Following the announcement of The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, series co-creator Neil Druckmann teased the possibility of including elements from its Lost Levels into the second season of the TV adaptation.
These three additional levels were cut from the sequel game’s original release, but have been re-added to the remaster. Not much is really known about them barring their titles, which you can see on PlayStation’s official website: Sewers, Jackson Party, and Boar Hunt.
In an email to Entertainment Weekly on Nov. 27, Druckmann said “at least one element” of the Lost Levels is planned to be incorporated into the TV show, with its second season expected to adapt The Last Of Us Part 2. He did admit that filming for season two hasn’t even begun yet, so it’s possible these elements will wind up on the cutting room floor again: “… all things are subject to change based on what we ultimately feel will be best for the show.”
This also means that, while the first season of the show did deviate in some areas from the original The Last Of Us game, these Lost Levels in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered aren’t necessarily indicative of how season two will play out. They’re meant to be “a sneak peek into The Last of Us Part 2’s original development,” which is why these levels are being incorporated into the remaster unfinished and probably shouldn’t be considered canon to the game’s story.
One example is the Jackson Party level, which will offer more insight into Ellie’s life in Jackson at the beginning of The Last Of Us Part 2. These levels will be accompanied by developer commentary to explain the intention behind the scenes and why they were ultimately cut from the game.
Other new additions to The Last Of Us Part 2 Remastered are a roguelike mode and an option to freely play the guitar. It launches exclusively for the PlayStation 5 on Jan. 19, though anyone who owns the original PlayStation 4 game can upgrade to the digital version for $10.