The Last of Us Part II attracted a lot of controversy when it first released due to its narrative structure. Players would go through the entirety of Ellie’s story first, then start from the beginning from Abby’s perspective. This could make the game feel long and exhausting, with sluggish pacing that made it difficult to get through. Naughty Dog has now released a new update for The Last of Us Part II that comes with a new Chronological mode to give players a new way to experience the story.
It does what it says on the box. Ellie and Abby’s stories are intercut with each other, and you’ll jump back and forth between the two characters as you play. For instance, you might play through Ellie’s first day in Seattle, then jump to Abby during her own first day in Seattle.
The new update also comes with a few goodies for you to unlock, including new outfits for Joel and Tommy. Joel gets to do his best Nathan Drake cosplay from Uncharted, while Tommy gets to cosplay Sam Drake. Do note that these outfits are only available in No Return, which is a roguelike mode that got added to the game about two years ago. There are also new trophies to unlock by playing through this mode, just in case there are any trophy hunters out there who can’t get enough of The Last of Us Part II.
Of course, you’ll still be able to play through the game as originally intended, and Chronological mode will be made available through the main menu. Personally, I’m of the opinion that the original structure is what makes The Last of Us Part II so impactful, exhausting though it may be. It helps to drive home the point that Ellie’s bloodthirsty rampage has serious consequences, and the story revelations only hit that much stronger because of how they’re revealed later in the game. Even so, this will still be an interesting way to experience the story and examine how that could change how one feels about the game.
The game saw a resurgence in popularity earlier this year, when Season 2 of HBO’s adaptation started airing. So I guess it’s no surprise to see Naughty Dog continue to support the game with updates. Game director Neil Druckmann, who was previously involved with the HBO adaptation, has since stepped back from the project to refocus on video games, including Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
The Last of Us Part II is now available on PlayStation and PC.
