The Last of Us Part II takes players across a dystopian Seattle after a life-changing event forces Ellie to take matters into her own hands. Threats come in many forms across the broken landscape and the most infamous is the form of the infected called “Clickers”. They can be menacing and this guide will show ways to take them out as effortlessly as possible.
Developed by Naughty Dog, The Last of Us Part II is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed original that takes place five years after its conclusion. Joel and Ellie now live a comfortable existence in Tommy’s community in Wyoming and of course, the infected population by the cordyceps still lurk within every destination across the country. Thus, there is also a growing number of survivors that generated their own warring militia groups that each follow their own mantra. After a brutal encounter, Ellie and company trek across the shattered city of Seattle to seek revenge. With enhanced stealth mechanics, crafting menu, traversing system, and melee combat, The Last of Us Part. II takes players into a dark journey that shows the destructive nature of hate. Hence, how it can cloud people’s minds and poisons their hearts.
Since the initial outbreak, there has been an addendum to the steps the infected go through concerning their evolutionary process. Yes, there are still the basic “Runners” and the “Bloaters” who also make a return. Naturally, like growing cancer, the number of infected people has not only increased but also become more lethal. There some new monstrosities dwelling in the bowels of the city that players will need to discover for themselves, and the “Clickers” are now just considered their “smaller cousins”. Nonetheless, “Clickers” are rampant throughout Ellie’s journey and they can provide a quick death if players aren’t educated with their nature. It’s recommended that going in guns blazing isn’t the most ideal way to rectify a “Clicker” situation. That’s equally effective as using a hornet’s nest for a pillow. Instead, there are more subtle ways to cull a “Clicker” horde and players will need both a steady hand and patience to bypass them.
How To Kill a Clicker (The Easy Way) In The Last of Us Part. II
The safest way to kill a “Clicker” is by sneaking up behind them and shoving Ellie’s switchblade into its throat. They only see through the use of ‘echolocation’ so sneaking by one while in full frontal view is possible. However, the smallest semblance of sound (like accidentally kicking a strewn bottle, for instance) will automatically give away a player’s position with pinpoint precision. So, ideally, players will need to use their analog stick ever so gently to ‘creep up’ on behind a “Clicker” while crouching. It’s slow and tedious, but doing this will most likely have Ellie survive the encounter unscathed.
Now, sometimes things go South and “Clickers” will rush players head-on. Whenever this happens, don’t panic. Every type of infected in The Last of Us Part. II has a weakness. If players find themselves being ganged-up on with a variety of infected with “Clickers” in the mix, it is advised to focus on the “Clickers” and them out first. A well-placed shot with a high-powered firearm will put one into the ground. An upgraded shotgun or rifle should do nicely. The fungal plates that protrude out of their head act as a protective coating, protecting their skull. Therefore, weaker guns (like a pistol) require several shots to break through them and that can be a waste. These are best saved for “Runners” and human threats. Blasting a “Clicker” in the face with a firearm that has a ‘spread’ or ‘high penetration’ will shatter its protective coating and damage it quickly.
If players are desperate and the only gun available is a small pistol, firing at the head will stun it. Once this happens, rushing in and finishing it off with a melee attack will put its lights out. Something like an upgraded bat or machete should tear through it with just one swing. Also, fire doesn’t seem to agree with “Clickers” very much. Lobbing a Molotov into a group of “Clickers” can turn the tides of an overwhelming attack hastily. If possible, try and save juice for the flame thrower for such situations. Fire stops them on their tracks and breaks them down. Setting up traps with trip mines can also be handy with “Clicker” encounters. Try and funnel “Clickers” into a room, while setting a mine on a doorway. Just throw a brick (or bottle) to signal the player’s location and watch the fireworks as they’re blown into a fungal salad dressing.
Lastly, there will be situations throughout the game where Ellie will be combating multiple factions at once. This is a good opportunity to turn everyone against each other. The thing about “Clickers” is that they don’t have any preference on who they chew on. Throwing a bottle within a team of opposing NPCs will cause a ruckus and they’ll attack the people who are hunting down Ellie. Maybe some of the human characters will do the dirty work and actually kill some of the “Clickers”. Of course, this isn’t guaranteed and this tactic is a roll of the dice. However, it’s always worth trying to help ease the burden of micro-managing inventory and this also buys time for crafting and healing, if needed.
It’s worth noting The Last of Us Part. II has a semi-open world design that provides a myriad of ways to escape and hide. This can be the most useful tactic of all. Sometimes, players will need some space to get away from “Clickers” and plan an attack. Never get too close because they can instantly kill players with a bite to a jugular. Just keep moving and don’t stay in one place unless players are certain they are out of sight. Just be sure not to underestimate the “Clickers” as they can swarm players in a heartbeat, always take time to scour the environment for resources, and be well-prepared before facing them.
The Last Of Us Part. II is available for PlayStation 4