The Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain prologue mission, Awakening, functions as a basic tutorial for movement and action in the game. As the game opens, follow the onscreen prompts for basic camera movement, etc.
However, it does have two optional mission tasks that can be fulfilled to achieve a higher rank:
TASKS:
1: Complete the mission without triggering reflex mode.
2. Complete the mission without letting the Man on Fire attack even once.
When prompted fill out your Avatar name, and birthday (this will result in a cut-scene later in the game if you return to your Mother Base on that day). Create your avatar character for Metal Gear Online, and then the game's actual tutorial begins.
After Ishmael injects you with some meds (video: 18:00), you will begin to be able to move. In this section Snake is locked to an on-rails path on which he can crawl, so just push the stick in the direction of Ishmael until he gives you other instructions, and enjoy the cinematics.
After crawling through a hospital room with another set of cut-scenes--once you have more control over Snake hug the wall when Ishmael tells you to avoid the search light, and make sure not to get caught in the beam. (video: 28:10).
Follow Ishmael down the stairs, then back up to avoid the soldiers, and push forward through the crowd looking for him. (video: 30:30).
In the next ward you can hide behind any of the curtained partitions. The guard will move from one to the next, shooting the patients. Just make sure you avoid getting caught. The easiest way to do this is to just follow Ishmael. (video: 31:35).
In the next section crawl and follow Ishmael (if you crouch or stand you will be killed by soldiers) and follow his instructions to enter Stealth Mode (pushing the Action Button while lying on the ground without moving). (34:40).
After the cinematic, use the action button to heal yourself, and follow Ishmael until you get a gun, and complete the basic shooting tutorial by shooting a fire extinquisher. (video: 41:30). Ishmael will tell you he'll shoot one of the two soldiers after this, but you'll need to shoot them both.
The next section is the first standard gameplay section, that gives you a good idea of what to expect from the game (video: 43:00). It's also where the first task can be completed:
TASK 1: Complete the mission without triggering reflex mode:
If you want to fulfill the optional Mission objective you can try to stealthily kill all the enemies--which I do in my playthrough by shooting the first in the head, then crawling across the upper stairs and dropping down on the far side of the room.
Alternatively, if you just avoid the soldier, you can hug the wall to the left and remain completely undetected. You can crawl towards the exit area after dropping down from the far side. If you remain crouched, or crawl behind the enemy soldier down below and wait for him to move away, you can head towards the entrance without engaging in any combat at all.
If you want to ensure you will complete Task 1--even if spotted--you can go into the options menu, select GAMEPLAY and turn off reflex mode, making it impossible to enter the mode. Not entering reflex increases the score, but also very heavily increases gameplay difficulty.
After a cut-scene you will have control of Snake again, avoid the Man on Fire and head towards the exit. When prompted hit the Quick Dive button (video: 47:20). After another cut scene, head towards the exit again.
After a series of exciting cinematics, Ocelot will hand you a shotgun to hold off the Man of Fire while being pursued on horseback (video: 54:10). This brings us to Task 2.
TASK 2: Complete the mission without letting the Man on Fire attack even once.
While it may be tempting to do what I do in the video, and attack the Man on Fire relentlessly--firing whenever you have an open shot--if you do so there's a good chance he'll be able to score a hit while you're reloading.
If you pay attention to Ocelot, he'll eventually tell you to shoot The Man on Fire just before he's about to attack. You'll be able to tell he's about to shoot one of his bullet/flame blasts because he'll stretch his arm out, just before attacking.The easiest way to complete this task is to shoot him only when he gets too close or is readying his attack. He'll still fire off a blast, but it will miss you and won't count against the task.
After holding him off enjoy the final cinematic for this mission!
Explore the galaxy in the franchise's first open-world game.
