Every once in a while, an enemy in The Last of Us 2 will surrender. When this happens, you’re given the option to execute them with your melee attack. The big question is whether killing a surrendering enemy in The Last of Us 2 has any consequence and if you can let them go.
Figuring out whether or you should kill an enemy when they surrender is tough. The game obviously highlights these moments but doesn’t go into any detail on what you should do. We’ll describe below how to get enemies to surrender in The Last of Us 2, and what impact this action has on the game.
How to get an enemy to surrender in The Last of Us 2
Making your foe give up in The Last of Us 2 happens seemingly at random. The first time it occurs in the game, you’ll likely wonder what’s happening. I haven’t found a surefire way to trigger an enemy surrendering, but some conditions have to be met for it to happen:
- Has to be a human enemy.
- Must be the last foe left in an encounter.
- Must be wounded, but not severely.
To get an enemy to surrender, you must fight through an encounter until there is only one foe left. You must then wound them, but not fatally. When these conditions are met, a soldier may surrender.
Some of the details behind this process do need testing. In my playthrough, it seemed like WLF were more likely to surrender than Scars. However, that may not be the case.
Should I kill enemies trying to surrender in The Last of Us 2?
When an enemy gives up in The Last of Us 2, you’ll see a prompt pop up that allows you to execute your foe. Since you’re not required to do this, you may be wondering if you should let them go, or if that’s even a possibility.
From what I’ve seen, enemies that surrender will eventually resume their attack on you if not executed. There’s no morality system in The Last of Us 2, so the only effect killing a surrendering foe has is the one on your psyche. Gameplay-wise, your best bet to take them out when prompted, no matter how uncomfortable that may make you.
