The Last of Us: No Return has left fans hyped

Remasters in and of themselves are exciting for a fandom – the chance to explore a beloved game anew, with refreshed graphics and previous bugs ironed out. This is reason enough to celebrate, but for The Last of Us Part II fans, the reason for celebration has doubled because of a new mode called ‘No Return’.

News of a remaster was announced on 17 November, first through speculation after a social media post from PlayStation Game Size, and then officially by PlayStation itself; rarely do we get such quick confirmation after a rumour comes out. Better still, players don’t have long to wait for the acclaimed sequel to make its way to the PS5, as its release date is 19 January 2024.

Be part of the hype with The Last of Us Part II Remastered trailer!

Fans were hyped enough already, but when they learnt of ‘No Return’ the energy exuding from the fandom multiplied tenfold. This new mode allows a “roguelike survival” experience, in which players can test their skills in randomised encounters – everyone who’s always said they’d do well in these kinds of situations, well, ‘No Return’ is going to test that theory.

You’ll have a varied selection of characters to choose from, some of which will be “playable for the first time in The Last of Us franchise”, with each one showcasing their “own traits to suit different playstyles”. How you fair, then, really comes down to your ability to forward plan. However, even if you aren’t the best tactician, you’ll still be able to unlock new characters, skins, and other useful items as you progress through the ‘No Return’ mode.

“Yeah, I’m all in! That’s a big sell for me especially because I’m on my permadeath run,” said one fan upon hearing about the remaster. The palpable excitement continues further in the Reddit thread, where one gamer said, “I love the gameplay in TLOU2, it’s super fun and intense. With the new mode being called ‘roguelike’ I’m assuming you get one life, which will make it even more intense. I’m excited.”

Even players who claimed to have had their fill of the game the first time it was released in 2020 are interested in this new mode, saying, “The new modes sound fun, the combat was really well done so it'll be nice to kinda enjoy that without the emotional weight of the plot.” Sometimes you want to experience the action without the drama, and while not all of us here at GAMINGbible feel that way, we certainly understand the preference.

Remember, you don’t have long to wait for this hyped new mode and remaster, so be sure to complete your playthrough of the original The Last of Us before 19 January 2024.