Table of Contents

MGS:PO New Game + Any% Routes & Guide

v1.14 by MarlonH81)


Goal: Complete the game as fast as possible with any previously collected equipment & personnel at your disposal

Pre-Run

Useful Knowledge

Noteworthy Techniques and Notations

Soldier & Equipment Setup

Unlike New Game runs, NG+ runs allow you to optimize your setup over as many playthroughs as necessary before starting your timed run. Things including, but not limited to having the best Soldier Types, Careers, Stats & Skills, their individual Equipment or even their positioning within the Teams to minimize time spent menuing during the run.
This guide and its routes often require the runner to have the best possible combination for any scenario at hand. Legitimately setting up a fully optimized save will take 100+ hours and take you through hundreds of recruitments due to the extremely rare nature of getting ideal Career combinations such as Athlete (increased run speed) + Gambler (~10% chance to double your damage per shot), along with a decent amount of Life and the right Stats.
The New Game + Master Save [PAL] prepared by MarlonH8 has all this taken care of already. It's optimized to the theoretical maximum for all difficulties.

This “ideal” setup can be cross-referenced below:

Sneaking Unit Important Careers Important Stats/Skills Equipment Used on
Team Alpha resets upon starting NG+
Team Bravo
Officer (F) B-1 [EASY/NORMAL] Athlete + Gambler Life, Sniper Rifle, Traps [Mosin N] [TNT] [Med Kit L] [C Box] WS/Python
USSR B-2 Athlete / [/] [/] [/] [C Box] RL1
Filler B-3 / / [/] [/] [/] [/] /
USSR B-4 Athlete Traps [/] [TNT] [/] [C Box] SD2, RB1, SD3, RL2, RB2, HB
Team Charlie
Any C-1 Athlete + Gambler Life, >= A Handgun, Sniper Rifle [SAA] [SVD] [Med Kit L] [Body Armor]2) Gene
Filler C-2 / / [/] [/] [/] [/] /
USSR C-3 Athlete Heavy Weapons [RPG-7] [Ammo HEAT] [Med Kit L] [C Box] PT/RAXA
(OPEN) - - - -
Team Delta
FOX D-1 Athlete + Gambler Sniper Rifle/Heavy Weapons [M63] [SVD] [Med Kit L] [C Box] A, SE1/Null1, PS1, PS2/Null2, SE3
FOX D-2 Athlete >= B CQC [/]3) [Chaff G] [/] [C Box] SC
Officer (F) D-4 [EXTREME] Athlete + Gambler Life, Sniper Rifle, Traps [Mosin N] [TNT] [Med Kit L] [C Box]4) WS/Python
USSR A-1 Athlete + Rescuer >= A CQC, Throwing Weapons, Traps [Mk22] [TNT] [Stun G] [C Box] SD1, HPT, SPB2, SB, SE2, RB3, GH, R, Cunningham
Other Key Members Important Careers Important Stats/Skills
Independent: Slot 1
Tech-1 (Any) Not Elite Engineer/Engineer >= A Technical
All: Slots 1, 2, 3
Spy-1 (Ursula/Any) / 100/90 Sense
Spy-2 (Venus/Any) / >= 65 Sense
Spy-3 (Null/Any) / >= 60 Sense

Notes Regarding Difficulty-Specific Strategies

While the main route presented in this guide is based on EXTREME Difficulty, the majority of these strategies and routes work identically on their EASY & NORMAL counterparts.
If there are alternatives available to any Difficulty, they will be marked by their respective tags (e.g., [EASY-only], [EASY/NORMAL-only], [EXTREME] etc.).
All of the occurences relating to the main route are also listed below:

Stage Difficulty Routing Change
Pre-SPB1 Briefing EASY/NORMAL No need to swap a member onto D-4
Supply Depot I. EASY Usually free instant knockout due to lower guard stats → The “Slam Route” is the preferred option
Warhead Storage EASY/NORMAL No surveillance cam → Go with “Team Bravo's Swapless Vent OOB Route”
Airport EASY No terminal guard at the top → “Safe Lure Route” is an option now
Silo Complex EASY No additional guard in front of locked door #2 → Use the “Direct & Safe Route”
Silo Complex (NTSC) EASY/NORMAL Different Key location → “NTSC Key Route” is the appropriate substitute

All bosses deal less damage, but otherwise behave in the exact same manner on EASY & NORMAL, as opposed to EXTREME. The other important difference lies in the amount of health & stamina that you can drain per hit.
This is generally5) increased by at least 100% on NORMAL and 200% on EASY. All in all, these changes alone already enable EASY speedruns to finish over 100 seconds earlier than a run on EXTREME Difficulty would.

[I] Escape & Diversionary Operations

[1.1] Prison

Standard Route

Further Information & Strategies

Double Handle Grab

You can skip one of the cell door handle grab animations here. In order to do that, you need to run towards the door's handle in a way that places yourself just out of range to normally initiate the door opening animation when pressing the action button.
If properly executed, this precise trick makes one handle grab count as two or more and therefore advances Snake straight to the text box. The skip was discovered by Pythonicus during his first full speedrun!

[1.2] Comm Base I.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Swap Snake with “USSR A-1” Square ↑ Square
[EXTREME] Swap Snake with “Officer (F) D-4” Square ↑ Square
Select Soviet Patrol Base
Fast forward Dialogue
Start Mission

[2] Soviet Patrol Base I.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Supply Depot
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Alpha & start Mission

Further Information & Strategies

Cutscene/Text Triggers

Cutscene or Text Triggers like the one here temporarily block you from moving. If you enter the trigger area with a roll, your animation will carry you a bit further.

Alternative Routes

Crate Roll Route (<1s timesave) Ultimate Precision Route (2+s timesave)
Semi-precise optimization Near TAS-like precision needed! - not recommended!

[3] Supply Depot I.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Comm Base
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Comm Base
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Bravo & start Mission

Further Information & Strategies

Truck Recruitment Positioning

Make sure to not drag soldiers too close to the truck's rear. Snake will always go towards a fixed spot, which is a certain distance behind the truck.
If you entered the trigger zone from an unfavorable position, you could lose valuable seconds due to longer animations.

Why Supply Depot?

While the game recommends you to go to the Soviet Patrol Base, you can actually visit any of the available stages to complete this recruitment mission.
We're simply recruiting this soldier on this stage, because he is closer to our truck and therefore faster to drag there than anyone else. The TNT pickup is an added bonus.

Alternative Routes

[EASY-only] Slam Route (1+s timesave)
Possible timesave on EASY due to usually much lower soldier stats

[4] Comm Base II.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Hospital
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Alpha & start Mission

[5] Hospital

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Research Lab
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Bravo & start Mission

Alternative Routes

Team Charlie's Swap Route (<1s timesave IGT/1+ timeloss RTA)
The angle for the roll into prone is quite unfavorable - not recommended!

[6] Research Lab I.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Spy-1 (Ursula/Any) → Spy Unit - Supply Depot ← Square → → R R Square
Spy-2 (Venus/Any) → Spy Unit - Soviet Patrol Base R Square ← ← ↓ Square
Spy-3 (Null/Any) → Spy Unit - Research Lab ↓ Square → → ↑ Square
Wait once for Supply Depot Report
Read it & fast forward Dialogue
Select Supply Depot ↓ ↓ ↓
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Bravo & start Mission

Alternative Routes

Team Alpha's Swapless Route (2+s timeloss IGT/<1s timesave RTA) Team Alpha's Vent OOB Route (1+s timesave IGT/2+s timeloss RTA)
Same route minus the Member Change Using a Glitched Box Equip to start the level from the opposite end without a Member Change

[7] Supply Depot II.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Rail Bridge
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Bravo & start Mission

[8] Rail Bridge I.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Wait for Supply Depot Report (or Research Lab Report or Soviet Patrol Base Report)
Read it & fast forward Dialogue
OPTIONAL: Use up all your Waits (will improve Spy Report acquisition rate)
Select Supply Depot (or Research Lab or Soviet Patrol Base) ↓ ↓ ↓ (or ↑ ↑ or ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑)
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Bravo (or Team Alpha) & start Mission

Alternative Routes

Team Alpha's Swapless Route (1+s timeloss IGT/2+s timesave RTA)
Same route minus the Member Change

Order of Diversionary Mission Completions

For the TNT-blowup missions (9-A, 9-B, 9-C [& 9-D]) the order in which you read and complete the Spy Reports can help you save around a second by skipping some pre-deployment dialogue.
If you receive more than one TNT Report during a Briefing session, make sure to read the canonically later one first. Then, read the other one(s) and complete the last Report, which you've read.
The canon timeline looks like this: [Town >] SPB > RL > SD
Examples: If you get both RL & SD Reports, read RL first, then read and complete SD. If you receive Reports for SPB & RL, read SPB before reading and completing RL.
After finishing three of these missions, you can move on to [10] Rail Bridge II.!

[9-A] Supply Depot III.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
If this was your 3rd Diversionary Op: Select Rail Bridge, fast forward Dialogue, select Team Bravo & start Mission
Wait for Research Lab Report (or Soviet Patrol Base Report)
Read it & fast forward Dialogue
Select Research Lab (or Soviet Patrol Base) ?
Select Team Bravo (or Team Alpha) & start Mission

[9-B] Research Lab II.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
If this was your 3rd Diversionary Op: Select Rail Bridge, fast forward Dialogue, select Team Bravo & start Mission
Wait for Soviet Patrol Base Report (or Supply Depot Report)
Read it & fast forward Dialogue
Select Soviet Patrol Base (or Supply Depot) ?
Select Team Alpha (or Team Bravo) & start Mission

Alternative Routes

Swapless Route (1+s timeloss IGT/1+s timesave RTA)
Same route minus the Member Change

[9-C] Soviet Patrol Base II.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
If this was your 3rd Diversionary Op: Select Rail Bridge, fast forward Dialogue, select Team Bravo & start Mission
Wait for Supply Depot Report (or Research Lab Report)
Read it & fast forward Dialogue
Select Supply Depot (or Research Lab) ?
Select Team Bravo & start Mission

Further Information & Strategies

TNT Diversionary Operation... D?!

There is one more location in which you could perform a diversionary operation; Town! However, since it has by far the slowest route it is in no way viable for the run.

Briefing Menu (Post-Diversionary Ops)

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Rail Bridge
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Bravo & start Mission

[10] Rail Bridge II.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Harbor
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Bravo & start Mission

Alternative Routes

Team Alpha's Swapless Route (1+s timeloss IGT/2+s timesave RTA)
Same route minus the Member Change

[II] New Friends, Loose Ends

[11] Harbor

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Spy-1 (Ursula/Any) + Spy-2 (Venus/Any) → Spy Unit - Security Base ← Square → → ↑ Square Square ← ← ↓ Square
Wait for Security Base Report
Read it & fast forward Dialogue
Select Security Base
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Alpha & start Mission

Further Information & Strategies

NTSC vs PAL

Unlike on PAL, the cutscene trigger won’t save you from taking fall damage in the NTSC releases.

[12] Security Base

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Warhead Storage
Fast forward Dialogue
[EXTREME] Select Team Delta & start Mission
[EASY/NORMAL-only] Select Team Bravo & start Mission

[13.1] Warhead Storage

Standard Route

[EXTREME] Route [EASY/NORMAL-only] Route
Perform a Member Change to D-4 (↓ ↓)
Rush into the corridor northeast of you Head into the corridor northeast of you
Avoid the camera by sticking close to the left wall while descending into the big hall Stick left while running down the ramps and continue into the big hall

Alternative Routes

[EASY/NORMAL-only] Team Bravo's Swapless Vent OOB Route (<1s timesave IGT/2+s timesave RTA) [EXTREME] Glitchless TNT Route (8+s timeloss) [EASY/NORMAL-only] Team Bravo's Glitchless & Swapless TNT Route (9s timeloss IGT/6+s timeloss RTA)
Same route minus the Member Change Funny and consistent when placed correctly - C Box can be swapped for Body Armor beforehand Funny and consistent when placed correctly - C Box can be swapped for Body Armor beforehand

[13.2] Python Boss Fight

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Wait for Security Base Report
Read it & fast forward Dialogue
Select Airport
Select Team Delta & start Mission

Further Information & Strategies

FPV Lookdown Exploit

Looking down while in FPV mode prevents most enemies' incoming fire from hitting you, This works, because looking down in FPV seems to turn your plane of a hurtbox parallel to the ground. Since this strategy was discovered in 2017 by MarlonH8 it fundamentally made the game much easier than it was before - from both a speedrun and casual perspective.

Python's RNG

Python will react differently to incoming damage. Ideally, you'd want to see his long recovery animation that barely leaves any room for him to retaliate, but this is rarely the case.

Alternative Routes

[EASY-only] (10+s timesave) [NORMAL-only] (6+s timesave)
/ /

[14] Airport

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Silo Entrance
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Delta & start Mission

Alternative Routes

[EASY-only] Safe Lure Route (no timesave/timeloss) Safe Route (2+s timeloss IGT/2+s timeloss RTA) [EASY-only] Direct & Safe Route (2+s timeloss IGT/2+s timeloss RTA) [NORMAL/EXTREME] Direct Route (2+s timeloss IGT/2+s timeloss RTA)
No terminal guard Undetected - used for Tsuchinoko runs The missing terminal guard makes this approach safe on EASY The guard present on NORMAL/EXTREME can injure the official

[15.1] Silo Entrance I.

Standard Route

[15.2] Null Boss Fight I.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Silo Entrance
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Alpha & start Mission

Further Information & Strategies

Top Snipe One Shot

If you feel like betting on the low odds of the Gambler skill proccing on your first shot, a second can be saved on EASY by killing Null in one shot.

Alternative Routes

[EASY-only] (19+s timesave) [NORMAL-only] (15+s timesave) M63 Strat (26+s timeloss*) [EASY] Crouch Strat (20+s timesave)
/ / Slow alternative - not recommended! - *less timeloss on EASY/NORMAL Beware of smaller hitboxes - not recommended!

[16] Silo Entrance II.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Rail Bridge ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Alpha & start Mission

Alternative Routes

Team Delta's Sneaky Route (1+s timeloss) Risky “Oof” Strats (1+s timesave)
Undetected if fast enough RKD on guard while dropping below - “Oof” when failed

[17] Rail Bridge III.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Guest House
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Alpha & start Mission

Further Information & Strategies

History of the "Spy Report Skip"

Here, we are performing a sequence break - accidentally discovered by miniomegaking. While watching one of mini's Rail Bridge route videos, MarlonH8 noticed that the guard patterns were different. Originally assumed to be either regional differences, the oddity was shortly thereafter explained by the fact that mini forgot to place spies in the area to notify him of the report and therefore skipped one step ahead.
Immediately afterwards, we tried to find similar spy report skips, but didn't have much luck. MarlonH8 did find another one for the Town Diversionary Op., which unfortunately is the slowest of the “TNT-missions” and therefore not part of the run.

[18] Guest House

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Spy-1 (Ursula/Any) + Spy-2 (Venus/Any) → Spy Unit - Silo Entrance ← Square → → ↑ Square Square ← ← ↓ Square
Select Plant
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Charlie & start Mission

Alternative Routes

Vent OOB Glitch (5+s timesave)
Using a Glitched Box Equip to go OOB and straight to the AP

[19.1] Plant

Standard Route

[19.2] Metal Gear RAXA Boss Fight

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Confirm & fast forward Dialogue
Wait for Silo Entrance Report
Read it & fast forward Dialogue
Spy-1 (Ursula/Any) + Spy-2 (Venus/Any) → Spy Unit - Ravine → ↑ L Square ↓ Square Square ↑ Square
Tech-1 (Any) → Technical Unit @Spy Unit → Square → → Square
Wait for Ravine Report
Read it & fast forward Dialogue
Select Ravine
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Alpha & start Mission

Further Information & Strategies

Extra Ammo (HEAT)

There is an RPG-7 with 10 loaded rockets found towards the northeast and an additional box of Ammo (HEAT) x20 found in the southern end of the hall.

Alternative Routes

[EASY-only] (30+s timesave) [NORMAL-only] (29+s timesave)
/ /

[III] Lights Out and Away We Go

[20] Ravine

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Power Substation
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Delta & start Mission

Alternative Routes

Slow Descent Route (<1s timeloss)
An alternative path leading to similar results

[21] Power Substation I.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Wait for Detonation Timer development to “begin”
Confirm it & fast forward Dialogue
Equipment (FOX D-1): Equip Time Bomb onto M63 [Time Bomb] [SVD] [Med Kit L] [C Box] - (R R R O O O R ↑ O)
Select Power Substation
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Delta & start Mission

[22.1] Power Substation II.

Standard Route

Alternative Routes

[EXTREME-only] Safe Stairs Route (1+s timeloss) [EASY/NORMAL-only] Safe Stairs Route (1+s timeloss)
Undetected - used for Tsuchinoko runs Undetected, different guard position - used for Tsuchinoko runs

[22.2] Null Boss Fight II.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Silo Entrance
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Delta & start Mission

Alternative Routes

[EASY-only] (26+s timesave) [NORMAL-only] (22+s timesave) M63 Strat (22+s timeloss*) [EASY] Crouch Strat (27+s timesave)
/ / Time Bomb → SVD instead - slow, not recommended! - *less timeloss on EASY/NORMAL Beware of smaller hitboxes

[23] Silo Entrance III.

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Silo Complex
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Delta & start Mission

[24] Silo Complex

Standard Route

PAL/Guard Route NTSC/Key Route
Head forward and right, then grab the nearby FOX soldier from behind Head forward past the pillar and crates, then continue right and take a left
Drag him to the door you just passed and push-drop him once it's open Pass through the door and roll across four gaps on your way to the eastern wall
Cross the southern gaps with two more rolls, then climb up and pick up Key E
Roll to the ground and head back the way you came from by ascending the ladder
Exit the hall and head north, to the door behind the right set of crates
PAL/Guard Route NTSC/Key Route
Stick to the right wall before approaching the shielded guard Unequip your Box and squeeze past the shielded guard
BB past him and escape through the door, onto the bridge Go through the door, cross the bridge and enter the next building
Continue box-walking through the next door and take a left Head down the corridor until the only way further leads south
Head down the corridor until the only way further leads south Continue past the gun cameras and bump into the alerted guard along the way
Box-walk southwest, below the gun cameras and past the guard Reequip your Box and flee through the nearby door
Escape through the formerly locked door next to him

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Silo Complex
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Alpha & start Mission

Further Information & Strategies

PAL vs. NTSC

Arguably the biggest version difference of the run is right here. On NTSC versions you can not drag any soldier in front of the 1F door to open it.

Codec Contacts

Opening your contact list and calling Paramedic and Sigint saves time compared to manually tuning to 145.75 and 148.51, even if you get caught up in one or two conversations.

Door Frequencies

145.75 is dialed to get you through the locked 1F door in the room behind the “wall guard”. 147.42 is called to unlock the 2F door leading onto the bridge and 148.51 is used so you can quickly rush through the door past the final FOX soldier.

Alternative Routes

[EASY-only] Direct & Safe Route (<1s timesave IGT/<1s timesave RTA) [EXTREME-only] NTSC Key Route (22+s timeloss IGT/22+s timeloss RTA) [EASY/NORMAL-only] NTSC Key Route (8+s timeloss IGT/8+s timeloss RTA)
No shielded guard NTSC's fastest option NTSC's fastest option - different Key position - bring a Magazine!

[25] Cunningham Boss Fight

Standard Route

Briefing Menu

Action Input
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Launch Control Room
Fast forward Dialogue
Select Team Charlie & start Mission

Alternative Routes

[EASY-only] (5+s timesave) [NORMAL-only] (2+s timesave)
/ /

[26] Gene Boss Fight

Standard Route

Further Information & Strategies

Emulator Crash Trivia

On PPSSPP versions prior to 1.4 Gene dashing towards the northern & southern terminals would cause the emulator to crash!

Alternative Routes

[EASY-only] (10+s timesave) [NORMAL-only] (9+s timesave) [EASY] Quickshot Strat (17+s timesave) Vent OOB Glitch (13+s timeloss) Non-Lethal Strat (17+s timeloss*) Legacy Strat (23+s timeloss*)
/ / Killing Gene with early headshots - only worthwhile on Easy A much safer way to take on Gene - Using a Glitched Box Equip to go OOB - Equip C Box before starting the run Pacifist! - *less timeloss on EASY/NORMAL 2022's go-to strategy pre-cheese - *less timeloss on EASY/NORMAL

RUN COMPLETED!

Return to MPO

1)
Special Thanks to Caidren for providing additional input on how to further improve this guide
2)
Alternatively, [C Box] when taking on Gene from OOB
3)
NTSC [EASY/NORMAL]: Magazine
4)
Alternatively, [Body Armor] when going through WS Glitchless
5)
Stun Gs are affected to a lesser degree. This is noticeable on bosses like Cunningham, who needs between 5 and 7 hits to be defeated.