The Last of Us Part I — PS5 Remake: Main Story Walkthrough (Left Behind excluded)

1. Select the main story campaign

From the title screen, select the main story campaign. The PS5 release includes Left Behind as a separate story choice, so do not select that option if this run is limited to the main campaign. The main story begins with the Prologue and continues through the hospital conclusion; Left Behind is not inserted into that route.

Choose a difficulty that suits the way you want to play. Very Light, Light, Moderate, Hard, and Survivor provide different levels of combat and resource pressure, while the remake also supports more demanding options and customized difficulty components. For a first story-focused run, select a setting that allows you to explore and learn stealth rather than one that makes every early mistake costly.

Difficulty is not a reason to abandon the run if the setting proves uncomfortable. Revisit the difficulty options from the pause menu when necessary, or use the remake’s custom difficulty controls to adjust specific pressures instead of changing everything at once. Accessibility and difficulty adjustments are part of the game’s intended configuration options, not a separate mode that invalidates campaign progress.

• Select the main story, not Left Behind.
• Choose a difficulty you can maintain while learning the systems.
• If you use custom difficulty, change only the component causing the problem.

2. Review accessibility settings by category

Open Options, then Accessibility. Review the Visual, Hearing, Motion Sickness, Navigation and Traversal, and Combat Accessibility sections rather than relying only on a preset. Turn on subtitles if you need dialogue text, and enable speaker names or directional subtitle information if identifying voices during movement or combat is difficult.

For visual information, consider High Contrast Display, HUD enlargement, color adjustments, or screen-reader support where appropriate. For audio information, check audio cues, cinematic audio description, and speech-to-vibrations options. Navigation Assistance can help point you toward the story route, while Enhanced Listen Mode can make enemies and pickups easier to identify. These settings are particularly useful when the scene is dark, noisy, or crowded.

For combat and input demands, review Aim Assist, Camera Assist, Lock-On Aim, reduced weapon sway, simplified inputs, and slow-motion options where available. Do not enable every aid automatically. Turn on the features that solve a real access or control problem, then test them during the opening movement and aiming sections. You can return to these menus later if a feature is too strong, too distracting, or no longer needed.

• Enable subtitles and any visual or audio cues you rely on.
• Test Navigation Assistance or Enhanced Listen Mode if spatial navigation is difficult.
• Review combat assistance before the first serious encounter.
• Remember that these settings can be changed later.

3. Configure the DualSense and button layout

Open Controls and verify the actions you will use repeatedly: movement, camera control, crouching, sprinting, listening mode, aiming, firing, melee, dodging where available, item selection, and interaction. Choose hold or toggle behavior for aiming and other repeated actions according to what is comfortable. If the default layout causes you to release movement or reach awkwardly during aiming, use the remapping options before beginning the campaign.

Review the DualSense settings separately. Adaptive trigger resistance can make firing and drawing a bow feel more physical, but it may be tiring or uncomfortable during long sessions. Haptic feedback, controller vibration, motion-sensor aiming, and speech-to-vibrations can each be enabled or disabled independently. Keep the features that provide useful information and turn off anything that interferes with concentration or causes discomfort.

After changing the layout, test the result in the opening sequence. Confirm that you can move, look around, crouch, sprint, aim, fire, listen, and interact without pausing to search for a button. Leave control reminders enabled until the tutorial actions feel automatic.

• Test movement, camera, crouch, sprint, listen, aim, fire, and interaction.
• Choose hold or toggle behavior deliberately.
• Set adaptive triggers, vibration, motion controls, and speech-to-vibrations to comfortable levels.
• Keep control reminders on until the basic actions are familiar.

4. Avoid spending resources before the systems are clear

Do not select a universal first upgrade before playing far enough to see how you actually fail. Supplements are used for player skill upgrades, weapon parts are used at workbenches, and crafting components are used for items such as health kits, shivs, throwables, and other equipment. They are not interchangeable, and the most useful priority depends on your difficulty and play style.

A player who regularly loses health may eventually prefer survivability improvements. A stealth-focused player may value listening or quiet-approach upgrades when those options become available. A player who struggles in open combat may prefer weapon improvements. These are planning choices, not requirements for completing the campaign. Keep some flexibility instead of spending every material immediately.

Shivs also require judgment. They can open certain locked doors and help in specific close-range situations, but crafting one consumes components that could support another item. Do not craft a shiv merely because the menu allows it; decide whether the next area gives you a reason to need one. The same principle applies to healing items and explosives: craft when the upcoming encounter or depleted inventory makes the use clear.

• Do not confuse supplements, weapon parts, and crafting components.
• Wait until your play style reveals which upgrades solve your problems.
• Keep some crafting flexibility for the next hostile section.
• Treat shiv crafting as situational rather than automatic.

5. Establish a practical save routine

The game uses automatic checkpoints throughout the campaign and also provides manual saves. Use checkpoints for ordinary deaths and short retries. Once manual saving is available, create a save at a calm pause after a major objective, before entering an unfamiliar combat space, or before testing a new approach. The official PlayStation description states that manual saves let you return to the game where you left off, making them useful for preserving a stable fallback position.

Keep two useful save positions when possible: a current campaign save and a reserve save from an earlier safe point. Do not overwrite the reserve immediately before a difficult encounter. If a strategy fails repeatedly, reload the reserve, change your equipment or accessibility setup, and approach the section differently rather than repeating the same failed attempt.

Settings can be revisited during the run, so do not treat the preparation menu as a permanent contract. If aiming, subtitles, haptics, or difficulty components are interfering with progress, pause at a safe moment and adjust them. The preparation chapter is complete when you can begin the Prologue with a usable control layout, readable information, and a save plan that does not depend on replaying long sections after every mistake.

• Use automatic checkpoints for ordinary retries.
• Create a manual save once manual saving becomes available.
• Keep a reserve save before a major hostile section when practical.
• Adjust settings later if the original configuration is uncomfortable.

1. Search Sarah’s bedroom and leave the room

After the opening cinematic, you control Sarah in her bedroom. Walk to the desk and interact with the birthday card. This is not a collectible and does not affect completion, but it is the first intended interaction in the chapter. You can also look at the phone or mirror if you want to inspect the room; those actions are optional.

Leave the bedroom and enter the bathroom across the hall. Read the newspaper beside the sink if you want the opening context about the outbreak. The newspaper is environmental story material, not a collectible required for any trophy or progression. Return to the hallway when finished.

• Control Sarah in the bedroom.
• Interact with the birthday card if desired.
• Leave the room and reach the upstairs bathroom.

2. Watch the news and answer Tommy’s call

Enter Joel’s bedroom, the room with light coming through the open doorway. Approach the television and watch the news report. When the explosion is visible outside the window, leave the room and go downstairs.

A phone rings in the kitchen. Interact with it to hear Tommy’s message. You can also read the note attached to the refrigerator. Afterward, move toward the office with the glass doors. Entering the office triggers the next scene with Joel and begins the drive out of the neighborhood.

• Watch the news report in Joel’s bedroom.
• Answer the ringing phone in the kitchen.
• Enter the office to trigger the transition to Tommy’s car.

3. Ride through the outbreak and escape the wreck

During the car sequence, Sarah is not driving. You can look around through the windows, but the vehicle follows a fixed route. Continue watching until another vehicle hits Tommy’s car and the group is forced to flee on foot.

Control changes to Joel after the crash. Joel is carrying Sarah, so follow Tommy through the burning streets. The route is linear, but the crowd and destruction can make the direction unclear. Keep Tommy ahead of you and move toward the open street rather than trying to enter nearby buildings.

• Remain in the vehicle until the crash occurs.
• After the crash, follow Tommy through the street.
• Do not search side buildings during the escape.

4. Break free and follow Tommy past the theater

At the wreck, Joel becomes trapped inside the vehicle. Repeatedly press the button shown on screen to force the door or window open. Once outside, run downhill toward the gas station. The burning gas station marks the next turn; go right as the explosion blocks the road and continue toward the Armadillo Theater.

Tommy will direct Joel toward an alley. Follow that instruction and enter the alley rather than attempting to push through the main street. The prologue is an escape sequence, so there is no reason to stop and explore or look for supplies.

• Complete the on-screen escape prompt at the wreck.
• Run toward the gas station and turn right near the Armadillo Theater.
• Enter the alley Tommy indicates.

5. Escape the Runner and reach the Pistol Cantina

A Runner catches up in the alley. When the game displays the melee prompt, press the indicated button to shove it away. This is a brief scripted survival interaction, not a combat encounter that can be approached with weapons or stealth.

After the Runner is repelled, continue following Tommy through the alleyways. Enter the Pistol Cantina when the route opens into the building. A cutscene there separates Joel and Sarah from Tommy temporarily while Tommy holds back the infected.

• Complete the prompted escape from the Runner.
• Follow Tommy through the back alleys.
• Enter the Pistol Cantina and wait for the cutscene.

6. Run from the cantina to the military patrol

When control returns after the cantina scene, leave through the destroyed brick wall. Follow the dirt and muddy path downhill toward the army officer. Do not turn back to search the cantina or attempt to find another route; the path to the patrol is the only progression route.

Reach the soldier with Sarah in Joel’s arms and follow the on-screen prompts during the confrontation. The soldier’s actions and the scene that follows are fixed. Movement, timing, or attempting to run away cannot change the outcome.

• Exit through the destroyed brick wall.
• Follow the muddy path to the army officer.
• Complete the scripted confrontation.

7. Confirm the prologue is complete

After the patrol sequence, allow the closing cinematic to play. The game then advances through the twenty-year time jump and starts the next playable section as Joel. That transition is the completion marker for Hometown’s Prologue.

This chapter contains no collectibles, crafting menu, weapons, upgrades, or optional combat objectives. If you die during the escape, reload the latest checkpoint and repeat the current movement or button prompt. There is no alternate ending or route to discover.

• Finish the military patrol sequence.
• Let the closing prologue scene and time transition play.
• Confirm that control resumes as Joel twenty years later.

1. Follow Tess to the checkpoint and survive the lockdown

After the time jump, leave Joel’s apartment and follow Tess through the Boston streets. Optional conversations with civilians are not required, so remain near Tess and continue toward the checkpoint. When the soldiers begin processing Joel and Tess, a Firefly attack interrupts the inspection and closes the route.

Follow Tess into the nearby building instead of trying to return to the gate. She gives Joel a health kit; use it if the game prompts you or if you need to restore health. Continue through the room until Tess asks Joel to move a cabinet or shelf. Push it aside to reveal a lower passage, then drop through the opening. Follow Tess through the tunnel, vault over the pipe when prompted, and collect Joel’s backpack, pistol and gas mask from the stash area. Reload the pistol, then help Tess over the wooden wall so both characters can leave the quarantine zone.

• Follow Tess to the checkpoint.
• Use the health kit Tess provides if needed.
• Push the cabinet aside and drop into the lower passage.
• Collect the backpack, pistol and gas mask.
• Help Tess over the wooden wall.

2. Cross the spore-filled buildings and learn stealth against infected

Beyond the wall, follow Tess through the abandoned buildings. When spores appear, Joel automatically equips the gas mask after the relevant prompt or scene. Continue through the dark rooms, using the flashlight and watching for narrow crawl spaces, broken walls and ladders. If you see a ladder on the floor near a damaged building, carry it to the marked wall so you and Tess can reach the upper level.

The first hostile section here contains infected rather than human guards. Crouch before entering rooms, use Listen Mode from cover to identify movement, and approach isolated Runners from behind for stealth takedowns. Do not assume every room must be cleared. In some areas, it is safer to move past an infected through a window or exit after creating enough distance. If you are detected, retreat through a doorway or around debris rather than standing in the open.

Search side rooms when the route is quiet. You can find basic supplies, parts and melee items, but exact contents depend on what you collect and what your difficulty permits. Use Listen Mode as a planning aid; its effectiveness is affected by difficulty and accessibility settings, including Enhanced Listen Mode.

• Equip the gas mask in the spore areas.
• Use Listen Mode before entering infected rooms.
• Stealth-takedown isolated Runners when safe.
• Search side rooms without delaying the route unnecessarily.

3. Reach the market and defeat or bypass the first smugglers

Continue behind Tess until you reach the market-side district. After the conversation that points Joel and Tess toward Robert, proceed through the next gate to trigger the first human confrontation. Keep low behind boxes, walls and vehicles. If the enemies are separated, approach from behind for quiet takedowns. If they remain grouped, throw a bottle or brick away from your intended path and move when one enemy investigates.

If the encounter becomes loud, prioritize survival over a perfect stealth clear. Stay near cover, fire only when you have a safe shot, and retreat around corners if several enemies begin advancing. Melee weapons are useful when an enemy is isolated, but do not rush into a group. After the initial area, Tess can be boosted over a fence; follow her through the opening and continue toward the warehouse.

• Use cover through the market encounter.
• Distract separated enemies with bottles or bricks.
• Retreat if multiple smugglers converge.
• Boost Tess over the fence when prompted.

4. Clear the warehouse route and open the gate

In the yard and warehouse approach, Tess helps create an opening while the smugglers patrol. Crouch behind the fence and wait for enemies to separate. Take the closest isolated target from behind, then move around the side room and warehouse edges rather than crossing the center. If stealth fails, use the doorway and stacked crates as a choke point.

One enemy carries the key needed to continue. After the area is secure, search the fallen enemies and collect it, then use it on the locked warehouse door. Inside, move through the garage and check the ground floor before using the exterior stairs to reach the upper level. Listen for patrols and avoid climbing directly into an enemy’s line of sight. When the route is clear, return to the ground floor and operate the chain mechanism to open the gate.

• Use the warehouse’s side rooms and crates as cover.
• Collect the key from the required enemy.
• Unlock the warehouse door.
• Use the exterior stairs carefully.
• Operate the chain mechanism to open the gate.

5. Cross the docks and confront Robert

Follow Tess toward the docks. This is the largest human encounter before Robert, and the exact pressure depends on difficulty and how quickly you are detected. Move along the perimeter, using containers, walls and the warehouse structure to keep enemies from surrounding Joel. Eliminate isolated guards quietly when possible, and leave yourself a retreat route toward the entrance.

If combat begins, do not remain in the open trading pistol shots. Fall back behind a container or doorway and let enemies approach one at a time. Use a brick or bottle to interrupt an enemy, then finish the target with melee or a firearm only when necessary. Preserve ammunition where possible, because the next section still includes armed soldiers. Once the dock area is secure, follow Tess into the office route and chase Robert. The confrontation ends in a story scene; it cannot be changed through gameplay.

• Approach the docks from the perimeter.
• Keep a retreat route available.
• Use distractions to separate guards.
• Reach Robert’s office and complete the chase.

6. Escape with Marlene, meet Ellie and finish the chapter

After Robert’s death, Marlene offers Joel and Tess a new deal involving Ellie. Follow Marlene immediately when the soldiers attack. Move up the stairs and across the rooftop route, staying behind cover whenever the patrols search the area. The escape includes a building interior and a route beneath a bridge. Use Listen Mode to identify soldiers, then move when their sight lines turn away. If you are spotted, retreat to the nearest cover and eliminate only the enemies blocking the exit.

Continue through Marlene’s hideout until Joel and Tess meet Ellie. After the scene, regain control and follow the walkway. The route requires moving a dumpster from a nearby garage; push it into position beneath the fire escape, climb onto it, and use the fire escape to reach the residential building. Follow the path through the building and continue until the locked gate transition begins. That transition completes The Quarantine Zone and starts The Outskirts.

• Follow Marlene through the rooftop and bridge escape.
• Use cover and Listen Mode against the soldiers.
• Meet Ellie at the hideout.
• Move the dumpster beneath the fire escape.
• Reach the locked gate and transition into The Outskirts.

1. Leave the Quarantine Zone and enter Downtown

Follow Tess through the back streets and toward the breach in the wall. Boost Ellie up when prompted, climb after her and continue through the ruined buildings. Search side rooms only when the immediate route is clear; the chapter rewards exploration, but stopping in an exposed area can draw enemies into a bad position.

In the first infected building, crouch and use Listen Mode to identify Runners before moving. Approach an isolated Runner from behind for a stealth takedown. If enemies begin turning toward you, retreat through a doorway or around a piece of furniture instead of standing in the open. A bottle or brick is most useful when it creates a specific opening: throw it away from the path you intend to use, then move while the infected investigate.

• Reach the ruined Downtown buildings beyond the initial streets.
• Use stealth or a distraction against the first Runner group.
• Keep a firearm available for emergencies without spending ammunition on every isolated enemy.

2. Cross the Downtown ruins and descend toward the subway

Continue behind Tess and Ellie through the collapsed streets. Look for obvious side rooms, counters and ledges that can provide materials, but do not treat every item as worth a fight. If an area contains several infected, first locate the next doorway, staircase or opening so you know where to go after creating a distraction.

When Runners occupy a broad room, wait for one to separate before moving behind it. Bricks can stagger an enemy at close range, while bottles are better for drawing attention away from Joel. If stealth fails, eliminate the enemy closest to your escape route and immediately relocate. Do not remain in one position while other infected close in.

Follow the group to the subway entrance and descend into the flooded station. The route remains linear, but the dark interior makes it easy to lose track of the exit. Use environmental landmarks such as the stairs, train cars and flooded passages to maintain your direction rather than searching for a designated safe room; this chapter has retreat points and checkpoints, not permanent safe areas.

• Identify an escape route before throwing a distraction.
• Avoid unnecessary firefights in the open Downtown spaces.
• Enter the subway with enough health or supplies to recover from one mistake if possible.

3. Navigate the flooded subway and bypass or eliminate Clickers

Move slowly through the subway and listen for Clicker vocalizations. Clickers are blind, but they detect sound and can kill Joel quickly if they reach him. Do not attempt a normal grab from the front. If you approach one, come from behind while crouched, or use a distraction to pull it away from your route.

A bottle or brick can open a path around a Clicker when there is room to circle. If a Clicker blocks a narrow passage and you cannot bypass it, a stealth shiv or another available combat option may be necessary. Do not assume every Clicker must be killed; the safest solution is often to wait for a patrol to move and slip through. Runners are easier targets, but attacking one near a Clicker can create enough noise to expose Joel.

Continue through the submerged train and underwater passages. When Ellie becomes trapped, dive through the wreckage and locate the route that allows Joel to reach and help her. Surface whenever possible, follow visible gaps between the train and debris, and continue until the group reaches the Museum.

• Never rely on a frontal grab against a Clicker.
• Use sound distractions only after deciding which opening you will take.
• Reach the Museum without spending ammunition merely to clear enemies that can be bypassed.

4. Cross the Museum after the collapse

Inside the Museum, follow the damaged upper route and climb through the building. When the floor gives way and Joel is separated from Tess and Ellie, slow down before entering the infected area. Check the room layout, note the shelves and counters that block sightlines, and identify the upper exit before committing to a route.

The Museum contains Runners and Clickers in close quarters. Let a Runner move away from the others, then take it down quietly from behind if the Clickers cannot see the attack. If the enemies become alerted, throw a bottle or brick toward an empty part of the room and move toward the exit while they investigate. A Molotov can help when several infected are tightly grouped, but do not spend it on a lone Runner unless you are trapped.

After clearing or bypassing the infected, climb through the upper Museum route. Help Ellie up when prompted and follow the linear path after the group is reunited. Continue toward the Capitol Building rather than returning to the collapsed rooms.

• Study the Museum room before moving into the infected group.
• Separate Runners from Clickers whenever possible.
• Use the upper route after reuniting with Tess and Ellie.

5. Search the Capitol Building and prepare for the soldier attack

Follow the exterior route from the Museum toward the Capitol Building. Search nearby rooms and bodies only when the area is secure, then continue through the entrance. Inside, Joel, Tess and Ellie find that the Fireflies they were meant to meet are dead. The story then reveals that soldiers have followed them.

Before triggering the escape, reload your equipped firearm and heal only if you need the health. Craft a shiv, Molotov or other available item if you have the ingredients and recipe, but do not assume a specific inventory is guaranteed. Keep a retreat path in mind: doorways, columns and narrow approaches are safer than the center of an open room.

The soldiers are human opponents using firearms and cover. Let them enter your position rather than chasing them through exposed ground. Use a doorway or interior corner as a choke point, fire from cover, then move when enemies begin flanking. A brick can stagger a nearby soldier and a bottle can redirect attention, but distractions are only useful if they lead to a clear exit. If the encounter goes badly, retreat along the route you entered and force the soldiers through the same narrow approach.

• Reload before the Capitol Building combat sequence.
• Keep cover between Joel and the soldiers and avoid the center of the room.
• Reserve at least one practical recovery or escape option when possible.

6. Escape after Tess stays behind

After Tess reveals that she has been bitten, she remains in the Capitol Building to delay the soldiers. Follow Joel’s escape route with Ellie immediately afterward. The sequence is directed and mostly linear, so prioritize movement, door interactions and the visible path over searching for supplies in rooms that are no longer safely accessible.

If you die during the Capitol encounter, reload the checkpoint and change the engagement pattern. Allowing soldiers to approach a choke point is generally more controlled than pushing into the open. You can also reduce the risk by using a distraction to reposition before firing, rather than attempting to defeat every enemy from the first cover location.

Continue through the escape route and enter the subway. When the game transitions to the next story section, The Outskirts is complete. The next chapter begins after Joel and Ellie leave the Capitol area and continue their journey.

• Tess’s sacrifice scene has concluded.
• Joel and Ellie have escaped through the subway route.
• The game transitions to the next chapter instead of returning to Downtown, the Museum or the Capitol Building.

Follow Bill through the trapped streets

After Bill’s introduction, stay behind him as he leads Joel and Ellie through Lincoln. The streets contain tripwire traps, especially across narrow lanes between vehicles, fences and buildings. Move at walking speed when the route opens up, look for thin wires near ankle height, and avoid sprinting around blind corners. If a trap is triggered, the resulting blast can damage Joel and alert nearby infected, turning a manageable section into a longer fight.

Continue through the buildings and fortified passages Bill opens. Search side rooms after the immediate route is clear, but do not force exploration through a trapped alley. When infected appear, use bottles or bricks to separate Runners from Clickers. A Clicker cannot be killed with ordinary melee attacks; use a shiv, firearm, explosive, or a distraction that lets you bypass it. Your objective is to reach Bill’s safehouse with enough supplies for the graveyard and school sections.

• Scan the ground before crossing streets, doorways and narrow passages.
• Stay close enough to Bill to receive route prompts.
• Do not use ordinary melee attacks against Clickers.

Prepare in Bill’s safehouse before the graveyard

The safehouse provides supplies and a chance to craft. Make healing items if Joel is hurt, then consider a shiv for a confined Clicker encounter and a Molotov or nail bomb for a group. You do not need to collect every item to progress, but searching the rooms can improve your chances in the school. Follow Bill upstairs and through the connected route when he moves on; if a door seems inactive, check whether Bill has reached the next trigger point.

When you leave the safehouse, move through the graveyard using cover and the available hiding places. Let isolated Runners pass or remove them quietly. Clickers are more dangerous in the tighter paths, so avoid attracting the whole area at once. If several infected converge near a choke point, use a throwable to create space or damage the group, then retreat rather than allowing yourself to be surrounded. Continue through the children’s house and the adjoining route until you reach the area outside the school.

• Craft before leaving the safehouse.
• Deal with isolated Runners quietly when possible.
• Keep a shiv or throwable available for a confined or grouped encounter.

Reach Frank’s house and trigger the school escape

Follow Bill through the residential buildings and exterior paths. When a doorway is blocked, look for a window, stairway, ladder or route around the building instead of repeatedly trying the same entrance. At Frank’s house, allow the scene to play out and search the rooms if you want supplies. Frank’s note is found inside the house and can be shown to Bill afterward, but it is optional and is not needed to advance.

Return outside when Bill calls you onward. The group reaches a vehicle near the school, but the expected battery is missing. Infected then attack from the surrounding area. Use the nearby vehicles and walls as cover, and move toward the black truck when the path opens. The safest general approach is to avoid chasing enemies into the open; eliminate only those blocking the route or threatening Joel, Ellie or Bill. Boost Ellie over the school bus, climb after her, and follow Bill into the building.

• Search Frank’s house if you want its optional note and supplies.
• Do not confuse the missing school-truck battery with the later replacement vehicle.
• Use the black truck and school bus as landmarks during the approach.

Clear the first school corridors

Inside the school, crouch and inspect the first corridor before advancing. Use the damaged stairs, desks and classroom entrances to break enemy sightlines. A stealth takedown is preferable for an isolated Runner, but a Clicker in the way requires a shiv, a firearm, an explosive, or a bypass. Keep a retreat path open instead of pushing through the hall after an alert.

As you pass through the classrooms and adjoining corridors, more infected appear. Separate Runners from Clickers whenever possible: draw Runners toward the doorway or a previous room, then deal with them before the Clicker closes the distance. If you choose to use a Molotov or nail bomb, wait until multiple enemies are committed to the same space. Heal and reload before opening the locked door at the end of the corridor, because the gym encounter begins beyond it.

• Use classrooms and doorways as fallback positions.
• Separate Runners from Clickers before fighting the group.
• Heal and reload before entering the gym encounter.

Defeat the Bloater in the gym

The Bloater is a forced fight. Keep moving around the gym and maintain distance; do not let it pin Joel against a wall or corner. Its thrown spore projectiles can damage you while you reposition, so watch its throwing animation and move laterally or behind an obstacle. Use the open room to circle rather than retreating in a straight line into an enclosed corner.

Runners are present during the encounter. Remove them when they threaten to flank or trap you, but do not spend every high-damage resource on them while the Bloater is active. Molotovs are useful for damaging the Bloater while you create distance, and close-range shotgun blasts are effective when it is exposed. If you lack Molotovs, keep circling, let Bill contribute damage, and use available firearms during safe openings. Once the Bloater falls, search the room only if it is safe, then follow Bill to the window and help him across.

• Keep moving and avoid the Bloater’s spore projectiles.
• Remove Runners when they threaten to surround you.
• Use fire or high-damage weapons during clear openings.

Escape the school and reach Frank’s truck

After Bill climbs through the gym route, additional Runners attack near the upper exit. Fight from the available ledges and window approach, then follow Bill outside. Move through the short exterior path without wandering back into the school. Runners can appear around the fence and near the ladder, so keep a weapon ready and use melee only after confirming the target is not a Clicker.

Enter the nearby house with Bill and Ellie. This is the house connected to Frank’s garage. You can collect supplies in the rooms, including the Note from Frank, before the vehicle sequence. If you pick up the note, return to Bill when prompted to see the optional interaction. Nothing in the note sequence changes the required route. When ready, move to the garage and take the position indicated for pushing the truck.

• Clear the Runners near the gym exit before climbing out.
• Reach the house connected to Frank’s garage.
• Treat the note and Bill conversation as optional.

Push-start the truck and leave Bill’s Town

The replacement vehicle is Frank’s truck, and Bill’s usable battery is already in it. Start pushing from the garage and do not expect the truck to start immediately. Infected attack during the push, so release the vehicle whenever a Runner or Clicker reaches the group, deal with the immediate threat, then return to pushing. Use the garage entrance, truck body and nearby walls to prevent enemies from attacking from every direction.

Continue the push down the street until the truck reaches the hill. Ellie gets the vehicle started, after which Joel must run after it and climb into the back. The Bill’s Town section is complete once the escape plays out and Bill parts ways with Joel and Ellie. The following story chapter is Pittsburgh: Alone and Forsaken. If you die during the push, reload the checkpoint and repeat the same pattern: stop the truck only to clear threats, then resume the objective rather than chasing enemies away from the route.

• Push Frank’s truck while stopping to clear immediate infected threats.
• Reach the hill and board the moving vehicle after Ellie starts it.
• Confirm Bill’s departure and the transition to Pittsburgh: Alone and Forsaken.

1. Survive the road ambush and open the route forward

When the ambush begins, stay inside the wrecked storefront and let the first Hunters move through the building before exposing Joel. Crouch behind counters, shelves and door frames, then take isolated enemies with a grab or a quiet melee attack. If the group becomes alerted, fall back into the store instead of crossing the street in the open. Use a bottle or brick to pull one Hunter away from the others, but keep at least one throwable if the next patrol closes in.

After the immediate attackers are down, search the store and the neighboring room only when no one is still searching. Open the garage to continue and follow the upper route through the building. This area contains a workbench and useful early upgrades, but crafting and looting are optional; do not spend health or ammunition simply to collect every item. Leave through the blue doorway and drop back to the street.

• Keep hard cover between Joel and the first Hunter group.
• Use the store as a fallback position if the ambush becomes loud.
• Do not empty the handgun before reaching the checkpoint section.

2. Move through the street and bypass the first patrols

Follow the damaged road until gunfire and Hunter movement block the way. Stay behind cars, concrete barriers and the bus, and wait for the patrols to move away before advancing. You can slip around several enemies without fighting them. Move along the edge of the area, drop down when the route allows it, and climb over the bus to reach the checkpoint approach.

At the checkpoint, remain crouched even when the nearest enemies appear to be facing away. Use the bus and abandoned vehicles to circle behind isolated guards. If a patrol begins walking toward Joel, stop moving and let it pass rather than improvising in the open. After the first group is handled, continue into the checkpoint building and use crates, desks and doorways to divide the remaining Hunters.

The building has more than one level, so noise on the ground floor can bring enemies from upstairs. Clear the lower patrols from the outside edge inward, then use the stairs only after checking the landing. A bow or suppressed weapon makes the upper floor safer, but silent grabs and patient movement also work. If combat starts, retreat to the previous room and force enemies through the doorway instead of pursuing them around corners.

• Use the bus and cars as concealment while crossing the street.
• Stay crouched inside the checkpoint building because upper-floor Hunters can hear movement.
• Keep a doorway or stairwell behind Joel before starting a takedown.

3. Clear the bookstore and connected building route

Continue through the Hunter-controlled bookstore and adjoining rooms. Work around the perimeter rather than walking through the center, using shelves and counters to break lines of sight. Remove isolated Hunters first, then wait for the remaining patrols to separate. Some enemies hold positions near exits, so do not assume the route is open until you have checked the next doorway and the surrounding shelves.

If the room goes loud, move backward through the entrance or around the shelving and let the Hunters funnel toward Joel. A brick or bottle can create a short opening for a melee attack, while a smoke bomb can help you cross a dangerous gap if you have one available. Avoid throwing explosives at a single target unless that enemy is blocking the only safe route.

After the bookstore, follow the upper exit and drop back to the street. Search the nearby side areas only after the encounter has ended. The next route passes through a damaged apartment or office block with more human patrols. Use the same method: stay low, watch patrol cycles, and let enemies walk past cover before moving. Do not push ahead of Ellie if she stops; her position marks the intended route and rushing forward can expose Joel to a side entrance.

• Check shelves and side rooms from cover before crossing the bookstore.
• Expect enemies near exits after the main patrols appear to be defeated.
• Retreat through the entrance if the bookstore fight becomes uncontrolled.

4. Cross the flooded street and reach the hotel entrance

Once the building route is clear, follow the stairs and alleys toward the flooded street. At the main road, look for the raft and the submerged path ahead. Dive to collect the nearby supplies only if the water is safe and you have time; the required objective is to position the raft for Ellie, not to search every submerged corner.

Bring the raft to Ellie so she can use it to move the plank into place. Wait for her to finish the interaction before trying to cross. Then swim through the open container and follow the interior route to the stairs. Use the wooden planks to reach the upper side of the building, and do not jump into the hotel area before Ellie has caught up.

The final crossing leads directly to the flooded hotel entrance. Walk across the plank and enter the hotel with Ellie. Stop here: the following Hotel Lobby section contains the hotel interior, the elevator fall, the Hotel Keycard and the later meeting with Henry and Sam. Those events are outside this chapter.

• Use the raft to position Ellie and the plank before entering the container route.
• Let Ellie catch up before crossing the final planks.
• End the chapter when Joel and Ellie enter the hotel, before Hotel Lobby begins.

1. Cross the flooded hotel lobby and reach the upper floors

When Joel and Ellie enter the flooded hotel, move along the lobby until you can pick up the movable ladder. Place it against the broken section of the upper walkway, climb across, and continue through the hotel rooms. The ladder is the required route across the lobby; do not try to jump the gap.

The safe near reception is optional. You can mark its location and continue, or return after finding its combination elsewhere in the hotel. Search rooms only after nearby patrols are under control. Work upward through the hotel rather than repeatedly dropping between levels, and use the upper corridors to reach the open elevator shaft.

• Place the ladder across the broken lobby section.
• Note the optional safe near reception.
• Reach the open elevator shaft and trigger Ellie’s boost sequence.

2. Survive the hotel patrols and flooded basement

Human enemies occupy the upper hotel rooms. Crouch through the patrol area, use listening mode to identify isolated guards, and move between doorways and furniture. Quiet takedowns, bow shots, and distractions preserve ammunition. If the patrols become alerted, fall back through a doorway instead of fighting in the center of a room. Continue upward until Joel drops through the elevator sequence into the lower hotel.

Follow the flooded route and dive beneath the submerged obstruction to enter the basement. The Hotel Keycard is in the security-office area beyond the flooded rooms. Stalkers can hide and reposition, so check corners before crossing open areas and keep a brick or bottle available to create an opening. Search the route first, identify the return path, and do not start the generator until you know where the powered keycard door is.

• Use room entrances as fallback positions during the human patrols.
• Dive beneath the submerged obstruction into the basement.
• Find the Hotel Keycard in the security-office area.
• Locate both the generator and the powered exit before activating the generator.

3. Power the hotel exit and leave through the piano route

Return to the generator and activate it after collecting the keycard. The power-up triggers an infected pursuit, so the goal is to reach the exit rather than clear every basement room. Break line of sight around corners, use a brick or bottle to stun anything blocking a doorway, and spend a Molotov or explosive only when it opens a necessary route. A larger infected enemy may appear during the escape, but it is not a required boss fight; keep moving toward the keycard door.

Use the Hotel Keycard at the powered door and continue through the kitchen and upper hotel route. At the stage, push the piano against the wall, climb over it, and cross the balcony. Follow Ellie out of the hotel and into the Financial District.

• Activate the generator after finding the keycard and exit.
• Reach the powered door without stopping to fight every infected.
• Use the Hotel Keycard.
• Push the piano into position and cross the balcony.

4. Clear the Financial District and reach the sniper building

Outside the hotel, move through the Financial District using vehicles, low walls, storefronts, and building interiors as cover. Enter Rivers Cafe and climb to the upper level. From the EXIT balcony, eliminate the sniper, then use the elevated position to deal with enemies below. Check the room beside the balcony because enemies can approach from that side and flank you.

After the district is quiet, search optional rooms if you need supplies, then open the garage door and pull the cart into position beneath the broken window. Climb through the window with Ellie. In the next interior, wait behind the wall for the nearby guard to pass, take him down quietly, and handle the remaining guard in the office. Leave through the building, drop to the street, and enter the bookstore route.

• Reach Rivers Cafe after leaving the hotel.
• Kill the sniper from the EXIT balcony.
• Watch the room beside the balcony for a flank.
• Open the garage and use the cart to reach the broken window.
• Clear the connected office before returning to the street.

5. Finish the Financial District through the tank and fire escape

Move through the bookstore and use the concrete cover outside to watch the next patrol. Continue toward the building with enemies on its upper floor. Enter carefully, climb the stairs, and clear the guards one at a time. If stealth breaks, retreat through the entrance and force enemies into the stairwell or a doorway rather than fighting in the open street.

After this section, return toward the bookstore and pass the tripwire area by staying behind the concrete wall and tank. Use the vehicles and side cover to advance toward the Refund Quick Store and the connected buildings. Deal with the remaining patrols, enter the building, and climb to the fire escape. Follow the fire escape upward, cross the narrow exterior ledge, and enter through the window. Continue across the interior rooms and another ledge until the story reaches the nighttime meeting with Henry and Sam. Optional notes, conversations, a locked room, and supplies can be collected along this route but are not required.

• Use the bookstore and concrete cover to separate patrols.
• Cross the tank and tripwire area without exposing yourself unnecessarily.
• Reach the Refund Quick Store and connected building.
• Use the fire escape, ledges, and windows to complete Financial District.

6. Follow Henry and Sam through the apartment and approach the spotlight

After the Financial District scene, search the apartment if desired, then regroup with Henry and Sam. Follow them downstairs into the toy-store route. Three Hunters wait outside; use the store and nearby crates as cover, then climb the truck to reach the roof. Deal with the enemies on the next roof and enter the dark office building.

Follow Henry through the offices. The bathroom and conference room contain optional items, while the required route continues through the office and back downstairs. When the nighttime escape begins, crouch behind the concrete roadblocks and move across the street while the spotlight points away. Use cars, walls, and building edges to approach the area below the searchlight. A guard patrols near the route, so either bypass him or take him down quietly.

• Regroup with Henry and Sam after the Financial District.
• Pass through the toy store and climb the truck to the roof.
• Cross the office building to begin the nighttime escape.
• Use cover to approach the spotlight without crossing its beam.

7. Shut down the searchlight, survive the final push, and escape Pittsburgh

At the base of the searchlight, locate the generator. You can reach it stealthily and turn it off before being detected, or fight after the area is alerted. Once the light is disabled, Hunters investigate the generator area. Hide behind nearby cover, pick off isolated enemies, and retreat toward the heavy gate if the group pushes too aggressively. The area must be cleared enough to open the gate and continue; do not remain exposed in the center of the street.

Advance to the next street and deal with the Hunter near the truck. Ellie, Henry, and Sam will help while Joel moves forward. Boost Henry onto the broken ladder on the truck to trigger the escape sequence. When the group is separated, immediately lift the nearby garage door and move inside before the pursuing Humvee can pin you down.

The garage leads into a bar filled with Hunters. Use the counter, pool tables, and side room to create close-range opportunities, or fight from cover if stealth fails. After the bar is clear, enter the next room and pull the cart away from the blocked front doors. Follow Ellie outside and run toward the bridge. Keep moving through the open street, stay on the marked route, and do not stop to search for supplies during the Humvee pursuit. Cross the barriers and pass behind the bus to trigger the escape cutscene and the transition to The Suburbs.

• Reach and disable the searchlight generator, or survive the alerted fight around it.
• Open the heavy gate after dealing with the investigating Hunters.
• Boost Henry onto the truck ladder.
• Raise the garage door immediately after the separation sequence.
• Clear the bar and pull the cart away from the exit.
• Run with Ellie to the bridge and pass behind the bus.
• Confirm the story transition to The Suburbs.

1. Search the riverbank and wrecked boat

At the chapter start, follow Henry and Sam along the riverbank. When the group reaches the wrecked boat, climb aboard if you want the optional supplies and story items inside. Check the main cabin and deck, then return to the shoreline and continue following the others toward the sewer entrance.

The boat search is optional for campaign completion. Do not spend healing items or ammunition merely to explore it; the important objective is to rejoin the group and reach the sewer grate near the waterfall.

• Rejoin Henry and Sam after exploring the boat.
• Keep a loaded firearm before entering the sewer.
• Treat the boat contents as optional resources, not required progression.

2. Enter the sewer and reunite after the split

At the waterfall, remove the sewer grate and follow the main passage. Henry and Sam take the left route at the first major division while Ellie points Joel toward a blocked side passage. Go through the opening Ellie can access, clear the obstruction, and search the adjoining room if you want its supplies and Ish-related notes.

Use listening mode before entering unfamiliar chambers, but do not assume it reveals every danger on higher difficulties or with certain accessibility settings. When the side route is open, use the connecting passage to rejoin Henry and Sam. Continue through the sewer until the group reaches the large flooded section.

• Clear the blocked passage so Ellie can open the route.
• Rejoin Henry and Sam before continuing deeper.
• Search optional rooms only when the main route is secure.

3. Solve the flooded-room pallet and generator sequence

In the flooded chamber, look for the wooden pallet and move it through the water to Ellie. The objective is to give Ellie a floating platform so she can reach the generator on the far side. Joel cannot fight while swimming, so finish the interaction promptly rather than searching every submerged corner.

After Ellie starts the generator, the motorized platform begins moving Henry and Sam across the chamber. Return to the loading area immediately and board the platform with them. If you are left behind or the sequence becomes unsynchronized, use the nearest checkpoint rather than trying to swim through an unsafe route.

The submerged car and side areas may contain optional items, but they are not needed to complete the chapter. Preserve health and ammunition for the infected encounters that follow.

• Bring the wooden pallet to Ellie.
• Use it to ferry Ellie to the generator.
• Return to the motorized platform as soon as the generator is active.
• Reload the checkpoint if the platform sequence cannot be recovered.

4. Move through Ish’s settlement and handle the infected

After crossing the flooded chamber, follow the sewer route into the rooms once used by Ish’s group. The area contains optional supplies, a workbench-related opportunity, and notes that explain what happened to the settlement. None of these searches is required for story progress, so leave immediately if your inventory is full or enemies are nearby.

Continue through the marked door and prepare for infected. The first encounter includes runners and at least one clicker in confined spaces. Stay near retreat routes, use bricks or bottles to separate enemies, and avoid pursuing a target into a dark side room. A shiv, throwable, or firearm may be necessary for a clicker that blocks the route, but do not waste ammunition clearing rooms you can bypass.

Further inside, the group is separated during the escape. When the infected rush in, move toward defensible corridors and let enemies approach through narrow entrances. The encounter ends when the required path opens and the group can continue; killing every infected is not always necessary.

• Use the workbench or quiet rooms only if they are safe to reach.
• Keep an exit corridor behind Joel during infected encounters.
• Prioritize enemies blocking the required route.
• Do not chase infected into optional rooms during the escape.

5. Finish the sewer escape and prepare for the neighborhood

Follow the group through the remaining passages after the separation. Sam and Ellie may use crawlspaces or alternate openings while Joel and Henry hold off infected. Move when the path is clear, then retreat through corridors if the next room becomes crowded.

Once the group reaches the sewer exit, take a brief inventory check. A healing item, loaded firearm, and at least one distraction are useful for the next section. There is no chain of formal safe rooms in this chapter, so use quiet rooms, workbench areas, and automatic checkpoints as practical recovery points rather than waiting for a specific safe-house marker.

• Leave the sewers after the group regathers.
• Craft only items that improve immediate survival.
• Keep healing and ammunition for the sniper approach.

6. Cross the suburb under sniper fire

After exiting the sewer, follow Henry and Sam into the residential area. A sniper is firing from a house farther down the street. Stay behind solid cover and move between houses, porches, and interior rooms instead of running down the center of the road. The left-side route provides more frequent cover on the approach, but use whichever building path is currently protected from the sniper’s aim.

Search accessible houses only when Joel is fully behind cover. Optional conversations and supplies can be collected here, but do not remain exposed in a doorway or heal outside. If a shot strikes nearby, wait for the opening created by the sniper’s reload or aim shift, then advance to the next piece of cover.

Continue through the houses and around the blocked street until you reach the building where the sniper is positioned. Climb to the upper floor and eliminate him at close range. Joel can then use the mounted rifle from that position to cover the street.

• Move from cover to cover rather than crossing open pavement.
• Heal inside a house or behind solid cover.
• Reach the sniper’s building and clear the upper floor.
• Use the rifle position only after the sniper is defeated.

7. Defend the group and complete The Suburbs

Aim the rifle toward the road and protect Henry, Sam, and Ellie as they advance. Prioritize enemies who are close to the group or moving into their path. The pursuing hunters and armored vehicle create the immediate threats; fire deliberately and avoid spending shots on enemies who are not endangering the group.

When the defense sequence ends, leave the sniper’s position and follow Henry through the neighborhood. The next section is primarily scripted movement and story progression. Continue to the safe house and let the nighttime scenes play out. The chapter is complete when the game transitions to Tommy’s Dam.

• Protect the group from the advancing hunters and armored vehicle.
• Leave the sniper’s position when the defense sequence ends.
• Follow Henry to the safe house.
• Wait for the transition to Tommy’s Dam before quitting.

Follow the river to the dam

At the chapter start, follow the muddy trail and stay on the route toward the river. Search the crashed vehicle near the opening if you want the optional El Diablo handgun, then continue down toward the bridge. Before going underneath the bridge, climb the rocks on the right and check beside the overturned vehicle for the Foreign Element comic. Return to the main path and continue toward the hydroelectric dam.

Climb the metal stairs at the dam. The shiv door is near the running water at the top of the stairs; open it only if you have a spare shiv and want its supplies. Outside, turn the large red wheel to close the dam gate partway. Joel cannot simply walk across, so enter the water and dive to the submerged building. Go through the opening and push the wooden pallet free, then return to the surface.

• Reach the hydroelectric dam.
• Collect Foreign Element if wanted.
• Open the shiv door only if its supplies justify the shiv.
• Turn the red wheel and free the submerged pallet.

Ferry Ellie across and reach the settlement

Bring the pallet to Ellie and position it so she can climb on. Push it across to the opposite side of the water. Ellie climbs off, reaches the second red wheel and turns the valve, creating the crossing route for Joel. Swim or climb back to the accessible path and cross the newly opened section.

After crossing, drop to the left and follow the bank toward the grave with the teddy bear if you want the optional conversation with Ellie. Continue uphill, duck under the fallen tree and pass the bulldozer. Before entering the settlement gate, search the small outpost office near the machinery. The Power Plant Map is posted on the wall inside.

• Ferry Ellie to the far-side valve.
• Cross the dam after Ellie opens the route.
• Visit the grave for the optional conversation if desired.
• Take the Power Plant Map from the outpost office.

Meet Tommy and use the settlement’s preparation window

Approach the main gate to trigger the reunion with Tommy and Maria. Once inside, follow the settlement route rather than wandering away. When Ellie reaches the horses, use the interaction prompt for the optional conversation if you want it. Follow Tommy into the power plant, then speak with him when he pauses to show Joel Sarah’s photograph. A woman with a rifle on the nearby catwalk also offers an optional conversation; take the right-side route toward her before continuing with Tommy.

Follow Tommy into the main plant building and continue to the turbine and control-room area. The Smoke: Chemistry training manual is on a turned-over locker near the workbench. Use the workbench now if you have enough parts for a useful upgrade, but keep some crafting supplies for the attack. Before following Tommy farther, go downstairs into the turbine area and check the side room between the machines for Oliverio’s Firefly pendant if you are collecting optional items.

• Trigger the settlement reunion.
• Speak with Ellie, Tommy and the guard if pursuing optional conversations.
• Collect Smoke: Chemistry if wanted.
• Use the workbench before the attack if an upgrade is affordable.
• Search the lower turbine room for Oliverio’s pendant if desired.

Defend the power plant and recover the Plant Schematics

Follow Tommy through the plant until the alarm interrupts the conversation. The attackers first enter the facility, so use the plant’s machinery, walls and doorways as cover. Do not remain in the open central floor. Let distant enemies expose themselves, then move between solid cover as you clear the room. Shotgun shells are useful against close pushes, while the hunting rifle or handgun can handle enemies farther away. If several attackers advance together, use a throwable to delay them rather than trying to sprint through the group.

After clearing the initial interior fight, move back through the plant toward the control room and bridge. Check corners before crossing and retreat into the previous room if enemies pressure you. Once the control-room route is secure, collect the Plant Schematics from the large table before continuing. Follow Tommy across the bridge and through the remaining rooms, then regroup with Ellie and Maria to complete the dam section.

• Survive the initial interior attack.
• Fall back through the plant instead of crossing open areas under fire.
• Collect Plant Schematics from the control-room table after the attack.
• Regroup with Ellie and Maria.

Ride to Hidden Pines Corral and clear the first ambush

After the cutscene, mount the horse and follow Tommy. The route eventually reaches a blocked road; turn back when necessary and follow the horse tracks toward the waterfall. Human attackers ambush Joel and Tommy before the ranch. Use the available cover, eliminate distant enemies first and then flank from the right when the route opens. Advance toward the ranger-station area and check for remaining enemies before returning to the horse.

Continue along the tracks through the wooded path. Optional side routes mostly end at dead ends, so return to the horse trail if exploration stops producing a route. At Hidden Pines Corral, dismount outside the house and enter to search for Ellie.

• Survive the road ambush.
• Clear the ranger-station area before remounting.
• Reach Hidden Pines Corral.

Search the ranch house and survive the final ambush

Search the ground floor before going upstairs. The Brent Pino Firefly pendant is in the back study on a desk. Upstairs, enter the first bedroom on the left and take the Zero Point comic from the chest of drawers near the baseball items. These collectibles are optional. Search the remaining rooms for supplies, then go to the room at the end of the upstairs hall to find Ellie.

The cutscene triggers an ambush inside the house. The first attacker comes through the bathroom; wait near the upstairs route and stealth-kill him when possible. Another enemy appears around the child’s bedroom, followed by more enemies downstairs. Hold the top of the stairs, use the banister and walls as cover, and let enemies separate before attacking. If the fight becomes crowded, retreat around the upper landing rather than rushing into the ground-floor rooms. Once all attackers are down, leave the house and mount the horse.

• Collect Brent Pino’s pendant if desired.
• Collect Zero Point if desired.
• Find Ellie upstairs.
• Defeat the house ambush and leave on horseback.
• Continue into The University: Go Big Horns.

1. Enter the university and prepare before the first gate

After leaving Tommy, ride Callus toward the University of Eastern Colorado. Before jumping the roadblocks, search the building on the right if you want optional supplies. Its balcony contains materials, and the garage below contains a workbench and the flamethrower. The flamethrower is not required, but it is useful against infected later in the chapter. Return to Callus and follow the route through the campus roadblocks.

Continue until the path leads into a building and then through a gate. The next area contains the first serious infected group. Stay crouched and use the rooms, counters, and walls as cover. Isolated Runners can be strangled, while a bottle or brick can pull an enemy away from the others. Do not treat the entire campus as a mandatory clear; your objective is to reach and activate the generator.

• Ride through the university roadblocks.
• Optionally collect the flamethrower and use the workbench.
• Reach the infected-filled generator building without spending unnecessary explosives.

2. Restore power and open the campus gate

Inside the generator building, several Runners patrol the lower and upper areas. Move quietly around the perimeter and remove isolated enemies when safe. If stealth breaks, retreat through the entrance or use the stairwell to prevent the group from surrounding Joel. The generator is in the upper section. Once the area is manageable, interact with it to restore power.

Return downstairs and use the powered gate. On the far side, follow the route through the open campus spaces. The large university buildings and the roadblocks are reliable landmarks; when a path appears to end, look for a climb-through window or a building entrance rather than attempting to force a locked gate. Explore only after the immediate route is secure, because the open campus contains optional supplies but does not require a full enemy clear.

• Activate the generator in the upper section.
• Open the powered gate downstairs.
• Continue toward the dormitory route, using buildings and roadblocks as landmarks.

3. Cross the campus and enter the dormitory

Continue through the courtyard and monkey-filled campus area until the route is blocked by another gate. Enter the dormitory building beside it. Search the initial rooms for supplies, then move upstairs and follow the corridor to the spore-contaminated section. Joel equips his gas mask, and Ellie cannot accompany him through this part.

Before dropping into the infected area, reload your weapons and craft useful items if materials allow. Shivs are valuable against Clickers, but do not spend every blade if you have another dependable way to handle them. Listen for enemy positions through the walls, and keep track of the doorway you used to enter; it gives you a retreat route if the encounter becomes chaotic.

• Enter the dormitory when the campus gate route ends.
• Reload and craft before entering the spore-filled section.
• Keep the entrance and cleared rooms in mind as retreat routes.

4. Clear or bypass the spore-filled infected area

Drop into the spore-filled area and deal with the Clickers and the Bloater. The Clickers can be approached from behind when their paths are separated. If you are detected, move through doorways and around the room rather than remaining in the open center. A Bloater kills Joel at close range and throws dangerous projectiles, so maintain distance and avoid being trapped against furniture or walls.

If you choose to fight, Molotovs, nail bombs, the flamethrower, and shotgun ammunition are effective options. Use a throwable while the Bloater is moving, then relocate before it closes the distance. Clear supporting infected first when they are about to surround you, but do not waste time searching bodies during the active fight. If supplies are low, stealth and a fast retreat through cleared rooms are valid alternatives; the objective is to reach the exit, not to earn a special combat reward.

• Keep the Bloater away from Joel.
• Use doorways and cleared rooms to control pursuit.
• Reach the dormitory exit after surviving or bypassing the infected.

5. Power the exterior gate and reach the lower campus

After leaving the spore area, move outside and locate the portable generator. Push or roll it toward the gate, connect it, and activate it so Ellie can pass through. Continue on horseback through the next campus section until you reach the lower area with tents and supplies.

At the far end, locate the large movable container near the blocked gate. Push it down the slope so it breaks open or clears the obstruction, then use it to reach the opening in the wall. This is the required route to the science-building approach. Search the tents only when the area is safe; the supplies and pendant are optional, and the chapter does not require collecting them.

• Move the portable generator to the exterior gate.
• Activate it and let Ellie pass.
• Use the large container to open the final campus route toward the science building.

6. Search the science building

Enter the science building and use the workbench on the ground floor if you need to craft or upgrade. The building is mostly linear: move through the offices and laboratories, climb the stairs, and inspect the research areas as the story directs. Side rooms contain optional materials, a training manual, records, and other collectibles, but none is required for chapter completion.

Keep a healing item and at least one combat option available before examining the upper laboratory evidence. The recordings and research show that the Fireflies have already left the university and moved toward Salt Lake City. After the final discovery, the quiet search section ends and human attackers enter the building. Do not remain in the laboratory looking for an unmarked alternate exit; follow the newly opened route and use cover.

• Reach the upper laboratory area.
• Learn from the Firefly records that the group has moved on.
• Reload and prepare before triggering the human ambush.

7. Survive the ambush and complete the chapter

The attackers are hostile human survivors, not Firefly soldiers. Use cover, fire from protected positions, and move forward when the route opens. You do not need to chase every enemy into side rooms. After the confrontation moves outside, Joel is attacked and falls onto a length of rebar, leaving him badly injured.

During the injured escape, use the firearm when enemies expose themselves and follow Ellie whenever the game restores control. Joel’s movement and health are deliberately restricted, so avoid unnecessary detours and do not try to fight the entire area aggressively. Continue through the buildings and streets until Ellie helps Joel reach Callus. The chapter ends when they leave the university and the game transitions to Lakeside Resort.

• Fight through the human ambush using cover.
• Survive Joel’s rebar injury sequence.
• Follow Ellie to Callus and confirm the transition to Lakeside Resort.

1. Track and kill the deer

After the story gives you control of Ellie, follow the blood trail through the snowy forest. The first arrow does not finish the hunt, so do not stop when the deer runs. Crouch and move carefully through the trees, then shoot again when you have a clear medium-range opportunity. Continue following the blood trail after the deer flees a second time and make the final shot when you reach the next section.

The route leads to a small abandoned building. Search only if you want optional supplies; no collectible or side interaction is required for story progress. Leave the building and approach the dead deer to trigger the meeting with David and James. Keep your bow ready when control returns, because the infected attack begins after James leaves with the deer.

• Follow the blood trail through the forest.
• Shoot the deer during each required stage of the scripted hunt.
• Reach the abandoned building and leave after the hunt advances.
• Approach the dead deer to meet David and James.

2. Trade the deer and defend the first building

After the conversation, David and Ellie agree to exchange the deer for antibiotics. Stay with David inside the building while James leaves to retrieve the medicine. Infected begin entering through the windows and other openings. Watch the entry points rather than focusing on one doorway, and use the hunting rifle for distant Runners when you have a clean shot.

When David helps move furniture to block an opening, use the temporary protection to reload and collect dropped ammunition. If the first floor becomes difficult to hold, follow David upstairs when the game directs you and help protect the barricaded doorway. The goal is survival until the route opens; you do not need to search the building during the attack.

When David moves through the building, follow him instead of searching for a separate exit. Ellie eventually falls into a lower generator area containing Clickers. This section is easier if you crouch, wait for a Clicker to move away, and use the knife only when you can finish it without drawing another enemy. Climb the ladder at the far end and reunite with David, who boosts Ellie back to the upper level.

• Complete the deer-for-antibiotics agreement.
• Defend the building’s windows and entrances.
• Follow David upstairs when the first defense position is no longer safe.
• Clear the lower Clicker area and climb back to David.

3. Survive the final infected waves

Follow the upper walkways with David until you reach the next defensive room. Before triggering the fight, collect the nearby ammunition and throwable materials if they are available. Position yourself where you can see the main corridor and the roof openings, because infected enter from more than one direction.

Use Molotovs or other explosives when several enemies bunch together, then finish isolated Runners with firearms or melee attacks when the area is clear. Keep moving between the entrances rather than standing in the center of the room. If you are overwhelmed, retreat around the room’s perimeter and let the enemies funnel through a single approach.

A Bloater enters during the final wave. Keep your distance, avoid its thrown projectiles, and set it on fire with a Molotov if you have one. Follow with your strongest available firearm while maintaining room to retreat. Do not let the Bloater pin Ellie against a wall or doorway. Once the infected are defeated, follow David back outside and return to the deer-trading location.

• Collect useful ammunition and throwables before the waves begin.
• Defend the corridor and roof openings without getting cornered.
• Set the Bloater on fire when possible and finish it from range.
• Return to David after the infected encounter ends.

4. Return to Joel and trigger the next-day attack

At the cabin, complete the antibiotic exchange and the conversation with David. Ellie then returns to Joel’s hiding place and gives him the medicine. This closes the first half of the chapter; there is no need to replay the infected encounter if the game has already advanced to the next day.

When control returns to Ellie, David’s hunters are attacking the area. Mount the horse and follow the marked route through the settlement. Your immediate objective is to draw enemies away from Joel, not to clear every opponent. Keep the horse moving through the open route and use the displayed melee action if an enemy reaches the horse and grabs at Ellie.

The horse is eventually shot as part of the story. Ellie falls and continues on foot, so do not attempt to prevent this event. Enter the nearby cabin through the available window and use it as a temporary position before continuing toward the resort.

• Complete the antibiotic exchange at the cabin.
• Return to Joel and give him the medicine.
• Ride through the settlement to draw hunters away from Joel.
• Continue on foot after the horse is shot.

5. Cross the hunter-held resort approach

After entering the cabin, move through the interior and collect supplies only if the area is safe. Exit into the settlement and use the buildings, trees, and snowbanks as cover. Several hunters occupy the route, but defeating every enemy is not always necessary. A quiet bow kill can open a path without drawing the rest of the group, while a direct fight is safer only when enemies have already spotted Ellie.

Advance toward the rock-lined path and climb where the route rises along the wall. Continue through the first narrow passage, then look for the way forward on the opposite side rather than trying to force a blocked opening. When you reach the second blocked passage, move the nearby container from the accessible side so Ellie can crawl through.

After the passage, stay low and use the available cover to approach the next buildings. If hunters begin searching, wait for them to separate before crossing. Use the bow for isolated targets and save louder ammunition for situations where the route is blocked. Keep progressing uphill toward the large resort building.

• Leave the cabin and cross the hunter-held streets.
• Use stealth or short controlled fights instead of pulling every hunter at once.
• Climb the rock-lined route and pass through the narrow sections.
• Move the container to open the blocked crawl route.

6. Infiltrate the large chalet and trigger Ellie’s capture

The final approach leads to a large chalet or mansion guarded by hunters. Stay behind the exterior cover and observe the guards before moving. You can eliminate some of them quietly with the bow, or wait for an opening and climb through the available breach or crate route. Enter the building from the rear or side access rather than attempting to force the guarded front approach.

Inside, search the rooms only when the patrols have moved away. Follow the connected interior route toward the large hall, where additional hunters block the way. Clear the immediate room or slip past enemies when the game leaves a safe opening, then continue toward the exit doors.

The capture is scripted. When Ellie reaches the exit and the scene begins, no amount of additional combat can prevent David from taking her. Allow the sequence to play out. Do not continue into Joel’s search, the settlement escape, or the restaurant encounter after the capture; those events belong to Cabin Resort, the next subchapter.

• Reach the large chalet after crossing the resort approach.
• Enter through the side or rear access route.
• Advance through the interior hall to the exit doors.
• Allow Ellie’s scripted capture to occur.
• Stop when the game transitions into Cabin Resort.

1. Begin as Joel and search the settlement

Cabin Resort starts with Joel looking for Ellie after David’s men have taken her. Search the building where control begins for available ammunition and supplies, then leave through the usable exit and follow the path into the settlement. The route leads toward a group of hunters positioned around the cabins.

This is a forced combat stretch rather than a reliable stealth bypass. Take cover as soon as the hunters begin firing, use the buildings and cabin walls to break their sightlines, and advance from one piece of cover to the next. Use the hunting rifle or another suitable firearm for distant targets, then search bodies only after the immediate area is safe.

Continue around the opposite side of the cabin as directed by the level layout. Joel is ambushed after pushing through the settlement. Follow the on-screen melee prompts to escape the attacker. The struggle leads directly into the interrogation scene, so do not leave this area expecting another exploration route.

• Search the starting building before leaving.
• Fight through the hunters around the cabins.
• Survive the ambush and complete the melee prompts.
• Reach the interrogation scene.

2. Interrogate the captured hunters and switch to Ellie

After the ambush, Joel questions two captured men. Complete the prompted interrogation to learn where Ellie has been taken. This scene provides the information needed for the next section; the Lake Resort Map is added to Joel’s backpack later as part of the story and is not a separate search objective.

Control then switches to Ellie in the snowbound settlement. This is the correct start of her escape section. Move around the corner and enter the nearby building. Push the obstructing table or trolley out of the way, then use the opening into the shop and continue through the bathroom window.

Stay crouched and use Listen Mode when needed to track the hunters’ positions. Cross streets only when patrols have moved away, climb through the available upper route, and crawl through the fence. Continue to the alley, enter the building through the hole in the wall, and wait for the enemies inside to move before using the window on the opposite side. Follow the left-hand wall through the next alley until you reach the restaurant approach.

• Finish the interrogation.
• Switch to Ellie after the scene.
• Move the obstruction inside the first building.
• Cross the settlement without being surrounded.
• Reach the restaurant approach.

3. Enter the restaurant through the rear window

Follow the burning barrels and listen for the church bells when the blizzard makes the route difficult to read. Continue through the electronics-store area and the arcade. You may sneak past the hunters in the arcade or eliminate them, but avoid letting the entire group converge on Ellie in the open streets.

Keep following the fire barrels through the traffic-filled section until you find the building with a dumpster outside. Climb onto the dumpster and enter through the upper window. Search the restaurant interior for the available health item if you need it, then move toward the front exit to trigger David’s arrival and the restaurant fire.

• Use the church bells and burning barrels as route landmarks.
• Pass through the electronics-store and arcade areas.
• Climb the dumpster and enter through the restaurant window.
• Trigger David’s restaurant encounter.

4. Defeat David with three stealth knife strikes

David cannot be defeated through a normal firefight. Stay crouched and move between the tables, benches, kitchen-side cover, and other solid obstacles while tracking his position. Your objective is to circle behind him and perform a knife strike when he is facing away.

After the first strike, David draws his machete. A direct confrontation is fatal, so immediately break away, hide, and wait for him to move off. Broken plates and other debris on the floor make noise when crossed; avoid them whenever possible. Bottles or bricks can distract David and create a safer opening, but do not throw one if it will leave you exposed to his search path.

Repeat the hide, flank, and knife-strike process until Ellie has attacked David three times. The third successful strike triggers the cutscene and returns control to Joel. If David spots Ellie, run around solid cover rather than trying to outrun him in a straight line, then crouch and wait for his search to end before attempting the next flank.

• Remain crouched throughout the encounter.
• Avoid broken plates and other noisy debris.
• Use distractions only when they create a clear escape route.
• Land three knife strikes from behind.
• Wait for the cutscene and control switch back to Joel.

5. As Joel, cross the gas station and motel section

Joel resumes the search near a gas station. Enter it to collect any useful supplies, then move through the rear or side route toward the hunters outside. Use the storm, vehicles, and walls for cover. Stealthy bow shots can reduce the group, but retreat and firearm use are safer if enemies begin flanking you.

Before crossing the truck trailer, check the motel across the road if you want the optional Shiv Door. Work through the motel rooms and leave through the bathroom window. The locked shed immediately outside contains the Smoke: Shaping Training Manual and additional supplies. Opening it costs a shiv, so skip it if your shiv supply is needed elsewhere or if you are only following the required story route.

Return to the street and use the open truck trailer to reach the next area. Follow the burning barrels through the alley while dealing with or bypassing the remaining hunters. Keep moving from cover to cover and heal only behind solid protection.

• Search the gas station area.
• Optionally open the motel’s Shiv Door and collect Smoke: Shaping.
• Cross through the open truck trailer.
• Follow the burning barrels into the next street.
• Reach the building at the end of the route.

6. Find Ellie’s backpack and complete the final machete prompt

Enter the building at the end of Joel’s route. A story scene gives him Ellie’s backpack. The Meat Ledger is on a nearby shelf and is optional; collect it before leaving if you want the chapter’s artifact, otherwise continue through the building.

Push through the coolroom and leave the butcher-shop route through the front exit. The scene places Joel across from the burning restaurant and then returns control to Ellie. Crawl forward rather than standing or attempting to fight normally. Continue toward the machete beneath the bench even after David interrupts Ellie’s movement.

When the attack prompt appears, press the displayed button once at the correct moment. Completing this prompt triggers the closing cutscene. After the scene, the game advances to Bus Depot: Highway Exit. No further combat or exploration in Cabin Resort is required after that transition.

• Reach Ellie’s backpack as Joel.
• Optionally collect Meat Ledger from the nearby shelf.
• Exit through the coolroom and butcher-shop route.
• Crawl with Ellie toward the machete.
• Complete the final on-screen attack prompt.
• Confirm the transition to Bus Depot: Highway Exit.

1. Follow the highway to the bus depot

After the Lakeside Resort transition, continue along the abandoned highway with Ellie. Search vehicles and side areas only when the route is safe; these spaces may contain supplies, but none is required for progression. Stay on the highway until a blocked section forces you to climb over a bus and continue toward the bus depot.

Enter the depot building and follow the interior route downward. When Ellie reaches the ladder, boost her so she can climb and lower it for Joel. Climb after her, then follow the upper walkway and the visible path toward the giraffe area. This building route is mandatory; do not search for an alternate street exit.

• Reach the bus depot from the highway.
• Climb over the bus blocking the roadway.
• Boost Ellie to the ladder and follow her through the depot building.

2. Complete the giraffe sequence and leave the building

Follow Ellie through the upper section until the giraffes appear. Let the scripted interaction play out, then continue to the rooftop viewing area. You can move at your own pace during this quiet section; the giraffe interactions and the route onward are story progression, not a combat challenge.

After the rooftop scene, descend through the building and follow Ellie outside. The next area is a FEDRA camp with tents and a workbench. Search the tents for ammunition, crafting materials, supplements, or upgrade resources if your inventory needs them. The camp is the last calm preparation area before the infected tunnel, so reload useful weapons and craft only items you are likely to use.

• Finish the giraffe viewing sequence.
• Descend from the building with Ellie.
• Search the camp and use the workbench if needed.
• Reload and check supplies before entering the tunnel.

3. Enter the underground tunnel and manage the infected

Leave the camp through the destroyed bus on the far side. This leads directly to the underground tunnel. Move slowly after the descent and use Listen Mode to identify patrols before crossing open ground. The tunnel includes runners, clickers, and a Bloater, with additional infected appearing as you advance.

Use the outer edges, cover, and side passages to avoid unnecessary exposure. A stealth takedown is worthwhile when an isolated runner blocks the route, but do not force a grab near a clicker. If the group detects you, retreat to the previous corner or doorway instead of fighting in the center of the tunnel. Molotovs, nail bombs, and shotgun ammunition are useful if stealth collapses, but the objective is to reach the trailer and continue, not to prove that every infected has been killed.

• Exit the camp through the destroyed bus.
• Scout the infected before crossing the tunnel.
• Use stealth or controlled combat rather than standing in the open.
• Reach the trailer and blocked-truck section.

4. Cross the truck and the first flooded passage

At the blocked truck, boost Ellie onto it so she can drop a crate. Climb over the truck using the crate, then continue into the flooded passage. Swim beneath the submerged vehicle and surface on the other side. Joel must cross this underwater route alone; Ellie cannot follow him through it.

Climb onto the vehicle and move the ladder into a usable position for Ellie. Once she crosses, continue to the fence. A clicker attacks Ellie after she drops down. Shoot it through the fence, then wait for Ellie to open the door from the other side. The room beyond contains the final workbench of the main story and an optional locked shiv room. Use them if useful, but neither is required.

• Boost Ellie onto the truck and climb over.
• Swim beneath the submerged vehicle.
• Move the ladder so Ellie can cross.
• Kill the clicker through the fence and enter the next room.

5. Ferry Ellie across the flooded room and reposition the ladder

Follow the corridor until you reach the large flooded room. Dive through the lower opening and follow the underwater passage to the far side. Surface, climb the ducts, and return to the room where Ellie is waiting.

Drop the wooden pallet into the water, then push it across so Ellie can stand on the opposite platform. She lowers a ladder for Joel, but it breaks when he climbs it. Pick up the broken ladder and use it first to reach the higher ledge. Retrieve it again and place it at the next position so it forms a bridge across the remaining gap. Continue forward once Joel can rejoin Ellie.

• Swim through the lower passage and climb the ducts.
• Drop the pallet into the water.
• Push the pallet across for Ellie.
• Use the broken ladder to reach the upper route and bridge the final gap.

6. Cross the rapids and reach The Firefly Lab

Continue through the final flooded section by jumping from vehicle to vehicle above the current. Keep moving forward rather than dropping into the water. When you reach the bus, follow the prompts to jump and continue the scripted sequence.

The current carries Joel and the bus underwater. During the submerged escape, follow the on-screen prompts to break free. Once Joel is outside, swim toward Ellie and bring her to the surface. Follow the light until the cutscene ends the tunnel sequence and the game loads The Firefly Lab: The Hospital.

At that transition, Bus Depot is complete. Do not continue into the hospital patrols in this chapter; the next chapter begins with Joel and Ellie in Firefly custody.

• Cross the vehicles above the rapids.
• Escape the submerged bus using the displayed prompts.
• Swim to Ellie and bring her to the surface.
• Confirm that The Firefly Lab: The Hospital has loaded.

1. Break free from the Firefly escort

The chapter opens with Joel waking inside Saint Mary’s Hospital while Marlene explains that Ellie is being prepared for surgery. After the conversation, a Firefly escort begins taking Joel away from the treatment area. When the opportunity appears, overpower the escort at close range and take the weapon or equipment that becomes available. Continue through the immediate rooms until Joel learns where Ellie is being held.

Once control returns, stay low and use the nearby rooms, counters, and doorways as cover. The first hospital section is compact but contains armed Fireflies searching for Joel. You can move quietly through the rooms or use melee attacks and firearms when a patrol blocks the route. If an enemy spots you, break line of sight rather than standing in the corridor and trading shots. The objective is to reach the hospital’s main route toward the surgical wing, not to search every room.

• Regain control after Marlene’s conversation.
• Escape the Firefly escort and recover a usable weapon or equipment.
• Begin advancing through the hospital toward the surgical wing.

2. Cross the hospital and reach the West Wing

Move through the first hospital rooms and use the windows, balconies, and connecting corridors to stay ahead of the patrols. Listen Mode can reveal guards through walls, but do not rely on it as your only warning: Fireflies can enter rooms from several directions once combat begins. Wait for isolated patrols to pass, then use stealth takedowns when you can finish an enemy without exposing Joel.

The hospital’s early route eventually opens toward the West Wing and the reception area. Fireflies here are heavily armed, so use desks, examination rooms, and door frames to split them apart. If stealth breaks, retreat into a room and let the search pattern move past before changing position. The assault rifle can be taken from a defeated Firefly and is useful for short controlled bursts, but do not stand in the open trying to clear the entire floor.

After reaching the reception area, locate Stairwell B and climb the required stairs. The stairwell is the progression landmark: once you pass through the upper door, you enter the section leading toward the surgical floors.

• Reach the West Wing and reception area.
• Use stealth, cover, or controlled gunfire to get past the armed patrols.
• Find Stairwell B and climb to the upper hospital section.

3. Search the surgical-floor route and approach Pediatrics

At the upper floor, move through the reception and surgery-area corridors. The route includes optional supplies and story records, but none are required for the rescue. If you want only the main objective, keep following the hospital’s forward path and avoid spending time in locked or side rooms while enemies are active.

A large FEDRA quarantine tent marks the surgery area. You may enter it for Marlene’s Journal and supplies, then continue through the corridor beyond it. This is the last significant Firefly combat stretch before the operating room. Use the tent entrance and nearby walls as cover, and craft a health kit or throwable before committing to the next push if your materials allow it.

Advance to the door marked Pediatrics. Joel forces the door shut behind him, creating a clear transition into the final approach. If you are low on health, use the brief safety of this section before proceeding. The enemy route does not require you to return to the lower hospital floors.

• Reach the upper surgery area after leaving Stairwell B.
• Pass the quarantine tent and prepare for the final Firefly patrols.
• Enter the door marked Pediatrics.

4. Follow Pediatrics to the operating room

After Joel barricades the Pediatrics entrance, check the room on the right only if you want the optional supplies and Marlene’s Recorder 2. Otherwise, continue down the corridor toward the Firefly symbol. The Pediatrics hallway is more direct than the preceding combat areas, so keep moving forward instead of returning to the surgery corridor.

Follow the marked hallway to the red operating-room door. The Firefly symbol and surgical signage identify the correct entrance. Entering the operating room begins the required rescue sequence. There is no alternate dialogue path that preserves the Firefly operation or leaves Ellie behind.

Inside the operating room, complete the prompted action against the surgeon, then pick Ellie up from the table. This is a scripted progression point. Once Joel is carrying Ellie, normal exploration and combat choices are restricted, so do not stop to search the operating room or attempt to return through the door.

• Optionally collect Marlene’s Recorder 2, or continue directly.
• Follow the Firefly symbol through the Pediatrics corridor.
• Enter the operating room and complete the surgeon prompt.
• Pick Ellie up from the operating table.

5. Escape through the elevator route

Carry Ellie out of the operating room and follow the red alarm lights. The escape path is linear, with Fireflies pursuing Joel from behind and from side corridors. Do not turn back to fight or search for supplies. Keep to the marked route and use the open corridor ahead rather than stopping at side doors.

Joel cannot use his normal weapon tactics while carrying Ellie, so the safest approach is to keep moving toward the elevator. If guards begin closing in, prioritize distance and the next doorway over trying to defeat every pursuer. The route is designed to lead directly to the elevator at the end of the corridor.

Enter the elevator while carrying Ellie. The elevator triggers the hospital escape cutscene and marks the end of the main playable movement through the interior. If you fail during the carry sequence, reload the latest checkpoint and repeat the direct route; replaying the earlier patrols is unnecessary unless the checkpoint places you before the operating room.

• Follow the red alarm lights after leaving the operating room.
• Avoid stopping to fight or search while carrying Ellie.
• Reach and enter the elevator.

6. Resolve the parking-area sequence and end the chapter

After the elevator sequence, the game continues through the hospital’s lower exit and parking area. Follow the scripted movement and cutscenes as Joel carries Ellie toward the vehicle. This is not a new exploration section, and there is no optional diversion that changes the required outcome.

Marlene confronts Joel in the parking area. Complete the prompted confrontation and continue through the resulting scene. Once Marlene’s confrontation is resolved, Joel leaves the hospital with Ellie and the game transitions away from The Firefly Lab.

This chapter ends at the transition into Jackson: Epilogue. Do not count the Epilogue’s road sequence or final conversation as part of this chapter; those scenes are the responsibility of the following chapter. The main campaign is not complete merely because Joel has left the hospital, and Left Behind does not need to be started for a main-story clear.

• Follow the scripted lower-exit route into the parking area.
• Resolve the confrontation with Marlene.
• Confirm that the game transitions to Jackson: Epilogue.
• Stop this chapter’s completion check at the Epilogue transition.

1. Choose the correct recovery command after a death

After dying, pause before repeating the same attempt. If the fight went wrong because you were detected early, wasted a throwable or held a poor position, select Restart Encounter when it is available. This resets the entire current fight and lets you begin again with a different route, opening takedown or crafting plan. Naughty Dog specifically identifies this option as the one for changing the attack plan or preparing resources before the fight.

Choose Restart Checkpoint when you want to preserve some progress within the encounter or return to the nearest autosave. The pause menu displays how far back that option will take you, so check the displayed time before confirming. Use Load Game instead when your problem is outside the encounter: poor health, an unwanted inventory state or a manual save made before entering the area. Do not assume Restart Checkpoint and Load Game use the same position.

• Use Restart Encounter for a completely different fight plan.
• Use Restart Checkpoint for the nearest autosave.
• Use Load Game to return to a chosen manual-save slot.

2. Create a practical save routine before danger

The game does not give every combat area a safe room, and many sections do not allow you to freely backtrack after crossing a trigger point. Before entering a hostile area, pause in a quiet location and create a manual save if the option is available. Keep a current save and one earlier backup rather than overwriting the only file you may need. The PS5 version officially supports manual saves that return you to the point where you saved, but the active encounter checkpoint remains a separate recovery tool.

Make the preparation save after healing, crafting and spending upgrades, not after enemies have already detected you. If the next section is a large human fight or an infected rush, use the save to preserve your chosen weapon order and inventory. For a risky experiment, save to a separate slot, test the route, then reload that slot if the attempt leaves you short on health or ammunition. Saving is not a way to create unlimited supplies; it only preserves the state you selected.

• Save in a quiet area before crossing into a major fight.
• Keep one backup slot instead of relying on a single rolling save.
• Craft and heal before saving when the next encounter is difficult.

3. Change the first move, not merely the firing speed

If an open firefight failed, restart with a stealth-first opening. Crouch behind cover, observe patrol routes and remove an isolated enemy on the outer edge of the group. Use a bottle or brick to pull one opponent away from the others, then relocate before the remaining enemies converge. The aim is to reduce the number of enemies who can see, flank or reinforce one another before you use a firearm.

If you are detected, leave the position that was exposed. Move toward a doorway, vehicle, staircase, counter or other obstacle that limits attack angles. Throw a distraction only after enemies have started moving toward the sound, and use an explosive when several targets are committed to the same narrow approach. If the area becomes disorganized and you lose track of flankers, Restart Encounter is usually safer than spending the rest of your inventory trying to rescue a bad opening.

• Begin with a different takedown, distraction or observation position.
• Move after detection instead of defending the exposed location.
• Use explosives where enemies must pass through a limited approach.

4. Recover from low health or an empty weapon

Do not presume that a previous room can be revisited for supplies. If the route remains open, search only nearby side spaces that you already passed and return before the encounter state changes. If backtracking is blocked, use Restart Encounter or Load Game rather than attempting to farm earlier enemies. Enemy encounters are not designed as a dependable ammunition-grinding loop, and repeating cleared areas can waste time without repairing your position.

Before the next attempt, choose one dependable firearm for emergencies and one close-range answer for an enemy who reaches cover. Craft only for the immediate threat. A shiv can answer a clicker or shiv door when the required upgrade is available; a Molotov or explosive can control a cluster; a health kit matters more than another offensive item when the next failure is caused by dying during a forced exchange. Do not spend every healing item during the opening moments if the encounter contains a later rush.

• Use nearby supplies only when the route genuinely remains open.
• Choose equipment for the next threat instead of crafting indiscriminately.
• Reserve healing and strong throwables for the section most likely to end the attempt.

5. Use cover, height and retreat routes as fail-safes

Before attacking, identify where you will retreat if the first takedown fails. High ground, windows, vehicles, counters and narrow doorways can reduce the directions from which enemies reach you, but they are not automatically safe. Check whether an enemy can circle behind the position or throw a grenade into it. Leave before the group surrounds you rather than waiting until every exit is covered.

Against infected, keep space and avoid backing into a dead end. Against human enemies, relocate after a loud kill or explosion because their search pattern can converge on your last known position. Break line of sight by moving around solid cover, then listen for footsteps and enemy dialogue before choosing the next position. If the encounter permits stealth, waiting for the alert to settle can restore control; if stealth is disabled or the fight has become a scripted combat sequence, focus on the designated choke point and controlled retreats instead.

• Find an escape route before starting the fight.
• Check both sides of cover for flank routes and grenade exposure.
• Relocate after loud attacks or when enemies begin surrounding you.

6. Adjust difficulty or assistance deliberately

If several genuinely different attempts fail, change the condition causing the failure instead of grinding for ammunition. The PS5 remake supports adjustable difficulty and individual assistance options. Its custom settings can alter incoming damage, enemy effectiveness, stealth behavior, resources and the frequency of mid-encounter dynamic checkpoints. Combat accessibility options include reduced enemy perception, reduced enemy accuracy, preventing intentional flanking, weapon-sway changes and slow motion while aiming.

Open Options, then the difficulty or accessibility menus while outside the most restricted scripted moments. Change only the setting that addresses the problem: reduced enemy perception for stealth detection, reduced enemy accuracy for gunfights, enemies do not flank for positional pressure, weapon sway off for aiming difficulty, or slow motion while aiming for shot timing. Some assistance options are disabled during encounters where stealth is not available, so do not interpret that limitation as a failed setting. The game also supports simplified quick-time events, skippable puzzles and navigation aids if the obstacle is not combat.

If you are using a difficulty-specific challenge, check its restrictions before changing it. Grounded is selectable from the start in this edition, but it is not a normal setting for a casual mid-run adjustment. For an ordinary new-game campaign, restore your preferred settings after clearing the blocked section only if you want the rest of the run to use the original challenge. The PS5 remake does not limit trophies by difficulty according to PlayStation’s accessibility documentation.

• Change the setting that matches the actual failure.
• Expect some assists to be unavailable during forced combat sequences.
• Record your preferred settings before changing them, then restore them after progress.

1. Finish The Firefly Lab and leave the hospital with Ellie

Continue from The Firefly Lab through the Firefly patrols, the route toward Pediatrics, and the operating-room sequence. The story advances through the hospital by following the available doors, corridors, stairs, and elevator route after each required encounter. You do not need to locate an optional objective or make an ending choice; continue along the only active story route until Joel reaches Ellie.

After the operating-room rescue, carry Ellie through the hospital escape and continue until the game transitions to the road journey. Do not stop at the operating room, the elevator sequence, or the first post-hospital checkpoint. These are late-game milestones, but they are not the campaign completion point. The PS5 remake includes the complete main single-player story, while Left Behind is presented separately as a prequel chapter.

• The Firefly Lab hospital sequence is complete.
• Joel has rescued Ellie from the operating room.
• The game has transitioned away from the hospital and into the closing journey.

2. Complete the road journey and Jackson Epilogue

When control returns during the post-hospital journey, follow the marked route with Joel and Ellie toward Jackson. Continue through the walking section rather than quitting after the hospital escape or the first road sequence. The final playable section is deliberately quiet: keep moving along the path when prompted and allow the conversation and environmental transitions to proceed.

Reach the Jackson Epilogue and continue until the closing exchange between Joel and Ellie has finished. There are no alternate objectives, dialogue choices, or branching endings to select. The player cannot change the canonical outcome through exploration or menu choices, so the correct completion action is simply to follow the route and let the final scene conclude.

• The road sequence has played after the hospital escape.
• Joel and Ellie have reached the Jackson Epilogue.
• The final Joel-and-Ellie conversation has finished.

3. Confirm the actual story endpoint

Treat the start of the closing credits as the definitive story-completion point. The campaign does not require a separate post-credits narrative scene, hidden resolution, or additional playable chapter after the final Joel-and-Ellie exchange. If the credits begin, the main-story ending has been reached.

After the credits, allow the game to return to its post-completion interface before quitting if you want the completed-story save state to be established. This is a save-management precaution, not an additional story objective. You do not need to play Left Behind to validate the main campaign; it is separate content included with the PS5 release.

• The closing credits have begun or the game has returned to its post-completion interface.
• No further main-story mission is required after the credits.
• The separate Left Behind chapter has not been used as a substitute for the main-story ending.

4. Preserve the completed-story save before replaying

Open Load Game and identify the completed-story autosave, commonly labeled Story Complete or otherwise shown as the finished campaign state. Keep this save intact. A separate manual save from late in The Firefly Lab can be useful as an additional backup, but it is not required to finish the story and should not be treated as the official completion condition.

Before starting New Game, New Game Plus, Speedrun Mode, Permadeath Mode, or any earlier chapter replay, confirm that the completed-story save is still present. If your console or account setup supports a backup method, preserve a second copy. The purpose is to retain a reliable return point for the full completed campaign, not to create a required save at a particular hospital checkpoint.

• A completed-story or Story Complete autosave is visible.
• The completed save has not been overwritten by a new campaign or replay.
• Any late-game manual save is stored separately if you chose to make one.
• You can load the completed save after leaving the ending.

5. Use Chapter Select safely for cleanup

For missed collectibles, optional conversations, trophy requirements, or combat practice, load the completed-story save before opening Chapter Select or Encounter Select. Choose the relevant chapter or encounter from that completed state, and keep notes about which objectives you have already finished. This guide does not require a collectible total, trophy percentage, or complete upgrade list.

After beginning an earlier chapter replay, the visible chapter list may temporarily reflect the replayed progression rather than the full finished campaign. If later chapters disappear, do not assume the campaign was erased. Exit the replay and reload the completed-story autosave. Then open Chapter Select again from that completed state. Use a separate manual slot for any replay progress that you want to retain.

• Chapter Select was opened from the completed-story save.
• Replay objectives are tracked separately from story completion.
• The completed-story autosave remains available for restoring the full chapter list.
• Any collectible or trophy cleanup is treated as optional postgame work.

6. Keep Left Behind and other modes outside this completion check

Left Behind is included with The Last of Us Part I on PS5, but it is a separate prequel chapter. If you intentionally excluded it, verify only that you did not select or play that separate chapter during this run. There is no need to search for a special Left Behind completion marker in order to validate the main story.

Do not confuse story completion with 100 percent completion. Collectibles, optional conversations, weapon and skill upgrades, trophies, Photo Mode, New Game Plus, Speedrun Mode, and Permadeath Mode are separate goals. Record any of them for a later run, and protect the completed-story save before beginning that work.

• The completed save belongs to the main The Last of Us campaign.
• Left Behind was not launched during this run.
• Optional collectibles, trophies, upgrades, and replay modes are recorded as separate goals.
• The completed campaign save is protected before starting optional content.

1. Protect the completed campaign

Return to the title screen after the ending and confirm that the main story is marked as completed in the game’s story or load interface. Keep the manual save from the finished campaign, and do not use that slot for a new Permadeath run, New Game Plus attempt, or collectible cleanup. The finished save is your safest reference point for revisiting the ending and checking what content has already been completed.

Create a separate save before beginning any postgame challenge. A different slot prevents an experimental run from replacing the progression, inventory state, difficulty setup, or ending checkpoint associated with your original campaign. If you intend to pursue trophies or collectibles, use a dedicated cleanup save even when you plan to rely on chapter replay.

• Confirm the main campaign has reached its ending.
• Keep the completed campaign save intact.
• Use a different save slot for every new challenge run.

2. Use chapter and encounter replay for practice

Open the game’s story replay functions from the main menu after they become available. Chapter Select is useful for replaying a broad section, while Encounter Select is better for repeating a specific combat or stealth sequence. Choose a completed section, load it, and practice the exact problem that caused trouble: enemy detection, a resource-starved fight, a traversal route, or a missed collectible location.

Replay does not need to replace your finished campaign. Treat it as a controlled practice session. Test a stealth route first, then try a faster escape or a resource-heavy approach and compare the result. Chapter replay can also be used to clean up trophies and collectibles, but keep a written list of what has been completed because replaying a section does not automatically mean every objective in that chapter is finished.

• Open Chapter Select or Encounter Select after story completion.
• Practice one encounter or route at a time.
• Track cleanup objectives outside the game.

3. Start Speedrun Mode with a reliable route

Speedrun Mode displays a timer so you can measure progress through the story. On the standard PS5 edition, expect this mode to become available through campaign progression; the Digital Deluxe Edition lists Speedrun Mode as an early unlock. Check the mode list on your copy rather than assuming that every edition exposes it at the same point.

Before attempting a serious time, replay the campaign normally and identify mandatory actions. Note which doors, ladders, puzzles, companion waits, and scripted encounters must be completed. Also identify fights that permit a safe bypass. Your first timed run should prioritize finishing consistently, not setting a record. Loot only when the materials are needed, spend ammunition on enemies that block the route, and run past threats when the level allows you to continue safely.

If one section repeatedly causes a death, leave the timed run and practice that chapter or encounter separately. Restarting the entire campaign after every mistake wastes time and does not teach the route as efficiently as focused replay.

• Verify Speedrun Mode is available on your edition.
• Map mandatory objectives before chasing a record.
• Prioritize a clean completion over maximum speed.

4. Configure Permadeath conservatively

Permadeath Mode lets you choose the scale at which death costs progress. The available choices are chapter-level, act-level, or whole-game consequences. Select chapter-level Permadeath for a first attempt so a failed encounter does not erase the entire campaign. Move to act-level or whole-game Permadeath only after you understand the route and can complete dangerous sections consistently.

Before committing to a Permadeath run, practice its highest-risk encounters in ordinary Chapter Select. Learn enemy positions, retreat paths, trigger points, and the amount of ammunition normally required. During the challenge, scout before attacking, keep a retreat route open, and avoid trading health for a fast melee finish when a safer option exists. Do not make a manual save with the intention of bypassing the selected Permadeath rules; use separate saves for practice and challenge runs instead.

If a run fails, return to the practice chapter and change one factor at a time: difficulty, route, weapon choice, stealth timing, or resource spending. The goal is to remove repeatable risks rather than rely on a lucky attempt.

• Choose chapter-level Permadeath for the first attempt.
• Practice dangerous encounters before committing progress.
• Keep challenge and practice saves separate.

5. Use Photo Mode during replays

Pause during gameplay and choose Photo Mode whenever you want to frame a scene. The PS5 version includes camera controls, filters, lighting adjustments, and other presentation tools. For faster access, open the game’s Options menu and enable the Photo Mode shortcut. With the shortcut active, press L3 and R3 together on the DualSense controller to freeze the current scene and enter Photo Mode.

Use chapter replay for photography so you can return to quiet locations, environmental details, or character scenes without interrupting a first-time story run. Accessibility settings can also remain active during replay. Navigation assistance, enhanced listening options, visual aids, and puzzle assistance are useful when the purpose is route practice rather than difficulty testing. Keep settings consistent when comparing speedrun attempts so the results remain meaningful.

• Enable the Photo Mode shortcut if desired.
• Press L3 and R3 together during gameplay to use it.
• Use replay chapters for photography and route testing.

6. Plan trophy and collectible cleanup separately

After the comfortable story clear, create a dedicated cleanup save and use Chapter Select or Encounter Select to target missed trophies, collectibles, upgrades, or optional interactions. Work through one chapter at a time and record each completed objective. This avoids repeatedly loading the same section without knowing whether the game has already registered the item or action.

A separate cleanup run is especially useful if you want to change difficulty, enable stronger accessibility assistance, or use New Game Plus resources. Do not overwrite the finished campaign merely to make cleanup convenient. The original save remains useful for checking the ending, comparing equipment progression, and starting a fresh challenge later.

Left Behind is included with the PS5 package, but it is separate from the main campaign covered here. Do not select that chapter if your goal is to keep this run limited to Joel and Ellie’s main story.

• Create a dedicated trophy or collectible save.
• Track completed objectives chapter by chapter.
• Leave the completed main-story save untouched.
• Avoid selecting Left Behind for a main-campaign-only run.