Naughty Dog has announced that The Last of Us Part II Remastered is set to launch on PlayStation 5 on January 19, 2024. This means PlayStation 4 gamers have The Last Of Us Remastered and The Last of Us Part II, while PlayStation 5 owners get The Last of Us Part 1 and The Last of Us Part II Remastered. According to Naughty Dog, the remastered version features technological improvements, new modes, and new behind-the-scenes features.
The remastered version introduces a new mode called No Return, a roguelike survival mode featuring randomized encounters within The Last of Us Part II’s combat system. In No Return, players will be able to choose from a variety of characters, some of which are playable for the first time in The Last of Us franchise—Lev can be seen in the trailer. Each run will give players a new chance to decide what rewards they get after each encounter, how they spec out their character, and more.
Additionally, the remastered version includes a Guitar Free Play mode, where players can strum a variety of unlockable instruments. They can also use audio FX pedals to modulate their performance, and play as different characters in several in-game locations. There’s also a new set of Lost Levels so players get a chance to see some playable sequences that were originally cut from the game. Although they aren’t fully finished levels, they’ll still let players see new glimpses at the world, along with developer commentary.
Speaking of commentary, newly recorded director’s commentary can be found across the campaign’s cutscenes from director Neil Druckmann, narrative lead Halley Gross, and actors Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, and Laura Bailey.
Technically, the game boasts native 4K output in Fidelity Mode and 1440p resolution upscaled to 4K in Performance Mode. For TVs that support variable refresh rate (VRR), there’s an Unlocked Framerate option, along with increased texture resolution, Level-of-Detail distances, improved shadow quality, animation sampling rate, and more. Naturally, the game will take advantage of the PlayStation 5, resulting in quicker loading times along with the DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
Starting December 5, preorders for The Last of Us Part II Remastered will open, offering both a standard edition and a special W.L.F. Edition that will be exclusively available direct from PlayStation in select markets: United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Benelux, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Austria. The W.L.F. Edition includes a SteelBook display case, four enamel pins, a Washington Liberation Front Patch, and a total of 47 Society of Champions trading cards, including eight holographic cards. Those who already own The Last of Us Part II on PlayStation 4 will be able to upgrade to a digital version of the remastered version for $10.
