Since September 2022 saw the release of The Last of Us Part 1 (the PS5 port of the original game), fans shouldn’t be surprised that a remastered version of the game is in production for The Last of Us Part 2.
After several game leaks earlier in the day, Naughty Dog formally announced The Last of Us Part II Remastered on PS5 on November 17. The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered trailer, which Naughty Dog posted on social media, showed January 19, 2024, as the game’s release date.
The most notable gameplay addition in the game appears to be the No Return mode. It is a roguelike survival mode intended to allow players to test their skills in arbitrary encounters and take on combat from The Last of Us Part 2 in a novel way.
The gameplay addition will also include three Lost Levels that were omitted from the game’s final release. In The Last of Us 2 Remastered, Lost Levels provide players with a rare opportunity to explore several playable scenes that were previously removed from the game.
Another gameplay addition will be the playable guitar. Last of Us 2 players can use the guitar to play real songs as they did on the PS4 version. Gamers will now reportedly have opportunities to unlock additional instruments.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered new features
Apart from the new gameplay features, the game will also have improved graphics. The game will include native 4K output in Fidelity Mode, 1440p upscaled to 4K in Performance Mode. It will also have an Unlocked Framerate option for VRR-capable TVs, higher texture resolution, and greater Level-of-Detail distances. It will also have better shadow quality and better animation sampling rate.
Part II Remastered makes better use of the PS5’s capabilities and power in other areas, such as quicker loading times. DualSense wireless controller haptic feedback and adaptive trigger integration are also included in Part II Remastered to further fully immerse players in every fight and exploring moment.
New features have also been included, such as Speech to Vibrations and Descriptive Audio, which employ the DualSense controller to show character speech and cadence.
The Last of Us Part 2 upgrade from PS4 to PS5
For $10 USD, owners of The Last of Us Part 2 on PS4 can upgrade to a digital copy of The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on PS5. It will also be possible to import saved files from The Last of Us Part 2 into The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.
The Last of Us 2’s remaster will be available to upgrade for only $10 if you already own the game on PS4. https://t.co/FLPyGtBoni pic.twitter.com/vLWMQi57IS
— IGN (@IGN) November 18, 2023
It has been clarified by Naughty Dog that disc copies of The Last of Us Part 2, PS4 version can only be upgraded to The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on PS5 if players have a PS5 with a disc drive. According to Naughty Dog’s blog post, “owners of PS4 disc copies must insert them into the PS5 every time they want to download or play the PS5 digital version.”
2020 saw the initial release of The Last of Us Part 2, which received a PS5 optimization patch in 2021. The Last of Us Part 1 was also remade for the PS5 and released by Sony in 2022.