The Last of Us 2 fans are having a tough time playing as Joel in the new roguelike mode: "The game was not built for this poor man and his dodgeless ass"

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Much to players' dismay, the old guy still hasn't learned how to dodge

The Last of Us 2
(Image credit: Naughty Dog)

Joel seems a decent choice if you're delving into No Return, The Last of Us Part 2's brand-new roguelike mode. With a powerful custom revolver, an upgraded melee weapon, and a shiv (plus a recipe to craft more), his is the best starting loadout of all. Unfortunately, he also has the biggest disadvantage: he can't dodge. 

This makes the old guy something of a sitting duck when confronted with enemies wielding melee weapons, as those who've opted to play as him have been pointing out over on The Last of Us subreddit. 

A short video clip shared by 'im--stuff' shows Joel getting hit repeatedly at close range - his inability to dodge rendering him powerless to do anything against the flurry of blows.

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the game was not built for this poor man and his dodgeless ass from r/thelastofus

Joel has the added benefit of being sturdier against melee damage, but here, it only prolongs the agony. "The game was not built for this poor man and his dodgeless ass," the player writes. "I have given a name to my pain, and it is Naughty Dog."

Others who've taken on the challenge as Joel feel the player's pain. "I feel like having Joel in No Return without some kind of counter for the constant melee battles you are forced into in some situations is the most frustrating thing I've dealt with so far," says SightlessKombat. "At this point, this is just broken," comments RizeToFall. "It's funny in a way, but this really shouldn't be happening."

Frustrating or not, some, such as user EasterBurn, see it as Joel still paying for all those morally questionable actions in the first game. "Joel in hell facing against the manifestation of all the people he killed and humanity he doomed," they write.

In addition to No Return, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered comes with improved 4K visuals and performance enhancements, as well as 'Lost Levels', content Naughty Dog cut from the original game that offers a fascinating peek behind the game development curtain. 

Need help surviving the new roguelike mode? Our The Last of Us 2 No Return tips are here to help.

Anne-Marie Ostler
Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.