You’re staring at a giant feathered cat-bird-dog thing that won't move. It’s frustrating. Fumito Ueda, the mastermind behind Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, spent nearly a decade crafting Trico, and sometimes you’ll swear the AI is just broken. It isn't. Trico is actually mimicking a real animal, which means he's stubborn, easily distracted, and occasionally smells something on the wall that's more interesting than saving your life. This The Last Guardian walkthrough is less about giving you a rigid map and more about teaching you how to speak a language that doesn't use words.
Honestly, the game feels like a relic from 2007 because, well, it mostly is. The development hell it endured is legendary in the industry. But once you get past the camera angles that occasionally get stuck in a wall, there is something here that no other game has ever captured. You play as a nameless boy who wakes up in a cave next to a wounded, man-eating beast.
The Early Game: Building Trust and Pulling Spears
The very first thing you have to do is get those spears out of Trico. It’s grisly. The boy looks tiny compared to the beast, and the physics engine makes every climb feel heavy. Pro tip: stop rushing. If you try to play this like Uncharted or Tomb Raider, you’re going to hate it. The boy stumbles. He trips over his own feet. He's a child, not a superhero.
Feeding Trico barrels is your primary objective in the first hour. These glowing blue barrels are scattered throughout the ruins, often hidden behind breakable pots or on high ledges. If Trico won't move, he's probably hungry. Or scared. He hates those glass eye symbols—the "wards"—and he will literally sit down and shiver until you smash them. It’s a mechanic that forces you to be the protector of the giant monster, flipping the usual "pet" dynamic on its head.
A Reliable The Last Guardian Walkthrough for Navigating the Nest
The Nest is a vertical nightmare of crumbling stone and terrifying heights. When you reach the first major outdoor area, you’ll encounter the suits of armor. These are the Sentinels. They don't want to kill you; they want to carry you through a purple door. If they grab you, mash the buttons like your life depends on it. Because it does.
Trico will handle the combat. Your job is to stay out of the way or pull the heads off the armor once Trico knocks them down. It’s chaotic. Sometimes Trico goes into a bloodlust after a fight, with his eyes glowing pink and his feathers ruffled. You have to climb onto his back and pet him—specifically his neck and head—to calm him down. If you don't, he stays aggressive and won't follow your commands later.
Solving the Water Puzzles
Water is a recurring theme. There’s a specific section mid-game where you’re trapped in a flooded subterranean chamber. Many players get stuck here for hours. You have to dive underwater to pull a lever, but the boy can't hold his breath for long. The trick is using Trico’s tail. You can command him to drop his tail into the water like a rope.
- Climb the tail.
- Get to the higher platform.
- Lure Trico into the water by throwing a barrel.
- Wait for the splash.
The physics engine is your best friend and your worst enemy here. If the water levels don't seem to be reacting right, try reloading your checkpoint. It’s a rare bug, but it happens.
Commands and the "Sit" Problem
Once you get the ability to give Trico direct commands (R1 + buttons), the game actually gets harder for a bit. Why? Because players spam the buttons. Don't do that. If you yell at a dog five different commands in three seconds, he just looks at you confused. Trico is the same. Press R1 and a direction, then wait. Watch his ears. If they perk up, he heard you. He might take five seconds to decide to jump, but he will jump.
- R1 + Circle: Sit/Stay (Good for making him a platform).
- R1 + Triangle: Jump/Climb.
- R1 + Square: Attack/Swipe.
- R1 + X: Scold (Rarely useful, honestly).
The Middle Towers and the Second Beast
About two-thirds through, things get dark. You find out Trico isn't the only one of his kind. The encounter with the "Evil Trico" is a scripted sequence that tests everything you've learned about the controls. You need to use the mirror—the shield you found at the start—to direct Trico’s lightning tail. Aim for the environment, not just the enemy.
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The verticality of the towers in this section is dizzying. If you have vertigo, some of these leaps of faith will genuinely make your stomach drop. The game uses a lot of "near-miss" animations where Trico catches you by the shirt at the last second. These aren't random; they are baked into the logic of the level design to create tension.
Handling the Late-Game Sentinels
By the time you reach the white tower, the Sentinels start carrying shields with the glass eyes. This is where the The Last Guardian walkthrough usually becomes a guide on "how not to scream at your TV." You have to jump on the backs of the guards to make them drop the shields so Trico can move. It’s risky because you’re defenseless.
The key is distraction. Run in circles. Use the boy’s small frame to weave between the legs of the armor. Once a guard drops a shield, Trico will usually take care of the rest with a swipe of his paw.
The Ending Sequence (No Spoilers, Just Mechanics)
Without giving away the emotional gut-punch, the final climb requires absolute precision. You will be using the mirror heavily. If you lose the mirror, look around—it’s always nearby, glinting in the light. The final battle isn't really a battle; it's an endurance test. Keep Trico fed with every barrel you see in the final hallway. He’s going to need the energy.
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Common Misconceptions About Trico's AI
People say the AI is bad. I disagree. The AI is stubborn. If Trico refuses to jump, it’s usually because you aren't positioned correctly on his back or the path is blocked by a small object you haven't noticed.
- Check for Spears: Even one small spear in his hindquarters will make him move slower and refuse certain jumps.
- Look at His Eyes: White means he’s calm. Purple/Pink means he’s distracted or aggressive. Yellow means he’s focused on an object.
- Petting Matters: It isn't just a "cute" mechanic. Petting heals his wounds faster and resets his "frustration" meter, making him more responsive to commands.
Getting the Best Out of the Experience
To really enjoy this, turn off the lights. Put on headphones. The sound design is incredible—the way the wind whistles through the ruins and the specific clicking noises Trico makes.
If you're playing on a PS5, you get a solid 60fps if you play the unpatched version from the disc, but the digital version is capped at 30fps. It’s a weird quirk of the backward compatibility, but the 30fps cap actually makes the physics feel a bit more "weighty" and intentional, which was Ueda’s original vision anyway.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
- First Hour: Focus entirely on learning the climb mechanics. Practice moving from Trico’s tail to his head without falling.
- Combat: Don't fight. Your job is to remove spears from Trico during the fight so he doesn't get overwhelmed by pain.
- Navigation: If you're lost, stop moving. Trico will often look toward the direction you need to go. Follow his gaze.
- Collectibles: Don't obsess over the barrels on your first run. Most are easy to find, but some require insane platforming that breaks the flow of the story.
- Petting: After every single encounter with the Sentinels, spend a full minute petting Trico. It builds the "invisible" bond meter that makes the late-game AI much more cooperative.
The Last Guardian isn't a game you "beat." It's a game you survive with a friend. It’s messy and beautiful and will probably make you cry. Just remember: he's a good boy, even when he's being a total pain.