(MGS V : TPP) all secrets, easter eggs and interesting stuff

A guide dedicated to collect all of the easter eggs and the secrets for METAL GEAR SOLID V : THE PHANTOM PAIN. it's considered to be a work in progress so feel free to correct me or provide more info. Also bear in mind that it does include heavy spoilers.

CHANGE LOG

9/1/2022 : Guide created
9/18/2022 : added details (Episode 11 +1 / AI DETAILS +1)
9/29/2022 : added details (SNAKE and BUDDIES +1 / SPECIAL CUTSCENES +1 / HIDDEN CAMOUFLAGE IMAGES +1)
10/17/2022 : added details (Episode 11 +1)
1/14/2023 : added details (SNAKE AND BUDDIES +6) added to (REFERENCES TO OTHER MEDIA)
1/20/2023 : new section added (REFERENCES TO OTHER MEDIA)
1/20/2023 : Guide re-written to put *some* of the previous references into (REFERENCES TO OTHER MEDIA) / added details (REFERENCES TO OTHER MEDIA + 1)
4/8/2023 : added details (REFERENCES TO OTHER MEDIA + 1)
9/6/2023 : added details (SIDE OPS +1 / MOTHER BASE and ACC +1 / AI DETAILS +1)

EPISODES

(episode 0)

• The nurse in the hospital can be seen rearranging lilies at Snake's beside. This particular type of lily, called "Star of Bethlehem," are seen at the end of MGS3 when snake confronts The Boss.
• If you look down when asked to look up, vertical camera control gets inverted.
  
• Refuse to look up and the doctor will get annoyed, dialogue loops again.
  
• A Kojima productions recruitment poster can be found in the hallway before and after meeting the man on fire for the first time.
  
• A different hiding cutscene will play if you hide with Ismael.
  
• A statue resembling The Boss on her horse can be seen in one of the cutscenes.

(episode 1)

• Take too long and Kaz will die after 4 days (96 hours in-game), a different cutscene will play.
• Ocelet will call you every 24 hours to warn you.
  
• Press E when Miller asks you to say the magic words so snake would respond with : "kept you waiting, huh".

(episode 4)

• Completing the main objective of episode 4 (c2w) before starting it will result in instant mission success and a special dialouge.

(episode 6)

• A special cutscene will play if you rescue the Hamid survivor before being taken to samsei fort.
  
• If you take too long, The Hamid survivor will lead the Russians to the honey bee.
  
  • If you wait after that a special cutscene with the Russians taking the honey bee aboard a helicopter will trigger and mission fails.

(episode 11)

• If you requested a Weather Modification (rain), quiet will stop from shooting you and will stand under the rain as her parasites react to the water.
  
• The cutscene which shows quiet being taken to Mother Base for the first time starts with pequod making the iconic game over theme from MGS1 with the helicopter buttons.

(episode 12)

• You can spot photographs on the AI Pod. One of them shows Strangelove holding a 4-year-old Hal Emmerich (Otacon) from previous games.
  
• The boss ai pod will say some lines from MGS Peace Walker and MGS 3 when shot.

(episode 13)

• Using int-scope on the chimney and using the intel radio will result in a humorous response from ocelet.

(episode 18)

• You can save the one target kid and leave the other kids and the following cutscene will only feature the rescued kid(s).

(episode 20)

• You can defeat the man on fire (Volgin) the same way as in 1964 (MGS3) by shocking him with grade 4 stun arm.

(episode 22)

• The mission features key character, Mosquito. Turns out, he is the same soldier who helped Miller flee Mother Base in the events of Ground Zeroes.

(episode 23)

• If you lack Kikango interpreter snake will take to the white mamba in English.
• Shooting the pig head in front of the white mamba will make it oink.
  
• when fighting Eli (Liquid Snake), he will say, "Not yet, Snake! It's not over yet!", a line that Liquid says in the original Metal Gear Solid game.

(episode 43)

• DD staff featured in cutscenes and gameplay in mission 43 are actual ones you recruited and the staff management screen will reflect whether they are shot or committed suicide.
  
• The dead dd staff ashes turn into diamond as you get precious metal after the mission. in addition, a small diamond can be seen down the diamond dog logo on all snake uniforms and DD staff.
  
• Snake will sometimes look away from infected DD staff when you aim at them.
  
• Kaz only refers to snake as big boss only once and that's after mission 43.

general

• Breakable objects like radio transmitters, antennas, searchlights, toilets and watchtowers will be repaired after you beat five missions.
  
• The third child's appeareance changes according to whom has the most influence on him (Venom Snake, Volgin, Eli, Skull Face, Shabani).
  
• A time paradox screen will show if Ishmael, Miller, Huey, Eli or Ocelet are killed.
  
• Some prisoners have special lines when caught by the enemy while some are instantly be killed when found.
  
• Snake will speak in Kansai dialect when you deploy with 4 or more gold items, in the english version only subtitles present.

SIDE OPS

• A character named Ziang Tan is rescued during Side Op #61. He is actually one of the lead level designers for MGSV.
  
• The Russian interpreter has a funny conversation with one of the soldiers that can only be heard once in Side Ops #1.
  
• Hideo Kojima is in the game as a prisoner for rescue in Side Ops #112.
  
• playing the Paz's humming tape or the Love Deterrence tape or using a cardboard box as well as grabbing the wandering soldiers will get them to recognize Snake.(by : Sheo)

MOTHER BASE and ACC

• Use tranq gun on ocelet to make him say some interesting things.
  
• If you stand under the yellow caution sign with falling box, a box will drop on snake.
  
• Support platform resembles exclamation mark.
  
• Visiting paz without a new photo will result in a short scene with her dropping her book.
  
• Staff members will learn other languages from other staff members in their unit.
  
• Some characters could be found in Mother Base (Code Talker, Eli, Huey, Quiet, Paz).
  
• Huey can be seen with a new pair of glasses other than the one ocelet destroyed with metallic archaea when in trail which is the same one from Intel operative rescue side op in ground zeros.
  
• If you return to ACC after sustaining a serious damage , snake will be attached to an IV drip.
  
  • If that happened more than once, he will receive blood transfusion instead.
  
• Complete Mission 29 to then extract the skulls Big Boss discovers in the field. You can see them all at the Mother Base Quarantine Platform and finishing Side Op #144 lets you see the remnants of the Man on Fire.
  
• Your custom avatar is reflected in the chopper's window.
  
• As you complete more missions, pictures are added or removed to the interior of the ACC.
  
• Later in the story, you unlock the animal conservation area, a place where you can go see your animals on Mother Base.
  
• A conversation you can hear between two soldiers is about Quiet not being human and using Cipher technology, with the soldier saying "There's no such thing as miracles or the supernatural - only cutting edge technology." which is the same quote Ocelot says in MGS2.(by : DangerTurtle) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIz43mZujXU

SNAKE and BUDDIES

• Lose 50,000 hp and Venom Snake will turn to Demon Snake state, covered with blood and a longer horn.
  
• Certain buddies will appear in cutscenes when accompanying snake.
  
• D-dog will attack wolves that attacks you.
  
  • But he is blind in fog.
• D-horse's fecal causes enemy vehicles to spin out.
  
• Puppy dd will approach decoys.
  
• Putting a butterfly on your emblem will stop Quiet from leaving. This way, however, her final missions can't be completed.
  
• Quiet could be found listening to "Snake Eater" song in her cell.

WEAPONS and TRICKS

• In reflex mode , a throwing weapon to the head will instantly knock out an enemy.
  
• Smoke grenades won't go off in water.
  
• Fire spreads across dry grass.
  
• Smoke will be dissipated by nearby helicopters.
  
• A stun grenade into the sea will cause fish to jump out.
  
• The water pistol can : stun enemies for a brief moment, put out fire, and destroy power generators and comms equipment, make quiet and d-dog wiggle, distract the skulls since their parasites react to water and distract man on fire.
  
• Put on the Raiden or Cyborg Ninja outfits and you’ll be able to dash into enemies to briefly knock them down.
  
• Throw a stun grenade and then hide beneath a cardboard box to avoid feeling the grenade’s effects.
  
• You can dive into enemies while using cardboard box to knock them down.
  
• slip beneath a cardboard box or dash while on fire to put out the flames.
  
• Putting a tranquilized enemy on the bed will make other soldiers ignore him, they will not attempt to wake him up.
  
• Rain will distract the skulls for longer.
  
• Rain also makes power lines rather shocking.
  
• Enemies held or left unconscious in shallow water will drown.
  
• Regular soldiers will fall unconscious when seeing a puppet soldier.
  
• Every acquired tape has an ability when played through idroid's speaker.

SPECIAL CUTSCENES

• A birthday cutscene for the prologue's chosen date of birth and it features characters you have in the Mother Base.
• If Snake does not use a shower in a while, a special cutscene is triggered upon arriving at Mother Base and Quiet may take you to shower with her if you have high bond with her.
  
• A scene when returning to Mother Base with quiet when raining and having a bond of 60% or higher.
  
• A cutscene will play featuring Paz when you find her in the medical platform.
  
  • Another one will be triggered when you collect all momento photographs.
    
  • In final Paz cutscene, Venom fails to catch a morpho butterfly, the same when Big Boss lost his right eye, as they symbolize a person's essence, or soul, either past, present or future. It is clearly refering to Venom finally understanding Paz is truly gone. (by : Mr_Poo_Sham_)
• A low morale cutscene will trigger when your GMP is in the red.
  
• Five different scenes can be triggered by returning to Mother Base after going away for 5 real life days.
  
• The railgun dynamo from peace walker is used to charge torture rods in quiet's torturing scene.

REFERENCES TO OTHER MEDIA

Special Thanks to Friend 101, who this section was made by his help

• The game is packed with many Moby ♥♥♥♥ references (yes, steam is censoring it)
  
  • Pequod(The Ship)
    
  • Ishmael(The Sailor who narrative story)
    
  • Ahab(Captain of the whaling ship Pequod)
    
  • Queequeg(the cannibalistic sailor)
    
  • The studio that claimed working on the game(Moby ♥♥♥♥)
    
  • And not forgetting the whole flaming whale in the prologue.
    
  • "Call me ishmael" is the opening sentence of Moby ♥♥♥♥ which you also hear in the opening cutscene for the game.
• The game revolves around the George Orwell novel "1984", some of the references are :
  
  • After ending Episode 1 when the base gets posters saying "Big Boss is watching YOU" which is a parody to 1984's "Big brother is watching you".
    
  • Ocelot could be heard saying "Two plus two equals five" when shot by a tranquilizer gun which is a reference to Winston's torture in 1984.
    
  • The room where Huey was being tortured ("Room 101", level 1 , warehouse 01 , command platform) is the same as the torture room from 1980 (Room 101).
    
  • One of the conversations between soldiers is about the 1980 book : https://youtu.be/rVqDvCjXaVw
    
  • The events of the whole game starts in the year 1980.
    
  • There is a dialogue between Soviet Soldiers about another soldier called Ivan Ivanovitch Ivanov who left with the refill platoon and left behind his book 1984. (by : Zenvitic)
• Eli and his troop of child soldiers has much in common with Jack and his hunters in "Lord of the flies", some of the references are :
  
  • The similarity between Eli and the 1990 movie's Jack.
    
  • The conch shell on Eli's hip.
    
  • The pig's head which could be seen when meeting him for the first time.
    
  • The death of a child soldier named Ralph crushed by steel pipes which in "Lords of the flies" is a leading character who fights with Jack and survives and the one getting crushed by a boulder being Piggy.
    
  • The cut chapter 51 which was about Eli and the child soldiers was named "Kingdom of the flies".
• David Bowie and his songs are referenced in The Phantom Pain, some of these references :
  
  • The opening song "The man who sold the world" is one of David's songs.
    
  • The name Diamond Dogs is also a reference to his song by the same name "Diamond Dogs".
    
  • After getting the codename "Big Boss" you can develop the leather jacket which its description refers to "The man who sold the world" which is a reference to David Bowie and his iconic jacket.
• XOF is based on US's Seal Team, more info about it is here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD_H6vlcoOA
  
• In the "Truth" ending, Venom Snake can be seen placing a cassette tape into a Sony HB-F1 MSX2. This home computer system is the same one on which the original Metal Gear was released on.
  
  • The same tape had "Operation Intrude N313" written on it, making the tape the lore point connecting both TPP and the first Metal Gear (MG 1987).
• Radios will be playing one of four mysterious broadcasts when skulls are present which are from the playable teaser for the cancelled "Silent Hill" game (P.T) (another kojima game).
  
  • One of the tapes you could find "204683" is also a reference to the canceled "Silent Hill" (P.T).
• Snake's Bionic Arm has a special sound effect from the Six Million Dollar Man.
  
• The Hand of Jehuty is a reference to Kojima's "Zone of the Enders" series.
  
• A cassette tape can be found which references Johnny Sasaki from the previous games.
  
• When chilling with your phantom cigar, the watch that could be seen is SEIKO WIRED AGAM601.

HIDDEN CAMOUFALGE IMAGES

• Base Color 002: A snarling wolf, located near the shower unit.
  
• Base Color 005: A dog face, near a wall on the Command Platform.
  
• The Squares camouflage BDU has a cameo for the Cardboard Box in Metal Gear on the pattern.
• A dog head can be seen on the splitter camouflage for the helicopter (helicopter's tail) and snake's camouflage as well(below snake's right shoulder).
  
• Using the APD camouflage on Mother Base has a hidden cameo of Snake infiltrating Zanzibar Land as well as a Zanzibar Land guard from Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake.
  
• The secret patch from ground zeros appears in phantom pain's sv-sneaking suit and can be seen in Venom's back.

AI DETAILS

• If an enemy soldier saw you moving in a cardboard box he will call cp who then mocks them.
  
  • If happened again they will give permission to shoot it, if snake jump out of it and they found nothing cp will ask them to schedule a psych.
• If not detected wounding an enemy , the others will tend to their wounded comrade.
  
• Enemies in vehicles will destroy obstacles you put for them.
  
• soldiers will notice if you steal away their resources like placed weapons, containers
  
  • But if you steal the vehicles, walker gears, they will report cp, but cp just asks them to continue on foot and outpost will not be on alert (by : Munsu)
• The combat rank of the soldiers affects their AI behavior, you will notice that S++ rank soldiers tend to have better reflexes and are more thorough with their search and could spot you from farther away and would run from a grenade rather than jumping, while E rank soldiers are the exact opposite (by : ƒm//)

[Tux]

this is honestly a cheap copy of the wiki

[Pipeman]

Something that may be worth mentioning, is that after Quiet leaves, if you do the quest to fight her enough times you can get her to come back. So you can do the last missions for her an still have her. I don't know if this counts as a secret, but I figure it is obscure enough to mention.

[Gope]

I believe for mission 20 if you dont defeat the man on fire it will start raining and he will go away

[Yusukee]

sorry for missing on the two comments from July up till now, i added all of the 3 now

[Sheo]

Something I noticed was missing is that using the "Love Deterrence" tape also makes the Wandering MB soldiers recognize Snake.

[DangerTurtle]

One detail that I noticed. At mother base, some of the your guys have a conversation about Quiet, and one asks if she was human, and the other says that she is probably using cipher technology, and "There's no such thing as miracles or the supernatural - only cutting edge technology." A one for one quote that Ocelot says in Mgs2.

[Outer Heaven]

Soldiers are more effective if their combat rank is higher while defending. For example a E rank soldier will probably jump if you throw a grenade near him, but if he is S++ he will run away from it instead, they will also trigger reflex more easily and are generally faster. Soldier ranks (i'm not talking about skills) can give soldiers some special abilities if you play them, for example if you are playing as a BaseDev S++ he will spot cams and UAVs almost instantly if you look at them at a certain range, you don't even need to zoom in. Med will increase the effects of pills, Intel will give a faster spotting speed, R&D will give more ammo from drops, Combat will give more health and Support will give a faster fulton speed.

[Yusukee]

added both, the game is filled to the brim with these references

[Friend 101]

and "Call me ishmael" is the opening sentence of Moby.

"Call me Ishmael," perhaps the most famous opening line in literary history, [www.woot.com]

"Call Me Ishmael." in other game. [genshin-impact.fandom.com]

Common joke in literary history. lol

[zenvitic]

Another thing about Friend 101's 1984 reference comment, there is dialogue between Soviet Soldiers talking about the fictional character Ivan Ivanovitch Ivanov and his book 1984.