Metal Gear Solid 5 - Prologue Awakening: Ishmael, hospital,and Ocelot
Our complete walkthrough for Metal Gear Solid 5.
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain Prologue Awakening is a one-off mission that starts you on your adventure.
After the intro cutscene, and regain consciousness in your hospital bed, wiggle the control stick up and down to nod your head and give some indication that you're still alive. Follow the good doctor's instructions to look up (well done!) then enter your name and birthday to continue.
Prologue: Awakening
When you awaken again, you'll be briefed on your current physical state - so let the sequence play through and give yourself a brand-new face (and hairdo) when prompted to do so. Now you're free to sit back and watch the lengthy scene unfold.
Escape the hospital with Ishmael
After your assailant has been thwarted, follow the prompts to crawl across the floor toward Ishmael's position. Proceed along the corridor and let the explosive scene play out once you near the elevator.
When the fiery intruder has been extinguished, continue toward Ishmael until you're back on your feet. From here on out, progress is thankfully much swifter, so keep close to your companion and follow him into the next room. When prompted, adopt a prone position and proceed cautiously.
As soon as the coast is clear, slip toward the open doorway ahead. Next, get back onto your feet and continue along the corridor. You'll need to make a run for it as you near the end of the hall, so be prepared to sprint.
On the other side of the doorway, begin working your way down the stairwell until you spot the torch beams roaming across the walls. Several hostiles are making their way toward your position, so quickly turn around and rejoin Ishmael on the upper landing.
Begin pushing through the crowd of hospital workers and, once you reach the next room, quickly duck beneath the curtained cubicle to your immediate left. Hang tight until the guard has investigated the cubicle ahead, then quickly move forward before he reaches your position.
Play dead among the corpses
Once you're back in control, slip out from beneath the curtain and follow Ishmael into the next corridor. You'll need to blend in with the corpses littering the ground to avoid being spotted, so quickly lie prone on the floor. When the action resumes a short while later, deal with your injury as instructed, then turn around and follow Ishmael through the open gate.
Continue down the stairwell and stop when the flames prevent you from descending any further. Wait for Ishmael to open the door nearby, then follow him through into the next area.
Duck behind the pillar to the left in order to avoid the advancing soldier and, once the cut-scene is over, prepare to wield your newly-acquired pistol.
Break out of the burning building
Enter aim mode and shoot at the fire extinguisher further along the corridor in order to clear a path through the flames. Note that you're able to switch between first and third-person perspective at will when taking a shot. Once the route is clear, locate your companion and sprint on over.
Two soldiers lie in wait around the corner, so take them out with a couple of shots to the head. Use cover and adjust your stance to afford more protection if necessary.
Follow the trail of blood along the corridor and then, once the action resumes, carefully slip toward the guard facing away from you and fire a bullet at his skull. Next, approach the broken banister ahead and eliminate the two guards investigating the area below.
There are two more hostiles in the area, so quickly find some cover and take them out before they can move in on your position. When the coast is clear, descend the staircase and proceed across the lobby toward the main hospital entrance.
As soon as the action resumes, one of the large flaming creatures from earlier on will attempt to hunt you down. As he move toward your location (thankfully very slowly) give him the slip and sprint toward the now-blocked main entrance.
After the next enemy assault has been thwarted, exit the building through the gaping hole in the wall. Finally, take aim as the burning creature advances to bring the sequence to a dramatic close.
Need help with The Phantom Pain? Our Metal Gear Solid 5 guide and walkthrough explains how to complete every main story mission, and explains their many optional objectives. We also have lists of Blueprint locations, Tape locations, Key Item locations, how to unlock S Ranks and a Metal Gear Solid 5 Achievement and Trophy list.
Ride your horse and flee the fiery giant
When you've escaped your vehicle's wreckage and hopped onto your steed, you'll need to deal with the flaming giant that immediately gives chase, galloping straight toward you.
Aim your shotgun at the approaching enemy and begin emptying rounds whenever it draws near. Keep shooting to hold off the creature's advances, and don't let your guard down for a minute. Even if it seems like the coast is clear, your target will mount one last surprise attack and you don't want to be caught unprepared. Successfully complete the sequence to bring the prologue to a close.
After all that excitement, you're able to sit back and relax as the credits play out and you're reintroduced to Ocelot for a whacking great big heap of exposition.
Eventually - after a quick tote on an e-cigarette - you'll reach Afghanistan - and you're now equipped with a new cybernetic arm. As a bonus, you'll also receive the Ocelot's Briefing [1], The Man on Fire [1] and Music Tape 2 cassette tapes, plus the Front: Flames 01 emblem as rewards.
- The next part of our walkthrough explains how to complete the Phantom Limbs mission.