The Last of Us Part 1 – Every Type of Infected Zombie Explained

After the world falls apart in The Last of Us Part 1, you might think that the cruel remnants of humanity are the worst of what you might have to deal with. We’re sorry to report that, though hunters, bandits, and over-zealous quarantine soldiers may pose a problem, it’s the Infected that are the deadliest threat in The Last of Us Part 1.

There are several types of Infected that you’ll encounter in the game, each with its own unique way of making your life hell. We’ll help you be as prepared as possible and walk you through how to deal with each type of Infected in our The Last of Us Part 1 guide.

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The Last of Us Part 1 Infected – Clicker

These Infected are so named because of the distinctive clicking noise they make. And it isn’t just a particularly creepy form of intimidation. Clickers are blind, relying on bat-like sonar to track down and pounce on their prey.

Clickers’ blindness means that you can stand right in front of one without it noticing you. But conversely, they are hyper-sensitive to any noise you make. Be sure to tread lightly if you don’t want a clicker rushing in your direction. Thankfully, their clicking makes them relatively easy to hear coming. You’re rarely unawares when a Clicker is around.

Though Clickers can be numerous, they are among the least hardy of the Infected. A couple of well-placed shots will take them down. But while this might work fine on solo Clickers, if there are others around, the gunfire will bring them right to you.

Make sure to keep a Shiv or two on you, and invest in the Shiv Master skill as quickly as possible. With it, you can use Shivs to hold off clickers when they pounce on you, struggling out of an otherwise messy end to Joel’s journey.

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The Last of Us Part 1 Infected – Runner

Runners are people in the first stage of the Infection. These are not yet shambling fungal zombies, but rage-filled aggressors.

Runners are fast and aggressive, but thankfully don’t deal as much damage as Clickers and other deadlier Infected variants. This is unfortunately somewhat mitigated by the fact that they tend to attack in larger groups, rarely pursuing you alone.

Dealing with Runners often feels more like taking on human enemies than typical Infected. The Infection has not yet progressed to the point that they are granted too many physical advantages. Any form of conventional weaponry is enough to kill them.

Stalker

Stalkers are cunning, deadly hunters. These predators will track you down, using stealth and acrobatic scrambling to evade your bullets and close the distance with you.

While initially appearing similar to Runners, you’ll soon be able to tell the difference and spot Stalkers at a glance. The Cordyceps fronds are on full display now, there’s no mistaking Stalkers for regular humans anymore.

Stalkers need to be taken out at the first opportunity. They can be a nightmare to deal with when other Infected are nearby. When multiple types of Infected are massed together, dealing with Stalkers tends to take priority, to prevent them from taking advantage of your split attention.

The biggest upside to Stalkers is that you rarely have to deal with them. While they can be a pain to dispatch, they will only show up a handful of times throughout The Last of Us Part 1. Get them out of the way as quickly as you can, using your most powerful weaponry, and you can move on to more manageable Infected.

Bloater

Bloaters are deadly enemies that appear later in The Last of Us Part 1. Incredibly resilient, boasting ranged spore attacks and an instant-kill grab, Bloaters are the most difficult type of Infected to dispatch.

Even more than Clickers, you need to be incredibly careful not to let Bloaters get up close to you. When you are within their reach, they’ll grab you and perform an instant-kill attack. Shiv Master won’t help you here, at this point there’s nothing you can do to prevent Joel’s grizzly end.

Thankfully, Bloaters’ slow speed makes them the easiest type of Infected to dodge. But given that there will often be other types of Infected around to harass you, keeping your eyes on Bloaters is crucial in any combat encounter.

Using Molotovs or the Flamethrower is practically a necessity when dealing with Bloaters. Despite their overwhelming resistance to other forms of weaponry, fire is incredibly effective. It will still take more fuel or Molotovs than against other Infected, but the flames will totally stop the Bloaters in their tracks, making them that much easier to take down.

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That wraps up our guide to the Infected in The Last of Us Part 1. We wish you luck surviving against these fungal foes.

FAQ

What Are They Infected With in the Last of Us Part 1?

In the Last of Us Part 1, the world is ravaged by a fungus that takes over and mutates human hosts known as the cordyceps virus. The infection is known as the cordyceps brain infection, often shortened to CBI.

What Types of Infected Are in the Last of Us Part 1?

• Clicker
• Runner
• Stalker
• Bloater