Installation & Initial Setup

Guide to The Last of Us Part II achievements. Understand difficulty settings and a recommended approach for Permadeath and Grounded.

This guide supports The Last of Us Part II and its Remastered PC version, released on April 3, 2025. Before diving into the game, understanding the achievement system and optimal playthrough strategies can significantly enhance your experience. This section details difficulty-related achievements and recommended approaches for unlocking them efficiently.

There are 27 achievements in story mode. Most are collectibles, but some are story-related, interaction-based, or tied to maxing out characters and weapons. Two achievements are difficulty-related, making up about 70% of the total. Optional conversations do not count towards achievements, but three secret ones exist.

Difficulty-Related Achievements:

• "You Can’t Stop This" (Complete the game on Grounded difficulty)
• "Dig Two Graves" (Complete the game with Permadeath enabled)

Best Approach for These Achievements:

1. Safe & Steady Option (More time-consuming):

   • First playthrough: Play on Very Light difficulty with Permadeath enabled. This unlocks "Dig Two Graves" while allowing you to focus on collecting all collectibles and upgrading characters/weapons. Permadeath is only for having it enabled, not a specific difficulty.
   • Second playthrough (New Game+): Import your save, set difficulty to Grounded. This allows you to tackle "You Can’t Stop This" with geared-up characters, making it easier to finish off "Survival Expert" and "Arms Master" if not completed. This method is safe but slower.

2. The Chad Route (Fast but brutal):

   • One playthrough: Attempt Grounded difficulty with Permadeath enabled simultaneously. This is the fastest way but highly punishing if you die. You will likely still need a New Game+ to max out character upgrades for "Survival Expert" and "Arms Master."