Outskirts

Outskirts is the chapter where Joel and Ellie escort mission begins after leaving the quarantine zone. The military discovers Ellie’s immunity, Joel and Tess escape through infected buildings, and Tess sacrifices herself at the Capitol after becoming infected. The chapter ends with Joel and Ellie escaping through flooded metro tunnels.

Objective	Trigger to Complete	Next Location
Wait for nightfall	Rest in building until Tess arrives	Underground passage
Cross military checkpoint	Soldiers scan for infection	Military pursuit begins
Escape military patrols	Reach canal and sewer exit	Goldstone Building
Navigate Goldstone Building	Survive Clicker encounters	Metro station
Clear metro station infected	Defeat 8 infected, access safe	Museum entrance
Find alternate route in museum	Reach rooftop after separation	Capitol Building
Reach Capitol and escape soldiers	Tess dies, eliminate soldiers	Flooded metro tunnels

How to Reach the Underground Passage?

Joel and Ellie descend stairs on the right side of the street to go underground. Move through the alley, grab the crate ahead, and drag it under the staircase to climb up. Enter the building and rest in the far room to wait for nightfall. Tess catches up after dark.

Go down the right staircase from street level.
Walk through the alley.
Pick up the crate.
Drag the crate under the staircase.
Climb the staircase using the crate.
Enter the building.
Go to the far room to rest and wait for night.

Talk to Tess at the window after nightfall (optional dialogue 5). Enter the adjacent room and collect artifact 8 (note). Push the cabinet in the corner and enter the wall breach. Start the generator and take the elevator down.

Item	Location	Purpose
Artifact 8 (note)	Adjacent room after nightfall	Story document
Artifact 9 (patrol map)	Elevator basement, right wall	Story document

Collect artifact 9 (patrol map) on the right wall at the bottom. Climb the ladder and slide open the hatch. Walk through the drainage ditch on the street. Climb through the train car.

What Happens at the Military Scan?

Soldiers capture Joel, Tess, and Ellie and scan them for infection. Joel kills the soldiers in time, but Ellie’s infection is discovered. Ellie shows a bite mark from 3 weeks ago—she has not turned into infected despite all other infected mutating within 2 days. Ellie is immune to the infection.

Military alert triggers immediately after the scan. This reveals Ellie’s immunity and starts the escape sequence.

How to Escape the Military Patrol?

Military forces pursue Joel’s group after discovering Ellie’s immunity. Use cover, darkness, and stealth to evade patrols with searchlights and reach the sewer exit.

Run after Tess, hide behind cars.
Move left through the drainage ditch.
Hide behind the metal sheet when searchlights sweep the area.
Wait for soldiers with flashlights on elevated positions to turn away.
Sprint through when soldiers face away.
Enter the building and turn the chain mechanism.
Crawl under the gate.

Area	Enemies	Strategy
Street with cars	Soldiers with searchlights above	Hide behind cars, wait for lights to turn
Drainage ditch	Patrolling soldiers	Use metal sheet for cover
Building with gate	0 enemies inside	Turn chain, crawl under gate

Run right past the tank on the street. Wait inside the building for the nearest soldier, eliminate in melee combat. Two more soldiers are outside—shoot them from distance. Move forward and descend into the water canal.

Inside the next building, soldiers are heard but leave before contact. Collect parts from the corner table, ingredients and ammunition from lockers. Enter the sewer pipe. Break open the grated door to exit the military zone.

Item	Location	Purpose
Parts	Corner table in building	Weapon upgrade materials
Ingredients	Lockers in building	Crafting materials
Ammunition	Lockers in building	Weapon reloads

How to Navigate Goldstone Building?

Goldstone Building is a ruined structure infested with Clickers, blind infected that navigate by echolocation. Joel’s group encounters the first Clicker corpse here and learns Clickers detect prey by sound only.

Cross the bridge in the ruined city, stay on the right side. Collect artifact 10 (flyer) near the car on the right. At the “Goldstone Building” sign, inspect the tree on the right and shoot down Firefly pendant (collectible 4).

Enter the building and examine the body between two doors (optional dialogue 6). Collect artifact 11 (note) on the staircase landing. Find parts in the dead-end at the highest landing.

Item	Location	Purpose
Artifact 10 (flyer)	Right side near car before building	Story document
Firefly pendant 4	Tree right of Goldstone Building sign	Collectible
Artifact 11 (note)	Staircase landing inside building	Story document
Parts	Top landing dead-end	Weapon upgrade materials

On the upper floor, examine the dead Clicker monster. Learn that Clickers are blind and rely only on sound to detect targets. Remove the body and break down the door. Collect ingredients from the table in the room. Kick down the next door with Tess. A Clicker attacks—Tess shoots it.

Use the shiv to unlock the door on the right (shiv door 1). Enter the kitchen and collect ingredients from cabinets. Craft a health kit from gathered resources before continuing. Boost Tess and Ellie up at the wall with the hanging body.

How to Clear the Upper Floors of Goldstone Building?

After climbing up, immediately hide from the Clicker. Throw an object to distract, run left, then climb higher on the right side. A health kit is available at the top.

Climb to upper floor with companions.
Crouch immediately when Clicker is nearby.
Throw a brick or bottle to distract the Clicker.
Sprint left while Clicker investigates the sound.
Climb the structure on the right side.
Collect the health kit at the top.
Pull the dresser toward yourself near the staircase.
Climb over the dresser.
Exit through the window onto the suspended construction platform.
Walk around the corner on the platform.
Re-enter the building through the next window.

Area	Enemies	Loot
Upper floor first room	1 Clicker (distract and avoid)	Health kit at top of climb
Dresser area	0 enemies	—
Construction platform	0 enemies	—

Collect the revolver from the dead body ahead. Find a pipe piece in the room on the right. Drop to the floor below and silently eliminate the first infected. Distract the second enemy by throwing an object, then attack from behind. A Clicker patrols farther ahead. Two health kits are in the left room. The third and fourth enemies are at the slanted ladder ahead. After clearing all enemies, push the dresser at the top and exit through the doors.

Area	Enemies	Strategy
Floor below construction entrance	2 infected runners	Stealth kill, use distractions
Corridor ahead	1 Clicker	Avoid or stealth kill
Slanted ladder area	2 infected runners	Stealth kill both

How to Navigate the Metro Station?

The metro station contains 8 infected enemies, including multiple Clickers. A safe with a code puzzle is located in the right shop, unlocked using a password found in the left shop.

Collect ingredients and a health kit, then descend the collapsed floors. On the metro platform, find ingredients on the left and a Molotov cocktail near the body ahead. At the blocked wide staircase, examine the body and collect artifact 12 (map).

Item	Location	Purpose
Ingredients	Left side of platform	Crafting materials
Molotov cocktail	Near body on platform	Area damage weapon
Artifact 12 (map)	Body on blocked staircase	Story document

Eight infected patrol the station beyond the debris:

Enemy Position	Enemy Type	Location
1st	Infected runner	Center of platform
2nd	Infected runner	Left side
3rd	Clicker	Patrols forward area
4th	Clicker	Right path
5th	Clicker	Right path
6th	Infected runner	Near storage lockers
7th	Clicker	Station exit
8th	Clicker	Station exit

Lure all Clickers to one location by throwing a bottle, then throw the Molotov cocktail at the group for an instant kill.

Enter the left shop, open the desk drawer behind the counter, and collect artifact 13 (note with password). Go to the shop on the right side of the hall. Behind the counter is safe 1—enter code 03-43-78 to unlock 50 parts inside. Boost Tess near the grated door so she can pull down the hanging ladder. Climb up and exit to the surface.

Location	Interactive Element	Reward
Left shop desk drawer	Artifact 13 (password note)	Safe code: 03-43-78
Right shop counter	Safe 1	50 parts
Grated door area	Ladder (Tess lowers it)	Exit to surface

How to Get Through the Museum?

A shipping container blocks the path at the museum. Clear two infected inside the building on the left, push out a dresser, use it to climb the container, open the gate, then upgrade weapons at the first workbench.

Two infected runners are inside the left building. Collect ingredients from furniture. Push the dresser out of the building onto the street, position it against the container, and climb up. Artifact 14 (note) is inside the container. Turn the chain mechanism to open the gate. Infected chase Joel’s group—run through the gate immediately.

Inside the building, find workbench 1 where weapons can be upgraded using collected parts. Ingredients and pills are in the dead-end on the right rear. Ammunition is in the next room.

Item	Location	Purpose
Artifact 14 (note)	Inside container	Story document
Workbench 1	Building after gate	Weapon upgrades
Ingredients and pills	Right rear dead-end	Crafting and health
Ammunition	Next room after workbench	Weapon reloads

Climb to the second floor near the busts and bell. Walk along the left wall ledge backward, collect Firefly pendant 5 from the broken display case. Gather ingredients. Lift the beam in the rubble to let Tess and Ellie through. After the collapse, Joel remains trapped in the room and must find an alternate route.

Reach second floor near busts and bell.
Walk backward along left wall ledge.
Collect Firefly pendant 5 from broken display.
Return to main area and lift beam.
Let Tess and Ellie pass through.
After collapse separates the group, find alternate path.
Distract and eliminate the Clicker on the right.
Use shiv to unlock door on left (shiv door 2).
Unlock the double door.
Climb the staircase.

Floor	Enemies	Key Items
2nd floor (main)	0 enemies	Firefly pendant 5
2nd floor (after collapse)	1 Clicker (right side)	Shiv door 2 (left)

What Happens on the Third Floor of the Museum?

On the third floor, an infected pounds on doors ahead—kill it from behind. Help Tess and Ellie fight several infected in the room. Talk to Tess and Ellie before the window (optional dialogues 7 and 8). Two more infected are on the balcony. Grab the plank on the roof, carry it back, and place it between buildings as a bridge.

Area	Enemies	Action Required
Hallway	1 infected runner	Stealth kill from behind
Room with Tess and Ellie	3-4 infected	Combat assist
Balcony	2 infected	Eliminate before roof access
Roof	0 enemies	Use plank as bridge

How to Reach and Clear the Capitol Building?

Descend from the museum roof and travel through a swamp to the Capitol. Inside the Capitol, all Fireflies are already dead. Tess reveals her infection and sacrifices herself to delay soldiers while Joel and Ellie escape through the building.

Descend from the roof. At the bottom of the staircase, collect ammunition and artifact 15 (note). Push the dumpster into the corner with the grate, climb over it into the alley. Exit to the street near the Capitol. Cross the swamp. Find Firefly pendant 6 inside the circular gazebo on the left.

Item	Location	Purpose
Ammunition	Under staircase at bottom	Weapon reloads
Artifact 15 (note)	Under staircase at bottom	Story document
Firefly pendant 6	Circular gazebo left of Capitol	Collectible

Inside the Capitol, all Firefly members are dead. Tess reveals she is infected and asks Joel to take Ellie to Tommy before she dies. Tess stays in the hall to hold off soldiers. Joel and Ellie proceed alone.

Collect ingredients from the table. Climb the staircases. From the second floor, witness Tess being killed by soldiers. Collect ingredients from behind the podium in the right room. Go through the wall breach, find the body near the column with the hunting rifle.

Three soldiers block the path ahead—shoot them with the hunting rifle. Move through blue rooms to the far office, collect pills from the desk. Descend the staircases. Five soldiers patrol the lower floor—use stealth to eliminate them one by one in side rooms. A health kit is at the exit, another health kit is in the room on the right.

Floor	Enemies	Strategy
Upper floor (after Tess death)	3 soldiers ahead	Use hunting rifle from distance
Lower floor	5 soldiers	Stealth kills in side rooms

Item	Location	Purpose
Hunting rifle	Column near wall breach	Sniper weapon
Pills	Far office desk (blue rooms)	Health upgrade materials
Health kits	Exit area and right room	Health restoration

How to Escape Through the Flooded Metro?

After the Capitol, soldiers pursue Joel and Ellie into the metro tunnels. Navigate through train cars and flooded passages, collect the final collectible underwater, then use a wooden pallet to help Ellie reach a high platform where she lowers a ladder for escape.

Descend to the metro from the street. Soldiers begin pursuit. On the platform, hide and silently eliminate 2 enemies. Move through several train cars. Dive into the water and swim into the tunnel on the lower left.

Exit onto dry ground on the left. Read artifact 16 (note) near the body. Dive into the corridor here. Swim underwater toward the left wall to find Firefly pendant 7 submerged. Grab the wooden pallet ahead in the water and drag it to Ellie so she can sit on it. Push the raft to the high platform on the right. Ellie lowers the ladder. Climb to the surface.

Area	Enemies	Key Actions
Metro platform	2 soldiers	Stealth eliminations
Train cars	0 enemies	Move through to water
Flooded tunnels	0 enemies	Dive and swim
Underwater corridor	0 enemies	Swim left wall for collectible

Item	Location	Purpose
Artifact 16 (note)	Dry floor left of dive point	Story document
Firefly pendant 7	Underwater corridor, left wall	Collectible (final in chapter)
Wooden pallet	In water ahead	Transport Ellie to platform