Will ‘The Last of Us Part 3’ Make ‘Part 2’s No Return Mode Obsolete?

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Although it’s not like Factions 2 or the canceled online version of The Last of Us, No Return is worth applauding as an intriguing roguelike mode within The Last of Us Part 2. Players don’t often encounter fortunate Random Number Generation (RNG) in their runs, but it’s a clever method to prolong the gameplay experience by offering players a chance to showcase their combat and stealth abilities with exclusive perks and characters that weren’t part of the main story. Additionally, with Marlene and Bill now included in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return, there seems to be room for more characters from The Last of Us Part 1 to join later on.

It’s clear that there’s plenty of material related to Part 1 that No Return could incorporate, if Naughty Dog wants to maintain the roguelike mode in good shape for a long time. However, due to the unclear direction of the franchise post The Last of Us Part 2, No Return as a game mode might find itself on uncertain ground. Essentially, Naughty Dog faces a decision: either include a No Return mode in Part 3 and make Part 2’s redundant, or exclude it from Part 3, instead focusing on adding new content for Part 2 while potentially developing Part 3.

No Return in a Last of Us Part 3 Could Make The Last of Us Part 2’s Obsolete

One potential approach could be: For fans of No Return yearning for its continuation in the upcoming installment of The Last of Us, opting to reprise it rather than incorporating it within The Last of Us Part 2 makes sense. This is due to the fact that a possible The Last of Us Part 3 could introduce numerous new gameplay mechanics, ensuring a fresh and distinct gaming experience compared to its predecessors. For instance, the gameplay from The Last of Us Part 1 to Part 2 has undergone significant changes, so we can anticipate even more transformations for Part 3. Moreover, those who were disenchanted by No Return and were expecting a multiplayer mode similar to Factions might feel further let down by another No Return mode.

In the game No Return, there are no microtransactions, but starting over from scratch might be difficult for players who’ve been accumulating runs, as they thought that this roguelike mode would be the final piece of content from Naughty Dog in The Last of Us series. If No Return appears in Part 3, it will need to consider whether to incorporate all content from Part 1 and Part 2, along with new content for Part 3. It may be more convenient for players if all available content is included on the most recent and modern title in the series.

The Last of Us Part 3 Sans No Return Could Bury the Roguelike Mode in The Last of Us Part 2

Choosing option two could keep the sequel interesting by keeping “No Return” in Part 2 instead of moving it to Part 3. This would allow for unique roguelike gameplay in Part 2 that isn’t available in a potential Part 3, similar to how Factions is exclusive to the original Last of Us and its PS4 remaster. While daily competitions in No Return of Part 2 help maintain players, some might not stay if there’s a new No Return in Part 3.

More recently, Ellie was given a skin that features Jordan’s iconic red jacket from the upcoming “Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet”, and it’s not unthinkable that future skins for No Return, inspired by Naughty Dog’s latest intellectual property, will be developed.

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2025-05-02 14:04