The Last of Us Part 1 is a survival horror much like any other – the player will fight their way through zombies and humans in an effort to conquer the game’s challenges by collecting resources and upgrading their equipment. Where The Last of Us Part 1 differs, however, is in its approach to the conventional zombie narrative; instead of a manmade virus wreaking havoc, the Cordyceps Brain Infection is of the natural world.
As nature reclaims the manmade world, humans are back on the food chain, and Joel and Ellie must fight for survival against the various types of infected that roam the lush and vibrant wastes. This guide will teach players how to deal with Stalkers, one of the less common kinds of infected that players can come across in The Last of Us Part 1.
How To Deal With Stalkers In Combat And Stealth
As aforementioned, Stalkers are one of the rarest types of infected that players can find in The Last of Us, only showing up in two encounters in the entire game – the Pittsburgh hotel basement and the sewers. They provide an entirely different combat experience to any other enemy in the game, as they routinely attempt to avoid direct combat, instead preferring to hide behind cover, waiting to ambush the player.
When approaching a Stalker encounter, listen out for their tell-tale screams that will warn players of their presence. During these battles, players will have to check all their corners, keeping an eye out for the creatures as they peep around cover to get eyes on Joel.
As Stalkers will constantly hide behind cover and move if they are in the player’s line of sight, it’s impossible to get the jump on them. As such, stealth is impossible against Stalkers, as they are rarely picked up on Listen Mode and will almost always see the player coming. The key to mastering these encounters is to check Joel’s surroundings constantly.
Like Runners, once they are in melee distance, they will spring from their hiding place and attempt to grapple the player. Skilled gamers will be ready for their attacks, and will be able to land a decisive headshot with the 9mm pistol. Failing that, the only way to properly counter Stalkers is to be prepared with The Last of Us' Shotgun, Revolver, or melee weapons in hand to quickly dispatch the ambushing infected.
As with The Last of Us’ weaker infected, using the powerful Hunting Rifle isn’t recommended with its slow reload speed and limited ammo capacity, as this weapon is better suited towards tougher enemies or human encounters. With Stalkers especially, they will always be present around Clickers or Bloaters, so it’s better to deal with these instant-killing creatures with high powered weaponry as soon as possible to even out the playing field.
The Last of Us Part 1 is currently available for PS5, and is in development for PC.