6: Stealth Tactics Showcase
If you’re going the stealth route, craft a silencer but make sure to unequip it. Silencers only have 3 shots of durability, so only swap to a silencer when you know you can score a headshot. Don’t waste it!
- NOTE: The Silenced Pistol can be used while you’re prone. Lay down in the tall grass, then aim to line up a safe shot.
If you’re stealthed, you can also use throwable bombs to your advantage. Throwing a weapon doesn’t generate noise, so if you drop a trap in the middle of a group, the bad guys won’t know where you are. They’ll go on high alert, but you can still stealth kill them.
Enemies can be grabbed from around corners, so if they spot you (slightly) they’ll move in. You can let them catch a brief glimpse of you to lure them to your hiding spot, then grab them! Don’t forget that if you’re about to be spotted, you can charge forward and grab them from any angle. If you get them before they shoot, you can still stop an alarm.
7: Turning The Tables With Traps
The WLF use trip-mines to block passages and make your life more difficult. These traps are tricky to spot, so keep your eyes open in the tall grass. These traps are highly useful if infected are in the area. Just stand so the trap is between you and your prey, and the infected will charge right into the wires, blowing themselves up.
There’s almost always an alternate route you can use to safely avoid traps, but if there’s no other way, a brick can detonate these traps early. The sound will alerty every enemy in the area, though.
8: Bricks, Bottles & Quick-Throw
One of the most useful features of the first game is back in TLOU2. Quick-throw allows you to toss an equipped brick or bottle at a nearby opponent, briefly stunning them so you can rush in for the kill. Human enemies and runners can be grabbed, while a stunned clicker can be killed with melee attacks.
The gameworld is replete with plenty of bottles and bricks. You’ll never run out, so use these weapons as often as you can. As long as no one is nearby, these weapons also count as stealth tools. They’re absolutely perfect for dealing with the last straggler in a WLF patrol.
9: Friends Work Together
If you’re fighting with an ally at your side, which you will for most of the game, don’t underestimate their usefulness. If you’re playing stealthy, they’ll always stealth kill nearby enemies if the coast is clear. If you’re sneaking up on a two-man WLF patrol, your ally will insta-kill the second enemy if you grab them. That opens up a lot of tactica possibilities you might not have realized were possible!
Even nicer, your ally will also eventually show you the proper way to go if you’re lost in one of the expansive areas. They’ll tell Ellie to ‘Follow me’ and go in the right direction.
10: Infected Vs Non-Infected Throwdowns
Sometimes, you’ll be caught in a fight with WLFs or Seraphites alongside the infected. If that happens, you can use clicker blindness to your advantage. Throw a trap bomb to make a loud band near the gang of enemies, and clickers will run right past you to the noisest sound they can hear. This will happen even if they simply spot you and open fire with guns.
That way, you can let the humans and infected fight it out. Whoever wins, there will be a lot fewer enemies in the area. Then you’re free to wipe up and move on.
11: Dealing With Dogs
Dogs are an enemy that appear pretty far into the game, and these mutts don’t mess around. They can sniff Ellie out, so stay on-the-move and use [R1] to see your scent trail. This is where the Silenced Pistol will really come in handy. You can also distract dogs by throwing a brick or bottle. They’ll lose your scent, but if you’re anywhere near them, they’ll get on you again.
Sadly, you’ll just have to take care of these bad dogs. The Bow is one of the most useful weapons for thwarting dogs. Use the bow to take out the owner — aim for the head and you can retrieve those arrows. You can also craft more if you’ve got the supplies on the fly. Learning to get good with the bow will help you a lot in the later game.
We’re only scratching the surface of all the tactics and strategies you’ll learn throughout this game, but we’re trying to avoid too many spoilers. Check back soon for even more TLOU2 guides on Gameranx!
