PlayStation has shared a trailer for No Return, a brand-new, single-player roguelike survival mode for The Last of Us Part II Remastered that throws players back into some of the game’s more memorable locations (e.g., the Channel 13 News Station), but with randomized enemy encounters and updated bosses that, if failed, results in permadeath, with all weapons, items, and upgrades lost.
Jonathon Dornbush, Editorial Content Manager at Naughty Dog, has shared a blog post that provides more detail about the new mode, which lets players shoot their way through as Ellie and other heroes in a number of new challenges:
No Return’s challenges fall into four different types – 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; and Hunted, in which you need to survive until the timer runs out against continuous enemy reinforcements.
Only Ellie and Abby will be available at the start of No Return, but Naughty Dog has confirmed that eight more characters are unlockable, all of which feature their own unique playstyle:
…one of the ways we wanted to offer player choice is with a wider suite of characters you can unlock, including some playable for the first time in the franchise. By progressing through various Challenges, you can unlock Ellie’s fellow Jacksonites Dina, Joel, Tommy, and Jesse, while Abby’s companions Lev, Yara, Mel, and Manny are all also unlockable.
Dina, for example, comes equipped with trap and stun bomb recipes from the jump, and has an upgrade in her skill tree to craft double the amount of bombs, while Abby comes with a melee upgrade recipe and heals on melee hits. We hope the variety allows players to not only invest in the playstyles they love but also test out mechanics they may use less often.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered is available for pre-order today ahead of the game’s release for PS5 on January 19, 2024.
The W.L.F. Edition, a special edition of The Last of Us Part II Remastered that includes a SteelBook case, trading cards, and more, is also available for $99.99.
Naughty Dog hasn’t said anything about a PC version yet, it seems.
