How to Unlock the SECRET Monster Hunter Missions in Peace Walker
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is one of my favourite games, and not many people know that it actually crossed over with another one of my favourite series in the form of Monster Hunter. So, if you’ve ever wanted to take on a Rathalos armed with an M60 and some C4, this guide will show you exactly how to unlock the Monster Hunter missions in Peace Walker. Let’s dive right in.
Progression
First things first, there is a progress requirement before you can unlock the Monster Hunter missions. As long as you’ve completed the Main Op “Chrysalis Battle,” you’ll have unlocked the conversation options you need with Chico, which means you’re ready to start the process of unlocking the Monster Hunter content. Thankfully, this is where things get a lot easier than you might expect.
Chico’s Tapes
Now, this is where things get really easy. All we need to do is start a mission. Since we’re going to be heading into Extra Op 029 anyway, select that mission, and you’ll be presented with four options: Briefing Files, Mission Prep, Options, and Start Mission. Select Briefing Files, then change the tab from “This Mission” to “File Library.” From there, select Chico, and you should see an option called “The Legend of Isla del Monstruo.” Select that and listen all the way through the conversation.
Now, you don’t actually have to sit there and listen to every conversation at normal speed. You can fast-forward through them, but you do need to let each conversation play all the way to the end. Once you’ve finished The Legend of Isla del Monstruo, move up and select Geographical Info. Under River Valley, listen to The Real Basilisco. Then, under Crater Area, you’ll want to listen to The Loch Ness Monster, Nahuelito, Ogopogo, and Mokèlé-mbèmbé. Under Tropical Cloud Forest, listen to Bigfoot and Mono Grande. Under Ruins, listen to Kongamato. Then, under Mine Base, listen to UFOs, Abductions, and Elbakki. Finally, listen to UFO Photo. Once you’ve worked your way through all of those conversations, that’s everything we need from Chico. Now we can head into Mission Prep for Extra Op 029 and get one step closer to finding the monsters.
Extra Op 029: Item Capture
For Extra Op 029, head into Mission Prep and make sure you have C4 equipped, as you’ll need it to complete the objective. For the first part of the mission, we’re going to do exactly what the game expects us to do. Take out the enemies, make your way to the crate, plant your C4, blow it up, and collect the items inside. Once you’ve collected the items, do not head to the extraction zone. Instead, head south into the area called Playa del Alba. Once you’re there, make your way down the pier. At the end, you’ll find a rather unusual little visitor from the Monster Hunter series: Trenya. Approach Trenya and a cutscene will play, with Snake discovering exactly what we’ve come all this way for. Once the conversation is over, the mission will end and, more importantly, the Monster Hunter hunting missions will now be unlocked. Head back to the Extra Ops menu, and you’ll find Extra Op 121: Hunting Quest: Rathalos. That’s it! You’ve unlocked the first Monster Hunter mission in Peace Walker, and now it’s time to take on a Rathalos.
How to Beat the Rathalos in Peace Walker
Now, as I said in my intro, if you’ve always wanted to take on a Rathalos with a Machine Gun… be careful what you wish for, because this fight will really test your mettle. My tips for the engagement are:
First, take out the Velociprey as quickly as you can. These little guys are more than happy to pile on while you’re trying to deal with Rathalos, so clearing them out gives you some much-needed breathing room.
Wear the Battle Dress… It will slow you down, but you can add an RPG to your arsenal for some added explosive damage.
I’d also recommend packing the FIM-43 Anti-Air Launcher. Rathalos spends a fair amount of time in the air, and the FIM-43’s lock-on makes it much easier to land hits while he’s flying around.
When Rathalos is on the ground, switch back to your PKM and keep the pressure on, aiming for the head where possible, if it hovers, bring it down with the RPG.
Most importantly, keep moving. Don’t get greedy trying to squeeze in extra shots, because Rathalos can punish you pretty quickly. Keep an eye on your PSYCHE gauge as well, because getting stunned and knocked to the ground can leave you incredibly vulnerable.
And if things get a little too hectic, don’t be afraid to back off, recover, and wait for your opportunity to attack again.
Take your time, keep moving, and eventually you’ll bring this giant flying lizard down.
Rathalos Rewards
First, there’s the Rathalos Wing, which is a rare reward from the fight and can be used to develop the Tanegashima Musket. So if you’re looking to get your hands on some of Peace Walker’s more unusual equipment, you’re definitely going to want to farm Rathalos for this one. Then there’s the Rathalos Uniform, which you can unlock by earning an S Rank on the hunting mission. Not only does it look fantastic, but it also comes with the Rathalos Bind Voice ability for your CO-OPS communications. So while this might initially seem like a fun little Monster Hunter crossover tucked away in Peace Walker, there’s actually some worthwhile equipment waiting for you if you’re willing to take Rathalos down a few times.
There you have it! That’s everything you need to unlock the secret Monster Hunter missions in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Once you’ve completed Chrysalis Battle, listened through the required Chico conversations, and made your way to Playa del Alba during Extra Op 029, you’ll unlock the hunting missions and can finally take on Rathalos for yourself. Hopefully this guide helped you unlock the Monster Hunter content easily enough!
Enjoyed our guide on How to Unlock the SECRET Monster Hunter Missions in Peace Walker?
✨ Support What’s It Like? Want to help keep this independent Nintendo outlet running? Here are a few ways you can support:
🌐 More Nintendo reviews and guides: https://www.whatsitlike.com.au/
☕ Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/whatsitlike
🎥 Join the Patreon for behind-the-scenes content: https://patreon.com/u102681944
