Naughty Dog Throws a Curveball: 'The Last of Us Part 2' Gets a Chronological Mode, But...Hold Your Horses, Newbies!
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Naughty Dog has released a chronological mode for The Last of Us Part 2, but is advising new players to play the original version first. It's either a genius move or a recipe for timeline-induced headaches, but hey, new content is new content!
Right, so Naughty Dog, those cheeky devs behind 'The Last of Us,' have just dropped a bit of a bombshell – a 'Chronological Experience' mode for 'The Last of Us Part 2.' Sounds neat, doesn't it? Like someone's finally sorted out the timeline for us. But here's the kicker: they're practically begging new players *not* to use it. Bloody hell, what's that about?
According to IGN South Africa's report, (cheers to them for spotting this first), this new mode rearranges the game's narrative into a nice, linear order. Imagine watching a Christopher Nolan film in… well, chronological order. Madness, I tell you! This free update is available *right now* for PC and PS5.
Now, Naughty Dog's reasoning is this: the original, non-linear storytelling was "very intentional and core" to the game's themes and narrative impact. In other words, they reckon you'll miss the point if you watch it in a more orderly fashion. Sounds a bit pretentious, doesn't it? But maybe they're onto something. The back-and-forth structure *did* mess with your head in the best possible way.
Jonathon Dornbush from Naughty Dog reckons this mode will give players "even deeper insight" into the story, highlighting parallels between Ellie and Abby's journeys. Fair enough, I suppose. Seeing Ellie get that guitar and then learn to play *does* sound like a nice, tidy sequence.
But honestly? I reckon it's more for the completionists, the folks who've already had their hearts ripped out by the original and want a fresh perspective. Like re-reading a favourite book backwards just to see what it's like.
Oh, and there are new outfits! Joel gets to cosplay as Nathan Drake, and Tommy rocks the Sam Drake look. A nice touch, I reckon. Plus, some bug fixes and performance tweaks, which are always welcome. This 'Chronological Mode' was a collaboration with Nixxes.
What's next for Naughty Dog? Well, there's that sci-fi project, 'Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet,' and another unannounced game. Neil Druckmann's got his fingers in all sorts of pies, it seems.
So, should you dive into this chronological chaos? If you're a 'Last of Us' virgin, probably not. But if you're a seasoned survivor looking for a new way to suffer through Seattle, give it a whirl. Just don't come crying to me when your brain explodes from the timeline shenanigans.
Tags: The Last of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog, Chronological Mode, PS5, PC Gaming
Original article: IGN South Africa