels in No Return will feature "AI dialogue regions," albeit without elaborating on the matter. While some studios have been experimenting with AI-generated speech in recent years, this particular tidbit most likely refers to typical scripted and prerecorded dialogue. Freeman's 18-month stint at the company ended in November, indicating that he was among the Naughty Dog developers who were laid off in recent weeks.

TLOU 2 Remastered No Return Mode Confirmed Levels

  • Arcade from Seattle Day 3 (Ellie)
  • Downtown from Seattle Day 1 (Ellie)
  • Jackson (Chapter 1)
  • Subway from Seattle Day 1 (Ellie)
  • The Flooded City from Seattle Day 3 (Abby)

Naughty Dog previously said that the roguelike mode in The Last of Us 2 Remastered will offer a variety of playable characters. That roster will include Tommy, Lev, and Jesse, as suggested by the game's reveal trailer.

No Return won't be the only new feature in The Last of Us 2 Remastered, with Naughty Dog confirming that the upcoming version of the game will also include a Speedrun mode with global leaderboards, as well as three additional missions dubbed Lost Levels. Director's commentary will also be part of the package, as will new outfits and a self-explanatory Guitar Free Play mode. Gamers who already own the PS4 original will be able to upgrade to the digital version of The Last of Us 2 Remastered for $10.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
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10 /10

The Last of Us Part 2
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Action
Adventure
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Systems
PlayStation-1
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Top Critic Avg: 93 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
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Released
June 19, 2020
ESRB
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
Developer(s)
Naughty Dog
Publisher(s)
Sony
Engine
Proprietary
Franchise
The Last of Us
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Play the winner of over 300 Game of the Year awards, remastered for the PlayStation®5 console. Relive or play for the first time Ellie and Abby’s story, now with graphical enhancements, new gameplay modes like the roguelike survival experience No Return, full DualSense® wireless controller integration, and more. Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closur

Genre(s)
Action, Adventure
Metascore
93