Naughty Dog's The Last of Us series, those cinematic gut-punches of emotional storytelling and tense, brick-throwing action, are more accessible than ever in 2026. With Part 1 firmly established on PC and Part 2 Remastered having launched a couple of years back, a whole new generation of players has gotten their hearts broken by clickers and complex characters. But what about the veterans? The folks who already know every spore-filled corner of Boston and Seattle? Revisiting Joel and Ellie's (and Abby's) harrowing journeys doesn't have to be a somber retread. Oh no. For those planning a return trip before diving into the latest season of the HBO adaptation or just for the sheer masochistic joy of it, here are ten gloriously absurd ways to shake the spores off a second playthrough.

1. Tweak the Difficulty, But Get Weird With It 🤪

Sure, playing on 'Grounded' is the classic masochist's choice. But the game's nuanced difficulty sliders are a playground for the creatively sadistic. Want to feel like a post-apocalyptic ninja but also have the durability of a wet paper bag? Crank enemy aggression to 'Murderous' but give yourself 'Abundant' resources. It becomes a bizarre ballet of stealth, crafting, and panic. Conversely, try 'Very Light' combat with 'Hard' resources. You're basically an unstoppable tank who can't find a single pair of scissors to save your life. The goal isn't just harder or easier; it's to create a uniquely unbalanced, often hilarious, survival scenario.

2. Adopt a Radical New Personality (Disorder) 🎭

How you clear a level says a lot about you. So, for your next run, pick a new personality!

• The Pacifist Monk: No human kills. Only stealth takedowns on infected when absolutely necessary. You'll spend 90% of your time prone in grass, watching patrol patterns, and feeling a deep, spiritual connection to the mold. Your mantra: "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent."

• The Unhinged Brawler: Stealth is for cowards. Every encounter must end with every enemy dead, preferably via melee. You will hoard pipes and bats like a squirrel with OCD. The world will know the name of Joel "The Crowbar King" Miller.

• The Hoarder: Cannot use any consumable item unless it is the absolute last one in your inventory. You will finish the game with 15 Molotovs, 7 medkits, and a profound sense of regret as you die to a lone runner because you "might need that brick later."

3. Weapon Specialization: Choose Your Poison 🔫⚔️

Commit to a single weapon type like it's your new religion.

• Melee-Only Mania: Embrace your inner caveman. No guns, only sharp and blunt objects. This turns the game into a tense resource-management sim where a broken plank is more valuable than gold. You'll develop an intimate, almost romantic, knowledge of every alley and closet for ambushes. Constantly waving a lead pipe around might even make you feel like you're starring in The Callisto Protocol: Budget Edition.

• The One-Gun Wonder: Pick a single firearm—say, the humble revolver—and use only that for the entire game. No upgrades for other weapons allowed. It's a lesson in precision, patience, and the heartbreaking economics of .357 ammunition.

4. Ignore the Skill Trees (Embrace the Suck) 🌳🚫

Both games let you upgrade skills and weapons, creating little "builds." For a true back-to-basics challenge, ignore them completely. No health upgrades, no crafting efficiency, no shiv master. You are a raw, un-improved survivor, and the world is cruel. This pairs beautifully with higher difficulties, making every clicker encounter a pants-wetting exercise in pure survival instinct. Ellie doesn't need faster healing; she needs the fear of god.

5. The "Duct Tape? Never Heard of It" Challenge 🛠️❌

Crafting is for people who have their lives together. You are not one of those people. For this run, you cannot craft anything. No medkits, no molotovs, no shivs. You must rely solely on the pre-made items you scavenge from the world. It's like assuming it's Joel or Ellie's first day on the job. "What's that, a bottle and a rag? I'm sure they're fine separately." This turns the game into a desperate scavenger hunt where finding a single health pack feels like winning the lottery. Pro tip: Stealth is no longer a choice; it's a medical necessity.

6. Become a Collectible Completionist (Finally) 🗺️

Let's be honest, on your first emotional rollercoaster of a playthrough, you missed about 90% of the artifacts, comics, and training manuals. A second run is the perfect time to turn into a post-apocalyptic tourist. Read every note, open every safe (hope you remember the codes, or enjoy the puzzle!), and find every punny Firefly tag. You'll discover heartbreaking side stories and world-building details you never knew existed. It's less about surviving and more about conducting a historical archive of the end of the world. Thankfully, both games allow chapter select, so you won't have to replay the entire thing just because you missed a coin in the suburbs.

7. Permadeath: For the Truly Unwell ☠️

This one isn't for the faint of heart. It's for the players who have memorized enemy spawns, know the exact patrol route of every guard in Seattle, and laugh in the face of danger. Permadeath mode means one life. One. That's it. A lucky shot from a random hunter, a misjudged jump, a clicker you didn't hear—game over. Back to the start. It transforms every shadow into a mortal threat and turns the quiet moments into unbearable tension. Only attempt this if your nerves are made of steel and you have a stress ball the size of a basketball nearby. It's the ultimate test of skill, patience, and your console's stability (because if it crashes, you might just cry).

8. Speedrunning: The Apocalypse is on a Schedule ⏱️💨

The Last of Us encourages slow, careful exploration. So why not do the exact opposite? Speedrunning turns the poignant narrative into a slapstick sprint. Strategies include:

• Skipping every cutscene (emotional whiplash guaranteed).

• Sprinting past 90% of enemies (who have time to fight?).

• Mastering awkward skip glitches (if you're on that level).

The goal? Beat your previous time. Can you get Joel and Ellie across the country in under 10 hours? Can you finish Abby's journey in a single sitting? It's a bizarre, frantic way to experience the story that makes the whole thing feel like a bizarre, fungal-themed parkour event.

9. Fashion of the Apocalypse 👗🧢

Surviving the end of the world doesn't mean you have to look drab! Both Part 1 and Part 2 Remastered come with a delightful array of alternate outfits. Why battle bloaters in a dirty plaid shirt when you can do it in a space suit? Why sneak through a hospital as Abby in her standard gear when you can wear a ridiculous beanie and sunglasses? It's a small touch, but there's an undeniable comedy to experiencing the game's most brutal, emotional moments while your character looks like they're headed to a cosplay convention. It adds a layer of surrealism that can strangely refresh familiar scenes.

10. The Wonderful World of Mods (PC Exclusive... For Now) 🖥️✨

As of 2026, this glorious chaos is still primarily the domain of The Last of Us Part 1 on PC, awaiting the eventual PC release of Part 2. Mods are the cheat code for replayability. While we're not talking full conversion mods yet, the community has created some gems:

• Visual Overhauls: Reshades that make the world look like a vintage photograph, a zombie anime, or permanently stuck at sunset.

• Model Swaps: Ever wanted to play the entire first game as Ellie from the start? Now you can, blurring the timelines in a wonderfully confusing way.

• Silly Skins: Replace all clickers with cartoon dinosaurs. Give Joel a giant cartoon head. The possibilities are as endless as they are utterly ridiculous.

It's the easiest way to make the game feel completely new, often in the most gloriously stupid ways imaginable.

So there you have it. Ten paths to a brand new, often hilarious, and sometimes deeply punishing revisit to the world of The Last of Us. Whether you're a stealth purist, a speed demon, or just someone who thinks Joel looks better in a cowboy hat, there's a fresh way to experience this classic. Now go forth, and try not to get eaten... again. 😉