Metal Gear Solid 2 radio conversations

This article is a list of optional Codec conversations in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, which can be either humorous, or contain additional information that is not revealed during normal gameplay.

Care avoids err
''To initiate this conversation, the player must save the game numerous times during the Tanker chapter. This is also the only instance that Mei Ling speaks through the Codec in the game.''

Otacon: Snake, do you know the Chinese proverb "Care avoids err"? "Err" is thought to be a Kung word meaning "what." There are some linguists who think that this accounts for an almost universal utterance --- of the syllable "er" when people are at a loss of words. A kind of vestigal --

Mei Ling: Hey!

Otacon: Ack!

Mei Ling: What a crock! What did you do with that little cheat sheet I made you?

Otacon: Er --

Mei Ling: Oh, there it is -- Hey!

Otacon: Er, that's really a...

Mei Ling: How could you do that! You know how busy I am and you -- !!

Otacon: It's not what you think...

Mei Ling: Oh, so what am I thinking?

Snake: What's going on over there?

Mei Ling: Oh, hi, Snake. Did you know that Otacon's been --

Otacon: Er, Mei Ling, we're in the middle of a mission and everything! So can we, you know...

Mei Ling: ... Fine. Sure. And Snake, the real meaning for "Care avoids err" is that if you're cautious, you can avoid making serious mistakes. Even if you've gotten used to the mission, watch what you do. Good Luck!

Otacon: Yeah, Snake! Good Luck!

Mei Ling: You, I'm not done with!

Otacon: Ack...

Mei Ling: Let's discuss this, shall we?

Otacon: Err...

Movie explaination
To initiate this conversation, call Otacon while looking at the TV screen broadcasting Scott Dolph's speech

Otacon: Look at the TV over there. It's showing the hold.

Snake: So that's...

Otacon: The new Metal Gear.

Snake: Why are they broadcasting this?

Otacon: They probably want to keep a record of this exercise -- and maybe give a little presentation?

Snake: Presentation?

Otacon: That ship's been transmitting a live video feed via military satellite uplink for a while now.

Snake: So there's some brass out there, smacking their lips over this little home movie.

Otacon: I've been trying to pinpoint the receiving location, but I haven't had much luck. There's a heavy duty firewall in the way. I'll try some more, though. Wherever it is, it must be a warm, dry office with hot coffee on tap.

Snake: A far cry from that tanker, huh?

Otacon: That's what happens when the battlefield has a Revolution in Military Affairs.

Raiden's blood
Colonel: You're currently using artificial blood primed with nanomachines.

Raiden: What did you do with my own blood?

Colonel: It's being kept in cold storage. It will be circulated back into your body when you return. If the Life Gauge drops to the red zone, you won't be able to stop the bleeding by yourself. Bloodstains can give your presence away to the enemy; be careful. To stop the flow, select the Bandage from among your items... You can also go into a crouch or crawl and stay completely still for a while. All you have to do is stop moving for a duration of time and your nanomachines will arrange forplatelets to be produced in large numbers. The bleeding will stop as a result.

Suspicious weapons
To initiate this conversation, contact the Colonel as soon as you find a weapon.

Colonel: Raiden, I see you found a weapon.

Raiden: Why are there weapons here, of all places? The Big Shell is supposed to be just a facility for marine filtration, right?

Rosemary: The terrorists probably brought it in with them.

Raiden: Dunno, looks like it's been here from before them.

Rosemary: What're you saying?

Colonel: Raiden, there is no time for armchair theories. Concentrate on the task at hand.

Tanker accident VR
Colonel: That tanker accident that happened over there two years ago; the tanker sank and...

Raiden: I know. I went through it in VR training. The tanker didn't sink because of Snake, though...

Colonel: Raiden. VR training does not exactly simulate everything with absolute fidelity. Okay, listen. Here are the facts. Known terrorist Solid Snake sank that tanker loaded with crude oil, the end result being severe environmental pollution in Manhattan Bay. Put any misperceptions of Snake as some kind of hero behind you. He s a terrorist. And that's that.

Pentazemin
''To initiate this conversation, simply contact Iroquois Pliskin (Solid Snake) upon procuring the Pentazemin. Also, Pliskin's mention of Pentazemin not preventing seasickness refers back to the Tanker Incident, during which Snake was tricked by Otacon into believing this, in order to add a placebo effect.''

Pliskin: You have the Pentazemin equipped, huh. To steady your hands when aiming with a sniper rifle, select Pentazemin in the menu display and press the Confirmation button. One more thing... Pentazemin does not prevent seasickness...

Raiden: Seasickness...? What are you talking about?

Pliskin: I mean sometimes faith can overcome medical science.

Raiden: What?!

Pliskin: Never mind...

Attack team's identities
Pliskin: The reinforcements that rush up whenever you're discovered by the enemy are the President's special security unit. They are the cream of the Secret Service, and have previously served as members of CAT -- the Counter Assault Team, which is part of the Presidential security force. These guys have seen more action than you'll ever see in a lifetime. Their equipment is based on the Land Warrior System, which has been an Army development project over the last century. You've been with Force XXI, so you should know what I'm talking about. It's the latest infantry equipment enhanced with advanced data communication and processing features. The system is designed to treat each infantry soldier as a single terminal in a network... The helmet has a mounted display that provides everything from sensor and map updates to directives and commands from a command outpost. Through a data link, the soldier is also provided with video and graphic information such as current location -- including the placement of friendly units -- and rendezvous points. Also included with the package are various targeting systems, bio-sensors, GPS receiving units, and the latest data-processing equipment.

Raiden: If I remember right, didn't the Army have a problem finding a battery with enough longevity to power the equipment..

Pliskin: That's right. But the development of a sealed membrane battery capable of withstanding the wear and tear of combat situations solved that problem, making the system practical. On top of that, the weight of all this equipment is no longer a problem, thanks to the DARPA-developed exoskeleton technology with human strength amplification capabilities. A soldier may look slow and clumsy in all this equipment, but don't let that fool you... Former members of the President's Special Security Unit are equipped with ceramic-plated armor. Attacking any spot other than the head is pretty much a waste of time. For results, go for the head. Actually, the best course for survival is to avoid any direct confrontation with these guys...

Fortune's railgun
To initiate this conversation, contact the Colonel while fighting Fortune.

Colonel: Raiden, Rose did a bit of research on Fortune's weapon.

Rosemary: The big rifle that she carries appears to be a personal rail gun.

Raiden: Rail gun?

Rosemary: Yes -- an electromagnetic gun that fires bullets with magnetic force. As a movable conductor it uses plasma electrons to boost acceleration capabilities. The kinetic energy of the ammunition is approximately ten megajoules. Incidentally, that of a 140mm smooth bore gun ammunition is twenty megajoules.

Raiden: I can't believe something like that even exists!

Rosemary: It's not available, though. What she has is only a prototype.

Raiden: That thing sure doesn't sound like a prototype!

Rosemary: Problems with the rail plasma and inner-rail electromagnetic release have yet to be solved. Evaluations exist that criticize it as unacceptable as a field weapon... because of the high risk of accidental discharge.

Raiden: But hers doesn't...?

Rosemary: ...Most likely...probably because she's lucky.

Raiden: Unbelievable...

Rosemary: Either way, it's a weapon that she alone can wield, that's for sure.

Raiden: Yeah, and a weapon that's uncontrollable, too.

Rosemary: Be very careful, Jack.

Fatman's bomb blast suit
To initiate this conversation, contact the Colonel while fighting Fatman.

Colonel: Fatman is wearing a bomb blast suit.It is worn when disarming explosives, and protects its wearer from the blast, heat, and shards. Essentially it resembles a bulletproof vest, made out of special material. The front of the head and body are guarded by a laminated ballistic insert.The back, too, is guarded with a protector to ease the impact on the spine from a fall after a blast. Attacks to his torso will likely have little effect. At first it might look to be cumbersome but in fact it is made to be extremely flexible, so as not to hinder bomb disposal.One could even do apparatus gymnastics like the pommel horse or parallel bars in it. The problem is that it is poorly ventilated and having it on for long periods of time runs the risk of leaving its wearer mildly overheated. However, the suit is equipped with a cooling system like a space suitin which the coolant is run through inner-suit tubes. He will not likely overheat in the suit. With those configurations, however, the total weight of the suit should exceed fifty kilograms. That's too heavy for skating around. An impact might easily make him lose his balance and he'll fall down. Shooting a part of the suit with a gun will do minimal damage at best. Aim for exposed areas of his head. If he falls down, when he tries to get up is your best chance.

Outer Heaven
To initiate this conversation, contact Snake (while he is using the alias "Iroqouis Pliskin") after encountering the Semtex on the Shell 1-2 connecting bridge.

Raiden: Have you ever heard of Outer Heaven?

Snake: Outer Heaven!?

Raiden: Yeah. Know anything?

Snake: Uh, no. What about it?

Raiden: The terrorist leader mentioned it. Something about being close to reviving Outer Heaven.

Snake: Is that right...

Raiden: Well? Do you know anything?

Snake: No. But whatever their goal is, they're probably up to no good. We've got to stop them...

Raiden: Yeah... Right...

The full truth behind Big Shell
Otacon: The rumors about "Big Shell" being a big cover up are all true.

Raiden: Otacon?

Otacon: I had Snake check everything out. Sure, there are some facilities to clean up the pollution, but they're not running at full capacity. Don't you think it's funny that even though two years have gone by since the incident, they haven't managed to clean up all the crude oil? Of course, the media doesn't report that kind of thing. I think they're having fresh shipments of crude oil brought in--- to replace the stuff they've cleaned up. The story you were told about toxic chemicals being released if the plant were blown up--- also seems pretty fishy. I don't think its actually true. Information is being suppressed on a huge scale. These guys seem to think that the new Metal Gear is worth all the effort and money--- they're spending on it.

Raiden: ...So I've been lied to all along...

Otacon: No, I think even your CO didn't know what was going on. That's probably what he's been telling you.

Raiden: I didn't mean by the Colonel. I meant by you.

Otacon: Huh? We never lied to you! We just didn't tell you everything, that's all.

Raiden: ...

Otacon: Ha ha. You know, you're a pretty interesting guy. You're just like Snake said.

Raiden: ...What did he say?

Otacon: That you're a weak, simple-minded, stubborn fool.

Raiden: A-a weak, simple-minded...

Otacon: Ah, don't worry, he didn't mean anything bad by it.

Raiden: "Nothing bad"? What could possibly be worse than that? That lying, useless, backstabbing, mincing son of a --

Otacon: Raiden, I'm his friend. I know him better than anyone else. I know he's not that kind of guy.

Raiden: Yeah? So what?

Otacon: And, by the way... there's one more thing you should probably know about Snake.

Raiden: What?

Otacon: He's right here.

Raiden: ...Next to you?

Otacon: Yep.

Raiden: Did he hear....

Otacon: Every word.

Snake: ...

Raiden: I'm, uh...I'm just gonna get back to the mission right now.

Underwater mines
To initiate these conversations, contact Snake while swimming through the flooded portion of the Shell 2 Core and go near a mine.

Snake: Raiden, watch out for that underwater mine. It'll detonate on contact, so make sure you avoid it.

Raiden: Why would there be a mine here?

Snake: Because someone planted one.

Otacon: What about that guy who was running on water? Could have been him.

Snake: You'd better watch your back. He may be waiting to ambush.

Otacon: That underwater mine is believed to have built-in compound sensors for detecting acceleration speed, changes in water pressure, body temperature, and other data. A light touch will trigger one of these... so be careful!

Emma vs. Otacon, round 2
''To initiate these conversations, call Snake after getting Emma up to the first floor. "Round 2" refers to the fact that Emma and Otacon briefly argued in a scripted event prior to the calls.''

Emma vs. Otacon, round 2 (part 1)
Otacon: Okay, Raiden. Let me talk to Emma.

Raiden: Sure. One condition... no arguing.

Otacon: No problem. Put her on.

(Emma replaces Raiden on the Codec screen)

Otacon: E.E.? Is that you?

Emma: Yes. What do you want?

Otacon: Why did you get involved in weapons development?

Emma: ...

Otacon: A lot of people will get hurt... even more will die! I'm talking about the destruction of homes and cities... radioactive contamination for years to come. You of all people should know the horror of nuclear weapons! You know about our family's dark history! Why, E.E.? Why!?

Emma: You left me... you made my life a living hell!

Otacon: I didn't have a choice!

Emma: Don't lie to me! The pool... You could never look at me in the eye after the accident! You took the easy way out, so you wouldn't have to face me! That way, you could avoid responsibility every day... You ran... you ran away so you wouldn't have to face the pain!

Otacon: No... that's not why I left...

Emma: You left me and took the easy way out...

Otacon: That's not true. I left the house because...

Emma: You're a criminal! Just like me!

Otacon: A... criminal...?

Emma: I know what you did! You manipulated our account on the network...

Otacon: But...

Emma: Look at what you're doing now... You're nothing but a cracker.

Otacon: No. I'm just applying my knowledge for the cause...

Emma: The cause!? What cause!? Justice!?

Otacon: For peace, E.E.! I'm not like Snake... I can't carry a gun and face the enemy... That's why I do what I do best...

Emma: Oh, right! Nice justification, Hal! Forget about being a criminal! You'd make a great lawyer!

Snake: All right already... That's enough!

Emma vs. Otacon, round 2 (part 2)
Snake: What's up, Raiden?

Raiden: Uh...

(Emma cuts in)

Emma: Out of my way! Let me talk!

Snake: You want to talk to Otacon?

Emma: Yes.

Snake: I'll put him on...

(Otacon patches in) Otacon: Yeah... what is it?

Emma: Up to now, scientists have continued to be active participants in war. What's your opinion?

Otacon: There's no doubt that war has been an ideal event that fuels the progress of science. But therein lies the trap... We scientists must establish some sort of work ethic. It's a tragedy that both the government and the military act as sponsors to modern science.

Emma: What are you talking about!? The atom and hydrogen bombs were born from laboratories owned and operated by universities--- and private enterprises... Los Alamos and the Lawrence Livermore Labs were run by universities... There's nothing strange about that.

Otacon: Weapons development and universities... This may come as a surprise but science requires that information be exchanged freely.

Emma: You're referring to the will of Professor Oppenheimer, aren't you?

Otacon: For me, science and weapons always existed at different levels. I never thought my research results would bring about misfortune to others. That was until the Shadow Moses incident...

Emma: I have no regrets...

Otacon: That's where you are wrong. We scientists know the dangers of a nuclear threat. It's up to us to protect the people. We can't allow it to be exploited by nations or their politics... Man and nuclear weapons cannot coexist. Mere mortals were never meant to handle nuclear fusion.

Emma: Science defines me... My government respects me... Can you tell me what's wrong with that!? Can you!?

Snake: Okay. That's enough...

Emma vs. Otacon, round 2 (part 3)
Raiden: Snake...

Emma: (OFF) Let me talk to him!

Raiden: Uh, yeah.

(Emma comes on-screen)

Snake: Otacon's busy right now. You'll have to settle for me.

Emma: What...? O-okay...

Snake: Right. Now, what do you want?

Emma: Hal's wrong. Science doesn't exist to benefit the world.

Snake: Then what is it for?

Emma: Science is for the individual. For me, it is to realize my dreams.

Snake: That sounds pretty greedy.

Emma: You can't realize your dreams without greed.

Snake: And what's your dream?

Emma: Take revenge on Hal... To beat him at his own game...

Snake: Revenge?

Emma: I'm gonna make him regret the day he left me... I'm going to make him realize he was wrong!

Snake: Of all the idiotic...

Raiden: ...I think that's enough.

Emma: Idiotic!? It's my goal! My reason for being alive! Hal is wrong! He is only being used by his country! He's pitiful! Even you guys are using him! Me... I'm using science to achieve my own dream!

Snake: Real bright, lady! That's exactly the line that scientists are never meant to cross!

Emma: Right! I sold my soul for revenge! I will never forgive him!

Snake: I'll pretend this conversation never happened...

Emma: No! You tell my brother exactly what I said! You...

Snake: Emma!

Emma: W-what...?

Snake: You're speaking your mind... not your heart.

Emma: ...

Snake: Just leave it at that.

Emma: Um... Okay...

Raiden: ...

How Rosemary was brought into the mission
To initiate this conversation, call Rosemary while GW is acting strangely, but before she calls admitting the truth about her being a Patriot spy.

Raiden: Rose, the Colonel is acting strange.

Rosemary: Oh? I haven't heard from him in a while.

Raiden: What do you mean? Isn't he there?

Rosemary: No, I'm by myself.

Raiden: You're telling me you've never met the guy either?

Rosemary: No -- and they blindfolded me when they brought me here.

Raiden: I've never seen his face...

Rosemary: Is everything okay?

Raiden: Yeah -- It's nothing. Don't worry about it.

GW weirdness
''All of the following conversations take place towards the end of the game, as a naked Raiden proceeds through the Ascending Colon of Arsenal Gear in order to meet up with Solid Snake. The player must continually answer the incoming Codec calls during this stage to initiate the conversations.''

"I need scissors! 61!"
Colonel: I hear it's amazing when the famous purple stuffed worm in flap-jaw space with the tuning fork does a raw blink on Hara-kiri Rock. I need scissors! 61!

Cheating
Colonel: You wouldn't be trying to give yourself a bogus score using some ingenious trick would you? That's just about as low as anyone could possibly stoop! I can't believe you sometimes...

Operation Intrude N313
Colonel: ...Infiltrate... ...the enemy fortress... ...Outer Heaven! ...Destroy... ...the final weapon... ...Metal Gear!

Variety Level 13
Colonel: Variety Level 13. Rescue Meryl, the "Return of Genola."

Sniper rifle
Colonel:' You got a PSG-1? You can use that against Sniper Wolf. Hurry up and save Meryl!

Breaking the fourth wall
Colonel: Honestly, though, you have played the game for a long time. Don't you have anything else to do with your time?

Unfaithful Rosemary
Colonel: Actually, there is something I have been meaning to tell you but I just couldn't... I think you should know, though. On Saturday morning last week I saw a guy leaving Rosemary's room... How should I put it, it was like they were... "intimate." I'm sorry. Sorry to bring this up during the mission, but...

Mei Ling's encouragement
Colonel: Snake, remember what De Gaulle said: "The graveyards are full of indispensable men." Snake, you're all alone and surrounded by bad guys. Try to be careful and avoid getting into a fight whenever you can.

Galuade
Colonel: Your mission is to infiltrate the fortress Galuade, rescue the hostages and neutralize Metal Gear before its assembly is complete.

Game Over
Colonel: Raiden, turn the game console off right now!

Raiden: What did you say?

Colonel: The mission is a failure! Cut the power right now!

Raiden: What's wrong with you?

Colonel: Don't worry, it's a game! It's a game just like usual.

Rosemary: You'll ruin your eyes sitting so close to the TV.

Raiden: What are you talking about!?

The Colonel's abduction
Colonel: Raiden, something happened to me last Thrusday when I was driving home. I had a couple of miles to go -- I looked up and saw a glowing orange object in the sky, to the east! It was moving very irregularly... Suddenly, there was intense light all around me -- and when I came to, I was home. What do you think happened to me...?

Raiden: Huh?

Colonel: Fine, forget it...

"Go home, Raiden"
Colonel: Even my patience has its limits. I just can't leave this thing up to you any longer. I'll do the fighting! You can just go home!

Financial problems
Colonel:' Actually, I am in really bad shape financially. I pay money to my ex-wife as part of our divorce settlement, among other bills... I just had no choice but to make you pay for lunch the other day. I'm really sorry.

Slaughtering the enemy
Colonel: You seem to get a real thrill out of slaughtering the enemy. Are you frustrated about something?

Japanese train stations
Colonel: Kawanishi-Noseguchi, Kinunobebashi, Takiyama, Uguisunomori, Tsuzumigataki, Tada, Hirano, Ichinotorii, Uneno, Yamashita, Sasabe, Kofudai, Tokiwadai, Myoukenguchi.

Garden variety
Colonel: An Anemone or Clamatis plant's juice can cause a rash. When pruning them it's a good idea to wear gloves.

Former lives
Colonel: I was a North American Fall Webworm in my past life. Those were the good old days... What were you in your former life?

Variety Level 7
Colonel: Variety Level 7. Shoot down the space invaders! Training will have to be postponed if we are invaded by UFOs.

Two-point-five
Colonel: Communicator Entertainment Program Idea Spy 2.5 (Two-point-five), Episode 1. New York. Here in the city where dreams come true and desires rule, something is being bought, sold and thrown away, even as we speak. But behind the scenes of business as usual, the nefarious J.E. (Junker Expensive) Corporation lines its already bloated coffers with profits from worthless products. As J.E. swindels yet another innocent into purchasing high-priced junk... the FBI mobilizes a top-secret task force to put a stop to the menace. Now, the city's best-kept secret spy is out there, briefed and ready to protect the people from J.E., the catalogue of conspiracy -- just call him 2.5 (Two-point-five).