The Last of Us Part II (PS4)





Hello everyone! We hope you’ve been well, staying safe, and enjoying The Last of Us Part II. We’ve loved seeing all of you share your experience playing the game, whether it’s by posting your thoughts and impressions on social media, sending us your fan art, or capturing your favorite moments in masterfully choreographed gameplay videos. However, that’s not all that’s been keeping us busy. We’ve been preparing a new update* for The Last of Us Part II, which introduces new features, gameplay modes, Trophies, and more — including the much-requested return of Grounded difficulty. Best of all, it arrives August 13, so let’s get straight into what the Grounded update includes.

Grounded difficulty returns, plus new Permadeath mode
For veteran The Last of Us fans, Grounded difficulty represents the ultimate test of skill. This difficulty raises the stakes by not only making enemies deadlier and ammo, upgrade, and crafting materials incredibly scarce, but also removing invaluable tools for survival, such as disabling Listen mode, deactivating elements of the HUD, and more**. Beginning with the update, Grounded will become one of the base difficulty options available when starting the story, so you won’t need to have beaten the game once already to access it.
As an additional layer of challenge, we’re also introducing a brand new Permadeath mode***. With this custom mode enabled, there are no second chances — you must complete the entire game without dying or start over from the beginning. However, if taking on the whole game is too daunting, you can choose to enable Permadeath mode with checkpoints on a per-chapter or per-act basis. In other words, if you die at the end of Day One, you’ll have to play the entire day over again.
You’ll also be rewarded for your efforts. The Grounded update introduces two new Trophies: one for completing the game with any Permadeath mode enabled and another for beating it on Grounded difficulty. Don’t worry, though, neither of these Trophies will be required in order to earn the Platinum.

New graphics, audio, and gameplay modifiers
Have you ever wondered what The Last of Us Part II would look like as a cel-shaded adventure or if it was made in the retro 8-bit era? How about if it was a black and white noir thriller or sepia-toned classic? With this week’s update, we’re adding nearly 30 new graphics rendering modes, as well as several new audio modifiers that allow you to change the look and feel of the game.

The Last Of Us Part II

The Last of Us Part II

The Last of Us Part II

We’re also debuting new unlockable gameplay modifiers, like One Shot or Touch of Death that enable one-hit kills or Infinite Ammo, Infinite Crafting, or Infinite Listen Mode Range to add a new twist to gameplay:
  • Mirror World
  • Mirror on Death
  • Slow Motion
  • Bullet Speed mode
  • Infinite Ammo
  • Infinite Crafting
  • Infinite Melee Durability
  • Infinite Listen mode Range
  • One Shot
  • Touch of Death
  • 8-bit Audio
  • 4-bit Audio
  • Helium Audio
  • Xenon Audio
All of these modifiers can be accessed via the Extras menu and unlocked after completing the game.
New options and improvements
Alongside these new modes, we’re excited to introduce a number of frequently requested improvements to the game, including the option to disable Listen Mode, adjust Film Grain levels, additional display options, improvements to accessibility features, and more. For our friends in the speedrunning community, we’re also adding the ability to see playtime up to the second in the saves menu, making it easier to track and verify your runs. Here’s a quick overview of the new features that will be added with the Grounded update:
  • Saves now display playtime up to the second
  • Film Grain Adjustment option
  • Disable Listen Mode option
  • Motion Sensor Function Aiming option
  • Arc Throw HUD Display option
  • Aiming Acceleration Scale option
  • Aiming Ramp Power Scale option
  • Accessibility improvements to Ground Zero encounter, collectible tracking, Enhanced Listen Mode for collectibles, and rope gameplay
We hope you enjoy everything coming to The Last of Us Part II with the Grounded update and we can’t wait for all of your awesome gameplay videos and live streams as you take on Grounded difficulty and Permadeath mode. Be sure to keep sharing them with us by following and tagging Naughty Dog on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram


Some of those modifiers and options sound like a lot of fun. I've never tried gyroscopic aiming on a console as far as I can remember so I'm definitely going to try it out at some point. Same with the infinite crafting and ammo. The game comes to life, imo, when you've got a lot of options in approaching a situation, so those modes sound fun in that regard.
 




Hello everyone! We hope you’ve been well, staying safe, and enjoying The Last of Us Part II. We’ve loved seeing all of you share your experience playing the game, whether it’s by posting your thoughts and impressions on social media, sending us your fan art, or capturing your favorite moments in masterfully choreographed gameplay videos. However, that’s not all that’s been keeping us busy. We’ve been preparing a new update* for The Last of Us Part II, which introduces new features, gameplay modes, Trophies, and more — including the much-requested return of Grounded difficulty. Best of all, it arrives August 13, so let’s get straight into what the Grounded update includes.

Grounded difficulty returns, plus new Permadeath mode
For veteran The Last of Us fans, Grounded difficulty represents the ultimate test of skill. This difficulty raises the stakes by not only making enemies deadlier and ammo, upgrade, and crafting materials incredibly scarce, but also removing invaluable tools for survival, such as disabling Listen mode, deactivating elements of the HUD, and more**. Beginning with the update, Grounded will become one of the base difficulty options available when starting the story, so you won’t need to have beaten the game once already to access it.
As an additional layer of challenge, we’re also introducing a brand new Permadeath mode***. With this custom mode enabled, there are no second chances — you must complete the entire game without dying or start over from the beginning. However, if taking on the whole game is too daunting, you can choose to enable Permadeath mode with checkpoints on a per-chapter or per-act basis. In other words, if you die at the end of Day One, you’ll have to play the entire day over again.
You’ll also be rewarded for your efforts. The Grounded update introduces two new Trophies: one for completing the game with any Permadeath mode enabled and another for beating it on Grounded difficulty. Don’t worry, though, neither of these Trophies will be required in order to earn the Platinum.

New graphics, audio, and gameplay modifiers
Have you ever wondered what The Last of Us Part II would look like as a cel-shaded adventure or if it was made in the retro 8-bit era? How about if it was a black and white noir thriller or sepia-toned classic? With this week’s update, we’re adding nearly 30 new graphics rendering modes, as well as several new audio modifiers that allow you to change the look and feel of the game.

The Last Of Us Part II

The Last of Us Part II

The Last of Us Part II

We’re also debuting new unlockable gameplay modifiers, like One Shot or Touch of Death that enable one-hit kills or Infinite Ammo, Infinite Crafting, or Infinite Listen Mode Range to add a new twist to gameplay:
  • Mirror World
  • Mirror on Death
  • Slow Motion
  • Bullet Speed mode
  • Infinite Ammo
  • Infinite Crafting
  • Infinite Melee Durability
  • Infinite Listen mode Range
  • One Shot
  • Touch of Death
  • 8-bit Audio
  • 4-bit Audio
  • Helium Audio
  • Xenon Audio
All of these modifiers can be accessed via the Extras menu and unlocked after completing the game.
New options and improvements
Alongside these new modes, we’re excited to introduce a number of frequently requested improvements to the game, including the option to disable Listen Mode, adjust Film Grain levels, additional display options, improvements to accessibility features, and more. For our friends in the speedrunning community, we’re also adding the ability to see playtime up to the second in the saves menu, making it easier to track and verify your runs. Here’s a quick overview of the new features that will be added with the Grounded update:
  • Saves now display playtime up to the second
  • Film Grain Adjustment option
  • Disable Listen Mode option
  • Motion Sensor Function Aiming option
  • Arc Throw HUD Display option
  • Aiming Acceleration Scale option
  • Aiming Ramp Power Scale option
  • Accessibility improvements to Ground Zero encounter, collectible tracking, Enhanced Listen Mode for collectibles, and rope gameplay
We hope you enjoy everything coming to The Last of Us Part II with the Grounded update and we can’t wait for all of your awesome gameplay videos and live streams as you take on Grounded difficulty and Permadeath mode. Be sure to keep sharing them with us by following and tagging Naughty Dog on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram


This game is nuts, mate. What an update! Bare in mind that the game already has a ton of replay value thanks to it's literally game changing accessibility and nuance difficulty options.

This is pretty incredible stuff and should be the standard for all games moving forward. The gold standard.
 
Did anyone else order The Art of the Last of Us Part 2 Deluxe Edition from Amazon? I pre ordered it the day it was announced, yet the release date has gone by and I still haven't recived mine. Amazon also now show it as currently unavailable.
 
I just completed this and to be honest whilst it's a real showcase for the console and a pretty good game I felt the last few hours a bit of a grind

I was glad it was over when it finally was.
 


Congrats to Naughty Dog for the most profound gaming experience I have ever had, fully deserving the record breaking fan voting accolades.

To think when I started the game I loved Naughty Dog, I thought they were the greatest. Then at some early-ish part of the game, I despaired and hated naughty Dog. Then as I played on, I regained most of the respect and appreciation for Naughty Dog and by then end of the game, I worshipped them as gods of gaming experiences. But I will always taper my expectations...never healthy to worship mortals, , lol. But I won't lie, I'm never interested in awards but I am so happy with this result because it's the fans vote and it was such a passionately opinionated game that hurt so many of the developers and cast. Although....I won't be surprised if a recounted is demanded, given our current climate!...

 
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Not played this yet.

Whoops.

I've forgotten how the first one ended again now too, after I played through it once more especially for Part 2 :laugh: :facepalm:
 
Not played this yet.

Whoops.

I've forgotten how the first one ended again now too, after I played through it once more especially for Part 2 :laugh: :facepalm:
I've only put a few hours into myself. I decided to wait for the PS5 before I finished it.
 
Got this last week. Just waiting to complete Shadow of war then I’m going to start it. The first one was fantastic
 
Another haul of top awards, this time at the biggest event, The Game Awards (which was a great watch btw, wow so much games to forward to! I was pumping my fist in the air with a lot of those mouth watering trailers)


I particularly loved that Laura Bailey won best performance considering the perceived hatred her character received...I do still see a lot of negative reaction and cries of "conspiracy" in the comments, though!




Was kinda funny seeing Keanu announcing best director in a typical Keanu way

 
I'm slowly making my way through this, only coming to the end of chapter 4 so far, but it's very good so far. I do prefer having another companion on my adventure, less keen on going solo.

As good as TLOU and this is, I enjoy the more light hearted, action adventure comedy of the Uncharted Series, it's just more fun in my view - certainly not saying they're better, but I admit I do find playing this a bit unsettling at times.
 
I'm slowly making my way through this, only coming to the end of chapter 4 so far, but it's very good so far. I do prefer having another companion on my adventure, less keen on going solo.

As good as TLOU and this is, I enjoy the more light hearted, action adventure comedy of the Uncharted Series, it's just more fun in my view - certainly not saying they're better, but I admit I do find playing this a bit unsettling at times.

Yeah, I absolutely agree about the Uncharted series. I think they just serve a different purpose as blockbuster gaming entertainment with vibrant characters and glorious banter. I too replay the Uncharted games several times over. They are my favourite escapism games that I repeatedly come back to, along with the Mass Effect serires.. Whereas Last of Us and Last Of Us 2, I've only played each twice and I don't intend to play any of the LoU series again for the foreseeable future.

Yet, LoU 1 and 2 will always be the most profound, unforgettable and greatest narrative gaming experience I've ever had...but they are too intense and dark to replay more than once or twice!

I hope ND now gives us a follow up to Lost Legacy next...get back to the lighthearted comedy adventures as you put it because we need it now more than ever!

It's curious when the same team of developers that works on the Uncharted series have a disturbing urge to also unleash their dark side of creativity, lol. Just as Spielberg jumps from a rollicking Indiana Jones movie to A Color Purple, or Jurrasic Park to Schindler's List. Opposite narrative and gaming experiences but with equal excellence imho.

Regards solo/companions, I'll just say, you're still quite early in the game...embrace yourself for quite a journey, hope you "enjoy" it ;)
 
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I’m now a couple of sections into Chapter 6 and still thoroughly enjoying it.

I tried to avoid all the spoilers in the lead up to the release but I know the game received a lot criticism from some, though I don’t know why (and I haven’t tried to find out).

Given I’m probably now a little bit over halfway through this, will I have experienced the parts that made all those people angry/outraged etc? So far, I’m not sure what all the fuss was about.
 
I’m now a couple of sections into Chapter 6 and still thoroughly enjoying it.

I tried to avoid all the spoilers in the lead up to the release but I know the game received a lot criticism from some, though I don’t know why (and I haven’t tried to find out).

Given I’m probably now a little bit over halfway through this, will I have experienced the parts that made all those people angry/outraged etc? So far, I’m not sure what all the fuss was about.
Are you in Seattle yet?
 
yes. I’m at least half way through

I can't remember what point each chapter gets to but I think it's best to not even ask that question imho, as you're already invested into the game. You did great not to read spoilers so keep that up and trust in the narrative! I think even knowing a game reaction of what's to come can influence your enjoyment or anticipation...again imho. There are actually several aspects of the game that gamers either appreciated or didn't all the way through. I really look forward to your thoughts if you do give it after the game...be it good bad or meh!
 
Yeah, good point, probably not a sensible thread at which to pull given I’ve reached this far in ignorance. No complaints at all so far though.
 
I'd say that given your in Seattle, you have got past the "outrage" parts. 100% now all you have left is an awesome story telling/playing showpiece.
 
I started playing this again yesterday for a second time. I'm playing with new game plus and thoroughly enjoying the game on my pro. Graphicaly it's startlingly good for a console. The hdr is a good as anything you will see on pc (cyberpunk excepted)
I know this game attracted a lot of vitriol when released and I've never understood why. The gameplay is identical to part 1.
Ive had two four hour sessions and really enjoyed it.
This is a classic game in every way. A class act.
It puts the ai in valhalla to shame. Then again, so does space invaders!!
LOU2 shows what can be achieved when the game devs do their job properly rather than cut corners as has happened with so many substandard releases this year(fifa 21,valhalla, COD CW)
I'd love to see a pc release of this game (and the uncharted series)
 
I bought this in the sale but haven't even started it yet! :facepalm:

My mate finished it the other day though and he is a bit of a nut for the first game like me. Said it's next level gaming and what all devs for SP games should be aspiring too. I thought that after the first one to be honest. But games like this, Uncharted and God of War are really pushing the boundaries and long may it continue.
 

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