Mission Objectives & Scoring

Mission Objectives & Scoring

Understanding your mission objectives and how your performance is scored in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops is crucial for both successful completion and achieving those coveted S-ranks. Unlike previous titles, Portable Ops emphasizes recruiting and managing a squad, which directly impacts mission success and your overall score.

Primary Objectives

Each mission will have a primary objective that must be completed to progress the story. These are typically straightforward, but the path to achieving them often involves navigating heavily guarded areas or dealing with specific enemy types. Common primary objectives include:

• Infiltrate & Extract: Reach a specific location on the map, often marked with a green objective marker, and then return to your starting point or another designated extraction zone.
• Eliminate Target: Neutralize a specific enemy, usually a boss or a key officer. This can often be done non-lethally for better scoring.
• Retrieve Item: Locate and pick up a critical item, such as a "Key Card" or "Intel Briefing," which might be held by an enemy or hidden in a specific room.
• Rescue POWs: Find and extract a set number of Prisoners of War. These individuals can then be recruited to your team.

Secondary Objectives & Bonus Points

While not always explicitly stated, secondary objectives significantly contribute to your mission score. These often involve actions that benefit your Mother Base or demonstrate superior stealth and combat skills.

• Recruiting Enemies: Using CQC or tranquilizer rounds to subdue and then extract enemy soldiers is a major source of bonus points. The higher the soldier's stats, the more points you receive. Remember to use the "Recruit" option on the mission complete screen.
• No Kills: Completing a mission without killing any enemies (excluding bosses where lethal force is unavoidable) grants a substantial bonus. Prioritize tranquilizers (Mk. 22, EZ Gun) and CQC.
• No Alerts: Avoiding "ALERT" status throughout the mission will also net you a significant score boost. Use cover, distractions (empty magazines), and stealth takedowns to remain undetected.
• Time Bonus: Completing missions quickly contributes to a higher score. However, don't rush at the expense of stealth or recruiting opportunities.
• Item Collection: Picking up specific items like "Ration" or "Cardboard Box" during a mission can sometimes provide minor score bonuses, but more importantly, they are crucial for survival and strategy.

Scoring Breakdown

Your final mission score is calculated based on several factors, culminating in a rank from D to S. To achieve an S-rank, you generally need to excel in all areas.

The scoring system considers:

1. Mission Completion: Base points for successfully finishing the primary objective.
2. Time Taken: Faster completion yields more points.
3. Enemies Eliminated (Non-Lethal): Points for each enemy tranquilized or knocked out via CQC.
4. Enemies Recruited: Significant points based on the number and quality of soldiers extracted.
5. Alerts Triggered: Each alert reduces your score. Zero alerts is ideal.
6. Kills: Each lethal kill significantly reduces your score. Aim for zero kills.
7. Damage Taken: Minimizing damage taken contributes to a higher score.
8. Special Conditions: Some missions may have unique bonus conditions, such as not using specific weapons or completing an objective under a strict time limit.

Pro-Tip for S-Ranks: For most missions, prioritize non-lethal takedowns and recruitment. Bring a squad with high "Intel" stats to help locate enemies and items, and a "Medic" for healing. The "EZ Gun" is invaluable for stealthy tranquilizing. Always check every corner for hidden items and potential recruits before extracting.