Currently this thread is being made before the actual release of TPP, but due to seemingly real leaks of strategy guides and even copies of the game(?) I feel it necessary for us to have a safe space for discussion. Now we can be dirty little spoiler knowing twerps without ruining anyone's fun.
These are some of the things that I have gathered from reading the MGS Reddit.
- The new Metal Gear ST 84 is like a humanoid mech during later portions of the game and is even a usable vehicle. (Really cool images in the strategy guide.)
- The player character is Ishmael who's actual identity is still kind of a mystery, but you use a character creator to make his appearance.
- There is a vocal cord virus that is a major story driving factor. Skullface's ace up his sleeve I'd guess.
- The long rumored Psycho Mantis character has some weird gynecological connection to Big Boss or Ishmael or something, (I know this is super vague but ¯\(°_o)/¯.
- 50 main missions with 150 optional.
- The guide keeps referring to Ishmael and Ahab as two different characters and I gather that one is the real Big Boss and another is not. (also some weirdness with this and the Venom Snake and Punished Snake personas.)
All of this might be bullshit and speculation, but none of it seems too out there for Kojima and Metal Gear.
Also here's a bonus one that I think is nonsense:
- Quiet isn't male or female, but an early Skullface experiment and her(?) breasts are actually tumors from the weird infection that Skullface is using. Yeah, I'm hesitant to believe that.
Join in on the fun and just know that as of now this all may be real or this all may be nonsense.
(I know I have skipped over a ton of the spoilers but these are the things that have stuck with me.)
EDIT: Reddit user thabtoUK has done a good job collecting everything and making a easy to read list, all credit goes to thabtoUK linked here:
Just to refresh, the official Italian version of the The Phantom Pain guide printed by Piggyback states the following points.
This information is taken from these pictures:
Videos proving the validity of the these pictures can also be seen here, where information has additionally been taken from:
I am semi-fluent in Italian and have personally translated these points myself from the pictures in the link.
Other native Italian speakers have also verified the below points.
Thanks to Crossing Eden, Sickboy007, DevilFox over on NeoGaf and Sangivstheworld and Damnfiddles on here for further translating, organising and bullet pointing some of this information.
GENERAL
Avatar creation is for the online elements only.
The are 50 main missions.
There are 157 side missions.
The alternate name of the ST-84 Metal Gear is confirmed to be the Sahelathropus.
The ST-84 Metal Gear has 6 body parts. Every part has its own life bar and destroying each part gives different advantages.
Zero orders Dr. Strangelove, who now works for DARPA, to develop The Patriots' AI to keep his control over the world.
In the penultimate mission of the main story, you must make contact with and recover Code Talker. Code Talker is being guarded by The Skulls.
The final mission of the main story is against the Metal Gear controlled by "The Third Child".
The "Man on Fire" is Volgin. You have to get recover his body in Chapter 2.
The guide says it's safe to assume that Eli is Liquid Snake.
SKULLFACE
The guide states that Skullface is main antagonist of Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain and that he was born in Hungary, where his parents worked in a secret weapons factory.
During the bombing of the weapons factory he was knocked down and trampled dalta terrified crowds fleeing in search of safety, causing serious injuries.
Abandoned in critical condition and without any possibility of cure with conventional means, he survived thanks to the innovative therapy with parasites. However, this therapy also it caused his deformation and damage to his nervous system, meaning he can no longer feel pain.
He was then recruited in secret by Major Zero and his mandate with the XOF unit was to watch over Big Boss and make sure that the important missions didn't fail. This includes Operation Snake Eater from Metal Gear Solid 3.
Working for Zero and watching over Big Boss for many years lead to him resenting the two of them, particularly Zero.
Skullface Mother Base in 1975 during the events of Ground Zeroes and tries to kill Big Boss by implanting bombs inside Paz
When Skullface discovers that Zero and Strangelove are developing The Partriot AI, he develops a parasite that infects peoples' voice box. This parasite is developed by Code Talker, who has the cure, but does want to share it.
Because of the information supplied by Paz at the end of Ground Zeroes, Skullface finds Zero and infects him with the parasite This causes Zero to slowly go into a vegetive state.
Skullface plans to spread the parasite using the ST-84 Metal Gear.
Skullface nearly completes his plan, but his overthrown by "The Third Child" after Mantis becomes enraged by Eli's presence in the XOF helicopter.
Skullface is crushed by the ST-84 Metal Gear and Miller and Big Boss decide to leave him to die, so he can suffer.
However, Huey ignores this idea and finally kills Skullface.
BIG BOSS/AHAB
The guide strongly suggests through clues that the Medic from Ground Zeroes is the version of Big Boss who awakens from the coma in the hospital. This version of Big Boss is know as Ahab.
The guide notes that Big Boss and the Medic have similar voices, so he is a strong candidate for being the version of Big Boss/Ahab that awakens from the coma in hospital.
The guide also says that the Big Boss we see on the operating table in the "Don't you die on me dammit!" scene from the trailers does not have shrapnel in his head. The guide suggests that the Medic is the person to mostly have the shrapnel in his head, while also being the same hospital room, as he protected Big Boss from the Paz's bomb blast in the chopper in Ground Zeroes.
The guide says that the version of Big Boss/Ahab that awakens for the coma in hospital has a DNA test done with Eli. Their DNA does not match. The guide goes on to state that Eli is a clone of the real Big Boss, their DNA should match, which again gives a glue to Ahab's identity.
The guide notes that when Eli asks Ocelot where his father is, Ocelot replies that "Your father isn't here". This is despite the fact that Ahab is watching their conversation behind a two-way mirror.
ISHMAEL
The guide doesn't say who Ishmael definitely say who Ishmeal is. Konami and Kojima Production asked Piggyback, the creators of the guide, not ti reveal it. Ishmael identity is revealed in an optional mission after the main story has ended.
Huey is not sure of the version of Big Boss/Ahab's identity when he first meets him.
It does however, go over some fan theories and gives clues towards the true identity of Ishmael.
The guide discusses the theory that Ishmael is imaginary. It says that this can't be the case as Quiet sees Ishmael when she comes to assassinate the version of Big Boss/Venom Snake/Ahab that awakens for the coma in hospital.
The guide says that the fact that there are "The Star of Bethlehem" lilies in the Ishmael's and the version of Big Boss/Ahab that awakens for the coma's room is a strong clue to the real identity of Ishmael. The states that these were The Boss' were hold a significance to The Boss.
When Ahab sees the ghost of Paz the first time at Mother Base, he has an hallucination where there are clearly two versions of Big Boss on the chopper.
QUIET
Quiet's hearing is ten times more sensitive than normal soldiers.
Her vision is unaffected by time of day, so there is no difference in her sight between night and day.
Quiet leaves you after mission 43 and to finish her story you will have to find her after the main one is over.
Quiet goes to the hospital to kill Big Boss at the start of the game and speaks while doing so. She specifically says "Not yet. The patient in the next bed saw my face" in regards to if she has assassinated the version of Big Boss/Ahab that awaken's from a coma the hospital.
Water has a negative affect of Quiet's powers.
If you spray Quiet with water she will "writhe", because the parasites inside her are absorbing the water. She also reacts to rain.
THE SKULLS
The are three versions of The Skulls; A fog Version, an armoured version and a camouflage version.
All versions of The Skulls have health that slowly regenerate over time.
Like Quiet, they also have a negative reaction water and rain.
You can fulton every type of Skull, leading to different rewards.
Like Quiet they have perfect vision during the night time and you can you can hear them breathing if you listen aiming with using one of thier sniper rifles.
Destroying the "fog version"'s body parts to rapidly reduce their health and resistance.
Fultoning the "armoured version" will reward with parasite enhanced armour.
- Fultoning the "camouflage version" leads to the creation of items that grant the player 30 seconds on invisibility.
The "camouflage version"'s body parts can't be destroyed, so headshots are the most useful way to defeat these skulls.
THE ENDING
NOTE: The excerpt of the guide that this translation is taken from does not clearly state which "Big Boss" is being referred to.
The guide states that at the end of The Phantom Pain, the parasite that mutates peoples' vocal chords infects Mother Base. This forces Big Boss to exterminate his soldiers to prevent a global catastrophe.
He continues by saying that although he takes on this responsibility without any apparent remorse, it's impossible from him to ignore the that he has contributed to these events. This causes him to unleash his "inner demon".
The guide states Big Boss becomes the antagonist gradually, slowly consumed by what happens to him until all that is left is his obsession.
After these events, Big Boss is more determined than ever to reinforce his troops, with the aim of forming a nation free from the governments' hegemony, a dream he will be on the verge of realising in the 1990's.
BOSS FIGHTS
The Skulls
Fog Version - Missions 1 and 6.
Armoured Version - Missions 16, 29 and (And 37, 42 on Extreme Difficulty Only).
Camouflage Version - Missions 28 and 46.
Quiet
Mission 11 (And 40 on Extreme Difficulty Only)
The "Man on Fire"
Prologue and Mission 20
Eli
Mission 23 (and Optional Mission 113).
Sahelanthropous(Metal Gear ST-84)
Missions 12 and 31 (And Mission 50 on Extreme Difficulty Only)
MUSIC TAPES
The map from the guide also confirms that these are some of the music tapes that are collectable from different locations.
These are additional to some of the other music tapes that have already been confirmed:
Laid Back - White Horse
Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science
Ultravox - Dancing With Tears in My Eyes
Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
Japan - Quiet Life
Gloria - Laura Branigan
Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Right Round (Like a Record)
Patti LaBelle - I'm In Love
Cynhtia Harrell - Snake Eater
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