There are many brutal factions that rule the wastes ofThe Last of Us Part 1, from militaristic FEDRA soldiers to cult-like cannibals. ThroughoutThe Last of Us Part 1, players will be forced to reckon with killing many people in order to achieve their goals, some not always deserving of their fate.
With a variety of new systems at play andimproved AI inThe Last of Usremake, human combat encounters can prove to be the most challenging in the game.This guide will teach players the mechanics surrounding stealth and combat when dealing with human enemiesinThe Last of Us Part 1.
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How to Deal with Human Enemies in Combat
The first kind of enemies that players will encounter inthe Boston Quarantine Zoneare humans. Typically encountered ingroups of three or more, the first few combat sections of the game introduce the player to the cover shooting mechanics at play inThe Last of Us Part 1.
Unlike a cover shooter, however,enemies will give the player little time to firewhen attacked head-on, even from cover. As such, players are encouraged to get the drop on enemies bybreaking the line of sight to flankand disorientate them.
Players shouldalways be assessing their surroundingsand looking for opportunities to circle around enemies. Despite the claustrophobic environments,The Last of Us Part 1will almost always present a way for players to get around enemies unnoticed, but beware – enemies that know the player’s location will use these pathways to flank them, too.
Against human enemies in combat, some will be wearing body armor and helmets, rendering low-caliber weapons less useful. As such, in later sections of the game, it’s better to use tougher weapons likethe Hunting Rifle and El Diabloto pierce through armor for quick kills.
Use Every Advantage
In situations where the player is surrounded,Joel’s large arsenal of weaponsand items can come in incredibly handy: hisnail bombs can not only be thrown at groupsof enemies but can also beplaced to defend positionswhere he can be flanked; Molotovs always present a quick way offorcing enemies out from behind cover, andsmoke bombs can help with a quick getawayshould players wish to re-enter stealth or grab a stunned enemy. As always,bricks and bottles are incredibly useful for stunning enemiesinto a kill or grab.
If players want to defend their position but have enemies closing in, they can stun an enemy by using the aforementioned smoke bombs - orThe Last of Us' iconic bricks and bottles- or byshooting out an enemy’s leg. From here, running up and pressing the grab button will allow the player touse a human shield, where he can shoot enemies from a safe distance. After a while, the grabbed thug will begin to struggle, affecting the player’s aim, before they eventually break free or are killed by the player or by friendly fire.
Remember totake breaks from combatalso, if necessary, by taking cover and using a Med Kit or crafting some items. Use this time toscout enemy positions in Listen Mode, as well.
The Last of Us Part 1is currently available for PS5 and is in development for PC.
