How to Reach Big Boss Rank in Metal Gear Solid

The rank awarded at the end of every playthrough is one of the biggest bragging rights in the Metal Gear Solid series. Although the scoring system is typically tied to animals, there is a different requirement for the game’s highest achievement. Whether you’re on your first playthrough or your 50th, here’s how to reach Big Boss rank in Metal Gear Solid.   

Big Boss rank requirements in Metal Gear Solid

You need to beat Metal Gear Solid on Extreme difficulty if you want to get Big Boss rank. The hardest difficulty setting isn’t a walk in the park, either. You’ll face substantial challenges, such as your radar disappearing, enemies having heightened awareness, and supplies becoming seriously limited. Snake does start the game with a single ration, though, but that’s about it for good news.

Now, here’s the kicker – while it might seem like you’ve got some leeway with 25 kills and four alerts allowed, those four alerts are basically mandatory and unavoidable in the story. This essentially makes the requirement “no alerts.” Similarly, a good chunk of the allowed 25 kills will also be something you can’t avoid during the campaign, basically leaving you with a slim margin for error.

Below are the full requirements you need to complete to get Big Boss rank:

• Beat the game on Extreme difficulty.
• Beat the game in under three hours.
• Use 0 continues.
• Kill 25 or fewer enemies.
• Trigger four or fewer alerts.
• Use no more than one ration.
• Save less than 80 times.

How to get Big Boss rank in Metal Gear Solid

To reach Big Boss rank, you’ll need to know enemy routes and room layouts like the back of your hand while dealing with vigilant guards and no radar. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The bosses are an ordeal on extreme, soaking up an absurd amount of damage while packing enough punch to send you back to your last save in a flash.

Adding to all that pressure is a stringent time limit. Three hours may initially seem like enough (heck, speedruns clear that with time to spare), but the timer counts down during every game element, including cutscenes and codec calls. This means that meticulous planning and execution are essential to succeed in snagging the Big Boss rank.

One literal “saving grace” is that the number of allowed saves is actually quite generous. These let you safeguard your progress strategically, allowing you to refine your approach in tricky sections or retry challenging segments multiple times until you’ve perfected them. With some patience, planning, and a little luck, you’ll reach Big Boss rank before you know it. Assuming you’re okay with retrying and taking on Cyborg Ninja 75 times.

Or, alternatively, you can just cheese the entire run because, for whatever reason, using the stealth camo and unlimited ammo bandana doesn’t disqualify your run. Don’t get used to it, though; later games don’t offer that option!

The Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 will launch on October 24, 2023, across various platforms, including the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and Nintendo Switch.