Impressions from the No Return rogue-lite mode – the main innovation of The Last of Us: Part II Remastered:
• there is no storyline, and the main objective is to clear levels of enemies;
• each run consists of five levels and a boss at the end. After each clearance, you arrive in a safe area for upgrades, and before entering a new location, you can preview the upcoming fight conditions;
• the gameplay entirely mirrors the original game. No unique weaponry or abilities have been introduced;
• diversity is brought in by modifiers that change with every level. For instance, enemies might drop grenades upon death, or the level could fill with dense fog;
• during gameplay, you are offered to undertake a “Gambit” – a unique task that boosts the reward;
• all characters possess their own traits, and upon death, all progress and abilities are lost.
No Return — is an interesting use of the original game’s solid gameplay. It takes about 10 hours to unlock all characters and explore, providing diverse and challenging runs. However, it’s uncertain if it’s worth paying for. Evidently, what we see is the remnants of a canceled multiplayer mode, now repurposed and priced at 10$. Differences in graphics are subtle and require a careful look.
The Last of Us: Part II Remastered is now available on PlayStation 5.
