Naughty Dog continues its movement of remastering beloved titles in its library, with The Last of Us 2 remaster set to arrive on PS5 imminently. Promising graphical enhancements on top of an already stunning visual experience, TLOU2 PS5 upgrade also contains No Return, a new roguelike survival mode. It won’t be easy, and Naughty Dog itself believes it’ll test your skill level to the limit.
The Last of Us 2 remaster will be available from Friday, January 19, 2024, improving upon what is considered one of the best games available for PlayStation fans. Before then, Naughty Dog senior character artist Del Walker shares his thoughts on what No Return mode will bring. “I don’t think you guys are ready for just how STRESSFUL the survival mode,” says Walker regarding the new PS5 game mode.
Even if you’re a veteran when it comes to fighting off the infected or the Rattlers, Walker jokingly expresses that No Return mode is “not recommended for weak hearts.” Furthermore, he advises that PS5 players should prepare to “get the sweat towel ready.” No Return isn’t just going through the game’s existing story with new difficulty parameters, though.
This mode recontextualizes existing locales with the game’s story, putting players through their paces in randomized scenarios that eventually lead to challenging boss fights. To keep the intensity consistently high, Naughty Dog implements several unique modifiers to ensure that each No Return playthrough is unlike another. And with this mode adopting a roguelike format, every death is irreversible, meaning that you’ll lose all your weapons, upgrades, and items you’ll be gathering along the way.
According to Sony, each run will force the player to make vital decisions: “Throughout a run, players will have to choose between different encounters, which will determine not only the type of gameplay mode you tackle, but also what rewards you may unlock.”
It isn’t doom and gloom, though. You can find solace in a Hideout, which you can return to gear up, apply upgrades, and assess the best course of action going forward. There will be six unlockable bosses to defeat, which will repurpose “memorable foes” from the game’s narrative. Just because you survived Ellie’s wrath in the theatre doesn’t mean you’ll make it out alive this time. Gameplay is also split up into four separate types, which are as follows:
- Assault, which pits you against waves of enemies
- Capture, in which you have to break into a safe full of valuable supplies enemies are guarding
- Holdout, during which you and an AI-controlled buddy defend against Infected swarming around you
- Hunted, in which you need to survive until the timer runs out against continuous enemy reinforcements
If you already own The Last of Us 2 on disc for the PS4, you’ll be entitled to the $10 upgrade path. We’re excited to see how players respond to No Return, and there are undoubtedly going to be some excellent Twitch streams upon release. In the meantime, check out just how much value you’re getting out of your PS Plus subscription.