The Art of the No Damage Walkthrough: Mastering The Last of Us Part II Remastered on Grounded

I have spent hundreds of hours inside the broken world of The Last of Us Part II. Long after the credits rolled on my first playthrough, I kept coming back. Not for the story this time, but to test the limits of the combat system. To see if I could survive every encounter without taking a single hit. That is the core appeal of a no damage walkthrough. It strips away the safety net of health bars and healing items, forcing you to treat every bullet, every brick, every dodge as a matter of life and death.

The version I run now is The Last of Us Part II Remastered on a PlayStation 5. It is the definitive way to play. The 4K HDR presentation makes every dark corridor and rain-slicked street in Seattle feel almost tactile. But the real upgrade is the performance. At a steady 60 frames per second, the responsiveness of Ellie and Abby becomes something you can rely on. For a no damage walkthrough, that consistency is everything. One dropped frame can ruin a dodge that you timed by muscle memory.

Why Go No Damage on Grounded?

Most players finish the game on Moderate or Hard. Grounded difficulty is a different beast. Enemies hit harder, they flank more aggressively, and your listening mode range shrinks. A single bullet from a clicker or a swipe from a stalker can end a run. When you add the constraint of taking zero damage, the whole experience transforms into a puzzle. Every room becomes a stage you have to choreograph.

I have seen plenty of standard gameplay walkthroughs that focus on story or collectible locations. Those are useful, sure. But a no damage run asks you to think about positioning first. Where will the enemies spawn? What is the sightline from that window? Can I bait that stalker into a choke point? Those questions become second nature after a few attempts.

Preparing Your Arsenal

Before you start, you need to understand the upgrade system. Workbench upgrades are not just for show. The increased holster speed and the ability to craft silencers quietly are critical when you cannot afford to trade hits. Supplement manuals are scattered across Seattle, and each one you find improves a specific stat. I always prioritize the ones that boost stealth speed and melee damage. If you can land a single heavy hit and kill a clicker before it alerts the horde, you save yourself a lot of trouble.

Safe codes are another hidden layer. Early on, you can find a safe in the bank in downtown Seattle. The code is written on a note nearby. Inside is a training manual that improves your health regeneration rate. In a normal run, that might feel nice. In a no damage walkthrough, it is a safety net you hope never to use. But it is still worth grabbing because the collectible itself counts toward your completion.

Navigating the Infected Encounters

The infected are the most unpredictable part of any run. Clickers listen for sound, so you have to move slowly. Stalkers hang from ceilings and drop on you if you walk under them. In the subway tunnels beneath Seattle, I learned to throw bottles to distract them, then creep past. One mistake and a stalker lands on your shoulders. That is an instant reset on Grounded.

I remember one particular room in the hospital basement. There are three clickers and a bloater that explodes acid when it dies. My first few attempts ended with me covered in burns. The trick turned out to be luring the bloater away from the clickers, using a silenced pistol to pop its leg, then running. The clickers are blind if you stay still, but they hear everything. That encounter taught me patience. Rushing is the enemy of a no damage run.

Human Enemies: A Different Kind of Threat

The WLF soldiers and the Seraphites are smarter than the infected. They communicate, they flank, and they call for backup. In the open streets of Seattle, I have had to restart encounters dozens of times because I misjudged the patrol pattern. The key is to use the environment. Tall grass, open windows, and dark corners are your friends. I always look for a high vantage point first. From there, I can mark enemies and plan my route.

Abby's sections are tougher because she is a bigger target. Her dodge roll is slower than Ellie's, and her melee attacks leave her exposed. I have found that using the crossbow from a distance works well. It is silent, and bolts can be retrieved. Just be careful not to miss. A missed shot alerts everyone.

Collectibles and the No Damage Mindset

One of the goals of this challenge is to collect every artifact, trading card, and coin along the way. These collectible locations are often tucked away in side rooms or behind puzzles. On a standard run, you might just sprint through and grab them. On a no damage walkthrough, you have to factor in the risk. Is that trading card worth walking into a room with two stalkers? Usually, yes, if you have a plan. But I have learned to scan the room from the doorway first. If I see an enemy, I either lure it out or find an alternate path.

The supplements and training manuals are worth the detour because they make later sections easier. For instance, finding the manual for faster healing early on means you can recover from small mistakes faster. Even though you are aiming for zero damage, having a faster heal speed gives you a wider margin for error when you slip up.

Tools of the Trade

Here are a few pieces of gear I never leave behind on a no damage run:

• Silenced pistol - Essential for picking off distant enemies without alerting the group.
• Bricks and bottles - The most reliable distraction tools. Carry at least three at all times.
• Health kit - Even if you never use it, having one equipped means you can survive a mistake long enough to reset the encounter.
• Smoke bombs - Useful for crossing open areas when enemies are looking your way.
• Upgraded melee weapon - The longer reach from a workbench upgrade lets you kill a clicker in one swing without getting hit.

The Mental Game

After dozens of attempts, the biggest challenge is not mechanical. It is mental. You will die to stupid things. A door you thought was clear. A stalker you missed. A clicker that heard your footsteps through a wall. The temptation to rush back in for revenge is strong, but that is how you take damage again. I have learned to step away after a death. Take a drink of water. Watch the replay. Figure out what went wrong. Then try again.

Naughty Dog designed these encounters to be punishing. They expect you to get hit. That is why the health system exists. But when you play with the constraint of a no damage walkthrough, you are rejecting that assumption. You are saying that perfect play is possible. And it is. It just takes patience and repetition.

Final Thoughts on the Journey

A no damage walkthrough of The Last of Us Part II Remastered on Grounded difficulty is not for everyone. It is a specific kind of challenge that appeals to players who enjoy deep mastery of a combat system. The 4K HDR visuals make every environment look stunning, but they also reveal every detail you need to survive. The shadows are deeper, the reflections clearer. Use them.

If you attempt this yourself, start with the early encounters in Seattle. Learn the patrol patterns of the WLF soldiers. Practice dodging clickers in the subway. Find every training manual and supplement manual you can. And remember that the goal is not just to survive. It is to survive perfectly. That is what makes the journey worth the effort.