The Art of the All-Collectibles Run: Why Complete Notes and Artifacts Matter in The Last of Us Part II Remastered

When I first attempted a no damage run of The Last of Us Part II Remastered on Grounded+ difficulty, I thought I understood what the game demanded. I had played through the original release twice, once on Normal and once on Hard, and felt confident in my knowledge of enemy patterns and stealth routes. But Grounded+ strips away almost every margin for error. One mistake, one stray bullet, and the run is over. To make matters worse, I was trying to collect everything. Every note, every artifact, every trading card, every coin. I quickly learned that a no damage, all collectibles run is not just about skill. It is about planning, patience, and a deep appreciation for the world Naughty Dog built.

That world is the real star of The Last of Us Part II Remastered. Seattle is a sprawling, rain-soaked ruin, but it is also a city full of stories. The notes you find in the abandoned apartments of Jackson, or the artifacts scattered across the WLF encampments, are not just filler. They are fragments of lives that were lived, and lost. In a no damage run, you cannot afford to stop and read every piece of paper you pick up. But the act of collecting them becomes a form of respect. You are carrying these memories forward, even if you have to keep moving to survive.

Why Collect Everything in a No Damage Run?

The obvious answer is completionism. The Last of Us Part II Remastered tracks every collectible you find, and the satisfaction of seeing a 100% completion screen is real. But there is a deeper reason, especially when you are playing on Grounded+ difficulty. When you are forced to move slowly, to conserve ammo, and to avoid every possible hit, the world becomes more vivid. You notice the small details. The way light falls through a broken window. The sound of wind through a collapsed building. And the stories embedded in the environment become more meaningful because you have earned the time to find them.

I remember my first successful attempt at the opening Seattle day sequence. I had spent hours practicing the encounter outside the synagogue, learning the patrol routes of the Seraphites and the WLF soldiers. When I finally cleared it without taking damage, I felt a rush of relief. Then I remembered I had missed the artifact in the back office. So I reloaded and did it again. And again. That is the nature of a no damage, all collectibles run. It is not about efficiency. It is about mastery. You learn the game so thoroughly that you can move through it like water, picking up every note and artifact without breaking your stride.

The phrase "complete notes and artifacts" might sound like a checklist item, but in practice it becomes a philosophy. When you commit to collecting every piece of lore in the game, you are also committing to seeing every corner of the map. You will find areas you never knew existed. You will read letters from characters you never met, and you will piece together the history of Seattle through the eyes of its survivors. That kind of immersion is hard to achieve in any other way.

The Tools You Need for the Job

To pull off a no damage run on Grounded+ difficulty while also gathering all collectibles, you need more than just reflexes. You need a plan. The first thing I did was study the game's upgrade bench system. In The Last of Us Part II Remastered, you can upgrade your weapons and your skill tree at workbenches scattered throughout the world. But in a no damage run, you cannot afford to waste resources on upgrades that do not serve your specific goals. I focused on stealth upgrades first: the ability to move faster while prone, the skill that lets you hold your breath longer while aiming, and the upgrade that reduces the noise you make when opening drawers and doors. Those last two are crucial for collectible hunting, because many notes and artifacts are hidden inside desks and cabinets that make a lot of noise when opened.

I also relied heavily on the game's maximum upgrades feature. Once you have maxed out your character's skill tree, you gain access to abilities that make traversal much smoother. For example, the ability to dodge while prone, or to perform silent takedowns from a distance, can save you from taking damage in situations where you would otherwise have to fight. And since the no damage run means any hit is a failure, every small advantage matters.

Another essential tool is the chronological mode. This is a feature that allows you to replay the game's story in a linear, chronological order, which is a huge help when you are trying to keep track of which collectibles you have already found. The game's timeline jumps back and forth between Ellie and Abby, and between different years. In a standard playthrough, it is easy to lose track of where you are in the story. Chronological mode keeps everything in sequence, so you can focus on the moment-to-moment gameplay without worrying about the narrative timeline.

The Emotional Weight of Collecting

There is a scene in the Santa Barbara section where you find a series of notes that tell the story of a family trying to escape the city by boat. The notes are scattered across several buildings, and if you are playing on Grounded+, each one is a risk. You have to navigate through areas patrolled by the Rattlers, a group of survivors who are just as dangerous as the WLF. But the payoff is not just a checkbox on your collection screen. It is a complete narrative that changes how you see the world of the game. These are the moments that make the "complete notes and artifacts" goal worth pursuing.

I have seen players argue that collecting everything in The Last of Us Part II Remastered is a waste of time, that the game is better experienced as a fast-paced action story. I disagree. The game's pacing is designed to allow for exploration, and the collectibles are part of that design. Naughty Dog put a lot of care into the environmental storytelling. The artifacts you find in the WLF base tell you about the faction's internal politics. The notes in the Seraphite compound reveal the cult's twisted theology. And the personal letters from Ellie and Abby's pasts give you insight into their motivations. Skipping these is like reading only the first and last chapters of a novel.

Practical Tips for the All-Collectibles Run

If you are planning your own no damage, all collectibles run of The Last of Us Part II Remastered, here are a few things I learned the hard way:

• Use a guide for the first few areas. There is no shame in it. The game has hundreds of collectibles, and many are hidden in places you would never think to look. A good 4K ultra gameplay walkthrough can save you hours of backtracking.
• Prioritize the skill tree upgrades that reduce noise and increase stealth speed. These will make it much easier to grab collectibles without alerting enemies.
• Save often. In a Grounded+ no damage run, you will die a lot. Make sure you save after every successful encounter, especially if you picked up a rare artifact or note.
• Take breaks. The mental focus required for this kind of run is intense. I found that playing for more than two hours at a time led to sloppy mistakes. Step away, clear your head, and come back fresh.

The last tip might sound obvious, but it is the one I struggle with most. When you are deep in a run, it is easy to get tunnel vision. You forget that the goal is not just to finish the game without damage, but to experience it fully. The "complete notes and artifacts" objective is a reminder to slow down and look around. It is a way of honoring the work that Naughty Dog put into building this world.

In the end, my run took over forty hours. I restarted the Seattle section seven times. I broke a controller. I questioned my sanity. But when I finally reached the credits, with every note, artifact, trading card, and coin in my inventory, I felt a sense of accomplishment that I have rarely experienced in gaming. The combination of the no damage run and the all-collectibles goal created a unique challenge that pushed me to engage with the game on a deeper level. I saw every corner of Seattle, Jackson, and Santa Barbara. I read every letter. I studied every artifact. And I came away with a richer understanding of the story, the characters, and the world.

If you are thinking about attempting this kind of run, I say go for it. Just be prepared. It will test your patience, your reflexes, and your dedication. But if you stick with it, you will find that the journey is worth the pain. And when you finally see that 100% completion screen, you will know exactly what you earned.