Metal Gear
Metal Gear

Extra Game Modes

Master Metal Gear's extra modes, including SDS and Tank missions. Learn how to unlock them and hone your stealth skills beyond the main story.

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Extra Game Modes

Beyond the main story campaign, Metal Gear offers several additional modes that provide unique challenges and opportunities to hone your stealth and combat skills. These modes are often unlocked by completing the main game on various difficulty settings or by achieving specific in-game milestones. Mastering these extra modes is key to earning higher rankings and uncovering all the secrets Outer Heaven holds.

Extreme Difficulty Walkthrough

The Extreme Difficulty setting is the ultimate test for any seasoned operative. This mode is typically unlocked after completing the game on Easy, Normal, or Hard. Expect heightened enemy awareness, increased damage from attacks, and significantly fewer item drops. Our guide focuses on efficient routes and strategies to achieve the quickest completion times and highest rankings.

General Strategies for Extreme Difficulty

  • Stealth is Paramount: Direct confrontations are almost always a losing battle. Prioritize avoiding detection at all costs. Use cover effectively and learn enemy patrol patterns.
  • Conserve Resources: Ammunition, rations, and other vital items are scarce. Only use them when absolutely necessary. Headshots with the SOCOM or PSG1 are crucial for one-shot eliminations.
  • Master CQC: Hand-to-hand combat (CQC) can be a lifesaver for silent takedowns without expending precious ammo. Practice your CQC moves to quickly neutralize guards.
  • Know Your Environment: use every environmental advantage. Hide in lockers, crawl through vents, and use distractions to your benefit.
  • Quick Saves: Save frequently, especially after successfully navigating a difficult section or defeating a boss.

Key Areas and Specific Tactics

Below are some specific strategies for notoriously difficult sections on Extreme Difficulty:

Dock

The Dock (often referred to as Section 5.1) is an early challenge. Guards here have enhanced vision. Instead of attempting to engage, focus on a swift, undetected passage:

  1. Upon entering, immediately hug the left wall and crawl under the first set of pipes.
  2. Wait for the patrolling guard to move away from the cargo containers.
  3. Sprint to the right, using the large crates as cover.
  4. Locate the ladder leading down to the lower platform. Descend quickly.
  5. Proceed through the underwater passage to avoid the remaining guards entirely.
Tank Hangar

The Tank Hangar presents multiple patrolling guards and security cameras. Your goal is to reach the elevator without triggering an alert:

  1. From the entrance, immediately move to the right and hide behind the first large crate.
  2. Observe the patrol patterns of the two guards. One typically moves horizontally, the other vertically.
  3. When the horizontal guard is moving away, quickly run to the next set of crates.
  4. Use the Chaff Grenade (found in the Armory, often on a lower floor) to temporarily disable the security cameras. Throw it strategically to cover your movement across the open areas.
  5. Approach the elevator from the blind spot of the remaining guard, or use a quick CQC takedown if absolutely necessary, but only if you can hide the body immediately.
Nuclear Warhead Storage Building

This area is heavily guarded and features laser grids. Precision and timing are crucial:

  1. Upon entering, equip your Thermal Goggles (located in the Armory, often in a locker) to reveal the laser tripwires.
  2. Carefully navigate through the laser grid. Crawling is often the safest option for lower lasers, while standing and walking slowly can bypass higher ones.
  3. In sections with patrolling guards near lasers, use the Cardboard Box (found in various locations, often in storage rooms) to hide and observe their patterns.
  4. Consider using a Stun Grenade (found in the Comm Tower or Armory) to temporarily incapacitate a group of guards if you need to pass through a particularly dense area quickly. Remember to retrieve any dropped items if you have space.

VR Missions

VR Missions are a series of simulated training exercises that test various aspects of your abilities, from stealth and weapon proficiency to puzzle-solving. These missions are typically accessed from the main menu after completing the game once. They are excellent for practicing specific skills without the pressure of the main campaign.

Mission Categories

  • Sneaking Mode: Focuses on avoiding detection. You'll need to reach an exit point or eliminate targets without being seen.
  • Weapon Mode: Challenges your proficiency with specific weapons, such as the SOCOM, FAMAS, or Grenades. Often involves target practice or timed elimination scenarios.
  • Advanced Mode: Combines elements of stealth and combat, often with more complex objectives or environmental hazards.
  • Puzzle Mode: Requires critical thinking and environmental manipulation to solve unique challenges, such as navigating mazes or disarming bombs.

Tips for VR Missions

  • Experiment with Approaches: There's often more than one way to complete a VR Mission. Don't be afraid to try different tactics.
  • Aim for High Scores: Many missions track your completion time, number of alerts, and accuracy. Strive for perfect runs to unlock bonus content or achieve top rankings.
  • use All Tools: Even seemingly simple missions can be made easier with the right item. For example, the Cigarettes can reveal laser tripwires in some puzzle missions.
  • Practice Makes Perfect: Some missions are incredibly difficult. Repeated attempts will help you learn enemy patterns and optimal routes.

Boss Survival Mode

Boss Survival Mode, often unlocked after completing the game on Normal or Hard, pits you against all the game's bosses in a consecutive gauntlet. You typically start with a limited set of equipment and health, and resources are scarce between fights.

Strategies for Boss Survival

  • Memorize Patterns: Each boss has distinct attack patterns and weaknesses. Knowing these by heart is crucial for minimizing damage and maximizing your offensive output.
  • Conserve Rations: Rations are your lifeline. Only use them when absolutely necessary, preferably when your health is critically low.
  • Optimal Weapon Choices: For each boss, there's usually an optimal weapon. For example, the Nikita Missile Launcher is invaluable against certain mechanical foes, while the PSG1 is essential for precision shots against human targets.
  • Quick Switches: Master quickly switching between weapons and items to react to boss attacks and exploit openings.
  • Learn Damage Zones: Identify the specific weak points on each boss to deal maximum damage and end the fight faster, saving your limited resources.