In a surprise announcement today, Naughty Dog released a free update to The Last of Us Part II Remastered that adds Chronological mode, allowing players to experience the story in chronological order. The release comes a little over a month after the second season of the HBO series finished airing in late May. As its name suggests, Chronological mode presents the story chronologically. I’m looking forward to experiencing this, because one of my biggest gripes with The Last of Us Part II when it first released was the order in which the story was told. While a chronological presentation wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, I’m curious to see how it changes the experience.
Along with new trophies, those who complete the narrative in Chronological mode will unlock a Nathan Drake costume for Joel and a Sam Drake costume for Tommy. The skins are usable in No Return, the roguelike survival mode added in The Last of Us Part II Remastered. Available today on PlayStation 5 and PC, the update also adds numerous bug fixes and performance improvements.
It’ll be interesting to hear feedback on Chronological mode, especially since the HBO series also tells its story non-linearly. The second season focused on Ellie’s days in Seattle, while the third season will switch to Abby’s point of view. Recently, Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann revealed he will step away from his creative involvement in the HBO series and series co-writer Halley Gross confirmed the same.
