The Last of Us Part 2's New Mode Lets You Play the Story in Order – And It Changes Everything

Even five years after its release, The Last of Us Part 2 is still finding new ways to tell its dark story. The PS5's Remastered version already added a popular survival mode called "No Return," but a new update might be the most interesting one yet. It’s called Chronological Mode, and it does exactly what it sounds like: it lets you play through Ellie’s and Abby’s stories one after the other, rather than switching between them. This simple change could finally help smooth over one of the game's biggest controversies.

To explain why this new mode is such a big deal, we have to talk about the game's most shocking twist. So, if you’ve somehow managed to avoid spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2 all this time, consider this your final warning to turn back.

Finally, a Way Around the Abby Problem

Okay, let's get into it. Early in the game, a new character named Abby brutally kills Joel with a golf club while Ellie is forced to watch. It's a gut-wrenching moment that kicks off Ellie’s quest for revenge.

The big problem for many players wasn't just Joel's death, but what came next: the game forces you to play as Abby for nearly half the story. After witnessing her kill a beloved character, being asked to understand her perspective felt like a betrayal to some. To this day, it’s a sore spot for many fans. Chronological Mode offers a solution. If you'd rather not sympathize with Abby, you can now play through all of Ellie’s brutal revenge story first. This frames Abby more clearly as the villain of Ellie's journey, which might be a more satisfying experience for players who were upset by the original game's structure.

A New Look for Fans Who Loved the Original

Of course, the game jumped between Ellie and Abby for a reason. Naughty Dog wanted to show that they were two sides of the same coin, caught in a cycle of violence where no one is truly "good" or "bad." For those who appreciated that message, Chronological Mode still offers something new. By playing each story in one long stretch, you can get a fresh look at how their journeys nearly crossed paths and how their actions affected one another from a distance. The game's creators say you'll see "just how close they come to running into each other," which could make a second playthrough feel like a whole new experience.

Big Changes Are Happening Outside the Game, Too

While Naughty Dog is still adding to Part 2, there are big shifts happening with the hit HBO show as well. The show is also seeing a changing of the guard. Neil Druckmann, the franchise's original visionary, is passing the torch on the HBO series after wrapping up Season 2. His focus now shifts entirely back to Naughty Dog, where he'll be directing their next epic, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Writer Halley Gross is making the same move, stepping away from the show to rejoin the studio's efforts.

Don't worry, though—the show is still in the very capable hands of co-creator Craig Mazin (Chernobyl), who will see the story through to its conclusion.

Between the new game mode and Naughty Dog's mysterious next project, it’s clear the studio still has plenty of surprises up its sleeve.