Here's exactly how long it takes to beat The Last of Us Part II

Reviews for The Last of Us Part II are finally out, and while Naughty Dog's sequel has drawn widespread praise for its stunning visuals and intense narrative, a handful of critics have called the game far too grueling for its own good. While Sony has limited the spoilers and details reviewers can share, we already have a pretty good idea of how much time you can expect to spend on TLOU 2. Here's what we know.

How long does it take to beat Last of Us 2?

On average, reviewers report spending about 25 hours to complete The Last of Us Part II. Naturally, you can expect some variation there depending on your personal playstyle. If you lean more toward the thorough and completionist end of the spectrum, plan on closer to 27-30 hours. If you're playing on a lower difficulty level and aren't too fussed about collectibles, you can expect somewhere in the low twenty-hour range.

While 25 hours isn't particularly long, some reviews suggest that the experience of TLOU 2 might feel like a grueling slog. "As the game grew more difficult to stomach, the pace of the combat sometimes felt like punishment. I’d long to be done with what I was experiencing, only to have no choice but to trudge through it," noted Kotaku's Riley MacLeod.

In any case, TLOU 2 is significantly longer than its predecessor, which clocked in at about 15-20 hours for a single playthrough. While a largely linear game, The Last of Us Part II will allow players to explore more expansive environments than its predecessor. That means there are many more optional nooks and crannies to explore throughout the game. Given the franchise's emphasis on resource management, you'll want to devote at least some time to using out any extra materials, healing items, and ammo you can. Every little bit helps!

Ellie will be able to enhance various skills throughout her journey, though it won't be possible to upgrade her completely in a single playthrough. This is similar to how playing as Joel worked in the first game. Your upgrades will carry over to a New Game + save file, though, if you're keen to see Ellie firing on all cylinders.

How many chapters are in Last of Us 2?

The first game consisted of 12 chapters, which varied in length and complexity. Each chapter contained various collectibles and missable items. Completing the game unlocked access to Chapter Select in the main menu, allowing players to easily revisit specific sections to do some more exploring and snag any goodies they may have missed.

The Last of Us Part II is structured a little bit differently, with 11 parts divided into a whopping 46 shorter chapters. Here are their names — spoilers ahead, after the picture.

Jackson

• Prologue
• Waking Up
• The Overlook
• Patrol
• The Horde
• The Chalet
• Packing Up

Seattle Day 1

• The Gate
• Downtown
• Eastbrook Elementary
• Capitol Hill
• Channel 13
• The Tunnels
• The Theatre
• The Birthday Gift

Seattle Day 2

• Hillcrest
• Finding Strings
• The Seraphites
• St. Mary’s Hospital

Seattle Day 3

• Road to the Aquarium
• The Flooded City
• Infiltration

The Park

• Tracking Lesson

Seattle Day 1

• The Stadium
• On Foot
• The Forward Base
• The Aquarium
• Hostile Territory
• Winter Visit
• The Forest
• The Coast
• Return to the Coast

Seattle Day 2

• The Shortcut
• The Descent
• Ground Zero
• Return to the Aquarium

Seattle Day 3

• The Marina
• The Island
• The Escape
• The Confrontation

The Farm

• The Farm

Santa Barbara

• 2425 Constance
• Pushing Inland
• The Resort
• The Beach

The Farm

• Epilogue

The Last of Us Part II is out now on PS4.