The Last of Us Part II Remastered ‘No Return’ Trailer Showcases Unlockable Characters, Gameplay Modifiers, and More
In classic roguelike fashion, players face the challenge of restarting the entire run and returning to the starting level upon being defeated by an enemy.
The Last of Us Part II is getting remastered for the PS5 with bonus content, and Naughty Dog has now dropped an overview trailer for its biggest addition. ‘No Return’ is a roguelite mode that forces players into devastating situations — randomised encounters against swarms of the Infected, Clickers, and more, where each death would take you back to the starting point. There are 12 levels in total, based on memorable locations from the Seattle-set game, all building up to dramatic boss battles. As previously reported, the new version has enhancements for the PS5, including a native 4K output and unlocked framerates for displays with VRR. The Last of Part II Remastered releases January 19.
The trailer for the No Return mode includes both raw gameplay and cinematics captured on the PS5, offering a glimpse at one of the encounters where the game’s antagonist Abby is seen sprinting into hordes of zombies at Jackson City, before getting bit and thrown back to the starting level. The roguelike survival mode lets you pick from familiar characters such as Ellie, Dina, Jesse, and Lev, with the last of them supposedly equipped with a bow and arrow, instead of firearms. Each character comes with respective traits as well, with Dina being adept at crafting trap mines and stun bombs, whereas playing as Jessie grants 30 percent more currency across each room and some ‘unique items’ at trading posts. Keeping with the genre, you will run into special modifications and temporary power-ups that’d help you fare better at oncoming battles. They’ll, of course, be randomised on subsequent runs.
In a roguelike twist, The Last of Us Part II Remastered introduces permanent weapon upgrades, character skins (including a spacesuit for Ellie), and unlockable characters such as Joel, Tommy, and Mel. Repeated playthroughs allow players to acquire these rewards through a special currency system. The remastered version, though arguably unnecessary given the original’s 2020 launch, offers bonus content, including ‘Lost Levels’ featuring early development levels never seen before. A Guitar Free Play mode adds a relaxing touch, allowing players to strum away to their favorite tunes. Graphical enhancements, support for the PS5’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, and faster load times due to the SSD further enhance the gaming experience. The Last of Us Part II Remastered is set to release on January 19 for the PS5.
