Summary
One of the biggest points of praise forThe Last of Usas a franchise, and the thing that really put the first game on the map back in 2013, was its strong focus on narrative and character relationships. While video games had been getting increasingly cinematic for a long time before its release,The Last of Usbroke new ground with its storytelling, at least in the video game world. WhileThe Last of Us Part 2’s storyis still a tad controversial, it’s almost equally as groundbreaking when it comes to how that story is actually told using the medium of video games.
The story isn’t the only great aspect ofThe Last of Us. Though it may not offer the tightest shooting or most satisfying melee mechanics in gaming,The Last of Us' moment-to-moment combat is some of the most intense and engaging of its genre, and it plays a big part in enticing fans to give the game another playthrough. It seems as though Naughty Dog has noticed just how importantThe Last of Us' combat is, withThe Last of Us Part 2 Remasteredmaking a bold decision to lean into less story-focused modes, a decision that’s likely for the best.
The Last of Us Should Lean Even More Into Non-Story Modes
The Last of Us' Permadeath Mode Is a Big Highlight
Though the lack of a Factions multiplayer mode was sorely missed inThe Last of Us Part 2, the sequel still had plenty of additional content to encourage fans to give the main story another go, with one of the most popular being its brutally difficult Permadeath mode. Functioning exactly how it sounds,The Last of Us Part 2’s Permadeath modetasks players with completing huge portions of the game without dying once. A nightmare for many, the Permadeath mode quickly became a favorite of streamers and die-hard fans looking to Platinum the game.
With it gaining quite a bit of popularity afterThe Last of Us Part 2’s release, Naughty Dog decided to add aPermadeath mode toThe Last of Us Part 1remake, along with a handful of other game modes and modifiers such as a Speedrun mode. But while these extra challenges were a fun addition, they weren’t too substantial, and fans have come to expect more for remasters and remakes.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered’s Extra Modes Should Just Be the Beginning
Thankfully, Naughty Dog seems to have taken that feedback on board this time, asThe Last of Us Part 2 Remasteredis set to release with a slew of extra modes, most of which don’t really focus on the series' overarching story. ThoughLast of Us Part 2’s Lost Levelsgive fans an intimate look at some cut missions from the original game, the other game modes coming with the remaster all put the gameplay front and center of the experience, with the No Return mode being the biggest addition.
The Last of Us Part 2Remastered’s No Return sees players engage in a round-based roguelike mode, where they’ll face off against a variety of factions, enemy types, and bosses. Much more than just a tacked-on mode, No Return apparently contains skill trees for each playable character, some of whom are playable for the very first time in the series.The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return modesounds like it’ll be worth the $10 upgrade on its own, and it’s hopefully a big sign that Naughty Dog understands just how important gameplay is, along with the story.
The Last of Us Part 2
WHERE TO PLAY
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
