Is The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered the same as Part 2?

Is The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered the same as Part 2? A reasonable question given we’ve had so many The Last of Us remasters and reissues over the years that it’s hard to keep track. The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is, as the name implies, a remastered version of the 2020 PS4 version, but aside from a graphical lift it also weaves several other new features.

In this guide, we’ll demystify the whole thing, explaining how The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is different from The Last of Us Part 2. For more help with The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, read up on whether it’s coming to PC and how to upgrade to PS5 if you already own the PS4 version.

What’s the difference between The Last of Us 2 Remastered and The Last of Us 2?

Here are all the new features offered in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered:

PS5 enhancements and graphical improvements

• Native 4K output – Fidelity Mode
• 1440p upscaled to 4K – Performance Mode
• Unlocked Framerate option for VRR TVs
• Shortened load times
• Increased texture resolution, LoD distances, shadow quality, animation sampling rate
• DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers

No Return roguelike survival mode

A brand new roguelike survival mode, No Return pits you against zombies and other enemies in randomised encounters in locations from the story. Includes boss fights, 10 different playable characters from the story with unique traits, gameplay modifies, custom runs, and unlockable skins. Death is permanent though, so should you die, you’ll have to start again from scratch, losing all upgrades and weapons.

Lost Levels

Lost Levels are three new never-seen-before early-development levels that didn’t make it into the final game. They are Sewers, Jackson Party, and Boar Hunt. Players can explore these freely and listen to developer commentary by activating interactables spread across each of the levels.

Guitar Free Play

New guitar-playing minigame mode. You can play as Ellie, Joel, and compose Gustavo Santaolalla, using a banjo, guitar, or steel resonator, along with effects pedals to modulate and spice up performanes.

Speedrun mode

A mode similar to the one found in The Last of Us Part 1, players can keep track of their play times with an on-screen counter, cutscene pauses, and more.

New accessibility features

• Speech to Vibrations
• Descriptive Audio
• Cinematic Descriptions

Photo Mode improvements

• Dynamic lighting
• Frame Forward
• Gaze Direction
• New frames
• New logos

New Skins

The Last of Us Part II Remastered also has new character and weapon skins for both Abby and Ellie that can be unlocked.

Grounded II: Making The Last of Us Part II (future update)

Grounded II: Making The Last of Us Part II, a documentary charting the development of The Last of Us Part 2, will be added to the game at a later date, offering an in-depth look at how the game came to life. There’s currently no firm release date.

Other than these features, the game is identical to the PS4 version. The story is the same, including the structure, playtime, and characters. For a peek at how the story unfolds check out the trophies list and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered chapters list.