The Last of Us Part 2: Why It's Still a Benchmark for Video Game Accessibility

Naughty Dog's iconic IP, years after its release, continues to be one of the most cited titles when it comes to gaming accessibility.

The Last of Us Part 2, available on PS5 and PC, has become a part of pop culture, thanks in part to its television adaptation produced by HBO. In the series, protagonists Joel and Ellie are played by the now-famous actors Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, alongside other characters who populate the austere and brutal world of the work.

Before we delve into the analysis of Part II, let's take a step back and retrace the journey that led Joel and Ellie to the events of the second chapter.

Before continuing: minimal context (without going into details)

The second chapter resumes the complex relationship between Joel and Ellie and develops its emotional and narrative consequences in a post-apocalyptic world scarred by Cordyceps infection. For those unfamiliar with the saga, just know this: the weight of the relationship between the two protagonists is the driving force behind everything that happens in Part II.

The gameplay of The Last of Us Part 2

Like the first chapter of the saga, it is an action adventure with semi-open maps and a very strong narrative component, the true core of the experience that has allowed players to become attached to its characters.

While maintaining a substantially linear structure, the game integrates platforming elements, environmental puzzles and stealth dynamics that make the gameplay approach partly similar to that of the Uncharted saga, also developed by Naughty Dog.

The title, published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, made its debut on PlayStation 4 in 2020. With the arrival of the new generation, it then received a major graphical update thanks to the remaster for PlayStation 5, released in January 2024, while in April 2025 it finally landed on PC as well.

Beyond the success achieved for its gameplay and narrative, the title also benefited from a long and excellent work, carried out starting from its development on PS4, from the point of view of "accessibility".

"We want everyone to be able to play our games and we will continue to strive to be at the forefront of accessibility in the gaming world."

This is according to Lead Systems Designer Matthew Gallant, as reported on the website Can I Play That? , who, together with co-lead Game Designer Emilia Schatz, is committed to making accessibility development an integral part of the video game production process , not just an option to be added later. Despite the initial difficulty, Naughty Dog eventually managed to standardize the process , even making their knowledge available to other developers.

To get to the point, we won't go into detail about all the numerous accessibility options available ; that would be redundant and we'd end up listing them without specifying their importance. Instead, we'll list the ones we found to be most impactful and useful for players with disabilities.

First of all, the game opens with two tabs, the first allows us to activate and deactivate the audio description of the menu , the second allows us to activate presets divided into three large categories: auditory , motor and visual presets , each of which contains various dedicated options. But let's proceed in order.

Motor accessibility

One of the basic functions, now indispensable in many titles, is the complete remapping of the controls: this option allows people with physical disabilities, with impairments of various kinds, to be able to customize the controls of the various interactions to their liking.

To give you an example, a section of the game in TLOU2 involves having to hold on to a rope and swing to reach various platforms in order to proceed to the next level.

In my specific case, as a keyboard player, swinging while holding down Q and using the directional buttons W - S would have been difficult due to the awkward spacing between the keys. The remapping allowed me to replace the swing key, Q, with the left mouse button, freeing my left hand for using the W - S keys. The same goes for the default Alt key for dodging, the most frequently used mechanic, which I conveniently replaced with the CTRL key, belonging to the slow walk mechanic, a rarely used mechanic.

Once the controls are closed, let's not forget the function for the type of key press, single or prolonged , which can make a difference in the use of force or even the aim lock function , useful for those who have difficulty in hitting targets due to tremors, reduced motor precision or involuntary movements.

There is also the automatic collection of objects, protection from falls , infinite oxygen , automatic weapon switching and more.

Hearing side:

What made TLOU2 one of the most accessible games in the gaming landscape is certainly its inclusion for the blind. Within this section, we find the auditory glossary that allows us to learn an infinite list of sounds, each different from the other, which " describe " the mechanics of movement, object interaction and, as in the case of combat, to be warned in time, via audible feedback , if someone is attacking us, avoiding long and unnerving wastes of time.

In the case of the DualSense , haptic feedback has several functions: vibration warns us if an enemy is about to see or has heard us, intensifies the enemy's level of presence, and replaces the ambient audio we would normally hear.

Interface and visual readability

While we've already seen UI zoom in other games or on mobile devices, TLOU2 offers two impressive options: full-screen zoom , which allows those with limited vision to better focus on distant enemies or those camouflaged in the surrounding environment, and high contrast , which highlights characters and objects and tones down the colors of the environment. Furthermore, the intensity, timing, and duration of enemy scanning are adjustable.

Conclusion

Fortunately, the TLOU 2 case did not remain isolated , and over the years, more and more games have joined in and are progressively reducing those design barriers that for years have excluded a portion of players from the full experience, thus effectively broadening the gaming audience to include those who, due to their disabilities, have never been able to fully enjoy those titles.

In addition to the numerous awards won at the Game Awards 2020 , including Game Of The Year 2020 , the game received awards regarding accessibility such as: Innovation in Accessibility at the Game Awards and Second Channel and Helping Hand at the Video Game Accessibility Awards 2020 promoted by AbleGamers.

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