Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty/Tanker

Optimal Routes

Any%

• VE/Easy/Normal

1. Aft Deck -> east hatch
2. Deck B crew's quarters -> west stairs
3. Deck C crew's quarters -> north stairs
4. Deck D crew's quarters -> south stairs
5. Deck E the bridge -> west hatch
6. Navigational deck port side (Olga)
7. Navigational deck wing -> west hatch
8. Deck E the bridge -> south stairs
9. Deck D crew's quarters -> north stairs
10. Deck C crew's quarters -> west stairs
11. Deck B crew's quarters -> east door
12. Deck A crew's lounge -> downstairs east door
13. Engine room -> northwest hatch
14. Deck 2 port -> east hatch
15. Deck 2 starboard -> south exit
16. Deck 2 starboard (Soldiers)
17. Hold 1 -> northwest door
18. Hold 2 -> northwest door
19. Hold 3 -> computer

• Hard/Extreme/EE

1. Aft Deck -> west hatch
2. Deck A crew's quarters -> east door
3. Deck A crew's lounge -> upstairs east door
4. Deck B crew's quarters -> west stairs
5. Deck C crew's quarters -> north stairs
6. Deck D crew's quarters -> south stairs
7. Deck E the bridge -> west hatch
8. Navigational deck port side (Olga)
9. Navigational deck wing -> west hatch
10. Deck E the bridge -> south stairs
11. Deck D crew's quarters -> north stairs
12. Deck C crew's quarters -> west stairs
13. Deck B crew's quarters -> east door
14. Deck A crew's lounge -> downstairs east door
15. Engine room -> northwest hatch
16. Deck 2 port -> east hatch
17. Deck 2 starboard -> south exit
18. Deck 2 starboard (Soldiers)
19. Hold 1 -> northwest door
20. Hold 2 -> northwest door
21. Hold 3 -> computer

100%

• Extreme

1. Aft Deck -> west hatch
2. Deck A crew's quarters -> east door
3. Deck A crew's lounge -> upstairs east door
4. Deck B crew's quarters -> west stairs
5. Deck C crew's quarters -> north stairs
6. Deck D crew's quarters -> south stairs
7. Deck E the bridge -> west hatch
8. Navigational deck port side (Olga)
9. Navigational deck wing -> west hatch
10. Deck E the bridge -> west hatch
11. Navigational deck wing -> east hatch
12. Deck E the bridge -> south stairs
13. Deck D crew's quarters -> north stairs
14. Deck C crew's quarters -> west stairs
15. Deck B crew's quarters -> east door
16. Deck A crew's lounge -> west hatch
17. Deck A crew's quarters -> west hatch
18. Aft Deck -> west hatch
19. Deck A crew's quarters -> east door
20. Deck A crew's lounge -> downstairs east door
21. Engine room -> northwest hatch
22. Deck 2 port -> east hatch
23. Deck 2 starboard -> south exit
24. Deck 2 starboard (Soldiers)
25. Hold 1 -> upper northeast door
26. Hold 2 -> upper northeast door
27. Hold 3 -> southeast door
28. Hold 2 -> southwest door
29. Hold 1 -> northwest door
30. Hold 2 -> northwest door
31. Hold 3 -> computer

Tricks

• Projector avoidance

Methods of dealing with the projector:

1. Crawl under it (yeah, right).
2. Press Tr next to the box to turn the guards around, and use the other exit.
3. Equip a box to run underneath it.
4. Run past, very close to the southern line of marines.

• Hold 2 progression via left side

The normal route for Hold 2 is to travel along the right side of the area. The left side has two metal boxes with marines standing very close.

While the marines are looking to the right, if you squeeze past them, you'll touch them and they'll turn clockwise to look south. As long as you don't stick around this is no problem. Alternatively, do a running hold-up and they'll lean forward enough for you to squeeze through without touching them.

• Hold 1/2 upper exits

You can make it to the upper exits with Lv.1 grip. You must have full Life.

• MARINES photo from distance

You can take the MARINES photo from the same location you would take the front-right photo from (near the computer). First, make sure that you are behind the metal box. If you look closely you should be able to see the white logo on a circular area at the left side of Ray. The box should be right in front of you while you're pointing at it. Stay zoomed out and take a photo centred on the logo.

• Crawlspace clip

No real use has been found for this glitch yet. Find a spot where, tight to one corner of the wall is a crawlspace, and the other side is long enough to press against it and slide /away/ from the corner. Press against it, crouch, and start to slide away, then tap R2 repeatedly as quickly as possible to equip/unequip your weapon. Snake will start to move in the opposite direction, and into the crawlspace. Once you're far enough, you'll clip through or on top of the obstacle if there was one, or will go out of bounds.