Stealth Camouflage

Stealth camouflage is an electronic device capable of rendering the user "invisible" to "semi-invisible". It has existed in several incarnations; a "prototype" was used by Otacon and some members of FOXHOUND during the FOXHOUND rebellion, although The Fear apparently used a version forty years earlier during Operation Snake Eater (the only obvious difference being that this version was bio-electrically-powered).

Following the Shadow Moses incident, Otacon gave his Stealth camouflage to Solid Snake, who expressed dislike of the concept. This particular unit was, however, destroyed during the Tanker incident. In 2014, during Liquid Ocelot's insurrection, Otacon built state-of-the-art Stealth camouflage capability into the Metal Gear Mk.II. Solid Snake (now Old Snake) did not use it due to its ineffectiveness against the Gekko's heat sensors, instead making use of OctoCamo.

Stealth camouflage was also used by Zanzibar Land mercenary Night Fright. It was undetectable by radar. He used it when he battled Solid Snake.

Stealth camouflage is available in some games as an unlockable item. In all incarnations, when equipped, the space the user takes up looks to be distorted, allowing the outline, but not the user, visible. Equipments that are used are also visible (i.e. weapons). Although no one can see the person when activated, people nearby will see the use if they are using thermal goggles. Stealth camouflage also has no effect on the sound of the user's footsteps.

Metal Gear Solid/The Twin Snakes
The Stealth camouflage can be unlocked for use by the player for clearing the game, where Otacon will give Solid Snake the Stealth camouflage. This will allow the player to use the item the next time they play the game. However, if the player endures the torture, Meryl Silverburgh will give Snake the bandana.

Metal Gear Solid 2
In Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, the stealth camouflage is available to both Snake and Raiden as unlockable items by collecting a certain amount of Dog Tags. While it is effective and prevents enemy soldiers from spotting the player, it can still come off if bumping into a enemy soldier and in Alert Mode, being too close to the soldiers can cause them to kick you, as well as taking the Stealth camo off. Its also not effective in boss battles either as the boss can see the player regardless with the Stealth camo on.

Metal Gear Solid 3
In Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the stealth camouflage can be unlocked for Naked Snake through two different ways:
 * Beating the game with no RED alerts triggered;
 * Shooting all the Kerotans in one save file.

Furthermore, while wearing the stealth camouflage, guards can still hear Snake's footsteps, and if an alert is triggered, Snake's camo index will drop to 95% and guards will attack him. A helpful way to get around this is to use The Sorrow's Spirit camo to muffle Snake's footsteps. Also, seeing as face paint has no use with this camo, and only camouflages with special effects have any advantage over others, a good paint to use is the Infinity face paint, obtained after catching a live Tsuchinoko and keeping it until the end of the game. Unlike the previous games, stealth camo in this game can help out with avoiding attacks during boss battles.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
In Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, the Stealth camouflage can be unlocked by attaining a tech level of 99. One account can only create one stealth camouflage, but more can be acquired via Wi-Fi.

The stealth camouflage in MPO is battery powered, and is also susceptible to footstep sounds and attack during an alert.

Metal Gear Solid 4
In Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the stealth camouflage can be unlocked through two different ways:
 * Beating the game with no alerts triggered;
 * Purchasing it from Drebin for 5,000,000 Drebin Points from acts 1 to 4 or for 2,500,000 Drebin Points during Act 5.

Furthermore, while wearing the Stealth camouflage, guards can still hear Snake's footsteps, and if an alert is triggered, will be attacked regardless of whether he is wearing the stealth camouflage (indicated by a camouflage index of 95%). Stealth camouflage is also ineffective against Gekkos because of their thermal sight.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Snake's entrance animation onto a stage originated from the first cutscene in Sons of Liberty, in which his camouflage becomes non-functional from a landing impact on the U.S.S. Discovery. The closest Snake can come to "wearing" Stealth camouflage is in Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Special Brawl mode, and access a modifier named "Clear." Turning this option on makes all characters invisible, similar to the effect caused through use of the Cloaking Device. The Cloaking Device is only availible in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Trivia

 * Stealth camouflage is not a recent concept, nor is it unique to only MGS. It can be seen in various films such as Predator, Ghost in the Shell, and Street Fighter;
 * According to the Metal Gear Solid 4 Database, the Stealth camo apparently leaks electro-magnetic radiation, making it lethal after a long period of time. Unlike smoking however, the alleged effects of the radiation leaks are not shown.