The Last of Us 2 is finally here and with it, a game that is brutal, unsettling, and well worth the experience. Part 2 is a huge improvement from the first, but the challenges and dangers of the game are ever present.

Don’t worry though as we got some tips that may help you out on your journey! Please do keep in mind that there will be minor SPOILERS for some mechanics of the game. We promise you though, no plot related ones. Story is just as important in any game so we definitely don’t want to take that away from you.

Disclaimer – This post contains minor spoilers. Do not read past this point if you want to experience the game on a clean slate.

So here’s our list and hopefully these can help you survive on your journey:

Use stealth as much as you can (In fact, we recommend playing in Hard mode)

Resources are scarce and while the game will not stop you from using your guns to deal with problems, the best way to save your ammo and supplies for the more intense encounters is to go about things quietly. Save for certain encounters, it’s very much possible to go through the game using stealth.

Environmental layouts like wooden crates, cars, and debris make it possible to sneak around your enemies to either get away quietly or deliver a stealth kill. You can also go prone, a new move in Ellie’s arsenal, that will allow you to hide in tall grass to catch an enemy unaware. You can also crawl under some objects by using prone! There will also be cracks in the wall where you can slip through to get the jump on an enemy.

Don’t forget that running away is also a good idea. You can disengage, recover your stealth status, and take on the fight again. If you’re caught in a tough spot, run and regain stealth.

Playing in Normal difficulty will give you enough resources to run through the game easily but for a fuller and more immersive experience, we highly recommend playing on Hard! Don’t be intimidated, it’s not actually THAT hard. Part of how great the game is relies on the experience and playing on Hard difficulty simply heightens that experience. Take our word for it. Play. On. Hard.

Explore when you can, where you can

Check every nook and cranny when the game lets you. When traveling, or after enemy encounters, useful supplies or one of the game’s many collectibles are just there waiting to be salvaged. The game may be linear but that shouldn’t stop you from taking a few detours. See a building with a locked door and no other way inside? Check it out because one of the neat things in The Last of Us Part II is letting you break windows to get around such obstacles. Normally, you’d think certain buildings are just inaccessible backgrounds. In the past, maybe, but here it pays to be curious as the rewards could be some much needed extra supplies and collectibles.

Take the time to look around, you’ll never know what you may find! And try to open all the safes that you see!

Know your enemy and plan around them

The Infected aren’t the only things you need to be wary of. You’ll be encountering a lot of other humans in the game so it’s really good to know what you’re up against.

Generally speaking, Infected are best dealt with quietly and with them having lost all sense of reasoning, they won’t exactly panic or get cautious when seeing corpses of other Infected. Infected from the first game make an appearance like those creepy Clickers but don’t worry, Ellie has a pocket knife that she can use to dispose of clickers without the need for a Shiv just like Joel in the first game.

Expect new variations of infected like the gas spreading Shamblers, which are best fought from a distance with your Hunting Rifle. A couple of well placed shots to the head should be all you need.

On the other hand, human enemies carry weapons and will change behavior if they see one of their friends lying dead. There are even some who have dogs who can track your scent so staying in one place isn’t a good idea. Pro tip, always carry a bottle or brick in hand when facing up against dogs! Alternatively, when going up against a dog accompanied by a human, take down the human first. Taking down the dog first will prompt the human to call for backup whereas the dog will mostly mourn the loss of his ‘master’, allowing for a relatively easy kill.

There will be situations where you’ll be up against a combination of Infected and Humans. Why make it a challenge for yourself? Let them fight! A well-aimed bottle thrown near enemy Humans to alert noise sensitive Infected can cause them go at each other, hereby thinning out their numbers without exhausting your own resources and letting you finish off whatever’s left.

Play it smart, play it right, and adjust your tactics depending on the situation!

Prioritize certain upgrades over others

You’ll be picking up different resources like tools to upgrade your different weapons, as well as health supplements that will boost up your abilities. And we can’t stress enough that they will be scarce so you got to know what to invest in first.

In terms of weapons, prioritize upgrading the stronger guns you have like the Shotgun and Hunting Rifle, focusing on damage first, then ammo capacity. After that, the rest will be up to you if you prefer stability, faster reload, or firing rate. Remember, Damage first then ammo capacity.

As we’re also helping you save up on ammo, best to use your supplements to boost up skills related to Listen Mode like letting your hear further, and then Health related upgrades like crafting more effective Med Kits and extending your Life Bar. If you find yourself always lacking the resources needed to craft extra ammo or tools, prioritize the crafting upgrades that allow you to create more with the same amount of resources.

Be prepared for anything

While there will be some breather moments where the game will let you go around and explore, do expect that almost every other area you will transition to will be an enemy encounter. It’s especially true when you’re moving to a new area and there’s no way to go back. Things like jumping over a really high wall or when your way back gets blocked. This is almost always a guaranteed trigger that there’s going to be a fight. So when you’re in a new area, it’s always the smart decision to stay low and look for the nearest hiding spot.

Paranoid as it sounds, the world is a brutal place is The Last of Us Part II. Reload when you need to, craft necessary items in advance, heal up as needed. You never want to go into a fight at a disadvantage. Protip, always equip the Shotgun before going into a new area, then just change weapons as the situation calls for it.

Make things easier for yourself

There will be a lot of intense moments in the Last of Us Part II so better adjust certain mechanics to make it easier for you in the options menu.

It’s possible to toggle just holding on buttons instead of rapid tapping. This is for situations like getting out of being grabbed, or engaging in melee combat. Not only will it be less tiring, but your controller buttons may thank you for it.

It’s also possible to toggle Listen Mode where you can just tap a button instead of holding R1 down. You can even do this for your weapon, the bow specifically.

There are also certain accessibility options that will allow you to spot materials easily so you can use this to find all of crafting materials you need without breaking a sweat.

There are no difficulty related trophies in the game so if you’re in a bind, don’t be afraid to dial the difficulty down a bit!

Play The Last of Us 2 right from the comfort of your own home by ordering it online via Game One PH!