Outer Heaven Fortress

Lore & Background

Zanzibar Land was established in 1997 after a successful independence war against the Soviet Union. By 1999, it is a heavily defended territory in Central Asia led by Big Boss, the renegade former commander of FOXHOUND who survived the events of the first game. The nation holds the world hostage by controlling the supply of oil through the bio-engineered algae OILIX and nuclear warheads pillaged from old stockpiles marked for dismantling. Its forces include elite mercenaries such as Black Ninja (an experimental drug-enhanced ninja from Project: Black Color, revealed to be Kyle Schneider from the original *Metal Gear*), Running Man (a former Olympic runner turned terrorist), and Night Sight (a former U.S. soldier using a state-of-the-art stealth suit). The fortress also houses Metal Gear D, a revised nuclear-capable bipedal weapon that is not piloted by Gray Fox.

In Their Own Story

On Christmas Eve 1999, Solid Snake is brought out of retirement by FOXHOUND commander Roy Campbell to infiltrate Zanzibar Land. His mission: rescue kidnapped Czech biologist Dr. Kio Marv, who bio-engineered OILIX—a new species of algae that produces petroleum-grade hydrocarbons—and destroy Metal Gear D. Snake teams up with Holly White, a CIA operative posing as a journalist, and Gustava Heffner, an StB agent and Dr. Marv's bodyguard. He reunites with Dr. Drago Pettrovich Madnar, the Metal Gear inventor from Outer Heaven, who claims to have been kidnapped again but actually volunteered his services to Zanzibar Land as revenge against the scientific community. Snake learns that Dr. Marv died under Dr. Madnar's torture. Snake destroys Metal Gear D in combat against Gray Fox, then defeats Gray Fox in hand-to-hand combat in a minefield. Finally, Snake faces Big Boss with only a lighter and aerosol can as weapons.

Reader's Guide

Infiltrating Zanzibar Land requires navigating a fortress patrolled by guards with expanded 45-degree fields of vision who can detect sounds—including footsteps on certain surfaces. The player must use new maneuvers like kneeling and crawling to avoid noise, hide under desks or in air ducts, and pick up land mines. A radar with a 3x3 grid shows enemies as white dots, but it is disabled during alert phases. Key tools include robotic mice to distract enemies, a camouflaged mat, and three types of rations with special attributes. The transceiver is context-sensitive, displaying faces of Snake and his contacts. Puzzles include luring a carrier pigeon with a specific ration, chasing a female spy to the ladies' lavatory, and deciphering secret tap codes for new radio frequencies. Bosses include Black Color (the drug-enhanced ninja), Running Man, Red Blaster (a Spetsnaz explosive expert), Ultra Box (an assassination squad), Predator (a jungle warfare expert from South African Reconnaissance Command), and Night Sight (the invisible stealth-suit assassin).

Did You Know?

• Zanzibar Land was established in 1997 after a successful independence war against the Soviet Union.
• The game is set on Christmas Eve 1999, four years after the events of the original *Metal Gear*.
• Dr. Kio Marv bio-engineered a new species of algae called OILIX that could produce petroleum-grade hydrocarbons with little expense and effort.
• The boss Black Ninja is revealed to be Kyle Schneider from the original *Metal Gear*, enhanced by experimental drugs from Project: Black Color.
• Solid Snake defeats Big Boss using only a lighter and aerosol can after losing all his equipment.