You hear that wet, slapping sound against the floorboards? That's not a Runner. And it’s definitely not a Clicker. If you're playing The Last of Us, whether it's the original, the remake, or the sequel, the Stalkers in The Last of Us represent the absolute peak of Naughty Dog’s creature design, mostly because they play by an entirely different set of rules than the rest of the Cordyceps infected.
They’re smart. Well, "fungal-brain" smart.
Most players actually miss the nuance of how Stalkers work. They aren't just a bridge between the fast-moving Runners and the blind, hulking Clickers. They are the teenage years of the infection—stage two—and they have enough cognitive function left to know that if they charge you head-on, you'll probably blow their head off with a shorty. So, they wait. They peek around corners. They duck behind crates when you aim your flashlight at them. Honestly, it's the silence that kills you.
Why Stalkers in The Last of Us Are the Worst Enemy Type
Most enemies in the game have a predictable loop. Runners scream and sprint. Clickers twitch and use sonar. But Stalkers? They actively hunt. In the first game, you mostly encounter them in the basement of the Pittsburgh hotel. That's a core memory for anyone who played in 2013. You’re trying to start a generator, the lights are flickering, and suddenly these things are darting between the pillars. They don't make the loud, clicking noises. They hiss. It’s quiet.
They’re basically the "stealth" version of the infected.
What makes them technically fascinating is their AI. In The Last of Us Part II, Naughty Dog cranked this up to eleven. During the Seattle Day 2 chapter with Ellie, specifically in the news station and the flooded basement, the Stalkers won't even show up on your Listen Mode if they’re standing still. They "root" themselves. They blend into the fungal growth on the walls. You can walk right past one, thinking it’s just environmental texture, only for it to peel itself off the drywall and rip your throat out.
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It's a jump scare, sure, but it's built on a foundation of genuine tension.
The Biological Evolution of the Stalker
Biologically speaking, the Cordyceps Brain Infection is a progressive nightmare. After a human is exposed to spores or a bite, they become a Runner within 24 to 48 hours. They're still mostly human, just angry and lacking impulse control. But once that infection hits the one-week to one-month mark, the transition to a Stalker begins.
Fungal growths start bursting through the skin, particularly around the head and eyes. Unlike Clickers, who have lost their sight entirely to the calcified fungal plates, Stalkers usually have at least one functional eye. This is the crucial detail. Because they can still see, they can navigate complex environments. They can see you looking for them.
Interestingly, Stalkers also have the beginnings of echolocation. You'll hear them emitting a soft, croaking chirp. It’s not as powerful as a Clicker's "vision," but it helps them find you in the dark. It’s this weird, uncanny middle ground where they have the speed of a Runner and the burgeoning sensory perks of a Clicker.
It’s an evolutionary sweet spot of pure lethality.
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How the Game Mechanics Change When Stalkers Show Up
When you’re fighting humans (WLF, Seraphites, or Hunters), the game is a cover shooter. When you're fighting Clickers, it's a stealth-and-shiv game. But when Stalkers in The Last of Us enter the arena, the game becomes a survival horror cat-and-mouse hunt.
You can’t stay in one place.
If you hunker down in a corner with a shotgun, the Stalkers will often just... wait. They’ll wait for you to move. They’ll circle around to a vent or a hole in the ceiling. In Part II, the encounter in the Office Building is a masterclass in level design. The cubicles are just high enough to hide their movements but low enough that you feel exposed.
Here is the thing people get wrong: they try to play it slow.
Slow is death against Stalkers. If you try to sneak through a Stalker-infested area, you’re giving them the initiative. The best way to handle them is actually to be the aggressor. Use bricks. Use bottles. Force them to move. If you can catch a Stalker mid-scramble, they’re actually quite fragile compared to a Bloater or a Shambler. They don't have the thick armor plating yet.
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Survival Tips for Your Next Encounter
- Check the Walls: In the later games, look for "blooms." If a fungal growth on the wall looks a little too symmetrical or has a limb-like shape, shoot it. Just once. It’s better to waste a 9mm round than to get grabbed from behind.
- Listen for the Hiss: Stalkers aren't totally silent. They make a sound like air escaping a tire. If you hear that, stop. Don't move. Rotate your camera 360 degrees.
- Melee is King: Since Stalkers don't have the "instant kill" grab that Clickers do (at least not initially), you can often take them out with a well-timed strike from a machete or a pipe. Just don't let them swarm you.
- The Bow is your Friend: If you’re playing as Ellie, the bow is actually surprisingly effective. Because it’s silent, you can pick off a Stalker that’s peeking at you without alerting the other three that are inevitably lurking in the shadows.
The Psychological Impact of Stealth Infected
Naughty Dog’s lead designer, Emilia Schatz, has talked in various interviews and "behind the scenes" features about how the goal with Stalkers was to create a sense of being watched. It taps into a very primal fear.
Most enemies in video games are reactive. They wait for you to enter their "aggro" zone, and then they attack. Stalkers feel proactive. There are moments in the games where you’ll see a shadow dash across a doorway in the distance. That’s not a scripted cutscene; that’s the AI moving into a flanking position.
It makes you paranoid.
It changes the way you look at the environment. Suddenly, every open door is a threat. Every pile of laundry or overgrown vine is a potential predator. This is why the "Hotel Basement" or "The Descent" are considered some of the best levels in gaming history. They don't rely on huge explosions or massive waves of enemies. They rely on the fact that you know something is in the room with you, but you don't know where.
The Stalkers represent the loss of human identity in a way that’s almost sadder than the Clickers. You can still see the remnants of their clothes. You can see the human form struggling under the fungus. But the behavior? That’s pure, predatory instinct.
Actionable Next Steps for TLOU Players
If you’re planning a Grounded run or just jumping back into the world of Joel and Ellie, here is how you should approach your next Stalker encounter to ensure you actually make it out alive.
- Upgrade your Listen Mode distance: If you aren't playing on Grounded (where Listen Mode is disabled), prioritize the range upgrades. This is the only way to catch a Stalker before it enters its "stationary" phase.
- Keep your back to a solid wall: Never stand in the middle of a room. Stalkers love to loop around and hit you from the 6 o'clock position.
- Use Trap Mines/Nail Bombs: If you know a Stalker is chasing you but it keeps ducking out of sight, drop a mine behind you and keep walking. Their AI is aggressive enough that they will eventually try to follow your path.
- Watch the floor: In many Stalker arenas, there is debris or water. Even if you can't see the enemy, you can often see the ripple in the water or the movement of trash on the floor as they move toward you.
The Stalkers in The Last of Us aren't just an obstacle; they are a reminder that in this world, the biggest threat isn't always the loudest one. Sometimes, it’s the thing hiding in plain sight, waiting for you to exhale. Go back and play the "Office" encounter in Part II again. Pay attention to how they move. It’s a terrifying lesson in AI design and atmospheric horror that hasn't been topped yet.