Key Highlights:
- The Last of Us Part II Remastered now includes a Chronological mode, offering a restructured narrative.
- Completing the story this way unlocks Joel and Tommy skins inspired by Uncharted.
- The update is free and available now on PS5 and PC.
Naughty Dog has released a free update for The Last of Us Part II Remastered that introduces a long-requested Chronological mode, letting players experience Ellie and Abby’s intertwined narratives from beginning to end in timeline order.
Available now on PS5 (Patch 2.1.0) and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store (Patch 1.5), the update reshapes one of the most talked-about game stories in modern PlayStation history.
Originally told through a series of fragmented flashbacks and time jumps, The Last of Us Part II’s plot has always been intentionally structured for emotional impact.
But with Chronological mode, Naughty Dog allows returning players to see events unfold linearly, from Joel gifting Ellie her guitar to their final conversations, to the crisscrossing vengeance arcs of Ellie and Abby through Seattle.
According to the studio via a new entry in the PlayStation blog, Chronological mode enables a deeper appreciation of the dual protagonist structure.
Sequences like Ellie’s early guitar lessons now flow directly from their setup, while the Seattle sections highlight how closely the two women’s paths overlap, even as they remain unaware of one another’s exact movements.
The revised format not only emphasises parallel journeys but also how actions reverberate between them. The switch may also help players better trace cause and effect between key moments – especially impactful for those replaying the game for thematic analysis or emotional resonance.
Naughty Dog acknowledges the effort involved in stitching together such a carefully woven story into a new shape.
Both their internal teams and their partners at Nixxes Software contributed to ensuring the timeline adjustment feels natural and seamless.
To celebrate the new mode, new trophies have been added specifically for completing the game chronologically.
In a nod to Naughty Dog’s 40th anniversary, finishing the story this way also unlocks two skins for use in the game’s No Return roguelike mode:
- Joel in Nathan Drake’s outfit, connecting the hardened survivor to the treasure hunter from Uncharted
- Tommy in Sam Drake’s outfit, paying tribute to Nate’s older brother
These crossover cosmetics serve as both an Easter egg for fans and a symbolic link between Naughty Dog’s most iconic franchises.
Chronological mode is a structural experiment that recontextualises Part II’s emotional arc. For returning players, it’s a new lens on a familiar narrative.
For newcomers, Naughty Dog still recommends starting with the original narrative structure first, preserving the intended pacing and reveals.
This update also follows months of major milestones for the series, including the PC launch of Part II Remastered, the complete collection on PS5, and the ongoing success of HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2. It’s a year of both celebration and experimentation for the studio.
Chronological mode offers a rare opportunity to dissect the storytelling of The Last of Us Part II in a new format, something few games dare to attempt after release.
With meaningful unlocks, narrative reshaping, and subtle fan service for Uncharted devotees, this free update deepens the value of replaying one of the PS5’s most significant exclusives.
