TLOU2’s No Return Mode Proves a Small-Scale Co-Op Game Could Work Well

Though the writing was on the wall for a good while, The Last of Us multiplayer’s cancelation at the end of last year was still disappointing news to so many fans. This was especially true for those who had been waiting years for an update of The Last of Us Part 2‘s missing Factions mode. But time moves on, and fans already have a new Last of Us experience to play through thanks to the recently released The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.

Though the main bulk of The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is obviously the up-scaled main story mode, the remaster has plenty of other exciting features in store, ranging from some insightful developer commentary tracks to some intriguing Lost Level prototypes and a fairly fleshed-out roguelike mode. It’s the latter that’s by far The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered‘s most exciting addition, and there’s one specific No Return feature that might start making fans ask for a smaller-scale Last of Us co-op game.

The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return Mode Shows How a Co-Op Game Could Work

Companion Missions Are a Highlight of The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return Mode

As players start to make their way through The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered‘s No Return mode, they’ll start to unlock a variety of different encounter types and modifiers that affect the game in different ways. One of these modifiers sees players being joined by an AI companion for the duration of an encounter. More often than not, these companion missions are a major highlight of any Last of Us Part 2 No Return run, with them frequently delivering some of the most cinematic moments of gameplay.

The most common encounter type for an AI companion to show up in is Assault, where players are tasked with taking down several waves of enemies any way they see fit. Here, companions will follow the usual Last of Us formula, sticking behind the player and only springing to action when the enemy is alerted.

Then, in No Return’s Holdout mode, the AI companion becomes the central focus of the mission, with the player’s only objective being to protect them against hordes of oncoming enemies. This can lead to a lot of frustration when the AI is misbehaving, but when everything goes to plan, it can be one of the most intense and engaging encounter types in the entire game, reflecting back to some of the story mode’s best moments.

Translating No Return’s Gameplay to Multiplayer Seems Easy

While a full-scale live-service Last of Us multiplayer game was always going to be a difficult sell, and its eventual cancelation wasn’t overly surprising to some fans, it doesn’t mean that The Last of Us should just turn away from multiplayer altogether now. Rather than try and expand on The Last of Us through larger lobbies and bigger modes, a Last of Us multiplayer game should just focus on a smaller-scale, two-player co-op experience, and the perfect blueprint is already there.

For a multiplayer game, The Last of Us should just turn to its own No Return mode, and let a second player join in on the action. With most of The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered‘s No Return mode being made with an AI companion in mind, it’d presumably also work with a human player in their place. Of course, Naughty Dog would have to balance the experience a bit to fit with two players, but the general formula is right there.

The Last Of Us Part II Remastered

Franchise

The Last of Us

Released

January 19, 2024

Publisher(s)

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Genre(s)

Action-Adventure

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs