[WARNING: Spoilers for The Last of Us: Part 2 below.]
One of the biggest questions fans of The Last of Us franchise have had is if and how weapons will change between the original and its sequel. The Last of Us: Part 2 was released on June 19th, developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, after a seven-year gap between the original’s release in 2013.
In The Last of Us smuggler Joel was charged with taking Ellie, a teenage girl seemingly immune from zombie bites, across the United States. Guaranteeing her safety was the only way to ensure a possible cure for the infection that had taken over the world. In The Last of Us, the flamethrower is one of the most brutal and effective weapons players can stumble upon. Without it, Ellie and Joel wouldn’t have made such a narrow escape at the University. However, fans of the franchise may be disappointed to know the weapon won’t be exactly the same in The Last of Us 2.
In the first game, Joel initially stumbles upon the flamethrower at the University of Colorado. The item appears homemade, and one of the students whose journals he can later uncover likely made it while camping out at the college, waiting for a rescue that never came. The flamethrower quickly proves itself useful when Joel reaches the final floor of the University, which is of course filled with infected. Luckily, the weapon allows Joel to quickly dispose of the monsters, as even Bloaters are no match for its flames.
How The Last Of Us 2 Changed Its Flamethrower
Players who enjoyed wielding such a hefty machine will be happy to know the flamethrower returns in The Last of Us 2. Towards the end of the game, players will have the opportunity to grab the famous weapon and use it once again in all of its glory. Though the weapon will do serious damage on the infected – especially the ones that have evolved since the first game – players will not be able to upgrade it like they did in The Last of Us.
In The Last of Us' multiplayer mode, for example, the flamethrower can be purchased once a player has collected 4750 supplies. It can be further upgraded at a price, too, including upgrades to its reload speed, range, and power. It’s always been an attractive choice of weapon in TLOU since it does a fair amount of damage and performs well in close range combat. It also prevents its victims from being revived.
While players can expect the flamethrower to return in the sequel, the upgrade options will not be available. Fortunately the weapon remains one of the strongest options available even in its base form, and although the flamethrower will be slightly different than how players remember it in The Last of Us 2, hopefully they'll end up loving it all the same.