It’s true that when The Last Of Us Part II Remastered was announced that many gamers rolled their eyes. This was a PS4 game that was getting a “remaster” for PS5, and it once again felt like a company trying to get a money grab because they knew how popular the game was on a previous system, so they “upgraded it slightly” and then brought it to the newest system. However, we’ll give Naughty Dog credit. Not only did they upgrade the visuals for the title, but they also gave players more to do than in the PS4 version. Key among these additions was “No Return Mode.”
As detailed by PlayStation, the mode is a roguelike scenario where you try to outlast everything thrown at you. Everything is randomized, and you won’t play solely as Ellie in the encounters. Instead, you’ll have options of who you can be, and each character has special weapons and skills that you can use to survive.
Then, once you get into the mode, you’ll find yourself in random locations from the main story’s campaign. While the maps will be familiar, the encounters won’t be, as each run will randomize where the monsters are, what ones are thrown at you, and the rewards you could get based on the choices you make before you start.
And just like a roguelike, if you die before completing the “run,” you’ll be stuck back at the beginning and lose everything you had gained up to that point. Adding to the variety, there are four different kinds of “challenges” you can undergo with the mode. There’s “Assault,” which is you versus numerous waves of foes of all types.
If you choose “Capture,” you’ll have to break into a safe that’s guarded. With “Holdout,” you’ll have a computer-controlled partner to help you survive the Infected that are all around. Finally, there’s “Hunted,” where you’re on a clock and must survive the endless enemies until that clock hits zero.
But even if you complete all of these, you still have a boss fight. You’ll get to put yourself against The Last Of Us Part II Remastered’s best foes, and you’ll find that things are a bit different from your first “run-in” with them.
If you survive all this? You’ll get a score showing you how well you did. So, do you think you can endure these challenges? Or will you stick to the just as brutal campaign? The game is out today!
