Naughty Dog has officially revealed Joel as a playable character in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered‘s roguelike mode. It will be the first real opportunity for fans to play as Joel in The Last of Us Part 2, outside of a handful of brief sections in the game’s original PS4 release.
Called “No Return”, the roguelike survival mode was announced in a PlayStation blog post back in November. It forms a central part of the remastered game and will feature a variety of other playable characters each with their own Playstyles and Traits. In addition to the newly-announced Joel, it includes Ellie, Abby, Lev, Tommy, and others.
Joel’s inclusion in No Return will likely be a boon for players who were dissatisfied with his controversial death. In the mode, players enter “randomized encounters” as different characters from the series and can approach them however they choose.
Naughty Dog has confirmed that players can pick between “stealth and combat encounters that will pit you against a range of enemies, with unique twists that can add new, unexpected factors to any given encounter.”
Furthermore, No Return will allow you to tailor your runs for certain rewards and spec characters to your liking. The more you play and progress in the mode, the more characters and skins you will unlock.
Joel will have the “Unstoppable” playstyle in No Return, which, according to Naughty Dog, means you “can take down anyone (or anything) in your path.” He also has the following traits:
- Custom Revolver
- Sturdier Against Melee
- Can’t Dodge
- Shiv Recipe
- Shiv Upgrade Branch
In Joel’s official No Return trailer, he can be seen fighting a variety of both infected and human enemies.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is scheduled for release on PS5 on 19 January. Players who already own The Last of Us Part 2 will be able to upgrade for $10.
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