Why The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's No Return doesn't hold a candle to God of War Ragnarok Valhalla

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 rather fun and engaging, No Return barely holds a candle to the also recently released Valhalla, a similar roguelike mode for God of War Ragnarok. While both these expansions/ add-ons offer a similar progression system, fundamental differences make one superior to the other.

Having spent over a couple dozen hours playing both these modes, I think I know why God of War's roguelike mode feels significantly better to play than The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinions.

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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 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 God of War Ragnarok, while 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.

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 too 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 visit that game mode regularly, even after investing 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.