Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain strategy guide appears online

As transcribed by the glorious Puscifer (any blanks […] means the word could not be deciphered):

	Mission Tasks	Type	Details
I	Prepare Kazuhira Miller's whereabouts	Optional	There are two intel files that reveal the information, but you can only[…]interact with one of those.
II	Extract Kazuhira Miller	Mandatory	Must be accomplished within four in-game days since the mission has begun.
III	Extract the commander from West(?) Sand Barracks	Optional	Easy to recognise. Look to his distinctive red beret.
IV	Complete the mission without being discovered by the Skulls.]	Optional	Can be accomplished early on a second playthrough.
V	Secure the rough diamonds hidden in Spugmag(?) Keep.	Optional	Found close to your starting position.
VI	Extract the transport truck driver.	Optional	Found in Wallo Village before he departs.

Notes

• First Playthrough: Aim to complete Mission Tasks I, II and V. Avoiding detection by the Skulls (IV) is ridiculously simple on a return visit, so don't trouble yourself with it now. II and VI are impossible until you unlock the Fulton Recovery Unit.

• If you have yet to read the Primer(?) chapter, we strongly advise that you do so now. One vital lesson is that crawling is the key to remaining unseen during infiltrations. Whenever you spot enemies in the vicinity, get in the habit of crawling most of the time, crouch-walking for extra speed only when you are absolutely sure that no one is looking your way.

• Note that you won't be able to obtain intel from soldiers that you interrogate. To understand what they are saying when you hear their conversations until later, recruit an interpreter by completing a specific side op. See page ??? for details.

• You are free to use lethal and nonlethal methods to take down your opponents. Lethal methods permanently remove the victims from the[…], but have a negative impact on your mission score. Non-lethal methods are score-friendly, but the victim will regain consciousness after a time, which can be problematic. Whatever you opt for, always favor weapons equipped with a suppressor to avoid triggering the alarm whenever you fire – though place your shots carefully. The condition of a fitted suppressor will[…] each time you fire, leading them to eventually wear out entirely.

• The daylight cycle has a massive impact on how missions play out. Enemy shifts change at dusk and dawn, with the changes in visibility having a profound effect on the difficulty of infiltrations. See page ??? for further details on this system.

Walkthrough

1. Follow Ocelot's instructions to familiarize yourself with the binoculars, listen to intel, and place a marker. On subsequent attempts to complete this mission with a high score or to satisfy remaining Mission Task requirements, you can ignore these opening steps and skip directly to step 5(?).

2. Head to the hill to the south of Da Walo Kalla(?) and mark as many soldiers as you can with the binoculars. For distant enemies, adjust the zoom level accordingly.

The second page shows a map, with 3 tooltips on top of it. Going from top, to bottom left, to bottom right, it says:

• First tooltip: This is the commander, distinguished by his red beret. You need to extract him from West(?) Sand Barracks to fulfill the corresponding optional Mission Task. He patrols in a well-guarded area in the northern section of the base, so you will need to approach him carefully.
• Second tooltip: This is where the rough diamonds collectible required to complete the optional Mission Task is hidden, close to your […] position. To reach it, use the […] in the cliff to scale the wall.
• Third tooltip: In addition to the intel file available in Da Wallo Village, an […] document (with the exact same effects of […] Miller's location) can be found in the Eastern(?) Communications Outpost, inside the central building with the […] equipment. You can […] ignore them(?).

Lesson #03: Stealth & Infiltration

It can't be emphasized enough; stealth is the key to success in Metal Gear Solid V. Even more so than it was in all previous installments. Try to muscle your way through even the game's early missions and you'll soon be staring blankly at the "Mission Failed" screen, wondering what exactly you did wrong. The answer to that question, in most cases, is simple and forthright: you were careless, you were spotted, and now you are dead. Guards can exhibit remarkably clever behaviors, taking cover and cooperating efficiently with their colleagues during open conflict, making stealth more advisable than violence in almost every mission.

Certainly, there will be times when direct aggression is unavoidable – especially as it is hard to avoid detection while you scale the […] precipices of the MGSV learning curve – but it is nevertheless vital that you learn the art of sneaking. As you make progress, you'll realize how complex the game is, and that the tactical options available to you are incredibly varied. By taking the time to understand and practice the fundamentals of stealth at an early stage, you'll undoubtedly enjoy greater success in the long run.

Movement Speed & Stances

How you move and the stance you adopt is of paramount importance. Though there will be occasions when it's safe for you to sprint in plain sight without a care in the world, you'll usually find that it's best to adopt either the crouch walk or crawl stance whenever there are enemies within a 100m radius – and more if there are snipers operating in the area. Here is a description of the various stances, from the tactical and most visible to the slowest and stealthiest.

• Sprinting: Sprinting is achieved by tilting L in any direction, then clicking the stick button. This is the fastest way to move around by foot, and you will come to use it a lot when moving through unpopulated areas. However, this is also a stance that makes you highly visible and easily detectable by all nearby enemies, even those that can seem far away. During missions, it is a stance best left for unavoidable combat situations, emergency escapes, or when you're absolutely sure that the coast is clear. Essentially, if you know there is – or might be – even a single enemy in the vicinity, do not sprint at any time. Another application of sprinting during Reflex Mode, when you are spotted by a guard at very close range, this can enable you to charge towards your opponent while the slow motion effect is still active, and neutralize them him with CQC before he can raise the alarm or open fire. This can be achieved directly from a prone position, there is no need to manually stand up first.

• Running: Running is achieved by tilting L in any direction. This is slower than sprinting, but it makes you a little less blindingly obvious to enemies who might glance in your direction. Running is a stance that you can use in enemy facilities when you think you are in the clear (for example after marking or tranquilizing all enemies in a base), but cannot be entirely sure. If you have any doubt or if you see a white arc appear on your screen (indicating that a guard in the corresponding direction has noticed something suspicious) immediately crouch by pressing X/A or quick dive with […] to move to the prone stance. You can then carefully move into concealment before they recognize you.

• Walking: Slower movement speeds are achieved by tilting L slightly in any direction, using the analogue range of the stick to adjust your pace. This stance makes you less noisy than running, ideal for sneaking, but no less visible, so it is generally far better to crouch-walk.

• Crouch-walking: from a standing position, tap X/A once to crouch, then tilt L to crouch-walk. Tap the button again to stand back up, or hold it to lie down. Crouch-walking is a good compromise that you will come to favor in most infiltration situations. It is fast enough to facilitate(?) steady motion, yet, sufficiently stealthy to escape the gaze of a reasonably distant guard. Unless you are surprised by an enemy at close range, guards that notice you while you crouch-walk will usually become suspicious (which is indicated by a white circle indicator on your screen) but won't immediately raise the alarm. The moment you see this visual suspicion indicator, lie down or quick dive instantly and crawl away to safety. Crouch-walking is also the most appropriate stance when you quietly approach enemies from behind to hold them up with a weapon or restrain them with the CQC grab. However, don't forget to slow down as you near your quarry – full speed crouch-walking is rather noisy.

• Crawling: from a standing or crouching position, hold X/A to lie down, then tilt L to crawl. Press the button again to return to crouching position, or hold it to stand upright. Crawling is the slowest but safest stance in the game. It makes you effectively invisible to all but the closest guards at night, and must be used extensively while infiltrating bases during daylight hours, especially when you can make use of grass or foliage to remain unseen. For optimum stealth, tilt L slightly while prone to crawl at the slowest pace, or even stay still and press […] to play dead.

The Golden Rule

If you are going to remember one thing only regarding stealth, it should be this: you should be crouching, but ideally crawling at practically all times while infiltrating enemy positions. Though this may seem too slow or even counter-intuitive at first for players accustomed to fast-paced shooters, it really is the only way to remain stealthy (and therefore alive) in Metal Gear Solid V. If you see guards, or know that there are or might be guards around you, your reaction should be swift: crawl. Crawling makes you almost invisible to enemy eyes, especially at night, and is the only convenient way to complete mission objectives without constantly fighting for your life while claxons(?) […].

Your choice of stance and movement speed should always be determined by the proximity of enemies. The farther from you they are, the faster you can move. As a general guideline, trust your senses and let your ears be your guide as much as your eyes. If you consciously notice the sound of Big Boss rapidly pattering across a wooden floor, then a nearby enemy probably will too. Slow it down – and above all, be patient.

Lesson #06: Resources & Collectibles

The sheer quantity and variety of resources that Big Boss can find in the field or accumulate via Mother Base (and its associated enterprises) might seem baffling during the early hours of a first playthrough. Worry not, in essence, the vast majority of these can be regarded as currencies that are […] to obtain benefits from the […] in-game economy. They are not only the primary means by which you can unlock equipment, but they also […] and facilitate the expansion of Mother Base – which enhances your ability to accumulate and process further resources, wealth […].

The […] that underpin MGSV's engagement metagame generally consume or provide resources, but sometimes both. However, early in the story, the primary engine(?) for Mother base's economic growth is Big Boss's ability to accumulate resources during missions and free roam missions. If you are picking up or fulton-extracting everything that isn't nailed down whenever you can – and you really should – you'll reap the benefits.

Ok, let's start with the cover then slowly move into the content…

The strategy guide for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has appeared online and it reveales quite a bit of information. The game's first mission, maps and a couple lessons have been revealed through the strategy guide. Within each of those pages even more details of information have been gleaned, each has been transcribed from the blurry pages of the book.

Now, this is where you say "Thanks GameZone, I'll see you later," if you don't want to see any spoilers. On the next few pages of this post you will find images of the guide and the full transcription of the guide.

So be warned. Ok? BE WARNED.