Look, let’s be real. Naughty Dog didn’t make a "fun" game when they dropped The Last of Us. They made a stressful, heart-wrenching, resource-starved nightmare that occasionally lets you look at a giraffe. If you’re looking for a Last of Us walkthrough, you’re probably not just stuck on a puzzle; you’re likely staring at a dark hallway in the Pittsburgh hotel basement, hearing that awful clicking sound, and wondering if you have enough shivs to make it out alive. You probably don't. That’s just how this game plays with your head.
Most guides will tell you exactly where to walk. "Turn left, go up the stairs." Sure, that helps. But it doesn't help when a Runner spots you from across the room because you didn't realize their line of sight is actually wider than it looks. Surviving Joel and Ellie’s journey across a ruined America requires more than just knowing the map. It requires a fundamental shift in how you play third-person shooters. You aren't Nathan Drake. You can't take ten bullets to the chest and hide behind a crate to heal. Here, one wrong move with a Clicker means a prompt "Game Over" screen as your throat gets ripped out.
Why Stealth is Actually the Only Way to Play
People try to play this like Gears of War. They run in, guns blazing, and then they wonder why they’re out of ammo by the time they reach the high school in Lincoln. Stop doing that. The most important part of any Last of Us walkthrough isn't the combat—it's the avoiding of combat.
Clickers are the big hurdle. They’re blind, yeah, but their hearing is supernatural. If you tilt that thumbstick just a hair too far, they’ll snap toward you. The trick? Bricks. Honestly, bricks are the most powerful weapon in the entire game. Forget the flamethrower. A brick can stun a Clicker, allowing you to follow up with a melee strike or a pipe, saving you a precious bullet. If you're playing on Grounded difficulty, this isn't just a tip; it's a law. You’ll find yourself hoarding bottles and bricks like they’re made of gold.
Wait. Let’s talk about the shivs.
You should almost never use a shiv to kill an enemy from behind unless you absolutely have to. Why? Because shivs are your only way into the locked "Shiv Doors" scattered throughout the world. Those rooms contain the real loot—supplements, parts for weapon upgrades, and sometimes those rare training manuals that make your health kits actually work. If you waste a shiv on a random Hunter in the suburbs, you’re potentially locking yourself out of a weapon holster upgrade later. It’s a bad trade.
Navigating the Worst Parts of the Journey
Every Last of Us walkthrough eventually hits the wall that is the Hotel Basement. You know the one. It’s pitch black, there’s a generator, and you just know that once you pull that cord, the world is going to end. This is where the game stops being an action-adventure and turns into pure survival horror.
Strategy matters here more than aim.
Most players make the mistake of pulling the generator cord immediately. Don't. Explore the upper floor first. Map out your exit route. Locate the keycard. Once you understand the layout of the laundry room and the hallways, then you go for the power. The Bloater that spawns in that basement is a bullet sponge, and frankly, you don't need to kill it. You just need to run. It’s a recurring theme in the game: just because an enemy is there doesn't mean it needs to die.
Bill’s Town and the Art of the Trap
Bill is a jerk, but he knows his stuff. When you’re moving through the woods and the town, the game introduces tripwires. Pay attention to these. Not just to avoid them, but to learn how to use the environment. The game wants you to be creative. If you can lure a group of Runners into a trap Bill set, that’s three shotgun shells you didn't have to use.
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The Suburbs and the Sniper
The sniper section in the suburbs is a massive spike in difficulty for a lot of people. It feels unfair. You’re pinned down, Ellie and Henry are yelling, and every time you peek, you get a hole in your head. The secret? It’s a scripted sequence. You have to move cover to cover on the left side of the street. Don't try to be a hero and outshoot the guy from the road. Get into the houses. Use the basements. The game is teaching you how to flank, a skill you'll need desperately once you reach the Salt Lake City hospital.
Managing Your Resources Like a Pro
Upgrading your gear is where most people mess up. You find these "Parts" on workbenches, and the temptation is to upgrade the power of your revolver or the range of your 9mm.
That's a mistake.
Priority one should always be Weapon Holsters. Being able to swap between your long guns (like the bow and the shotgun) without opening your backpack is the difference between life and death during an ambush. After holsters, focus on Reload Speed and Magazine Capacity. In a panic, you won't be aiming for headshots with perfect precision; you'll be spraying because a Stalker is jumping on your face. Having more rounds in the tube saves lives.
- Supplements: Use these to upgrade Joel’s "Listen Mode" distance first.
- Healing Speed: This is a secondary priority—if you’re healing in the middle of a fight, you’ve already messed up.
- The Bow: It’s the best weapon in the game. It’s silent, and you can recover the ammo. Learn the arc. Love the arc.
The crafting system is a zero-sum game. If you make a Molotov, you can't make a health kit because they both use alcohol and rags. This is the cruelest choice the game forces on you. Usually, the Molotov is the better choice. Why? Because if you use the Molotov to clear a group of three enemies instantly, you won't take the damage that would have required the health kit in the first place. It’s proactive medicine.
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Dealing with the Winter Section
When the game shifts to Winter and you’re playing as Ellie, everything changes. You don't have Joel’s brute strength. You can't just punch a Hunter to death. This part of the Last of Us walkthrough requires a much "rattier" playstyle. You have to use the environment—crawling under floorboards, hiding in pipes, and using your switchblade.
The fight with David in the burning restaurant is a masterclass in tension. It’s a game of cat and mouse where you are definitely the mouse. My advice? Don't move unless you know where he is. Listen for the sound of broken glass on the floor. That’s the giveaway. If you run, he hears you. If you walk on glass, he hears you. It's a pure test of the stealth mechanics you've been practicing for the last ten hours.
The Final Push: The Firefly Lab
By the time you reach the hospital in St. Mary’s, the game stops holding back. These aren't just scavengers; these are trained soldiers with armor and assault rifles. This is the one place where you should feel free to use everything you’ve been hoarding. Use the smoke bombs. Use the El Diablo.
There’s a specific hallway near the end with about five or six guards. You can actually stealth through the entire thing using the offices on the right side, but it’s incredibly tight. If things go south, use your remaining bricks to create distractions. The goal isn't to clear the floor; it's to reach the door at the end of the hall.
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Essential Tips for Success
- Listen Mode is your best friend. Pulse it constantly. It's not cheating; it's survival.
- Don't ignore the lore. Finding notes and artifacts doesn't just give you trophies; it often gives you clues to safe combinations. Those safes contain the biggest resource hauls in the game.
- Check the corners. Naughty Dog loves hiding supplements in bathrooms and kitchen cabinets.
- The Bow is for Clickers. One headshot with a bow is a silent kill. It keeps the rest of the pack from swarming you.
- Melee is a viable strategy. If you have a lead pipe or a machete, use it on lone Runners to save ammo.
The emotional weight of this game is heavy. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your playthrough is to take a break after a major cutscene. The stress of the combat combined with the bleakness of the story can lead to "gamer fatigue," where you start making sloppy mistakes because you're rushing to see what happens next. Slow down. Look at the environment. The environmental storytelling in the abandoned houses tells you more about the world than the cutscenes ever could.
To truly master your journey, focus on your internal map. Know where your exits are before the first shot is fired. Keep your health above 70% whenever possible. And for the love of everything, keep a brick in your hand at all times.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
- Check your inventory now. If you have full rags and alcohol, craft a Molotov immediately to make room for more raw materials.
- Locate the Training Manuals. There are 12 in total. Missing the "Shrapnel" manual for bombs makes your life much harder in the later stages.
- Practice the "Brick-Combo." Throw a brick at a stunned enemy and immediately follow up with a melee strike for an instant, low-cost kill.
- Save your shivs for doors. Only use a shiv on a Clicker if it’s literally about to kill you.
- Prioritize the Bow. Spend your early weapon parts on the Bow's range and draw speed to turn it into a long-range sniper tool.