Marlene’s Wild Card Playstyle in Last of Us Part 2 No Return

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In the roguelike mode of The Last of Us Part 2 titled No Return, a significant portion of the enjoyment is influenced by the game’s challenging and inconvenient layout. Fortunately, players can approach No Return with a relaxed, straightforward style because each run is temporary, and all progress outside of character or skin unlocks resets between them. Although it can be tough to survive a single run, let alone aim for top rankings in daily runs, the introduction of Marlene as a playable character adds an intriguing twist to No Return’s overall experience.

If a game like “No Return” can maintain its relevance with regular updates and new content, it may have an unexpectedly long lifespan, similar to the characters Marlene and Bill from Part 1, who have been introduced in The Last of Us Part 2. Unlike the straightforward character Bill, who adds Tommy and Joel’s arsenal with extra weapons and crafting recipes found through Dead Drops, Marlene stands out as one of the most unusual characters in The Last of Us Part 2‘s roguelike mode. Her gameplay style is unique, focusing entirely on gambits.

The Last of Us’ Marlene is High-Risk, High-Reward in Part 2’s No Return

Marlene’s game strategy heavily relies on Random Number Generation (RNG), but the payoffs can be significant if players successfully execute strategies and pick encounters based on the potential loot, such as parts, bonuses, and currency. In essence, players receive rewards from encounters only when they successfully complete the associated challenges or strategies (gambits).

From my perspective, a competitive run in this game seems to be at a significant disadvantage if a player can’t execute at least four out of five possible strategies. This is because they’ll be missing out on essential resources or upgrades, which leaves them ill-equipped for future encounters. This playstyle appears to favor and reward players who prefer an improvisational approach. The initial upgrade path, Calculated, is simply fantastic as it offers triple encounter rewards, the ability to infinitely re-roll trading post items, and the Endure trait.

Her standard equipment is also quite good, including a semi-automatic pistol and rifle, providing her with multiple strategies for handling various situations. However, Marlene’s All or Nothing trait can be frustrating if players draw a generic gambit, like “Eliminate enemies using three distinct weapons” or “Stealthily kill an enemy,” which may not fit the environment or faction, or even one that would normally be suitable for an encounter but is inconvenient due to unforeseen circumstances.

In “Assault on No Return,” strategies or surprises (gambits) are not introduced until the second round, failing to account for players’ actions in the initial round. This means that players must adapt and think on their feet, which can be frustrating if the first round had provided an ideal opportunity to execute the challenge.

Marlene’s Board Rerouting is a Game-Changer in No Return

Not only does Marlene have an extra advantage, but she can also alter her strategy on the game board during each run, making it ideal when players expect challenging ordeals or the strategies within them. Since there are various strategies for different challenges, players might guess the same set of strategies if they frequently choose the same encounter type or faction. For instance, Rattler encounters sometimes include the “Free 2 clickers” strategy, whereas Seraphite encounters may involve the “Eliminate the highlighted brute first” strategy.

Marlene is the only Last of Us Part 1 character who can dodge in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return.

Instead of sticking to one type of interaction and changing only when the best option arises (which could make the character overpowered), the challenge lies in the difficulty of consistently executing gambits, since their minor rewards don’t always justify the effort. Making gambits mandatory for ordinary encounter rewards through the All or Nothing feature is brilliant because it elevates their importance; when playing as Marlene, who may require players to adapt if they engage in daily activities, gambits have become more significant than ever.

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2025-04-25 13:48