Taking damage

Learn how to manage damage in Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. Understand health regeneration, critical damage, and when to use medical sprays to survive.

Alright, so you're going to take some hits in Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. When enemies start shooting, you'll see these burn marks pop up around the edges of your screen. That's your cue that Snake's taking damage. If too many of those marks appear, or the screen starts turning really red, you're in trouble – you'll die and have to restart from the last checkpoint. Nobody wants that, right?

The good news is, you can avoid this! The best way to handle incoming fire is to get into cover. Breaking line of sight with the enemies and hiding will allow Snake's health to slowly regenerate over time. Keep an eye on those burn marks; if they start to fade, you're probably in the clear for a bit.

Now, if you take a *lot* of damage, it gets critical. You'll see a medical spray icon pop up right in the center of your screen. You need to hit the 'Y' button (on Xbox) or 'Triangle' (on PlayStation) pretty quickly when this happens. Using that spray will restore your health. But seriously, don't wait too long – if Snake bleeds out, you'll be heading back to the previous save point. So, stay aware and be ready to heal up!