The deep and intense lore that is the Metal Gear Solid series may be primarily known for its flashy mechs and heart-racing elements of its tactical espionage gameplay like Snake's famous CQC techniques, but it's much more than just that. At the end of the day, the Metal Gear series is about the military and obviously has its much darker tones within the story.
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Amongst all the signature themes of government corruption, world domination, and private military corporations, the Metal Gear lore definitely has its moments that are hard to watch and even more difficult to play through. Here are some of the most notable disturbing moments in the history of the Metal Gear Solid series.
Disclaimer: Heavy series spoilers ahead!
As if it weren't difficult enough to see beloved protagonist, Solid Snake, succumb to the struggles that come with old age, there also was the infamous microwave scene in MGS4. Inside the massive warship that is Outer Haven, is a corridor that is lined with retractable microwave emitters on either side as a means to deter any unauthorized personnel from accessing the precious GW A.I. server room.
The corridor is essentially a giant microwave, but for humans. The walls would emit a specific kind of microwave that would then heat up the water molecules within the body in order to essentially burn (or boil) them from the inside.
While Raiden graciously offered to go in Snake's place due to the microwaves having less of an effect on his cyborg body, Snake, being the hero he is, refused and went in himself.
Forcing players to keep pushing Snake to move forward as his slow walk turned into an agonizing crawl was definitely difficult to swallow.
6 Metal Gear Solid 2 & Metal Gear Solid 4: Any Fight With Vamp
Vamp is an iconic Metal Gear character, but for a reason that isn't very flattering. Vamp is notoriously known for bringing an uncomfortably sensual vibe to every fight (or even cutscene) he's involved in.
Due to the nanomachines in his body, Vamp has been "killed" on many occasions; most of which were caused by Raiden in MGS2. The nanomachines in Vamp essentially heal him at an accelerated rate, allowing his wounds to heal faster than his body can succumb to any fatal injuries.
In MGS4, it was only fitting that Vamp made a return as Raiden's rival once again. In one notable fight, Raiden plunges one of Vamp's own blades into his chest. Rather than simply pulling it out, Vamp opts to continue and push it through his chest, and out of his back. Sure, Vamp is immortal, but there was no need for him to show off in such a disturbing way!
At one point in MGS5, some of the Diamond Dogs were infected with a vocal cord parasite that was triggered when certain languages were spoken (in this case, Kikongo). While the first outbreak was handled relatively well on Mother Base, thanks to the help of Code Talker identifying the strain and Ocelot setting up a quarantine zone, the second outbreak lead to one of the most difficult scenes to watch/play in the entirety of the game.
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During the second, more severe outbreak, the soldiers that were left to suffer in the quarantine facility were also left in the dark about what their fate would ultimately be. Boss, with no other options left, is then forced to enter the quarantine zone to euthanize the infected soldiers as leaving them to live would put the rest of the world at risk of a pandemic.
Forcing Boss to make his way throughout the entire facility to kill his own men against his will while hearing their pleas for help, their anger and pain from feeling betrayed, or even their bittersweet "thank-yous" wasn't only disturbing but also heartbreaking as well.
4 Metal Gear Solid 2: A.I. Colonel's Speech
There isn't a single Metal Gear fan that doesn't have a haunting memory of the Colonel telling the Raiden to turn the console off from MGS2. In MGS2, Raiden begins to question his whole role and purpose of his mission as the cracks in the Colonel's identity begin to show. Nearing the end of the game, Raiden is stripped of his gear and consults with the Colonel to figure out his next move. However, it is later revealed that the Colonel is simply an A.I., controlled by the Patriots to manipulate Raiden.
At this point, A.I. Colonel begins to malfunction, leaving Raiden confused and baffled, to a point where Raiden even gives up on trying to respond or make sense of the nonsense ramblings Colonel goes on about.
While Colonel's voice and codec image begin to obscure, he goes on about odd gossip about Rosemary, references previous Metal Gear games, and even makes bizarre complaints about his home and financial situation. Who knew that A.I. Colonel's, "I need scissors! 61!" would end up being one of the most famous one-liners of the entire series?
Mercenary, Frank Jaeger, codename Gray Fox, had an incredibly troubling history altogether. It wasn't enough that the man began his journey as a soldier as a mere child, but he was also forced to be a test subject, having traumatic and dangerous genome experiments done to him without any of his consent.
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By the time Fox had finally met his end, the experiments and heavy augmentations of both his psyche and his body had taken a massive toll on him, already feeling as if he had stopped truly living a long time ago. It is in MGS1 that Fox and Solid Snake team up to take down the deadly mech known as Metal Gear REX. It is during this fight that Snake is forced to watch his friend sacrifice himself in order to take Liquid and REX down once and for all.
Although the durable exoskeleton Fox was fitted with (against his will) had held up to the first few attacks, it ultimately gave in, and finally stopped Fox from continuing the life he felt had already ended years ago.
2 Metal Gear Solid 2: Emma's Death
This particular scene wasn't just hard to watch because of Emma's tragic death, but also because of all the messy family history that was revealed along with it.
As poor step-sister, Emma finally confessed to Otacon that she wanted him to see her as a woman just before dying in his arms, Otacon had to admit that he could never see her that way. Poor Emma already had a ton of trauma to deal with on her own after Otacon left home, but hearing that he didn't reciprocate her feelings right before her untimely death was the hardest thing to watch. On one hand, it feels cruel of Otacon to be honest with how he saw Emma, but on the other, it was simply because although not blood-related, Otacon and Emma were still step-siblings that he didn't feel that way. Right?
However, things get even more difficult to stomach as Otacon then reveals that he had an affair with Emma's mother (a.k.a. his own stepmother) that ultimately lead to his biological father's suicide that almost took Emma's life as well.
1 MGS: Ground Zeroes - Explosive Paz
In MGS: Ground Zeroes, Paz (real name Pacifica Ocean) is held as a prisoner at Camp Omega in Cuba and is brutally tortured by the antagonist, Skull Face as detailed in the audiotapes the player can listen to. Not only did Paz already endure endless rounds of torture, but even after all seemed fine and as if things were finally looking up for the poor girl, her rescue mission goes awry.
Upon inspecting her on the helicopter back to base, Boss finds that she had been implanted with a bomb inside her abdomen. Even after an emergency surgery done by the medic on board (with absolutely no anesthetic) and Paz screaming and crying from the incredible pain, Paz's grim fate was still unchanged. After regaining consciousness, Paz warns Boss and the others that there is in fact a second bomb inside of her, and jumps out of the helicopter as an act of self-sacrifice.
MORE: Every Metal Gear Solid Game In Chronological Order (And The Year They Take Place In)
FAQs
Can you beat mgs without killing? ›
You still have to kill few in order to progress story - 3 in cell, 4 in elevator (comm B), 3 in cargo elevator, 2 + 2 + 3 in escape route, and few extra depends on how game play goes. So likely you need to kill minimum 19 or 20 no matter how you play. You can finish game without saving once.
Is there a Mission 51 in MGSV? ›Kingdom of the Flies, also known as Episode 51 and the Phantom Episode, is a mission that was not included in the released version of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain due to time constraints.
Is there Gore in Metal Gear Solid? ›obscene swear words don't appear often. Gore doesn't appear very often, but you'll see at least some blood every time you play this game.
What are the secret frequencies in Metal Gear Solid? ›In the PlayStation version of Metal Gear Solid: Integral, there are two hidden Codec frequencies: 140.07 and 140.66. 140.66 plays classic Metal Gear themes at certain areas, including "Discovery", "Zanzibar Breeze", and "Theme of Solid Snake." 140.07 features staff commentaries (in Japanese only).
Who killed the boss MGS? ›After one final fight, Snake fights and kills The Boss who gives him the Philosophers' Legacy hidden by Volgin.
How many endings does MGS have? ›There are two endings in Metal Gear Survive. The main ending is unlocked by simply beating the main campaign. The alternate ending is unlockable during the final mission of the story. The two are vastly different and the alternate ending even ties into Metal Gear Solid V a little bit.
How do you unlock the secret ending in MGSV? ›For those that don't know, Metal Gear Solid V's secret ending can only unlock when every single player of the game has removed all nuclear weapons from their own in-game bases.
Can you be a girl in MGSV? ›FemSnake is a design compromise to allow female players to play as a woman. And make no mistake, including her was a feature that took quite a bit of development resources from the Metal Gear team. They had to alter the game's armor implementation to work with her different body proportions.
What do you get for 100% MGSV? ›So what do curious players get for completing the game with 100%? Absolutely NOTHING. No super-duper secret weapon like the Solar Gun or the Rail Gun. But it does give bragging rights and the ability to answer everyone's questions regarding the game.
Who is the strongest in Metal Gear Solid? ›- 1 Big Boss.
- 2 Venom Snake. ...
- 3 Liquid Snake. ...
- 4 Solidus Snake. ...
- 5 Solid Snake. ...
- 6 Old Snake. ...
- 7 (Not) Cyborg Raiden. ...
- 8 Raiden. ...
Is Chico Dead Metal Gear? ›
He, along with Paz, was rescued by Big Boss. Following their rescue, they return to Mother Base to find it under attack, and escape with MSF subcommander Kazuhira Miller. The subsequent explosion that leads directly into The Phantom Pain caused Chico's death, as suggested by a supplementary cassette tape from Ocelot.
Is Solid Snake dead in MGSV? ›He faked his own death in the Manhattan Tanker Incident, though he re-emerged years later to assist Raiden in the Big Shell Incident. During this time, his health declined as his body entered a state of accelerated aging due to intentional genetic changes made during the cloning process.
What Metal Gear is Quiet in? ›Quiet is a protagonist of Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain but starts out as one of the bosses of the game. She is an indispensable asset to Solid Snake after he defeats her in a 1v1 battle.
Why does Quiet not talk in Metal Gear Solid 5? ›The medical team also discovered that she had a strain of the vocal cord parasite, and the only person who could have applied the strain which had replaced her skin and internal organs, other than Code Talker, was Skull Face.
What is Quiet's name Metal Gear? ›Quiet, also known as Tixij (Тихий) by the Soviets, is an antagonist turned supporting character from 2015 video game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
Who is the real Big Boss MGS? ›Big Boss, real name John, also known as Jack, and formerly known as Naked Snake, Vic Boss, Ishmael, Saladin, or simply Snake, was a renowned special forces operative and mercenary commander.
Is Venom Snake still alive? ›As such, Venom Snake is the first Snake to die, having living in the shadow of Big Boss for so long the two characters were one in the same all the way to his death. Venom Snake lived as he died, building the legacy of Big Boss, and that's a symptom of a unique problem for MGS6.
What mgs has the longest cutscenes? ›1 Metal Gear Solid 4 - 71 Minutes
The sequence, titled Epilogue, depicts what happens after you've finished the game. The creator of the series, Hideo Kojima, is well known for his epic and lengthy cutscenes, and this sequence deserves all the time it's given, considering how much it has to wrap up.
Big Boss/Foxhound is the highest rank achievable in many Metal Gear games. Speedrunning Big Boss/Foxhound rank appeals to some for the challenge and prestige. In addition, Big Boss/Foxhound represent a skilled level of play according to the game's definition of ranks, which involves stealthy play.
What is the bad ending in Metal Gear Solid? ›A notable example of a game punishing players with a bad ending can be found in Metal Gear Solid. Towards the end of the game, Solid Snake is captured by Revolver Ocelot and tortured on an electric rack. You have to furiously tap the O button to resist, which becomes physically painful for both you and Snake.
What happens if you fail secret ending? ›
You'll have to fight through the end without any help and if you fail, apparently, the game simply ends there and plays the credits.
Are there still nukes in MGSV? ›A new investigation reports that the nuclear disarmament cutscene in Metal Gear Solid 5 was rigged by Konami all along. We reported in 2020 that PS3 players appeared to trigger the secret cutscene by disarming all nukes in the game's asynchronous online multiplayer mode.
How many nukes are left in MGSV? ›Community efforts, like those on the Metal Gear anti-nuclear subreddit, have been pushing to legitimately earn the disarmament scene for ages, across every platform. The Steam version of MGS5 still has nearly 20,000 nukes, while the PlayStation 4 version has around 2,500.
What happens if you don't shower in MGSV? ›Don't shower
Not showering in the Phantom Pain will leave your view covered in flies, and will even show how others are physically repulsed by your odour. After what feels like a particularly bad deodorant advert, Ocelot will decide he's had enough, and throw a bucket of cleansing water at you.
Psycho Mantis appears as Tretij Rebenok in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. While his actions seem quite mysterious, it is revealed that the boy at this point is unable to control his powers, and could be easily influenced by others with the most hateful thoughts.
What happens if you shoot Quiet MGSV? ›If you shoot, Quiet disappears and this will prevent specific story missions from occurring (plus you'll miss out on a useful Buddy)! To get her on the Mother Base roster, redo the mission and leave her alone when Miller gives the order to kill her. Now, find out how to add Quiet to your roster of Buddies!
Can you get Snake eater in MGSV? ›Snake Eater
This tape can be found at outpost 21 in Africa. It's inside a small building located at the outpost.
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes won't offer players the chance to gain a Platinum Trophy on PS4 or PS3. That's because, as explained by creator Hideo Kojima on Twitter, Sony doesn't allow for Platinum Trophies in budget releases.
Can you shower in MGSV? ›You can find a shower usually on the front deck near the helipad - there will be a box you can enter and pull a curtain to take a quick rinse. Frequent showering also provides substantial in-game bonuses: A freshly showered Snake enjoys increased maximum health. Showered Snake gets a longer duration for reflex time.
Who killed Venom Snake? ›While initially introduced in-game as long-standing Metal Gear character Big Boss, it is revealed he is actually a former physician and combat medic who underwent facial reconstruction and subliminal brainwashing to serve as Big Boss' body double; via retcon, Venom Snake is also revealed to be the man killed by Solid ...
Who is the best soldier in Metal Gear? ›
Big Boss, aka Naked Snake, aka John, aka Jack, is the central character in the Metal Gear video game franchise. He is variably regarded as a hero, a villain, a madman, and a legend feared on the battlefield by friend and foe alike.
Was Venom Snake a clone? ›The now-infamous ending plot twist reveals that Venom Snake is simply a "clone" of Big Boss, a double created to distract the world while the real Big Boss betrays his allegiances to build Outer Heaven.
Is skullface dead? ›However, Huey ultimately killed Skull Face by shooting him in the head shortly thereafter, with Skull Face immediately beforehand begging for Huey to deliver the coup de grace.
Is Raiden Dead in Metal Gear? ›However, during an escort mission in Africa they were attacked by Desperado Enforcement LLC., who killed Raiden's protectee, N'mani, and left Raiden for dead. Fortunately he was saved by the scientist Wilhelm Voigt and worked with Maverick to fight Desperado.
Who is Zero Metal Gear? ›Zero, who's real name was David Oh and is also known by "O", Major Tom, Major Zero and Cipher, was the original commander of CIA special forces unit FOX. After Zero became a founding member of the Patriots along with Big Boss, the two friends would develop a bitter hatred.
What is Solid snakes IQ? ›Snake possesses an IQ of 180 and is fluent in six languages. Solid Snake has been on the battlefield for most of his life, and says that it is the only place he feels truly alive. He is a hardened veteran, burying his emotions within himself during missions, every one of which has different motives.
Did Solid Snake lose his eye? ›During Colonel Volgin's torture of him, Big Boss, then known as Naked Snake, received a muzzle burn that blinded him in his right eye, which also ruptured and destroyed the cornea and the lens of his eye, while intercepting a bullet that was meant for Tatyana/EVA, after her cover was blown.
Why did Big Boss hate Zero? ›Big Boss grew to be resentful of Zero's twisted ways, and disliked being used for the latter's goals. Fearing Big Boss would leave the Patriots, Zero decided that he needed insurance against his former friend.
Is Venom Snake good or bad? ›Punished "Venom" Snake, also known as Big Boss, or simply Boss, is a major character in the Metal Gear Solid series, serving as a minor character in Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, the main protagonist of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and the secondary antagonist (as well as the final boss) of the original ...
How do you bond with D dog? ›Simply take DD out on missions and let him do his normal work and the bond level will increase quickly.
Why can't Quiet speak English? ›
For those of you who don't know, Quiet who is infected with a version of the vocal cord parasite similar to the one that caused an epidemic at mother base. This strain lies in wait within the vocal cords and activates on and affects people who speak a specific language in particular. In Quiet's case, it was English.
Can Quiet come back? ›On the seventh playthrough, the game temporarily retitles her mission as, "[Reunion] Cloaked In Silence" and this is the prime opportunity to regain your Buddy. When the mission is complete, she will be found once again at Mother Base.
Is Quiet gone forever? ›Introduction: After completing Mission 45, You will lose track of Quiet and thus not be able to use her as buddy. However, with later patches it is now possible to bring her back to the Motherbase and further use her as a buddy.
Why do Quiet leave snakes? ›Snake had to shoot his men on the quarantine platform because if they die, birds eat their corpses and spread the English vocal cord parasite. But at the end, Quiet leaves after her vocal cord parasites are activated.
What is Raiden's name Metal Gear? ›Raiden (Japanese: 雷電), real name Jack (ジャック, Jakku), is a fictional character and one of the protagonists of Konami's Metal Gear series of action-adventure stealth video games.
How do you bond with Quiet? ›Quiet's Skills
To increase the bond percentage, take Quiet on missions/Side Ops and let her do all the work for you. The more enemies she shoots and commands given by Snake, the higher her level increases. To use Quiet's "Scout" or "Attack" abilities, bring her on a mission and then open the iDroid menu.
6 AM-MRS-73 NL
This sniper rifle is the best choice for non-lethal, stealthy take-downs. This gun fires tranquilizer ammunition at great range. As a tranq gun, it doesn't have the range or power of the Brennan LRS-46; however, it's not fair to compare the two since they are designed for different purposes.
Your game progress is automatically saved when you reach specific points in the game (checkpoints). *To exit the game, select QUIT GAME from the Title Menu while the save icon is not showing.
How do you beat the boss non lethally in mgs3? ›Trick is to when she rushes you, press O(or is it □?) Right when you hear snake grunt. It will stun the boss so you can roll into her. Alternatively you could grab her with your hands and push her down to the ground.
Does MGSV have multiple endings? ›Some Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain missions have alternate endings. For example, in MGS 5 Mission 4 C2W Snake is charged with destroying a communications array. However, if the array has already been destroyed completely in previous roaming, an alternate version of the Mission starting cutscene will play.
Which mgs is Quiet in? ›
Created by Hideo Kojima, designed by Yoji Shinkawa, and based on and voiced by Stefanie Joosten, Quiet appears in the 2015 action-adventure stealth game, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain as one of the game bosses opposing the protagonist Venom Snake, but can also become an ally who can go on missions with him.
What is the true ending of MGSV? ›The bandaged man who helps you escape the hospital is the original Big Boss. The assault ends when the two Snakes escape in an ambulance, which then crashes. The real Big Boss gets out first, meets up with Ocelot and leaves, exiting the entire game to go set up his own private nation.
Why does The Boss fight Snake? ›Understanding that she had to give her life and even eternally sacrifice her reputation for her country, in order to save the world from nuclear war, The Boss confronted Snake shorty after he made landfall, and got into a CQC fight with him, with the apparent purpose of discouraging him from continuing his mission.
What does the Snake camo do? ›Snake has it at the beginning of the game. Originally, it was intended to give psychological shocks to the enemy during hostage-rescue operations and not be used as camouflage, but it provides excellent camouflage at night as well as any dark environments.
Is phantom pain unfinished? ›Kojima made some crazy promises during MGS5's development. Fans were eager for these, but sadly never got them in the game. It should come as no surprise by now that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, was an unfinished product.