Its been a while since Last of Part 2 Remastered dropped its new rogue-like mode -- No Return, but I only recently got a chance to try it out -- Spoiler alert -- its awesome. More over it really highlights how layered and accessable Last of Us Part 2's combat really is. By incorporating the core elements of its combat into a bite size experience, it is a reminder of the nature of its combat is meant to experimented with. The encounters themselves are very short -- and their bite size nature makes them perfect for speed runners -- and is also a perfect fit for the Playstation Portal. one encounter I threw a molitav cocktailI hit the enemy in the leg, which obviously didn't result in a kill, but as they struggled to put out the fire, I ran around the corner for a melee kill.
This experimentation also extends to Last of Us 2 very well designed maps, which in most cases, are just open enough to give you the right amount of breathing room. There are large open areas -- like the Forest, or the Resort from the games' Santa Barbara levels. There are also corridor heavy sections, like The Hospital and Subway Tunnels. The arcade-like nature of No Return also breaks cannon in a fun way -- showing characters in locations that narratively they would never be in.
This is a true rogue-like; Upgrades, weapons, and gear will be lost when you die. Unlocked skins, modes, and chracters are permanent however. Completing runs will unlock more characters and modes as well as skins for more characters. Progress will also unlock gameplay modifiers known as Gambits. These will be applied randomly to runs, but you can also manually turn on or off which ones you like. These include things killing a certain number of enimies from prone, or using the dodge mechanic three times. You will start the game as Ellie, but others can be unlocked by completing certain challenges.
Early on, the two modes you will tackle include Assault, which involves tackling waves of enimies with a set number of targets -- and Hunted, where the game will throw obstacles at you until the time runs out. at These encounters can be handled in any way you see fit, guns blazing or in stealth. In each encounter you will also find a stash box that has more ammo and supplies that you can grab.
One of my favorites is called Capture. This encounter is meant to be tackled using stealth; but some careful strategy could also be useful if you wanted to rush in. In this mode, you are meant to take out all the enimies in the area and unlock a safe before time runs out. Just like in the main game, safes are full of valuable resources. While it is possible to finish the encounter without unlocking the safe, that is not really the point.
Completing an encounter will net you gears for weapon upgrades and coins can be used to unlock weapons, ammo, and recipes for your next encounter. Pouring points into what weapons and crafting you want to use makes its easy to see why this can be tailored to different play styles.
What makes NO RETURN so compelling is that its just a small part of a bigger package -- one that can be unlocked with a mere $10 entry fee, as part of Last of Us Part 2 Remastered. Its definitely debateable if this remaster even need to be made in the first place, but that fact that this rogue-like mode is so well fleshed out is a testament to the Naughty Dog's level design and combat. I have sunk hours into NO RETURN. If this mode is continuously added to it has the poetential to be one the better Rogue modes, and definitely makes the case for other games to add one.
This addition of this mode, dropped very close to the cancellation of the long-gestating Last of Us Multiplayer Mode; It is easy to see a world where more chracters and modes are added over time. While there is no PVP mode to speak of, NO RETURN does feature a DAILY RUN that is a tied to a spacifc chracter and mode. This run can only be done every 24 hours -- the daily run will be identical for everyone and is connected to an online leaderboard. While NO RETURN does not have a story component like God of War Valhalla, it also is much more arcade like and doesnt require a huge time commitment like Returnal or other rogue-likes and is a facinating addition to Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.
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