Updated: Shortly after a leak confirmed its existence, Naughty Dog officially revealed The Last of Us Part II Remastered for PS5 on Friday evening, confirming the release date as well: Jan. 19.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered comes to PS5 on January 19, featuring:
— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) November 18, 2023
? No Return roguelike mode
? Lost Levels with dev commentary
? Guitar Free Play
? Graphical enhancements
? DualSense integration
⭐ And more
Learn more here: https://t.co/iy6A0jwmYI pic.twitter.com/dREbFbQ674
Notably, those who already own The Last of Us Part II on PS4 will be able to upgrade to a digital version of The Last of Us Part II Remastered on PS5 for $10 USD. Save files will also be able to be imported into Part II Remastered.
However, Naughty Dog clarified that upgrades for disc copies of the PS4 version are only available if you have a PS5 with a disc drive. "Owners of PS4 disc copies must insert them into the PS5 every time they want to download or play the PS5 digital version," Naughty Dog's blog post explains.
There's no mention of a PC version of the remaster. You can watch the trailer below.
PlayStation Network previously leaked the remaster, which features a brand new roguelite survival mode, as well as a bevy of gameplay enhancements.
It will feature a new roguelite survival mode is called No Return. In this mode, players can choose their own path through a series of randomized encounters with different enemies and locations throughout the story. Players must fight and survive for as long as they can to reach bosses.
There will be unlockable characters in No Return, some of which were never playable in the franchise and possess unique gameplay traits.
Additionally, there is a new speedrun mode for players to try and best each other’s times in and a new feature called Guitar Free Play where players can unlock instruments. There will also be new unlockable character and weapon skins for both Ellie and Abby, as well as more behind-the-scenes features too. Lost Levels, for example, lets players explore early development versions of three new levels not seen in the original PS4 game.
This remaster will output 4K in Fidelity Mode and have faster loading times, as well as full Dualsense integration. You can read the full listing below, and see Naughty Dog's full blog post here.
Experience the winner of over 300 Game of the Year awards now with an array of technical enhancements that make The Last of Us Part II Remastered the definitive way to play Ellie and Abby’s critically acclaimed story.
Native PS5 enhancements
Built for the PS5 console, The Last of Us Part II Remastered enhances the original PS4 game in ways not possible before, including:
• A host of graphical improvements bring the beautiful-yet-dangerous world to life.
• Visual performance now outputs at 4K in Fidelity Mode.
• Improved loading times more quickly let you jump into action.
• Full DualSense™ wireless controller integration.
No Return – A Roguelike Survival Mode
Experience The Last of Us Part II’s deep combat via an entirely new mode! Survive as long as you can in each run, as you choose your path through a series of randomized encounters. Play as a host of different unlockable characters, some never-before playable in The Last of Us franchise, each with unique gameplay traits. The variety of challenges feature different foes and memorable locations from throughout Part II, all culminating in tense boss battles.
New ways to play
Delve deeper into this beloved adventure and learn how the original game was created.
• Lost Levels lets you explore early-development versions of three new levels not seen in the original.
• Enjoy hours of new developer commentary to hear insights into Part II’s development as you experience the game.
• Live up to your musical potential with Guitar Free Play, which includes new unlockable instruments, or take on the new Speedrun Mode* and post your best times.
• Descriptive Audio** and Speech to Vibrations have also been added to Part II's suite of accessibility features.
• The Last of Us Part II Remastered also features brand new unlockable character and weapon skins for players to use for both Ellie and Abby.
*Game progression required to unlock.
**Only available for audio supported languages
The Last of Us Part II Remastered follows the remaster of the original game last year. We called it a "gorgeous and well-honed remake" in our review, but the subsequent PC release struggled with a number of technical difficulties.
Earlier this year series composer Gustavo Santaolalla hinted that The Last of Us Part II could be getting a new edition where his guitar-playing character cameo would be expanded upon. He was most likely referring to Guitar Free Play.
The Last of Us Part 2 was first released on PS4 back in 2020, and it received a 60fps enhancement via backwards compatibility for PS5 in 2021.
George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He's been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.
When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey
