You know what’s better than surviving the apocalypse with Joel and Ellie? Doing it with a drink in your hand and a group of friends by your side who also find emotional trauma and fungal zombies wildly entertaining. Whether you’re binge-watching HBO’s The Last of Us, playing through the heartbreak in Part I or II, or dodging smoke bombs in Factions mode, this drinking game transforms every intense stare, every curse word, and every devastating plot twist into a shot of fun (and possibly tequila).
This isn’t just a drinking game. It’s a survival challenge. And much like the Cordyceps infection, once it starts… it spreads. Pace yourself. Hydrate. And remember: if someone cries, everyone drinks.
Table of Contents
Last of Us TV Show Drinking Game Rules
The HBO adaptation of The Last of Us gives you everything you need for a perfectly unhinged night: tension, tragedy, clickers, and quotes worthy of a double shot.
Sip Every Time…
- Ellie swears like a feral raccoon
- Joel grunts instead of expressing actual emotions
- Someone says “infected” like it’s a dirty word
- There’s a lingering flashback to happier (read: doomed) times
- You hear guitar music that makes you think, “Oh no, not again”
Take a Shot When…
- Joel calls Ellie “Kiddo”
- A major character dies or nearly dies
- There’s an emotional moment with zero dialogue
- Ellie cracks a pun so bad it hurts more than a bullet
Chug When…
- A clicker shows up and someone makes the worst decision possible
- You cry, even just a little
- An episode ends with a haunting cover song that ruins your soul
TV Joel might have a broken past, but you’ll have a broken liver if you try to survive the whole series without tapping out.
Last of Us Part I & II Drinking Game
When you’re not busy sneaking around dark corners and looting drawers for scissors, you can add a little liquid spice to your gameplay experience. These rules work whether you’re team Joel, team Ellie, or team “please stop emotionally destroying me.”
General Rules for Gameplay
- Drink every time you stealth-kill someone and feel morally okay about it
- Sip when you pick up a note, read half of it, and forget it exists
- Shot when you craft something in the middle of combat like a boss
- Sip every time someone says something that hits you right in the dad-issues
Specific Part I Cues
- Joel hoists Ellie up a ledge like it’s their daily CrossFit workout
- You see giraffes and suddenly believe in hope again
- You die for the tenth time because of a bloater and its fungal rage
- Joel says something heartfelt, then immediately regrets it
Specific Part II Cues
- Ellie picks up a guitar and you know you’re not emotionally prepared
- Abby shows up and you feel conflicted but also slightly jacked
- You shoot someone mid-conversation and feel gross afterward
- You witness a dog dying and need therapy instead of another drink
This is the drinking game that fights back. Emotional damage is included free of charge.
Last of Us Multiplayer / Factions Mode Drinking Game
Now for the chaos of Factions. This is where things get sweaty, unpredictable, and frankly, unreasonably fun with a drink in hand.
Every Time You…
- Get downed by a bomb you swear wasn’t there five seconds ago: drink
- Are smoke-shivved by a ninja in a hoodie: take a shot
- Lose a 1v1 because you were crafting a nail bomb: drink
- Get spawn-killed and your soul leaves your body: drink twice
- Can’t craft anything even though you opened every supply box on the map: sip of shame
Community Rules from Reddit
Straight from the minds of slightly unhinged Redditors:
- Drink every time Joel yells “Ellie!”
- Take a shot when Ellie swears loud enough to wake a clicker
- If a season changes in the storyline, drink through it
- Someone says “fuck” more than five times in a scene? That’s a chug zone.
One user said: “You’ll pass out before Winter if you’re doing this with whiskey.” You’ve been warned.
Printable Cards & House Rules Bonus Pack
Because chaos is more fun when it’s organized, consider printing a few custom Last of Us-themed cards for your party.
Printable Set Overview
Make cards like:
- “Joel’s Grunt – Everyone drinks”
- “Ellie’s F-bomb – Left-hand side drinks”
- “Clicker scream – Cover your ears and chug”
It’s surprisingly fun to toss down a themed card like you’re about to perform a special attack. Except instead of damage points, you’re gaining hangovers.
House Rules Suggestions
- The oldest person in the group is Joel and can give out drinks
- If someone makes a pun and no one laughs, they drink twice
- Talking during a stealth moment? Immediate penalty sip
Or invent your own: the Cordyceps Rule—anyone who tries to explain the science of the infection drinks until they shut up.
Chaotic Variations of The Last of Us Drinking Game
1. The “Cordyceps Infection” Variation
Premise: One player is secretly “infected.” The game begins, and no one knows who’s spreading the drinking doom.
How it works:
- Assign one person as the “Cordyceps host” in secret (draw straws or cards).
- The infected player chooses moments to cough. Every time they cough, the person to their right takes a shot.
- If someone guesses the infected host correctly, the host must finish their drink. If they guess wrong, they finish theirs.
- Bonus twist: If the infected gets through a whole episode or mission undetected, everyone else drinks.
2. “Melee Only” Rule (Also Known As the Bar Fight Mode)
Premise: Inspired by Joel’s love for breaking bricks on people’s heads.
How it works (gameplay mode only):
- No guns allowed. Every time you accidentally use a firearm: shot.
- Crafting a melee weapon? Everyone cheers. Loser of the next melee fight finishes their drink.
- Die without swinging once? You’re not Joel. Drink in shame.
3. The “Left Behind” Emotional Gauntlet
Premise: This variation is for when you want to suffer with your friends.
How it works:
- Put on the Left Behind DLC or Episode 7 of the show.
- Before you start, each player writes down their “emotional trigger” moment.
- When your moment happens, you must take two drinks and reveal it.
- If anyone else cries? Group shot.
4. “The Giraffe Rule” – Hope Is Dangerous
Premise: Hopeful moments are suspicious and must be punished.
How it works:
- Anytime something beautiful or hopeful happens (e.g. the giraffe, Ellie smiling, a sunrise), you drink… for your sins.
- If the scene is followed by something traumatic within five minutes, take another.
5. “Joel’s Backpack” Mini-Game
Premise: Each player is Joel. Joel hoards things.
How it works:
- Fill a real backpack with random objects (bottle cap, band-aid, flashlight, etc.)
- Every time you loot something in-game or on screen, you have to blindly pull an item from the bag and assign a drinking action based on it.
- Flashlight = pass your drink to the left
- Band-aid = save yourself, skip next drink
- Broken scissors = choose someone to finish their drink
6. “The Factions Sh*tshow” Multiplayer Mayhem
Premise: Factions mode, but no mercy.
Extra Chaos Add-ons:
- Downed Twice Without a Kill: Chug and change seats.
- Get Marked and Ignored: Give a sip to the player who didn’t save you.
- Top of the Scoreboard: Get to act like Joel and assign a “Kiddo” (they drink every time you say so).
7. “The Pun Book Challenge”
Premise: In honor of Ellie’s incredible pun game.
How it works:
- Have someone on “Pun Duty” with a bad joke every 5 minutes.
- If the group laughs (or groans), everyone sips.
- If no one reacts, Pun Duty takes a penalty shot.
- Best pun of the night gets immunity from the next round of punishment drinks.
8. “The Naughty Dog Mode” – The Game Betrays You
Premise: Celebrate every time Naughty Dog emotionally damages you.
How it works:
- Choose 3 keywords that represent emotional damage: “loss,” “betrayal,” “dad.”
- Every time any of them are visually or audibly represented, take a double shot.
- If someone has a visible existential crisis, pause the game, and everyone must drink in silence.
9. “Survivor Mode: Real Consequences”
Premise: Last person standing wins. But at what cost?
How it works:
- Everyone starts with three “lives” (tokens, coins, etc.)
- Every death, crying session, or skipped QTE costs a life.
- Lose all lives? You become a Clicker. Your only job is to scream randomly and assign drinks to the survivors.
10. “Firefly vs FEDRA” – The Civil War Edition
Premise: Split into two teams—Fireflies or FEDRA. Let the Civil War–style rebellion begin.
How it works:
- Any time someone from your team on-screen (or in-game) is betrayed, caught, or killed: drink.
- At the end of each mission or episode, vote: “Did the Fireflies suck more or did FEDRA?”
- Losing team drinks double.
Safety Tips & Humor Warnings
This drinking game is designed to be fun, not to land you in the ER or on a tragic Season 2 arc of your own.
Play Responsibly
- Drink water between shots
- Eat actual food
- Know when to swap to juice and pretend it’s whiskey
“You’ll Die Before the Credits Roll” Warnings
A single episode of The Last of Us has enough trauma to qualify as a war crime. Mix in a shot every time Ellie swears and you’re basically writing your liver’s resignation letter.
If you attempt the whole series in one sitting with this game, consider this a pre-written eulogy.
FAQs About Last of Us Drinking Games
Can I play this alone?
Yes. It’ll be sad, but that just makes it more on-theme.
What if I haven’t seen the show or played the game?
Congrats—you’re about to get emotionally obliterated and drunk. Buckle up.
Are there non-alcoholic versions?
Sure. Replace every drink with a sip of soda or water. Just don’t tell Joel.
What’s the best episode to play with?
“Long, Long Time.” But only if you’re emotionally dead inside or want to cry into your beer.