The final stage of the horrific Cordyceps fungal infection, Bloaters are among the most terrifying enemies players can face in The Last of Us: Part I. Luckily for protagonists Joel and Ellie, Bloaters are generally only encountered as small boss encounters throughout the game and have weaknesses players can exploit. However, although other Infected can be outwitted and eliminated through a combination of stealth and brute force, players need to be extremely careful when fighting a Bloater. Typical tactics such as headshots won’t prove nearly as effective, and some tactics such as stealth and melee can even prove to be a death sentence.
Throughout the game, players will want to ensure that they’ve grabbed the best weapon upgrades available. Increasing the firepower and accuracy of weapons is an important step players should take, as this can help Joel and Ellie take down the hordes of Infected they encounter with greater ease. Given their size, strength, and fungal armor plating, Bloaters require a slightly different approach to most Infected. Players can improve their odds of survival by following two basic rules: keep moving, and stay out of melee range at all costs.
How To Battle A Bloater In The Last Of Us: Part I
Players hoping to survive and beat The Last of Us: Part I should avoid certain tactics right off the bat. Stealth kills are out of the question. Bricks and bottles can be thrown at some Infected to stun them for safe takedowns, but this is ineffective against Bloaters and will only draw their attention. It’s worth repeating that players should stay out of melee range. A Bloater’s melee attack is an instant kill if it manages to grab hold of Joel or Ellie. Bloaters can charge, but players should be able to stay well out of range if they keep moving.
At range, players should take advantage of the Bloater’s main weakness: fire. This remake may be the definitive way to play, but combat remains largely unchanged from the original PS3 version. As such, some players may be very familiar with the power of the flamethrower. The flamethrower is an invaluable part of Joel’s arsenal and players can use it to burn through the Bloater’s thick armor with relative ease. Molotov cocktails can be used for the same reason and may even be more useful as they can be crafted before players find the flamethrower in the story.
Once players have managed to set a Bloater on fire, they should engage it from range. The shotgun, hunting rifle, and El Diablo pistol are the best choices here due to their high damage output. There’s a lot of new things in The Last of Us remake but new weapons aren’t included, so players will have to make do. Even at range, players should watch out as the Bloater can throw fungal bombs from its body that explode and create damage-dealing spore clouds. Luckily, players can remove a Bloater’s ranged ability by shooting the glowing fungal growths on its body.
A combination of these tactics should allow players to bring down any Bloater they come across. However, it’s well worth ing that this particular type of Infected can prove far more dangerous than Runners, Stalkers, and even Clickers. If players stay well clear, they should be able to beat these enemies and continue experiencing The Last of Us: Part I’s most emotional moments.
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