The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered No Return Playable Characters and How to Access Them

Surviving The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return roguelike isn’t just about grit-it’s about unlocking the full roster of heroes, each with their own game-changing abilities. Starting with just Ellie and Abby, you’ll need to conquer a gauntlet of encounters, strategically playing as each new character to gradually expand your lineup. Ready to discover the secrets-and the challenges-behind unlocking every survivor in No Return’s unforgiving world?

In this The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered guide, we’ll walk you through how to unlock all characters in the No Return roguelike mode, and tell you what they can do.

How to unlock characters in TLOU 2’s No Return roguelike

To unlock characters in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return roguelike mode, you’ll need to complete a series of encounters with specific characters in a set order. You start with Ellie and Abby automatically unlocked, each representing their own path. As you play and finish encounters with these initial characters, you’ll gradually unlock others-each with unique abilities and starting gear. For example, completing encounters with Ellie will unlock Dina, then Jesse, Tommy, and finally Joel, each requiring a certain number of completed encounters to progress. Similarly, Abby’s path unlocks Lev, Yara, Mel, and Manny in sequence. You must finish (not just start) the required number of encounters with each character to unlock the next one, so persistence is key if you want access to all ten playable heroes in No Return.

When you first jump into No Return, you’ll only be able to play as Ellie or Abby. To unlock the rest of the characters, you’ll need to complete encounters as a specific character. For example, you can unlock Dina by successfully completing two encounters as Ellie.

If you’re focused on unlocking characters as fast as possible, you can simply complete the required number of encounters as one character and then quit the run. (Encounters refers to the individual fights during each run, not the entire run.)

That said, if you take this approach, I recommend that you let your character die to end the run instead of quitting out. There are certain features – like the Daily Run – that only unlock after you complete a certain number of runs. Quitting out via the main menu doesn’t count, but dying does.

Here are the two branches of unlockable characters in No Return:

Ellie branch

• Dina – Complete two encounters as Ellie
• Jesse – Complete three encounters as Dina
• Tommy – Complete three encounters as Jesse
• Joel – Complete four encounters as Tommy

Abby branch

• Lev – Complete two encounters as Abby
• Yara – Complete three encounters as Lev
• Mel – Complete three encounters as Yara
• Manny – Complete four encounters as Mel

Ellie unlock requirements and traits

Ellie is available as a playable character from the very start of No Return mode in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, requiring no special actions or challenges to unlock her. As the default character, Ellie’s unique traits include a balanced starting loadout and access to a variety of crafting recipes, making her adaptable to different playstyles. Progressing with Ellie also unlocks additional characters: completing two encounters with her will unlock Dina as the next playable character in the Ellie-aligned path. Additionally, Ellie has specific challenges tied to her, such as collecting every gun in a single run to unlock her Savage Starlight skin, and upgrading all Perseverance skills to earn her Plaid skin. These traits and unlock requirements make Ellie central to both gameplay progression and cosmetic rewards in No Return.

Starting Weapons: Semi-auto pistol, Molotov cocktail
How to Unlock: Available from the start

Ellie is the only character with the “balanced” playstyle, and there’s a reason for that. She’s just Ellie from The Last of Us Part 2, and she doesn’t have any special tools to help her succeed. She does, however, offer a very balanced game. Starting with a Molotov cocktail can really help you out of a bind – especially against some early Infected rounds. And getting double Supplements means you can upgrade a ton of different skills as you progress toward the boss round.

Ellie is a really strong character in No Return, though doesn’t bring anything unexpected to the table. If you’re looking for flashy, weird twists on the gameplay, you’ll have plenty of options as you unlock more characters. But as a starting place, you really can’t get much better than Ellie.

Dina unlock requirements and traits

Dina is the first unlockable character on Ellie’s path in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return roguelike mode. To unlock her, you simply need to complete two encounters while playing as Ellie. Once unlocked, Dina brings a crafting-focused playstyle to your runs, starting with a revolver, trap mines, and stun bombs in her inventory. Her unique traits include access to the Trap Mine and Stun Bomb recipes, as well as the Double-Craft upgrade branch, which enhances her ability to craft multiple items efficiently. This makes Dina especially effective for players who prefer using crafted explosives and maximizing resource output during encounters.

Starting Weapons: Revolver, one and a half of all crafting components
How to Unlock: Complete two encounters as Ellie

Other than Ellie, Dina has the most “normal” playstyle in No Return – or at least one that will be familiar to The Last of Us Part 2 players. She starts with the revolver and some bonus crafting items, but she can also craft trap mines and stun bombs without needing to buy their recipes. Trap mines are extremely powerful in The Last of Us Part 2, especially in No Return, where the game tells you where the enemies spawn.

Dina is essentially just a resource management character. If you’re running around and collecting resources, crafting items, and using them, Dina can be extremely powerful and can help you blaze through a No Return run. On the flip side, if you’re not picking up many materials and trying to go fast, you’re really going to struggle as Dina in this mode.

Jesse unlock requirements and traits

To unlock Jesse in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return roguelike mode, you must first unlock Dina by completing 2 encounters with Ellie. Once Dina is available, play and complete 3 encounters as Dina to unlock Jesse as a playable character.

Jesse starts each run with a silenced pistol and pipe bomb, and he has recipes to craft more of both items. His playstyle is resourceful, benefiting from earning 30% more currency after each encounter, which allows him to purchase more and unique items from the Trading Post. Jesse also features a Guerilla upgrade branch, enhancing his adaptability and effectiveness in combat.

Starting Weapons: Military pistol (with silencer), pipe bomb
How to Unlock: Complete three encounters as Dina

Jesse has a pretty mediocre starting spread of abilities and tools, but that’s okay, because the goal with Jesse is to snowball by buying powerful items from the Trading Post. Jesse gets a 30% boost to currency, and he can re-roll the Trading Post an unlimited number of times. Currency isn’t usually a problem in No Return, but getting lucky enough for the Trading Post to have what you want in stock is. Jesse solves that RNG problem instantly with his traits.

Making it through the first few encounters as Jesse is a little rough, as you only have a silenced pistol and a pipe bomb. But once you get enough currency to start abusing the Trading Post, you can skyrocket your power level.

Tommy unlock requirements and traits

Tommy is unlocked in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return roguelike mode by completing three encounters as Jesse. Once unlocked, Tommy stands out as a dedicated sniper, starting each run with a pistol and a custom sniper rifle, making him highly effective at long-range combat. His notable traits include being sturdier against melee attacks and having access to the Marksman upgrade branch, which enhances his sniping capabilities. However, Tommy cannot dodge, which makes him more vulnerable in close-quarters situations and requires players to keep their distance from enemies.

Starting Weapons: Military pistol, custom sniper rifle
How to Unlock: Complete three encounters as Jesse

Tommy has a major boon and a major disadvantage: he comes with a custom sniper rifle, but he can’t dodge. The inability to dodge might seem very bad – and it’s not great, to be clear – but if you play Tommy right, you’ll never need to dodge because nobody will ever get that close to you.

The thing about Tommy is that his sniper rifle is a one-shot kill on most enemies no matter where you hit them. It also holds quite a bit of ammo, and, if you’re getting your mid-encounter caches, you’ll almost always have a reserve of ammo for it. You can sit back, take out a wave of enemies, and then move far away from the spawn point for the next wave.

He’s a very powerful character if you can position him correctly, but if you get a bad draw on a boss fight – like the Rat King Stalker – or a close-quarters encounter, you’re going to run into some trouble.

Joel unlock requirements and traits

Joel is the final character unlocked on Ellie’s path in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return roguelike mode. To unlock Joel, you must first unlock and play as Tommy, then complete four encounters using Tommy. Once unlocked, Joel stands out as one of the strongest characters, starting each run with a custom revolver, an upgraded melee weapon, a shiv, an extra sidearm holster, and immediate access to the shiv recipe and upgrade branch, making him highly effective in both stealth and combat situations. However, Joel shares a key limitation with Tommy: he cannot dodge, which makes him more vulnerable in close-quarters combat despite his powerful arsenal.

Starting Weapons: Custom revolver, upgraded melee weapon, shiv, short gun holster
How to Unlock: Complete four encounters as Tommy

Like his younger brother, Joel has some very powerful tools paired with a major downside: he can’t dodge. If you tend to use a very dodge-heavy playstyle, this might automatically remove Joel from your No Return roster. But Joel has a lot of other things going for him, so don’t write him off too quickly.

Joel comes with a powerful revolver that has a ton of ammo. He also takes less damage from melee attacks, which offsets his inability to dodge in Infected encounters – the most dangerous kind of enemy for the Miller brothers. Joel starts with an upgraded melee weapon and a shiv as well, giving him some powerful close range options.

Joel has the “unstoppable” playstyle for a reason. He’s not particularly limber, but he starts with a huge leg up. And if you’re able to capitalize on that strong start by buying new weapons and crafting great tools, you can snowball and give yourself a much easier run.

Abby unlock requirements and traits

Abby is available as a playable character in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return roguelike mode right from the start-no challenges or encounters need to be completed to unlock her. Abby’s playstyle focuses on close combat, making her a formidable choice for players who prefer aggressive, melee-oriented tactics. Her unique traits include healing upon melee kills, access to a melee upgrade recipe, and a dedicated Brawler upgrade branch, which enhance her survivability and effectiveness in hand-to-hand encounters. Abby begins each run equipped with a pistol and her signature hammer, reinforcing her role as a powerful frontline fighter in No Return.

Starting Weapons: Military pistol, hammer
How to Unlock: Available from the start

Just like in the main campaign, Abby is a bit of a tank – in the best way possible. Not only does she start with a melee weapon, she also heals on melee kills and can upgrade her melee weapon with some materials you can find during encounters. This makes her a really effective brawler from the first encounter of your run, able to jump into combat and stay safe while killing foes with melee.

The downside to Abby is also her strength: a melee focus. While melee is very strong in one-on-one combat, in Hunted or group encounters, Abby’s unique tools aren’t particularly useful and can get you into trouble if you don’t adjust.

Lev unlock requirements and traits

Lev is unlocked in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return mode by completing two encounters while playing as Abby. Once unlocked, Lev stands out as the game’s premier stealth character, starting each run with a bow-enhanced by a draw speed upgrade-and an improved listen mode for better enemy detection. Lev’s unique archery upgrade branch allows for further bow enhancements, including crafting more arrows and powerful explosive arrows as you progress. This toolkit and playstyle make Lev exceptionally suited for silent, long-range takedowns and navigating encounters without alerting enemies.

Starting Weapons: Semi-auto pistol, bow
How to Unlock: Complete two encounters as Abby

Lev is No Return’s stealthy character. He starts with a pistol and, most importantly, the bow, which is a very powerful stealth tool. The starter bow for Lev also comes with the Bow Draw Speed upgrade already equipped, and he’s already adept at listening to his surroundings with the Improved Listen Mode trait.

Lev’s wide variety of tools make him a very economic character in No Return. He’s able to take out enemies without getting noticed, stay safe, and then collect his own arrows to continue the carnage from the shadows.

Yara unlock requirements and traits

Yara is unlocked in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return roguelike mode by completing three encounters while playing as Lev, who himself is unlocked after finishing two encounters as Abby. Yara stands out as a unique character because she is always accompanied by Lev as an AI companion during every stage, providing both offensive and defensive support. Her starting loadout is minimal, featuring only a pistol, but her main advantage is the teamwork dynamic with Lev, who can be upgraded to become even more effective between encounters. Yara’s trait set centers on this partnership, utilizing the Ally upgrade branch to enhance Lev’s abilities and overall team synergy, making her ideal for players who prefer a cooperative playstyle within solo runs.

Starting Weapons: Semi-auto pistol
How to Unlock: Complete three encounters as Lev

Yara is one of the more interesting characters in No Return, as she has a permanent ally in Lev, her little brother. However, Lev is essentially all Yara has going for her. It’s her only trait – outside of starting with the Ally upgrade branch, which just makes Lev better – and she only has the semi-auto pistol to defend herself.

Yara’s value depends largely on your playstyle. If you’re getting into scrapes and sticking close to Lev, you’re going to do well. However, you’re extremely underpowered on your own, and allies can be killed if you’re not careful (ending your run), giving you another parameter for failure in No Return.

Mel unlock requirements and traits

To unlock Mel in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return roguelike mode, you must complete three encounters while playing as Yara. Once unlocked, Mel joins Abby’s faction as a medic-focused character. She starts each run equipped with a revolver and two health kits. Mel’s standout trait is that every time she heals, she receives a temporary speed boost, making her especially effective at quick recovery during tough encounters. Additionally, she has access to the Healing Upgrade Branch, which allows her to further enhance her healing abilities throughout a run. This combination of traits makes Mel an excellent choice for players who prioritize survivability and team support.

Starting Weapons: Revolver, 2x med packs
How to Unlock: Complete three encounters as Yara

Mel is all about healing and sustainability, and she starts with two med packs ready to go. Because of this, you can make a lot of mistakes while playing as Mel and manage to get away by using her healing bonuses.

However, Mel starts out with very few offensive options. Outside of your revolver, all you have is melee combat when you start. You’ll need to do some extra scavenging if you want to survive your first few combats with any of your med packs still intact, and you’ll probably want to spend most of your currency on increasing your offensive capabilities to offset how hard it is to die as Mel.

Manny unlock requirements and traits

Manny is the final character you can unlock in Abby’s path in The Last of Us Part 2’s No Return roguelike mode. To unlock Manny, you must first complete three encounters as Yara to unlock Mel, then finish four encounters as Mel. Once unlocked, Manny stands out for his durability and resourcefulness: he starts each run with a semi-auto rifle and a hunting pistol, boasts 150% max health, and gains 50% more parts from encounters-making him ideal for players who want a tank-like character with plenty of upgrade potential. However, Manny cannot craft health kits, a unique drawback that requires players to rely on health kit purchases from trading posts instead. His upgrade path, the Munitions branch, enhances his ammunition crafting abilities, especially for his signature weapons.

Starting Weapons: Hunting pistol, semi-auto rifle
How to Unlock: Complete four encounters as Mel

Manny is all about weapons and having lots of health. He starts with a long gun, the most powerful short gun in the game – the hunting pistol – and he’s able to craft ammo for his Semi-Auto Rifle from the start. However, he is unable to craft Health Kits, so you’ll need to find your healing items in the field.

Like Joel and Tommy, Manny offers a risk/reward playstyle that can give you a very powerful start in exchange for a pretty serious disadvantage if things go sideways. If you’re very familiar with No Return, you shouldn’t be taking much damage anyway, so who needs health kits? But if you’ve just unlocked Manny and you’re still getting a handle on things, you might struggle to keep your health up without on-demand health kits.

What secret strategies can help me unlock all characters faster in No Return

Secret Strategies to Unlock All Characters Faster in No Return

Quit After Required Encounters

• You do not need to finish entire runs to unlock new characters. Complete only the required number of encounters with a character, then quit the run. Your progress toward unlocking the next character is saved, allowing you to rapidly switch and unlock the next one without finishing a full roguelike run.

Follow the Character Path Efficiently

• Each character unlocks in a sequence. For example, after unlocking Dina by playing as Ellie, switch to Dina and complete her required encounters, then move on to Jesse, and so forth. The same applies to Abby’s path (Lev, Yara, Mel, Manny). This targeted approach avoids wasted time on unnecessary runs.

Use Custom Runs

• After your first run, you can use the Custom Run feature to tailor difficulty and encounter types. Adjusting these settings can make encounters easier and faster to complete, and using a known Random Seed can let you repeat a predictable, manageable sequence of encounters for efficient unlocking.

Focus on Quick Encounters

• Choose easier or faster encounter types (like Assault or Capture) when possible in Custom Runs. These can be completed more quickly, speeding up the unlocking process.

Optimize Playstyles

• Use each character’s strengths to breeze through encounters. For example, use Jesse’s pipe bombs for quick clears or Lev’s stealth abilities to avoid drawn-out fights.

Summary Table of Key Tips

By combining these methods, you can unlock all characters in No Return as quickly and efficiently as possible.

What is the fastest way to unlock all characters in No Return mode

The fastest way to unlock all characters in No Return mode is to focus solely on completing the required number of encounters with each character in sequence, without finishing full runs or taking on unnecessary challenges. Here’s how to do it efficiently:

• Start with Ellie and Abby, who are unlocked from the beginning.

• For each new character, complete only the exact number of encounters needed to unlock the next character in their path (for example, two encounters with Abby unlocks Lev; three with Lev unlocks Yara; and so on).

• After meeting the encounter requirement for a character, you can quit the run and immediately switch to the newly unlocked character, repeating the process.

• Use the lowest difficulty setting (such as “Very Light”) and select the easiest or fastest encounter types available to speed up completion.

• Avoid unnecessary risks or attempts to finish entire roguelike runs, as only completed encounters count toward unlocking the next character.

• Repeat this process for both Ellie’s and Abby’s unlock paths until you have all characters available.

By focusing on just the minimum required encounters and quitting after each unlock, you will unlock all characters in No Return as quickly as possible.