The Last of Us: Left Behind lets you see what Ellie’s world was like before she met Joel, as well as filling in a gap during the main storyline when she heads off to gather medical supplies. However, if you want to experience Ellie and Riley’s complete story then you’ll need to find all the artifacts and engage in every piece of available dialogue, and that’s where this guide comes in.
The following pages show where to find every collectible and optional conversation, allowing you to get the full picture as well as unlocking the BFFs and Picked Clean Trophies. It’s advisable to grab all of these during a single playthrough, but if you do overlook any you can go back through Chapter Select afterwards to pick up the ones you missed.
Chapter 1 – Back in a Flash
Combination Note
Found inside Weston’s Pharmacy behind the counter. [Story related]
Pharmacist’s Note
After collecting the key from the body in the spores, pick up the note that drops.
Salon Note
After moving through the Pixitek store into Rarity Nail Salon, pick up the note next to the soldier’s body.
Chapter 2 – Mallrats
Wanted Poster
After going up the first set of stairs and ducking under planks into a room, head towards the windows and look on the large table.
Optional Conversation 1
After shimmying across the narrow ledge and climbing into the next room, follow Riley and look for the Firefly logo on the wall to your left.
Optional Conversation 2
Once you’ve dropped down into the mall and gone down the escalator, turn right at the bottom and head to the Hawaii holiday poster.
Optional Conversation 3
Heading back past the escalator, look for a poster for water guns next to a large planter.
Optional Conversation 4
At the bottom of the next escalator, talk to Riley outside the yellow tent.
Optional Conversation 5
Inside the yellow tent, look at the papers on the cabinet at the back.
Optional Conversation 6
Back outside the tent, go straight forwards to find a saddle over a bench.
Optional Conversation 7
After putting on the wolf mask in the Spooky Town shop, head to the back right corner to find a jar of eyeballs.
Optional Conversation 8
Follow Riley to the next corner and talk to her after she puts on the Dracula mask.
Optional Conversation 9
Head back to the centre aisle and put on the green witch mask, then talk to Riley.
Optional Conversation 10
In the aisle by the exit door, put on the Triple Phoenix bird mask.
Optional Conversation 11
Head into the corner to interact with the Skeleseer skull, then keep interacting to go through all the dialogue options – there are 8 in total.
Warning Note
After throwing bricks at cars you’ll head down some stairs into a basement. Go into the room on the left as soon as you enter the corridor and look on the desk next to a typewriter and suitcase.
Chapter 3 – So Close
Atrium Note
When the chapter starts under the crashed helicopter, move towards the corner to your right and look by the gurney trolley in front of the Glazed Dough shop.
Generator Note
Found on top of some containers next to the generator, hard to miss!
Atrium Recorder
After firing up the generator and getting through the previously locked door back in the atrium, head up the escalator then turn left and look inside the tent.
Chapter 4 – Fun and Games
Optional Conversation 12
Head over to the carousel and interact with the horse.
Optional Conversation 13
Head down the steps and interact with the Sharesnap photo booth.
At this point you should unlock the BFFs trophy.
Kitchen Note
When you head back up the steps from the photo booth, enter the Fast Burger kitchen on your left and look on the counter in the back.
Chapter 5 – The Enemy of My Enemy
Crew Photo
At the start of the chapter when you leave the helicopter and head to the wide hallway, enter the boarded up shop on your right (marked "COMING SOON") and check the body in the far corner.
Duct Recorder
After dealing with the first set of enemies and entering the air duct, follow the trail of blood to a body in a dead end before going down the slope.
At this point you should unlock the Picked Clean trophy. Congratulations – you've found all The Last of Us: Left Behind Collectibles and Optional Conversations.
