The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered No Return: Character tier list

The Last of Us Part 2 didn't just receive the traditional remaster treatment most first-party PlayStation titles have, but the game developers over at Naughty Dog added a little extra. No Return is a roguelike game mode where you can select a handful of characters to survive different runs. It is worth noting that death is permanent. So if you die, you'll have to start over.

While each playable character is adept in the apocalypse, some are better than others. We will rank each survivor through a tier list and determine which character suits your playstyle.

Disclaimer: Some aspects of this article reflect the writer's subjective opinions about each character.

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The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered: No Return tier list

Each survivor must have a unique way of getting infected and human threats (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

The Last of Us Part 2 was recently ported to PC. Bill and Marlene are the latest additions to the roster, and both have unique character traits worth looking into. The controversial sequel is renowned for its creative storytelling, but this game mode highlights its technical aspects.

Also read: How to unlock Bill and Marlene in The Last of Us Part 2 No Return

For this list, the survivors will be categorized into three categories:

S: Joel, Manny, Jesse, Ellie
A: Tommy, Marlene, Abby, Bill
B: Mel, Dina, Yara, Lev

We will break down each character's traits and how they landed on their respective categories.

S-tier survivors can solve all your problems

Joel Miller

Joel is the last unlockable character on Ellie's side, and he is worth the hassle. Despite being a reskin of Abby and sharing all her attack animations minus the dodge mechanic, he is built like a tank and can deal impressive damage. Joel is armed with a wooden plank and a customized revolver, and he can take down any threat.

Playstyle: Unstoppable

Traits:

Custom Revolver
Sturdier against melee
Can't dodge
Shiv recipe
Shiv upgrade branch

Joel is a brawler and would do better in a straight fight; however, stealth is still an option. Similar to the first game, Joel can use shivs to take down infected and human enemies faster than strangling them. Joel's strength and custom revolver are why he is at the top of the food chain in No Return.

Manny Alvarez

Manny's training with the Washington Liberation Front made him a capable soldier (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment || Sportskeeda Gaming)

Manny is in the same category as Joel; other than being a great soldier, he is also the last unlockable character but on Abby's side. Ammunition is scarce in the apocalypse; fortunately, Manny can craft bullets with the right ingredients.

Playstyle: Armory

Traits:

50% more parts
150 max health
No health kit recipe
Semi-Auto Rifle Ammo recipe
Munitions upgrade branch

The only downside to this character is the lack of a health kit recipe — you can't craft medkits during a run. You must play it safe to avoid taking unnecessary damage or aggression to beat your enemies. You can craft bullets, especially since they are hard to come by. Manny's resourcefulness makes him a capable survivor under the S tier.

Jesse

Equipped with a pistol and silencer from the start of each run, Jesse can take down enemies from a distance without them noticing. This character's greatest asset is infinite rolls for the trading posts. Jesse can earn more coins in each run, and you can stock up on supplies much faster.

Playstyle: Resourceful

Traits:

30% more currency
Unique items at the trading post
Silencer recipe
Pipe bomb recipe
Guerrilla upgrade path

Jesse is fast and strong, which made him a leader at a young age in Jackson. You can see it firsthand and use his abilities to take on infected and enemy factions. Jesse can craft pipe bombs to clear out infected and human enemies, and his battle tactics makes him a close second to Manny's military training.

Ellie Williams

You can't go wrong with Ellie (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment || Sportskeeda Gaming)

Ellie Williams is a force to be reckoned with in both The Last of Us games. She is fast and small, which allows her to sneak past enemies and dodge incoming melee attacks. Armed with her iconic switchblade, she can take down enemies in stealth.

Playstyle: Balanced

Traits:

50% more supplements
Molotov recipe
Two upgrade branches

With enough rags and alcohol, you can craft Molotov cocktails that are equally effective against the living and the undead. If you want a character who can do well in stealth and a straight brawl, Ellie is perfect for you.

A-tier survivors

Abby Anderson

Abby is just as good as she is in the campaign (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment || Sportskeeda Gaming)

If you played aggressively as Abby in her three-day campaign, you can do fine in No Return. She is powerful and can deal impressive damage in close quarters, making her a perfect candidate for a straight brawl.

Playstyle: Close Combat

Traits:

Heal on melee kill
Melee upgrade recipe
Brawler upgrade branch

Who needs guns if Abby's fists can do the job just fine? You can recover health with each melee kill, and that is a good deal if you plan to go through a run with your fists.

Tommy Miller

Tommy is cool but not as cool as his older brother (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment || Sportskeeda Gaming)

Tommy is an expert marksman in The Last of Us Part 2. He is armed with a customized sniper rifle. Like Joel, he can't dodge but is much sturdier against melee attacks.

Playstyle: Sniper

Traits:

Custom sniper rifle
Sturdier against melee attacks
Can't dodge
Marksman upgrade branch

Tommy is a seasoned survivor, but his inability to dodge is why he is in the A tier.

Marlene

This newcomer has one party trick that the rest doesn't (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment || Sportskeeda Gaming)

As the newest addition to the roster, Marlene shares the same attacks as Ellie but is armed with a customized assault rifle. Ammo is scarce, and you must make each shot count, but the insane recoil isn't going to make it easy for you. Marlene is known as a risk-taker, and this applies to her character traits.

Playstyle: Risk-taker

Traits:

Custom assault rifle
One-time path reroute
All or nothing gambits
Calculated upgrade branch

Marlene's traits are why she landed third on the A tier. While her custom assault rifle is cool, losing all rewards after failing a gambit is a bad deal.

Bill

Being a smuggler has some perks (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment || Sportskeeda Gaming)

Bill is a smuggler living in isolation, but that doesn't mean he can't handle himself. Armed with a custom shotgun, anything on the receiving end will be blown to pieces instantly.

Playstyle: Smuggler

Traits:

Double dead drop rewards
Custom Shotgun
Sturdier against melee
Can't dodge
Trap mine recipe
Prepper upgrade branch

Like Tommy and Joel, his inability to dodge made him come in last for the A tier.

B-listers could use some work

Lev

Lev is small and scrappy but is a menace with that bow (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment || Sportskeeda Gaming)

Lev is a reliable companion during Abby's campaign and an expert with the bow. His small stature allows him to play in stealth, and he has a few character traits worth using.

Playstyle: Stealth

Traits:

Bow draw speed upgrade
Improved listen mode
Archery upgrade branch

Lev isn't the best survivor or has the best loadout, and not everyone is adept at using the bow which is why he is on the B tier.

Mel

Mel is an annoying character but she is a good medic (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment || Sportskeeda Gaming)

Mel is a field medic, and her character traits are very limited. While she isn't the best, you won't find any trouble looking for extra health between runs.

Playstyle: Medic

Traits:

Speed boost from healing
Healing upgrade branch

Mel's lack of character traits is why she is on the B tier.

Dina

Dina is on the defensive side and is not as effective against a straight fight. On the upside, she can craft more items like trap mines and stun bombs.

Playstyle: Crafting

Traits:

Trap Mine recipe
Stun bomb recipe
Double-craft upgrade branch

Dina's crafting recipes are great, but not everyone relies on these gadgets, and some encounters don't have all the required ingredients.

Yara

Yara has the least character traits, and one of them is having her younger brother, Lev, around as a companion.

Playstyle: Teamwork

Traits:

Yara and Lev pair
Ally upgrade branch

This character trait would have been ideal if No Return was a co-op feature. However, some players prefer to work alone and this is why Yara is at the bottom of this tier list.

The Last of Us Part 2 is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. For more related articles, check these out:

About the author

Rouvin is an Esports and Gaming writer at Sportskeeda, focusing on news articles, editorials, listicles, and guides. His experience includes writing over 1209 articles for FandomWire.

Though he has a BS in Entrepreneurship, Rouvin kept his passion for writing — particularly about games — alive over the years.

He admires pro gamer and YouTuber Typical Gamer, particularly his GTA 5 mods and Fortnite coverage.

Rouvin likes to unwind by playing video games on his PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, watching movies, especially superhero films from the MCU and the rebooted DCU.

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Edited by Ripunjay Gaba