Season two of The Last of Us ended on “the” moment. The moment when a story you thought was one thing actually becomes another. It’s a moment lifted directly from the video game The Last of Us Part II, but now the game is letting players get rid of it, and we’re very curious about the timing.
Tuesday, Naughty Dog announced that it’s releasing a new update to the remastered edition of The Last of Us Part II. The update will allow fans to play the game chronologically, which drastically shifts the timing and intentions of the original game. “Those who have already played will know its story is told non-linearly, as Ellie and Abby’s motivations, realizations, and emotional stakes unfold across myriad flashbacks and present-day storylines,” the announcement reads. “While this structure is very intentional and core to how our studio wanted Part II’s themes and narrative beats to impact players, we always wondered what it would be like to experience this story chronologically. And now finally, we can answer that question.”
But did the question need to be answered? And is the fact it’s being answered so soon after the TV show based on the game was met with criticism for following the game a coincidence? It sure doesn’t seem like it. It, in fact, feels like a way to potentially undercut the intentions of the game, which we admit were pointedly unpleasant, but in a very good way.
For those who may not know the context here, The Last of Us Part II (and the TV adaptation so far) starts with a woman named Abby killing Joel, one of the main characters in the first game. In the game, you then play primarily as Ellie, Joel’s almost daughter, who goes on to hunt Abby. But, once the two finally meet again, the game flips back in time, and you’re forced to play as Abby. It’s an uncomfortable moment to become the villain, but as the game moves along, that conflict becomes the point. We start to see Abby as less of a villain and more of a hero.
It’s what The Last of Us Part II is all about. Making the player question themselves and others. Forcing us to deal with our own empathy. It’s also what the TV show is going for too, albeit in a slightly more drawn-out way since we’ll have to wait two years for new episodes. A chronological version of the story might still have that in there, but it won’t land in such a direct, gut-punch way.
“Through the new Chronological mode, we believe players will gain even deeper insight into Part II’s narrative,” the company says. “Players will be able to see how Ellie being gifted a guitar flows so neatly into her learning to play, for example, while the journey through Seattle will showcase the fascinating parallels between Ellie and Abby’s crisscrossing journeys. You’ll see just how close they come into running into each other, how their actions impact each other, and more.”
Which, honestly, as a fan of the game, sounds kind of fun. It’s just a different point of view on the story. Maybe the answer here is to only make this mode available after you beat the game the original way, something that doesn’t seem to be in place but is recommended. “While we of course recommend players still new to the game to play through Part II’s story as was originally developed, the team’s hard work has paid off with a fascinating new way to enjoy this chapter,” Naughty Dog says.
Do you think this new mode is in any way an answer to issues with the TV show? Does it bother you it exists? Or are you excited to actually give it a shot and see what new things you can learn? Let us know below.