Brutal and challenging combat is one of the core staples ofThe Last of Usfranchise. Constantly keeping gamers on their toes and at the edge of their seats, the combat inThe Last of Us 2is just as, if not more, difficult than the first game.The Last of Us 2brings back the iconic Infectedand introduces some new versions of the monsters, while also establishing three new human enemy factions for players to contend with.
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Touching on everything from the Infected to the Rattlers group at the end of the game, this list breaks down enemies that players will face and provides rankings on their difficulty.
10Runners
Infected arecommonly compared to zombies, as the two both look and behave similarly. Like zombies, Runners still have their eyesight, unlike the other Infected types, and can spot players who aren’t careful. That said, this is their only strength.
Lacking the fungal armor of the other Infected as well as the melee weapons and guns of non-infected humans, Runners are the weakest and easiest enemy in the game. This is stillThe Last of Usthough and players shouldn’t underestimate Runners, as they can be deadly in large numbers.
9WLF Soldiers/Wolves
The WLF is a military-like faction that is well-armed with guns, packing a lot of firepower in any engagement with the player. They are organized and make great use of flanking tactics when hunting down Ellie.
Unafraid to rush players when they are hiding behind cover, WLF Soldiers force you to stay active with your movement which makes opportunities to be seen and shot at all the more frequent. They lack some of the superior qualities of the Seraphites and Rattlers though and so they fall lower in this list.
8Clickers
Clickers are arguably the most iconic enemies fromThe Last of Usseries, with the majority of gamers likely being able to identify the creature even if theyhaven’t played these two influential games.
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Although they are blind, Clickers have incredible hearing and can hunt you down with ease even from the slightest of sounds that players make. Partly covered in fungal armor, Clickers can be surprisingly hard to bring down, especially since most guns take at least two headshots to kill them.
7Stalkers
Stalkers are one of the more tricky enemies to deal with inThe Last of Us 2. Showing signs of far greater intelligence than the other Infected, Stalkers will pursue players from the shadows or behind cover, attacking from unexpected angles, and waiting for the most opportune time to strike.
Because of their hunting tendencies, Stalkersoften give players scares whenthey attack unexpectedly. Difficult to track in Listen Mode because of how quiet they are, Stalkers can be quite the challenge.
6Rattlers
Rattlers are a human faction of slavers that players won’t face until the final few chapters of the game. They are similar to the WLF in that they are well armed with guns and melee weapons, but the big difference between them is that Rattlers are often wearing helmets and body armor, making them much harder to kill in gunfights.
In large groups, they can be deadly, so players need to put extra effort into their stealth and picking the Rattlers off one by one.
5Seraphites
The Seraphites are debatably the toughest human faction that players will encounter over the course of the game. A huge boost for this group is their intimidation factor, as they are stealthy and highly communicative when hunting you.
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They communicate with each other using a series of whistles, making it very difficult to anticipate their movements and actions. Although they lack the heavy firepower of the WLF and Rattlers, the Seraphites make up for this with archery and deadly melee weapons wielded by bulkier than normal enemies.
4Shamblers
Shamblers are a new enemy type introduced inThe Last of Us 2. With thick layers of fungal armor all over their body and having the ability to emit lethal clouds of acid, Shamblers are a major change of pace from Runners, Clickers, and Stalkers. They also can’t be stealth killed like most other Infected.
At close range, they are incredibly deadly with their acid, making melee weapons essentially worthless against them.
3Dogs
Used by both the WLF and Rattlers, Dogs are surprisingly challenging enemies that can make players' time inThe Last of Us 2a nightmare ifnot properly strategizing against them. Although they lack the lethality of humans and the Infected, Dogs are second to none when it comes to hunting Ellie down.
With powerful hearing and their ability to detect your scent, the mere presence of a dog makes any combat scenario much more difficult. In most situations, they are the enemy that needs to be dealt with first.
2Bloaters
Only outranked by a special boss, Bloaters are the heaviest hitters in the game. They are massive and have thicker fungal armor than even Shamblers. Although they move slowly most of the time, Bloaters are capable of sprinting in short bursts, knocking down anything in their path including walls.
Similar to Shamblers, they can also attack players from a distance, throwing a pustule that emits a toxic cloud. Without question, Bloaters are the toughest non-boss enemy players will have tofight for their survival against.
1The Rat King
For players who have ventured far enough intoThe Last of Us 2, you’ve had to face the terrifying and grotesque looking boss “The Rat King”. A horrifying amalgamation of flesh from multiple Infected, players will find this enemy in the hospital when playing with Abby, which is one ofthe toughest sections of the game.
The Rat King has monstrous strength and colossal size, being able to take an absurd amount of firepower before being brought down. To top it all off, The Rat King is capable of shedding a stronger-than-normal Stalker from its body, making this fight all the more challenging.
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