The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered came packed with a bunch of additional content in the form of the Lost Levels, Speedrun Mode, and more. However, arguably the biggest new addition that warrants getting the game a second time for $49.99 or the PS5 upgrade for $9.99 is the roguelike mode, No Return, which adds a ton of replayability to the game.
That said, despite being a rather fun and engaging game mode, No Return barely holds a candle to the also recently released similar roguelike mode for God of War Ragnarok, Valhalla. While both these expansions/ add-ons offer a similar progression system, there are fundamental differences that make one superior to the other.
Having spent more than a couple dozen hours playing both these modes, I think I know why God of War's roguelike mode, Valhalla, feels significantly better to play than what The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's No Return has to offer.
The lack of narrative context and limited scope of its gameplay holds The Last of Us Part 2's No Return mode back
One of the biggest reasons I gravitate towards God of War Ragnarok Valhalla is the seamless narrative continuity of the entire game mode. I don't think every single aspect of a game needs a narrative context, but having that does make it significantly more engaging than just having a series of gameplay events without anything to connect them to.
This is precisely where I think Valhalla excels, and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's No Return mode somewhat pales in comparison. However, I do understand that the grounded nature of Naughty Dog's IP doesn't really leave much room for a narrative layer for something like a roguelike mode, which is best suited for a fantastical setting.
In that regard, Naughty Dog did a phenomenal job at focusing primarily on the gameplay aspect of The Last of Us Part 2, ditching anything related to the game's overarching narrative. However, having no narrative context does feel somewhat jarring in a Naughty Dog game.
Valhalla, on the other hand, marries its storytelling prowess seamlessly with the roguelike elements. This encourages players to go through multiple runs just so they can experience not only the stellar combat and moment-to-moment gameplay but also the story of Kratos coming to terms with his past while embracing his present and future.
Valhalla feels like an epilogue for the base game of God of War Ragnarok. However, on the flip side, No Return feels like a simple additional game mode that you can choose to play after completing The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's campaign. However, if you skip out on No Return, you won't be missing out on much.
Another major issue that makes No Return a less enjoyable roguelike mode than Valhalla is The Last of Us Part 2's moment-to-moment gameplay. You see, unlike God of War, which is a hack-and-slash title at its heart, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is still a survival-horror game, and one that doesn't translate that well into a roguelike experience.
Hack-and-slash is essentially the quintessential gameplay theme for most roguelike games. However, the tense survival-horror-esque gameplay scenario doesn't feel right for a roguelike mode, especially on higher difficulties with strictly limited ammunition and resources.
Despite stealth making up for the bulk of No Return's gameplay experience, it still isn't enough to carry a whole game mode on its shoulders. While I did enjoy my time with No Return, I never found myself compelled to return (no pun intended) to the game mode once I finished unlocking all the characters and boss fight scenarios.
Contrarily, in the case of God of War Ragnarok Valhalla, I still regularly visit that game mode even after having invested more than 100 hours playing it since launch. While The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's No Return mode is a fantastic new addition, it's still a far cry from the kind of experience I seek from a traditional roguelike game/ game mode.
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