Metal Gear Solid 4 - Laughing Octopus Boss Strategy

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Laughing Octopus Boss Strategy
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Metal Gear Solid 4 - Laughing Octopus History

In Metal Gear Solid 4; Laughing Octopus serves as the first proper boss encounter for the eponymous protagonist Solid Snake. She would utilise an OctoCamo suit to mimic her environment while opining for a battle with the wily veteran Snake. Her body was attached to mechanical limbs that sprouted from her head which were used to impale and fight her targets. As part of the Beauty and The Beast Unit, she suffered from traumatic childhood experiences that led to her deranged attitude and demeanour. This article provides a playing strategy and profile of the opening boss in Metal Gear Solid 4 - Laughing Octopus.

Hailing from Scandinavia, she was raised in a seaside town known as the Devil’s Village, which garnered hate from local cultists. After a late night attack on the village, the cultists would systematically execute all of the villagers one by one, coercing the future Laughing Octopus to help them. Being forced to laugh, maniacally, she would slaughter her own family and descend into mental illness. Her name Octopus derives from the village’s love of Octopus fishing but is also an indirect reference to the Metal Gear Solid FOXHOUND member Decoy Octopus.

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Laughing Octopus Strategy

The boss encounter takes place in the research lab where Naomi Hunter is being detained. This is during the South America levels of the game and begins after a lengthy cutscene with both Naomi and Snake pontificating on his deteriorating health. The initial portion of the battle sees Snake face off against multiple FROGS enemies until they are dispatched - beckoning Laughing Octopus to enter the battle.

First, deciding whether to kill her lethally or not should be taken into account, with the Mosin Nagant being perfect for a tranq kill and the M870 Custom suited to taking her out with full lethality. Also, the use of Stun Grenades is useful, as it allows opportunities to hurt her for several seconds un-opposed. Aiming at her head is key to victory, especially with the Nagant rifle, as it is the most damaging target to hit. Furthermore be aware of the surroundings during the fight, as there are plenty of crawl spaces with item pickups.

In the first boss fight of Metal Gear Solid 4, Laughing Octopus will try to camouflage herself into the surrounding lab area, with the use of her OctoCamo suit. To combat this effectively, when she is in this disguised mode, night or thermal vision should be equipped to try and detect her body heat. Once detected, Snake can aim his shot precisely at the head, as Octopus will be immobile until attacked. Throwing a Stun Grenade the instant you hit with the first shot from either the Nagant rifle or the M870 Custom will allow you an effective followup, doubling or tripling the damage you would have dealt out to her.

Laughing Octopus Boss Battle

She has two main attacks worth mentioning. The first is a tentacle attack which has a limited reach, therefore try to catch her in the corridors around the edge of the lab, concentrating your fire from a distance with the rifle. Secondly, she will roll into a ball and attack at a considerable speed, draining a large amount of health if she hits. To avoid this, either find a crawl space or climb on one of the many crates dotted around the lab, perhaps getting a couple of M780 shots in while perched there.

Laughing 001

Rinse & repeat the tactics detailed above and Laughing Octopus will eventually be defeated. Remember that the Shotgun can knock her down from close range which can be combined with a Stun Grenade for a fair portion of damage. Also, keep a safe distance from her tentacles and rolling moves, with usage of the Mosin Nagant being the preferred mode of attack during these moments. After that, in a pseudo-boss battle after her initial defeat, it is simply a case of shooting her as she comes forward without the suit on anymore. Then her laughter will be gone as she curls into the fetal position to die peacefully.