Metal Gear Solid 4 - 11/12 Author Tips

11. The Art of Stealth

 

It can’t be emphasized enough; stealth is the key to success in MGS4, just as it was in all previous installments. Certainly there will be times when direct aggression is best or unavoidable – especially in your first playthrough – but for the most part it’s vital that you learn the art of sneaking. How you move and the stance you adopt is of paramount importance. Though there will be occasions when it’s safe for you to run upright without a care in the world, you’ll usually find that it’s best to adopt either the crouch-walk or crawl stance. Bear in mind, though, that you’re far from immune to detection when crouch-walking – it can still be rather noisy, with the reduced Camo rating reflecting Snake’s increased visibility.

 

Trust your senses and let your ears be your guide. If you can hear Snake pattering across a wooden floor, then so can the enemy. Slow it down, and above all be patient. Crawling is always more effective than crouching in stealth situations. With your body flattened to the floor, making regular pauses to enable the OctoCamo to adapt to new surfaces, you can easily maintain a Camo rating in excess of 65%, even while moving. On the downside, you’re slower to react when crawling on your belly, especially if you’re attacked from close range.

 

Observation of the enemy is another key aspect of effective sneaking. It won’t matter in the slightest how quiet you are if you inadvertently stumble directly into the path of a patrolling soldier. Take time to observe the enemy’s patterns of movement from behind cover. Careful observation should enable you to figure out when to move and when to stay put. Whether you wish to use this information to bring targets down silently, or merely sneak past when their back is turned, is entirely up to you. It’s also prudent to make use of the gadgets and objects at your disposal. For example, Metal Gear Mk. II is a vital tool for scouting an area without attracting unnecessary attention.

 

As far as weapons are concerned, nothing arouses the attention and ire of surrounding troops like a deafening hail of machine gun fire. It’s no good diligently crawling with care in full camouflage gear, only to bring the enemy swarming to your position with an ill-judged salvo of bullets. Use of silenced weapons or CQC is absolutely essential. One well-aimed headshot or smoothly-executed CQC attack will fell your quarry instantly and silently, but botched attacks or poor marksmanship can give your target the chance to call for help. A headshot is also more potent with anesthetic weapons – it generally results in a swift takedown, with enemies losing consciousness instantly.

 

Your Solid Eye’s Night Vision function can be extremely effective when it comes to tracking enemy movements, as it reveals the footprints left by patrolling guards. Don’t overuse NV, though, as it actually emits a low noise while active, and may alert a sharp-eared soldier.

 

Article by: Piggyback Interactive Limited

Metal Gear Solid 4 - 10/12 Author Tips

10. The Metal Gear Mk. II

 

Metal Gear Mk. II is a mobile terminal that can be selected from the Items menu and controlled manually. Use the left analog stick to move it around, but don’t forget to activate its stealth camo function with the X button if there are potential aggressors nearby. This ensures that Mk. II is hidden from the naked eye, though it can still be detected by infrared sensors. Use Mk. II to remotely reconnoiter areas while Snake lies low, or even have it knock out isolated soldiers with its electric shock device by holding the L1 button and then pressing the R1 button. You can also press the Triangle button while controlling the robot to perform a variety of context-sensitive actions, such as disarming traps, knocking on walls to distract enemies, and flicking light switches. When you’re done, tap the L2 button or change to a different item to return control to Snake.

 

Mk. II may not be big enough to wreak havoc in the manner of its much larger namesake, but never less than useful – especially if you favor stealth over direct confrontation. It’s also invaluable during the Mission Briefing cutscenes at the start of each Act, where you can control it to explore the Nomad and collect hidden items. It’s also handy for exploring ventilation shafts, removing the need for Snake to crawl laboriously for minutes at a time.

 

However, the use of Mk. II is not without drawbacks. The most important thing to remember is that Snake is vulnerable to discovery and sneak attack while piloting it. Secondly, Mk. II consumes battery power at a voracious rate, particularly when its stealth functionality is active. Finally, the device has a limited range, so it’s not possible to use it to explore large areas unless you regularly reposition Snake.

 

Article by: Piggyback Limited Interactive

Metal Gear Solid 4 - 9/12 Author Tips

9. The Threat Ring

 

The Threat Ring is a translucent circle that appears around Snake’s body when he crawls or crouches during a few seconds. The best way to explain its function would be to describe it as Snake’s “intuition”: it indicates the presence of any people, creatures or active objects (such as vehicles) within Snake’s immediate vicinity. Any such dangers are represented visually by waves that correspond with the position of each potential threat.

 

The higher the “wave”, the closer (and, sometimes, larger) it is. For example, a soldier that is standing some way away from Snake will only appear as a faint bump in the ring, while multiple enemies standing close by will cause the Threat Ring to undulate like a digitized Rocky Mountains. It’s a brilliantly instinctive way of instantly assessing Snake’s current situation. Once you get to grips with it, you’ll find that the Threat Ring can be just as reliable as the Solid Eye in terms of enemy detection.

 

The Threat Ring stays permanently active whenever you crawl, or when you crouch-walk at the slowest speed. If you stand up, move at a faster pace, or ready a weapon, it will immediately disappear. Its efficiency is governed by Snake’s current Psyche level: the lower the gauge gets, the smaller and more difficult to “read” the Threat Ring becomes.

 

Article by: Piggyback Interactive Limited