The Last of Us Part II: Platinum Trophy Guide – A Comprehensive Roadmap

Congratulations on taking on the challenge of achieving the Platinum trophy in The Last of Us Part II! This guide provides a detailed roadmap and step-by-step instructions on how to unlock every trophy and add this prestigious achievement to your collection. Be warned, this game contains spoilers, so proceed with caution if you haven’t completed the story yet. This guide assumes you’ve played through the game at least once.

Understanding the Trophy List

The Last of Us Part II has a relatively straightforward trophy list. There are no difficulty-specific trophies, meaning you can earn the Platinum on the easiest difficulty. There are also no online trophies. However, it requires two complete playthroughs and a considerable amount of exploration. Here’s a breakdown of the key trophy categories:

* **Story Trophies:** Awarded for progressing through the main story.
* **Collectible Trophies:** Require finding all of a specific type of collectible (e.g., trading cards, journal entries, workbenches).
* **Upgrade Trophies:** Involve upgrading weapons and player skills.
* **Combat Trophies:** Obtained by performing specific actions in combat.

Roadmap to Platinum

Here’s the recommended approach to securing the Platinum trophy:

**Playthrough 1: Focus on Exploration and Collectibles**

* **Difficulty:** Choose the difficulty that you feel comfortable with. Survivor or Hard are good choices if you want a challenge, but Very Light is perfectly acceptable for focusing on collectibles.
* **Goal:** Primarily focus on exploring every nook and cranny of each area to find all collectibles: Artifacts, Trading Cards, Journal Entries, Workbenches, Safes and Coins.
* **Upgrades:** Upgrade your weapons and character skills whenever possible, but don’t worry about maxing them out in this playthrough.
* **Missable Trophies:** Be particularly aware of missable trophies and collectibles. Pay extra attention to areas after combat, as it’s easy to move on without fully exploring.
* **Crafting:** Craft items frequently. This will help towards related trophies.

**Playthrough 2: New Game+ (Focus on Upgrades and Skill Trophies)**

* **Difficulty:** Very Light (for speed and ease).
* **Goal:** Max out all character skills and weapon upgrades. This is only possible in New Game+ since you carry over your progress from the first playthrough.
* **Combat:** Focus on obtaining any remaining combat-related trophies. You’ll have access to fully upgraded weapons and skills, making these much easier to achieve.
* **Speed:** Skip cutscenes and dialogue where possible to expedite the playthrough.

Detailed Trophy Guide

Here’s a detailed breakdown of each trophy, including tips and instructions:

**Platinum Trophy: Every Last One of Them**

* **Description:** Collect all other trophies.
* **How to Obtain:** Simply unlock all other trophies in the game.

**Story Trophies:**

* **It Can’t Be For Nothing (Gold):** Complete the story.
* **How to Obtain:** Finish the main narrative of The Last of Us Part II.
* **What I Had to Do (Silver):** Complete the story on any difficulty.
* **How to Obtain:** Finish the main narrative of The Last of Us Part II.

**Collectible Trophies:**

* **Master Set (Silver):** Find all trading cards.
* **How to Obtain:** There are 126 trading cards to find throughout the game. They are scattered throughout the environment and require thorough exploration. Use a guide or video walkthrough if needed. Some trading cards are in safes. Always check safes when you find them (see notes on Safe trophies below). Trading cards are not missable since you can use chapter select after beating the game to get any you missed.
* **Numismatist (Silver):** Find all coins.
* **How to Obtain:** There are 56 coins to find. They are often hidden in drawers, on shelves, or in other hard-to-reach places. Use a guide or video walkthrough if needed. Coins are not missable since you can use chapter select after beating the game to get any you missed.
* **Archivist (Silver):** Find all artifacts.
* **How to Obtain:** There are 128 artifacts to find. These include notes, documents, and other items that provide lore and context. Thoroughly explore each area. Artifacts are not missable since you can use chapter select after beating the game to get any you missed.
* **Journalist (Bronze):** Collect all journal entries.
* **How to Obtain:** You automatically acquire most journal entries by interacting with specific objects or events in the environment. Make sure to interact with everything to trigger these entries. There are 21 Journal Entries to find. Journal entries are not missable since you can use chapter select after beating the game to get any you missed.

**Upgrade Trophies:**

* **Mechanic (Silver):** Fully upgrade all weapons.
* **How to Obtain:** Requires finding weapon parts and having enough crafting materials. Focus on upgrading your favorite weapons first. This is best done in New Game+ after carrying over weapon parts from your first playthrough. You can also use the duplication glitch to get more parts (google “The Last of Us 2 weapon parts glitch”).
* **Survival Expert (Silver):** Learn all player upgrades.
* **How to Obtain:** Requires finding training manuals and having enough supplements. Focus on upgrading your preferred skills first. This is best done in New Game+ after carrying over supplements from your first playthrough.
* **Tools of the Trade (Bronze):** Craft all items.
* **How to Obtain:** Requires crafting every craftable item at least once. Make sure to craft everything you come across during your first playthrough, and use Chapter Select afterwards to get anything you missed. This is best done on an easier difficulty where resources are plentiful.
* **Safecracker (Bronze):** Open every safe.
* **How to Obtain:** There are 14 safes to open throughout the game. Find the safe combinations (usually found in nearby artifacts) and open each safe. Safe locations:
* **Jackson – Patrol:** In the supermarket basement. Combination: 07-20-13.
* **Seattle Day 1 – Downtown:** West Gate 2. Combination: 04-51-05.
* **Seattle Day 1 – Downtown:** Courthouse. Combination: 86-07-22.
* **Seattle Day 1 – Capitol Hill:** Thrift Store back room. Combination: 55-01-33.
* **Seattle Day 1 – The Tunnel:** Next to the body of an infected. Combination: 15243.
* **Seattle Day 1 – The Theater:** Stage – after leaving the Orchestra pit, up the stairs and on the left in a locked room you can pry open with a shiv. Combination: 60-23-06.
* **Seattle Day 2 – Hillcrest:** Auto Repair, across from the Barbershop. Combination: 30-82-65.
* **Seattle Day 2 – Hillcrest:** A tattoo parlor where 2 WLF soldiers ambush you (it’s a forced story encounter, cannot be missed). Combination: 30-82-65.
* **Seattle Day 2 – Seraphites:** In an apartment above a building with graffiti art. Combination: 08-10-83.
* **Seattle Day 2 – Seraphites:** In the pharmacy. Combination: 38-55-23.
* **Seattle Day 3 – Road to the Aquarium:** On a boat, combination is 90-77-01.
* **Seattle Day 3 – Road to the Aquarium:** In a security gate building near the ferris wheel. Combination: 17-38-07.
* **Santa Barbara – The Resort:** In the storage room, combination 12-18-79.
* **Santa Barbara – The Resort:** Located in the locked gate to the right of the mansion. Combination: 12-18-79.

**Combat Trophies:**

* **Look for the Light (Bronze):** Find all training manuals.
* **How to Obtain:** There are 8 training manuals to find. These unlock new skill trees. Refer to a guide if you’re having trouble finding them.
* **Sharp Shooter (Bronze):** Win the marksmanship competition at the archery range.
* **How to Obtain:** This is located in Jackson during the prologue. You must achieve a high enough score to win. Focus on accuracy and headshots. This can be tricky and might require multiple attempts.
* **In Harm’s Way (Bronze):** Save Mel from the stalker in the forest.
* **How to Obtain:** This is a story-related trophy and cannot be missed.
* **Get Out of My Way (Bronze):** Stun 50 enemies.
* **How to Obtain:** Stun enemies using various methods, such as melee attacks, stun bombs, or shock traps. Focus on stunning smaller, weaker enemies.
* **Stealth Master (Bronze):** Kill 10 enemies using stealth.
* **How to Obtain:** Kill enemies silently by sneaking up behind them and pressing the melee button. Use listen mode to identify enemy locations.
* **Resourceful (Bronze):** Craft 20 of each item.
* **How to Obtain:** Craft 20 of each craftable item. This will likely come naturally as you progress through the game.

Tips and Tricks

* **Use Listen Mode:** Listen mode is your best friend. Use it frequently to scout ahead and identify enemy locations.
* **Conserve Ammo:** Ammo is scarce, especially on higher difficulties. Use stealth whenever possible to conserve ammunition. Prioritize headshots for maximum damage.
* **Explore Thoroughly:** Don’t rush through areas. Explore every nook and cranny to find collectibles and resources.
* **Utilize Crafting:** Crafting is essential for survival. Craft health kits, ammo, and other useful items whenever you have the resources.
* **Upgrade Wisely:** Focus on upgrading the skills and weapons that suit your playstyle. Prioritize upgrades that increase your survivability and damage output.
* **New Game+:** Don’t underestimate the power of New Game+. Carrying over your progress from your first playthrough makes the second playthrough much easier and allows you to max out your character and weapons.
* **Use Chapter Select:** If you miss any collectibles, don’t worry! You can use chapter select to go back and collect them. The game saves your collectibles progress across all playthroughs, so you don’t have to collect everything again.
* **Weapon Parts Glitch:** To speed up weapon upgrades in New Game+, consider utilizing the weapon parts glitch. Search for it online. It’s a known method to duplicate weapon parts, making upgrades significantly faster.

Missable Trophies: A Closer Look

While most trophies are not missable thanks to Chapter Select, it’s still good to be aware. There aren’t any particularly challenging missable trophies but being thorough on your first playthrough will save you a ton of time.

* **Sharp Shooter:** If you skip the archery range in Jackson, you’ll have to start a new game to get this trophy. Make sure you complete this activity during the prologue.

Conclusion

Earning the Platinum trophy in The Last of Us Part II is a challenging but rewarding experience. By following this guide and utilizing the tips and tricks provided, you’ll be well on your way to adding this prestigious achievement to your trophy collection. Remember to take your time, explore thoroughly, and enjoy the journey! Good luck, and have fun! The Last of Us Part II is a story-driven masterpiece, and even if you’re just trophy hunting, you are sure to enjoy the journey.