The Last of Us Part II is an action-adventure survival horror game played from the third-person perspective.[1][2] Players can use firearms, bows, improvised weapons, and stealth to defend against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus. The gameplay mechanics in Part II have also expanded upon its predecessor, The Last of Us. In it the player character can traverse the environment more openly by being able to reach higher vantage points by jumping and climbing while playing as the more nimble Ellie.[3] Players can also crawl in a prone position to evade enemies.[3] Throughout the game, players may have non-player characters assisting them.[4] The game also sees the return of "Listen Mode" allowing players to locate enemies through a heightened sense of hearing and spatial awareness, indicated as outlines visible through walls and objects.[3] Additionally, players can collect supplements to upgrade skills in a skill tree.[3] The three main branches of the tree are Survival, Crafting, and Stealth.[3] Survival upgrades improve health, Listen Mode's range, and throw distance.[3] Crafting upgrades allow for melee upgrades, increase to Ellie's crafting speed, and the ability to craft smoke and stun bombs.[3] Stealth upgrades improve prone movement speed, faster stealth kills, and unlock pistol silencers.[3] Part II also introduces guard dogs that can track the player's scent.[3]