I beat this game a while back. It definately has the best control scheme of all of them, once you unlearn the controls from the first three games (which I played for the first time just before playing MGS4). The game's graphics are amazing, the story is good, and I really like taking everything from your last run-through with you for the next. Despite all that, I still think MGS3 had a better storyline.

My first run-through, on Solid Normal, I got eagle, panther, lobster, inch-worm, and one other in 30 hours. I mostly used the M4 with a scope paired with a P90 for when things got hairy. For boss fights, I usually brought out the machine guns. I used sniper rifles a few times, but honestly usually the M4 with the scope was good enough. Halfway through Act 5, I finally bought my new best friend, the Barret light-fifty in bullpup configuration. This gun is a one shot take down or knock down (depending on where you hit the enemy) from across the map, is effective against anything that moves, fires off its 10 rounds fast enough to take down a mob of enemies before they can do much of anything, and is even effective no-scoping. Why would I need any other gun? (I should note, however, that I am constantly buying ammo for it since you won't find any on the field of battle and you can only hold 100 rounds)

I'm currently running through a second time on Big Boss Hard, looking for stuff I missed on my first run (like the chaff grenades, apparently :rolleyes: ). Doesn't really feel much more difficult, though, once I got to the Mk. II and got all my gear back. With my M82A2, the opposition is easily dealt with. So far, I'm to the boss fight in Act 2. I have found use for one late gun from the first run-through: the rail gun is a better way to get rid of helicopters than RPGs that can miss.

I thought the beauty and the beasts had fucking annoying voices from hell :p.

You definitely have made me want this game MORE than I did previously.

So you won't feel so bad about killing the poor abused girls? As far as the B&B squad goes, I should add that while they have the same names as the FOXHOUND members from MGS1, the fights are quite different. Also, while I used the machine gun in my first run though, apparently the fights are beatable using completely non-lethal means. While for the no-kills badges I think you only have to finish them off non-lethaly, to unlock some gun you have to complete the main fight for all 4 B&B as well as the "frog" event with RAT PT 01 in act 1 non-lethally to collect 5 statues. I don't expect you can complete the main fight for many of the B&B non-lethally without using recovery items, though. Also note that if you finish them non-lethally you collect their heads as camo options, I think.

The railgun kicks ass. It's pwnage on a stick.

The railgun is only okay. The long charge time is what kills it. Versus anything squishy, the M82A2 is definately superior. Versus anything that isn't going to give you a chance to charge, it's almost useless. I've taken down armor with the M82A2 before, and it really wasn't that hard; Irvings should go down within a clip, gun turrets may take more. Remember, the M82 is an anti-materiel weapon, which means that its primary duty is destruction of equipment from a distance, which is the same duty as a rail gun; the difference is that in the time you get off one fully charged shot with the railgun, the M82 could probably empty its 10 round magazine twice.

I've confirmed the thing about non-lethality in the B&B fights. If you use non-lethal takedown during the main fight, there will be a statue to collect during the finishing stage (it may or may not be near where you start). If you use non-lethal takedown to finish her, you get their face as a camo option. I'd like to take this opportunity to say that non-lethal takedown during the Raven fight was quite long and annoying.

Also, I found out that you can press square during mission briefings to control the Mk. II for fun and profit. Press triangle and L2 for a better view.

Agreed. It'd would only be better if it had tits and was on fire.

Wait... that's that one gun from Painkiller that shoots shurikens and lightning.

I borrowed a PS3 so I could beat this game, and I beat it twice (second time on TB Extreme). I definately used the M82A2 for almost everything on my second runthrough, except the railgun for gekkos and occasionally the grenade launcher. I enjoyed the gameplay (camo is actually useful!) but the plot was lacking. The cutscenes were kind of intrusive too... there's really only about 30-40 minutes of actual gameplay in Act 5. Oh well, still a good game.

I just finished my second run-through on Big Boss Hard. The only thing that felt a lot harder was the final fight with Liquid.

I think you mean, "the final fight with Ocelot"

Ha ha ha

No, the MGS3 part of the fight was easy either way. It was only the MGS1 and MGS2 segments which got stupid. Also, I was trying to avoid spoilers.

Don't worry, means nothing to me yet. :p

19 hours, and I'm following someone through the start of Act 3.

Something that escaped me there is that you can apparently avoid a lot of hassle by pretending to be Otacon or Campbell. Of couse, part of that might have been that it also escaped me that you could get their faces by bumping into them during the mission briefing...

I've got the Otacon one (and Raiden with an open visor), but not the Campbell one - is that in the Act 4 briefing?

I'll try it with Otacon after I've downloaded the new Firmware update.

You can also use the beauty masks and everybody will get the hots for you. The guy you're following says "looking for a real man?"

It's pretty funny

Hahaha. I'll have to try that on my second run through. :p

Something that's been bugging me - is there any way to check what things you've unlocked? Things like emblems? I can't find anything under the Start Menu.

You can check your progress toward them in the mission briefing. Just go to mission briefing and open your save then select a mission briefing. Your stats will be displayed on the orange ribbon near the bottom of the screen. You can also gain items for the main game in this manner. Campbell is in the Act 1 briefing.

I just checked last night and found that you can watch your ammo deplete in the magazine when using the P90 in first person mode. The next question is if you can see it on your enemies' guns.

Can't say I noticed any difference with the Otacon face... then again, I did go around with my silenced M4, and eventually the RPG for the vehicles.

A stealth game it may be, but stealth doesn't have to be all shadows and camoflauge. As long as they don't see you before you empty a magazine into the back of their head, or blow their vehicle sky high then, well, that counts as stealth, right?

Raging Raven woman next. Ack.

Raven is a huge pain if you try to kill her non-lethally during the beast form. She moves arround too much and the only wide area stun weapon is the shotgun with v-ring shells (which I totally never realized untill I was reading up on technique for the final b&b fight)