any advice for an MGS newbie?

Believe it or not, I am just now discovering this series. Goodwill happened to have MGS 1 and 2 in pretty good condition, and I decided to order MGS 3 online (specifically the two-disk version that includes the original computer games as a bonus).

So I fire up MSG and... well, I pretty much suck at it. Yes, I understand the basic concept of stealth, and things like using the cigarettes (I also discovered by experimentation that the thermal visor can be used to detect land mines). But stuff keeps killing me so bad that time and again I have the Colonel or whoever calling in and saying "look, this is what you're supposed to do: (detailed instructions follow)"

So, anything I should know before I get myself blasted into oblivion for the 31st time?

Thanks in advance.

It took me a while to get it, too. Hang in there. If you beat the game and you make a certain decision, you get optic camo, which makes your next playthrough easier.

Also expect to LOVE the story during MGS, partly loving but also mostly WTF though MGS 2, indifferent towards MGS 3, and feeling disappointed through MGS 4. That's what I felt at any rate.

As someone who felt your pain when he first played MGS 2, let me give you one critical piece of advice: this is a stealth game. Yes, MGS 2 and later games let you start shooting and just kill all of the reinforcements (which, I'll add, is quite difficult on higher difficulty levels, although not as difficult as no-alerts, no-kills and no-continues), MGS 1 is a game where sneaking through is a must, especially since no guns have silencers and you don't have the Tranq gun.

To that end, you want to make the best possible use of your map screen to determine where enemies are, their patrol routes and if they'll see you. Knock on walls to draw them away. Use the D-Pad to go silently and stalk by them. Sneak up behind them, punch-punch-kick them and leg it, if they're on their own. Hug walls to stay out of view. Use airvents to get in and around. Look for any option you can find that won't involve combat, and use things like stun grenades, chaff grenades and claymores (crawl over claymores to collect them) to incapacitate enemies and cameras. It may seem difficult to remember, but the more you play MGS the more this sort of thing becomes instinctual, even on the higher, more realistic difficulty levels of MGS 3 and 4 (enemies can see you from far away and will look at you through binocs from a distance, they can hear bullets going off and see rifle fire, they can smell you and hear you running on the side of a wall etc).

Oh, and save your stun grenades and FAMAS ammo until you've run up the Communications Tower, and make sure to save your Chaff Grenades for the final boss fights.

edited 12th Mar '11 5:44:15 AM by Legionnaire

Also, if you can get a good shot in, shoot out guard's radios so they can't call reinforcements. Also if you tranquilize a guard under certain conditions you can take his uniform, but I forgot exactly how to do that,,,

Not in MGS 1 you can't. There's no first person aiming, except with the Stinger and PGS-1.

It's a good strategy in later games though. Tranq an enemy then knock out his radio, or shoot the radio straight-out since enemy soldiers periodically report it. You should be far away by the time that happens though.

Correction: You can get a silencer for the Socom in MGS1. It's in the easternmost room of the Tank Hangar's first floor.

If you kill guards without causing an alert, they won't respawn until an Alert does happen or until you reenter the area.

edited 12th Mar '11 5:57:12 AM by Kerrah

I know, but I was talking about MGS 2 since the above troper was...

Silenced SOCOM with the bandana and a rapid-fire controller is hella cool. :3

edited 12th Mar '11 6:07:16 AM by chocoboxxx

Makes the run up the Comm tower so much easier. I hate that part.

I just stack up stun grenades. If you have as many as can be, they're enough to keep the guards perma-stunned until you reach the top.

I ran out slightly towards the end when I did that the second time. The first though...

-shudders-

I loved the Comm Tower run, and the boss fight it leads up to is one of the most fun and satisfying ever. (Everybody's like HOLY SHIT SNAKE YOU TOOK OUT A (spoiler omitted) WITH YOUR BARE HANDS!!") and I'm all ^______^.

The first game has arguably the best bosses, IMO.

I loved the fight afterwards, but the Comm Tower run was a massive wall banger scrappy level for me. In a game based on stealth, they sent scores of enemies at you and made you fight them off either using grenades or guns with no option to sneak through.

It was to keep you on your toes, to make sure that you never know what to expect from the game. It might have gone on a little too long, sure, but it's placement there was designed to be a real WTF!? moment, especially if you had been careless with grenades and ammo and stuff.

I had the same feeling with MGS 3, dante. Check out every room for weapons. Avoid fighting, stack up for Boss fights. The first Metal gear has the soliton radar. Study the radar, look at the area from a secure position, and THEN, start your sneaking advance. Once you start to move, the less time you spend sneaking and tranquilizing guards, the better. In other words: Be quick, but be careful, and don't miss any important equipment. This is VITAL in late games, like snake eater.

Use the codec to get a lot of information, use it to the fullest.

If you get an alert, RUN. You may have a chance, but it is generally unwise to go into a fight. Find a place where guards will never look, like under a table, if you get an alarm. Wait for it to pass, and then continue.

PS: The bosses are awesome.

MGS1 did have one really annoying part with the Thermal Goggles. If you want them in time for the tank hangar laser trap, you HAVE to get them before you go save the DARPA chief. The door will be locked with like a level 5 key card afterwards.

I'm at the part with Sniper Wolf and the incapacitated Meryl now, and having to backtrack because apparently there's no way to have simply found a Sniper Rifle by the time you reach this point, but all right...

Admittedly I'm having mixed feelings. For the most part the game is compelling enough, but I keep running into parts or aspects of the gameplay I feel are complete and total B.S. The game seems like it was designed with a FAQ in mind at points. This series might just make a born-again Game FA Qs reader out of me.

Oh well, if I ever get too pissed at it, I also managed to snag Shadow of the Colossus on the same day, which... I've only beaten one Colossus so far but still the game seems to live up to the hype.

Wait until you win that boss battle and go on to the next area. One of the more infamous moments in gaming history, right there/

Learn to love First Person View mode. A good way to see what your radar wont see. You can also find some funny easter eggs this way. Use it to see a door's level number without having to use trial and error. Also vital in hard and extreme.

Make sure you don't stand in the way of patrol routes when using the Cardboard Box.

Most, if not all Codec conversations have a point to them. if you're stumped, give your team a call.

Crouching can help you dodge some attacks, as well as leaning in First Person View mode. Experiment.

Most, of not all boss fights can be won without the use of Rations, and most of not all boss fights have more than one way to victory. Experiment.

Tranquilizers are your friend. If you know how to use them you will rarely if ever need to use actual firearms, especially in MGS 3 - save your heavy duty stuff for the situations where you really need them.

Get some Kleenex before you fight Sniper Wolf. Just sayin'.

edited 13th Mar '11 7:34:50 AM by chocoboxxx

Oh come on, she's not that hot.

Hey, someone had to say it

Generally speaking, never bite off more than you can chew. If you're unsure about the difficulty, go for a lower one - you'll know instantly if its too easy, and can change, losing nothing. Also, don't try a paqcifist run for your fist run through. Trust me, you will play these games more than once.

So can you change the difficulty in the middle of a game or do you have to start all over?

I think I may be stuck at Sniper Wolf. I've got the rifle now, but every time she hits you your aim goes off and she often hits you again before you've got it focused on the right area.

I'm starting to see why this is notorious.

Use the remote control missiles.

First Sniper Wolf fight, use Pentazemin and just keep trying. Second fight, hide behind a little hill in the snow and just keep launching Stinger/Javelin missiles at her.

Aww, now why couldn't I have chipped into this conversation sooner???

Well first off, are you stuck on the first or second Sniper Wolf fight? If it's the first, then wait until she goes into hiding. Once she does, move to a different position, go prone, and wait until she pops out again - it'll give you precious time to locate her. It might help if you use the thermal goggles together with the PSG 1.

If you run out of Diazepam pills, then you can use the cigarettes to relax your aim as well, but at the cost of your health over time.

As for the second one? Don't even bother trying to fight her squarely, just go to the far right corner, pull out the Nikita launcher, and start firing away in total safety!