The Last of Us Part 2 Grounded, Permadeath, and Gameplay Modifiers Arrive August 13, 2020

Well, that was fast. On August 10, 2020, The Last of Us Part 2 trophies updated suggesting a Grounded mode and permadeath options were on the way. Now Sony and Naughty Dog have confirmed that yes, that update is coming on August 13, 2020. Not only that, but the patch will also add graphics rendering modes, audio and gameplay modifiers, and extra updates. Some will require unlocking, while others won’t.

As noted by the PlayStation Blog, update 1.05 will bring all of the changes. The Last of Us Part 2’s Grounded is similar to the mode from The Last of Us, which means some HUD options will be gone, enemies will be stronger, Listen Mode will be turned off, and you’ll see fewer supplies in the world. It is available from the start.

Permadeath will be exactly what you expect. If you die, you restart. Naughty Dog does have an option for it, though. It can be for the whole game, on an act-by-act basis, for on a chapter-by-chapter basis.

As for the other modifiers, Naughty Dog offered a list and some screenshots looking at some of the possibilities. There will be “nearly 30 graphics rendering modes,” with screenshots shared showing the retro, cel-shaded, and sepia options. There was also a list of Extras gameplay modifiers people can unlock after beating the game.

Here are the unlockable The Last of Us Part 2 gameplay modifiers noted in the PlayStation Blog announcement.

• 4-bit Audio
• 8-bit Audio
• Bullet Speed Mode
• Helium Audio
• Infinite Ammo
• Infinite Crafting
• Infinite Listen Mode Range
• Infinite Melee Durability
• Mirror on Death
• Mirror World
• One Shot (kills)
• Slow Motion
• Touch of Death (kills)
• Xenon Audio

Here’s the list of other additions in The Last of Us Part 2 update 1.05.

• Accessibility improvements to Ground Zero encounter, collectible tracking, Enhanced Listen Mode for collectibles, and rope gameplay
• Aiming Acceleration Scale option
• Aiming Ramp Power Scale option
• Arc Throw HUD Display option
• Disable Listen Mode option
• Film Grain Adjustment option
• Motion Sensor Function Aiming option 
• Saves now display playtime up to the second

And here’s a The Last of Us Part 2 Grounded update trailer.

The Last of Us Part 2 is available for the PlayStation 4.