As a die-hard fan who thought I'd seen everything in The Last of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog's new chronological mode hit me like a bolt from the blue. When I booted up the 2025 PS5 remaster and saw Abby staring back at me first – not Ellie – I knew this wasn't just some half-baked New Game+ gimmick. This radical restructuring alternates between Ellie and Abby's Seattle timelines in real-time chronology instead of the original's back-to-back storytelling. And while purists might clutch their pearls, I'll be damned if this twist didn't give me exactly the kick in the pants I needed to dive back into this masterpiece after five years away.

A Narrative Earthquake

The chronological version hits different right out the gate. Instead of Ellie's emotional opening in Jackson, we start with Abby tracking her surgeon father through those hauntingly beautiful Pacific Northwest woods. Then boom – we're yanked into the hospital chaos during Ellie's arrival. This rollercoaster approach completely rewires your sympathies. Where the original made you stew in hatred before humanizing Abby, here you're immediately thrown into her trauma when discovering her father's body after Joel's rampage. Talk about having the rug pulled out from under you!

Sanding Off Edges or Smart Evolution?

Let's address the elephant in the room: this update feels like Naughty Dog softening their most daring creative choice after HBO's Season 2 incorporated Abby's backstory early. Some argue it sands off the rough edges that made TLOU2 such a gutsy, conversation-sparking phenomenon. But let's get real – this ain't some sanitized Disney remake. The gut punches still land like a sledgehammer; they just come from different angles now.

Having replayed the original religiously during my 2020 review cycle (seriously, I could probably navigate Seattle blindfolded), I'd hit serious burnout. Chronological mode flipped the script – literally – making familiar environments feel unpredictable again. The collectibles haven't moved an inch, but discovering Ellie's trading cards after Abby's hospital sequence creates wild new context. It's like rewatching Pulp Fiction in chronological order – same scenes, radically different rhythm.

Emotional Whiplash and Why It Works

People Also Ask

• Does chronological mode ruin the original's narrative impact?

Honestly? For first-timers – absolutely. That's why Naughty Dog slaps a crimson disclaimer warning new players away. But for veterans, it's a revelation.

• How does it change character dynamics?

Ellie's flashbacks with Joel now cluster upfront like a concentrated emotional bomb. You get the guitar scene followed immediately by the museum birthday trip – no breathing room between these tearjerker moments. This narrative compression hits like a freight train.

The beauty lies in how this restructured timeline constantly wrong-foots you. One minute you're in Abby's tender Christmas flashback with Owen, next you're slicing through infected as Ellie in pouring rain. This jarring whiplash mirrors the characters' own emotional turmoil in ways the linear story couldn't. And that intense theater confrontation? Holy moly – experiencing both perspectives back-to-back instead of hours apart cranks the tension to eleven.

Not Replacement, But Reinvention

Let's be crystal clear: this isn't how anyone should first experience Naughty Dog's magnum opus. It's like watching Seinfeld's 'The Betrayal' chronologically instead of its intended reverse order – fascinating for analysis but missing the original's genius. Chronological mode works precisely because it subverts expectations built by the masterpiece we already know.

At the end of the day, this update got my butt back in the chair for a 30-hour replay – something I'd attempted unsuccessfully multiple times since 2020. The levels haven't changed, but the emotional calculus has. It's a brilliant curio for superfans, a masterclass in narrative restructuring, and proof that sometimes you gotta break something perfect to fall in love with it all over again.

FAQ

1. Is chronological mode available on all platforms?

Currently exclusive to The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on PS5 as of 2025.

1. Does it alter any gameplay mechanics?

Nope – same brutal combat, same stunning visuals, just narrative rearrangement.

1. How long is the chronological playthrough?

Roughly identical to the original (25-30 hours), though emotional recovery time may vary!

1. Are there new trophies tied to this mode?

Surprisingly no – Naughty Dog seems to view this as purely experiential.

1. Should I play this before the HBO adaptation?

Heck no! The show incorporates Abby earlier, but the game's original structure remains the definitive experience.

Comprehensive reviews can be found on OpenCritic, where The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's new chronological mode has sparked renewed critical discussion. OpenCritic aggregates perspectives from top reviewers, many of whom note how this narrative remix offers a fresh lens on the game's emotional beats, while still preserving the intensity and complexity that made the original a modern classic.