The Last of Us 2 Remastered adds surprise Chronological Mode

Naughty Dog has quietly dropped a new update for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, and it brings with it something fans have been curious about for years: a brand-new Chronological Experience mode. This mode lets players experience the entire story of Part 2 in timeline order, restructured from start to finish. It’s a major shift for a game that originally leaned heavily on non-linear storytelling.

First released in 2020, The Last of Us Part 2 was praised and criticized for its emotional complexity and bold narrative design. The game jumps between time periods and perspectives, especially between its two main characters, Ellie and Abby. While many players appreciated the emotional payoff this structure allowed, others found the disjointed timeline confusing or difficult to follow.

Now, the new Chronological Experience mode addresses that concern head-on. It organizes the game’s events in a straight line, so players can follow everything from Joel gifting Ellie her guitar all the way through to the climactic final moments—in the actual order they happen. For fans who’ve already played through the original version, it’s a fresh way to re-experience the story—and possibly spot some emotional connections or foreshadowing they missed before.

Naughty Dog Pays Tribute to Uncharted With New Character Outfits

This update doesn’t stop at narrative changes. Naughty Dog has also added new cosmetics for the No Return roguelike mode, including outfits inspired by the Uncharted series. Joel can now don Nathan Drake’s iconic blue Henley, and Tommy gets to suit up like Sam Drake. Plus, the update includes various bug fixes and performance improvements on both PS5 and PC.

One thing to note: Naughty Dog advises that new players avoid the Chronological Mode on their first playthrough. The original structure was designed to deliver specific emotional beats at key points, and reshuffling the scenes might lessen that impact for first-timers.

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect excuse to revisit The Last of Us Part 2, this might be it. And before you jump back in, make sure to use our price comparator to get the best deal available for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.