The stealth approach definitely feels more essential this time around with bigger spaces and multiple paths giving you way more options than before. When you're exploring those abandoned malls and broken-down buildings, you'll notice how the environments are built specifically for sneaking around, with plenty of spots to hide and plan your next move. Something interesting to keep in mind is that going prone in tall grass or sliding under vehicles opens up totally new ways to avoid detection that weren't possible in the first game.

The ai is way smarter now and enemies actually talk to each other, adjust their patrol routes, and get really aggressive when they spot you, which makes staying hidden feel like the smart choice most of the time. The new dodge ability combined with ellie's more fluid movement makes it easier to slip away if things go wrong, but you'll probably want to stay quiet since enemies are pretty relentless once they're on your tail. The whole game feels built around these stealth mechanics now, making sneaking around feel natural rather than just another way to play.