Look, the first time I played through the opening of Naughty Dog’s masterpiece, I died three times just trying to find a ladder. It’s embarrassing. You’d think a seasoned gamer could handle a few runners and some clickers, but the 2022 remake—and the original—don't exactly hold your hand. If you’re looking for a The Last of Us walkthrough Part 1, you aren't just looking for where to point your gun. You’re looking for how to manage a dwindling inventory of three bullets and a broken brick while a fungal nightmare breathes down your neck.
The "Part 1" moniker is a bit confusing nowadays. Since the release of the HBO show and the PS5 remake, people use it to describe the entire first game, but specifically, the "Hometown" and "The Quarantine Zone" chapters are where most players hit a wall. It’s where the mechanics are introduced, and honestly, where the emotional weight starts to crush you.
Surviving Austin: That Brutal Opening
Everything starts in Austin, Texas. You’re Sarah. It’s quiet. Too quiet. You’ve got to explore the house, but don't spend twenty minutes looking at the birthday card. Just head downstairs. Once the chaos hits and you’re in the car with Tommy and Joel, things get linear but frantic.
The biggest mistake?
Panicking during the run through the town. When Joel is carrying Sarah, you just need to keep moving. Don't stop to look at the burning wreckage. Follow Tommy. When you hit the alleyways, stay close to his back. There’s a specific moment near the end of the escape where a soldier confronts you. There is no "winning" this fight through mechanics; it’s a scripted sequence that sets the entire tone for the game. It’s bleak. It’s meant to be.
The Quarantine Zone and Meeting Tess
Fast forward twenty years. Joel is older, grumpier, and living in a Boston QZ that looks like a concrete coffin. This is where the real The Last of Us walkthrough Part 1 mechanics kick in. You’ll meet Tess, who is arguably the most capable survivor in the building.
Listen.
If Tess tells you to stay low, stay low. The game uses her as a living tutorial. When you're chasing Robert through the slums, don't waste your ammo. I see so many people trying to snipe his goons from a distance. Save it. Use bricks. Bricks are the unspoken gods of this game. If you have a brick in your hand, you have a stun weapon and a melee finisher all in one.
👉 See also: Little Big Planet Still Feels Like a Fever Dream 18 Years Later
The First Real Fight: The Slums
When you finally corner Robert’s men, you'll learn about the "Listen Mode." It’s basically a legal wallhack. Use it constantly. You’ll find that the AI in the Part 1 remake is way more aggressive than the 2013 original. They will flank you. If you stay behind one crate for more than thirty seconds, someone is going to put a bullet in your ear from the side.
- Stealth is King: Crouch-walk everywhere.
- Bottle vs. Brick: A bottle makes noise to distract; a brick is for smashing faces.
- Conserve everything: If you find a rag and some alcohol, don't make a Molotov immediately. You might need a health kit in five minutes.
Dealing with the Infected: Beyond the Wall
Once you get Ellie and head outside the wall, the game changes. You aren't fighting humans who hide; you’re fighting things that want to eat your throat. This is where the "Beyond the Wall" chapter starts, and it’s usually where players realize they haven't been loitering enough.
Loot. Everything.
Check every bathroom. Open every drawer. The game is designed to give you just enough to survive, but only if you’re looking. In the collapsed skyscraper, you'll encounter your first Clicker. It’s blind. It uses echolocation. If you tilt the analog stick even a millimeter too far, it’ll hear your footsteps and it’s game over. There is no "mashing square" to get out of a Clicker's grip unless you have a shiv and the specific skill upgraded.
Actually, let's talk about shivs.
Never use a shiv to kill a Runner. It’s a waste. Use your hands or a pipe. Save your shivs for Clickers and, more importantly, for Shiv Doors. These are locked doors marked with white X's or just looking generally reinforced. They contain the motherlode of supplies: supplements for skills and parts for weapon upgrades. Missing a Shiv Door in the early game is like throwing away a golden ticket.
Tips from the Trenches: What Most Walkthroughs Skip
Most people will tell you to upgrade your health first. They’re wrong.
✨ Don't miss: Why the 20 Questions Card Game Still Wins in a World of Screens
In my experience, and according to most high-level players on the Grounded difficulty forums, the first thing you should spend your supplements on is Weapon Sway or Shiv Graduation. If you can’t hit what you’re aiming at, more health just means you’ll die ten seconds later. If you can’t survive a Clicker grab, you’re done.
Also, look at the environment. Naughty Dog loves environmental storytelling. In the tunnels before the museum, there are notes left behind by people who didn't make it. Reading these isn't just for "lore"—sometimes they contain codes for safes. The safe in the flooded subway area? The code is on a note in a nearby shop. If you miss that safe, you’re missing out on 50+ parts. That’s a whole holster upgrade right there.
Managing Ellie
Ellie is an asset, not a liability. In the remake, her AI is significantly improved. She won't give away your position to enemies (the enemies are programmed to "ignore" her if you're in stealth), but she will toss you ammo or health when you’re desperate. If you hear her shout "Watch out!", don't look at her—look at your 6 o'clock. She’s usually spotting an enemy you missed.
Combat Flow: The "Triangle" Method
When things go south—and they will—remember the triangle of combat:
- Stun: Throw a brick or bottle.
- Close In: Sprint while they're reeling.
- Execute: Melee kill to save ammo.
If there are more than three enemies, don't play hero. Retreat. Break line of sight. The AI will go into a "search" state. This is your chance to circle around and pick them off one by one. It feels slower, sure, but it’s the only way to play on higher difficulties like Survivor or Grounded without crying.
Essential Gear Priorities
You’ll eventually reach a workbench. This is where the real stress begins. Do you upgrade the fire rate of the 9mm or the reload speed of the revolver?
Honestly? Neither.
🔗 Read more: FC 26 Web App: How to Master the Market Before the Game Even Launches
Put your parts into Holster Upgrades. Being able to swap between your pistol and the shotgun without opening your backpack is the difference between life and death in the later stages of Part 1. After holsters, focus on Clip Capacity. In a game where every bullet counts, having more of them in the gun instead of your pocket saves precious seconds during a reload.
Surprising Fact: The "Infinite" Brick
Did you know you can use a single brick to kill a Clicker in melee without breaking it immediately? If you sneak up and use the melee button (not the throw button), Joel will bash them three times. It’s risky, but it saves your shivs. Most players just chuck the brick and run, but that's a waste of a perfectly good heavy object.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Session
If you’re sitting down to play right now, here is the immediate checklist for getting through the first few hours:
- Check the Safe: In the "Downtown" area (the outskirts), find the code 03-43-78 in the shop nearby. The safe is in the bookstore. It has a lot of parts.
- Don't Craft Everything: Hold onto your supplies. Don't make a smoke bomb unless you are literally trapped in a corner by three guys with shotguns.
- The Museum Fight: When you get separated from Tess and Ellie in the museum, don't run into the hallway. Stay in the room where you start, let the Clickers come to you, and use the display cases as cover.
- Listen to the Audio: If you have headphones, wear them. The 3D audio in the PS5 version is a literal game-changer. You can hear the exact floorboard a Runner is stepping on through a wall.
The Last of Us isn't a shooter. It’s a resource management game disguised as a horror drama. If you treat it like Call of Duty, you’ll run out of ammo in twenty minutes and find yourself trying to punch a Bloater to death. Spoilers: that doesn't work.
Get your holsters upgraded, keep a brick in your hand at all times, and for the love of everything, stop wasting your shivs on locked doors if you haven't secured your weapon upgrades first. Actually, scratch that—always open the doors. The loot is always worth the cost of a blade.
Now, get back out there. Bill’s Town is coming up soon, and if you think the Boston outskirts were tough, you aren't ready for the traps that guy has waiting for you. Focus on your surroundings, keep your head down, and remember that sometimes the best way to win a fight is to just crawl past it.