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No Metal Gear game before, and none since have used a camouflage system quite like MGS3's, which is so authentic in some ways, and incredibly impractical in others. In all the games before, Snake (or Raiden) wore some kind of practical "sneaking suit" which helped them blend in, regulate body temperature and carry weapons and items efficiently. In MGS4, Snake has Otacon's new "OctoCamo" to enable him to become a human chameleon and blend in with his background whilst also wearing a new state-of-the-art sneaking suit, perfect for the battlefield.

MGS3, set decades before the other canonical games, however, is not so advanced. Naked Snake doesn't have an arsenal of stealthy gadgets to help him sneak around, nor does he wade in to the jungle dressed in grey or black where he would stand out too much against the foliage. Instead he has a selection of camouflage "uniforms" and a vast array of facepaints to match. This system has been criticised for its impracticality - since when does any soldier carry two dozen spare sets of clothes around with him, or have the time to paint intricate Japanese characters onto his face, but then how often does MGS make sense like that? Who honestly could carry several cardboard boxes and rocket launchers around with them all the time? So, no, it is not practical in the real world, but as MGS likes to remind you, it's only a game and the rules of reality can be broken here. So Snake starts out with some camouflages and facepaints and can collect more along the way, or else download them from the online store, obtain them from special "Key Discs" (the Soundtrack and Snake Eater single are each Key Discs) or earn them at the end of boss battles as a reward for tranquillising over killing.

To use this unique wardrobe during the game, simply pause and enter the Camouflage menu. The camo index in the top right hand corner of the game screen tells you how effective your camouflage is and it becomes more so when you are stationary, crouching, or best of all lying in the undergrowth. Choose wisely and enemy soldiers may pass you by, unaware of your presence.

FACEPAINTS

• WOODLAND: green and brown smears, best used in forested areas. [Backpack]
• BLACK: completely black, for use in dark areas. [Backpack] 
• SPLITTER: black shards, useful for infiltrating buildings. [Backpack]
• MASK: so Snake can be disguised as Major Raikov, and for Raiden fans. [Backpack]
• SOVIET UNION: the Soviet flag. [Backpack]
• UK: the British Union Jack. [Backpack]
• FRANCE: the French Tricolore. [Backpack]
• GERMANY: the German flag. [Backpack]
• ITALY: the Italian flag. [Backpack]
• SPAIN: the Spanish flag. [Backpack]
• SWEDEN: the Swedish flag. [Backpack]
• JAPAN: the Japanese flag. [Backpack]
• USA: the American Stars and Stripes. [Backpack]
• ZOMBIE: black and white pattern to make Snake look undead. [Rassvet]
• SNOW: mainly white with bits of green for cold environments. [Bolshaya Past Base]
• WATER: blue colouration best used in water. [Ponizovje South]
• DESERT: yellow and brown, for use up in the mountains. [Ponizovje Warehouse]
• OYAMA: all white with red lips, Kabuki's female role paint. [Graniny Gorki Lab 1F]
• KABUKI: white with red patterns which mimics a Kabuki character. [Tikhogornyj]
• GREEN: green in colour and does not let the grip gauge diminish. [Earnt by beating the record in all boss fights in Normal Duel Mode]
• BROWN: brown in colour and prevents your O2 gauge diminishing. [Found by puting the Snake Eater single disc into the console under the Key Discs option]
• INFINITY: Japanese characters cover Snake's face and your weapons will never run out of ammo whilst you're wearing this. [Earnt either by finishing the game with a live Tsuchinoko in your possession, or if you are awarded the highest ranking in anything by Very Easy].

Note that when you finish and save a game, the camouflages you have picked up and earnt will be in your backpack at the start of a new game.

UNIFORMS

• OLIVE DRAB: the standard dress of Naked Snake. Olive green in colour with no markings so is limited in its ability to provide you good camouflage. [Backpack]
• NAKED: a variation of "olive drab", with the top half missing. Even less suitable for hiding, but provokes a reaction from Sigint. [Backpack]
• TIGER STRIPE: a mixture of blacks and browns, effective against trees, grass or soil. [Backpack]
• LEAF: a variety of green shades, best used in underbrush. [Backpack]
• TREE BARK: segments of brown and green make this uniform effective when pressed up against a tree. [Backpack]
• SQUARES: blocky segments of orange and black, useful against reddish backgrounds such as brickwork and rusty metal. [Backpack]
• BLACK: as the name suggests, entirely black. Use in dark areas. [Backpack]
• RAINDROP: greyish blues with hints of orange, best used when it's raining. [Dolinovodno]
• GA-KO: a special uniform which croaks when first donned if you have yet to hit the Kerotan hidden in the level - useful for if you're collecting them - and as the reward for shooting them all is the Stealth Camouflage, you may want to! [Chyornyj Prud]
• SPLITTER: grey and blue pattern suitable for urban environments. [Bolshaya Past South; Krasnogorje Mountaintop]
• CHOCO CHIP: pale creams and beiges, for use in the mountains. [Bolshaya Past South; Graniny Gorki Lab 2F]
• WATER: blue patches which imitate water, best used swimming or wading through water. [Bolshaya Past Base]
• SNOW: white with green flecks mimicking vegetation. Use against white backgrounds. [Chyornaya Peschera Cave]
• FLY: a uniform - decorated with turds - which stinks and therefore attracts flies! Enemies will keep their distance, you smell that bad. [Graniny Gorki Lab 2F]
• SCIENTIST: the uniform worn by scientists, complete with glasses which you can push up your nose with the Triangle button. [Given to you in Rassvet]
• OFFICER: the uniform Major Raikov was wearing. When worn with the mask, very few people will be able to distinguish Snake from the real Raikov. [Must be stolen from Raikov once Snake has stashed his body in a locker in the Groznyj Grad Weapons Lab: East Wing]
• MAINTENANCE: makes Snake look like one of the maintenance crew. [Groznyj Grad Weapons Lab: East Wing]
• SNEAKING: an advanced combat sneaking suit developed by the USSR made with bulletproof fibre, therefore reducing damage when attacked by half. You will also use less Stamina. [Groznyj Grad Weapons Lab: East Wing]
• TUXEDO: an all black outfit with white shirt and black bow tie for the ultimate Bond look. Unable to use CQC or wear facepaint whilst wearing it, though. The Boss will comment on this if you contact her during the Virtuous Mission whilst wearing it. [A reward for completing MGS3, with no catches!]
• ANIMALS: resembles many different animal hides. Do I spy an ocelot? Whilst wearing it, your hand won't shake when you aim a gun. [Next to you in Chyornaya Peschera Cave Branch if you defeated Ocelot by reducing his stamina to zero]
• HORNET STRIPE: a yellow and brown uniform which prevents Snake being bitten or stung by spiders, leeches and hornets. [Chyornaya Peschera Cave - a reward for taking The Pain out by reducing his stamina to zero]
• SPIDER: browny green cobwebbed effect. Makes your camo index permanently 80% but drains stamina quickly. [Graniny Gorki South - a reward for defeating The Fear by reducing his stamina to zero (try throwing him rotten food!)].
• MOSS: vivid green colour. Provides the wearer with superhuman photosynthetic capabilities - stamina goes up whilst standing in sunlight! [Sokrovenno - obtain this camouflage by successfully sneaking up on The End from behind and holding him up. The reward for reducing his stamina to zero is his Mosin Nagant sniper rifle]
• FIRE: red and black patches which halves damage from fire and explosions and protects from burns. [Groznyj Grad Underground Tunnel - a reward for reducing The Fury's stamina to zero]
• SPIRIT: greys and blues. Completely eliminates noise made by footsteps and allows the wearer to drain stamina by choking enemies with CQC. [Groznyj Grad Sewers - reward for reaching The Sorrow's skeleton during the "boss battle" with him]
• COLD WAR: bears the Soviet Hammer and Sickel on the front and the American Stars and Stripes on the back. Enemies will not want to attack their own side... [Groznyj Grad - a reward for defeating Volgin by reducing his stamina to zero]
• SNAKE: green and black pattern which provides good camouflage most the time. [Rokovoj Bereg - a reward for defeating The Boss by reducing her stamina to zero]
• DPM: a British forest camo pattern that is good in forested areas. LIFE increases twice as fast when worn. [Reward for beating the record in all Special fights in Duel Mode]
• BANANA: a banana patterned camouflage which makes any food taste great - yes, even Russian rations! [A reward for breaking the record in all Snake vs Monkey missions]
• DESERT TIGER: cream and beige tiger stripe pattern designed for use in desert environments. When equipped your Suppressor won't wear out with use. [Obtained from the Snake Eater single Key Disc]
• AUSCAM: Australian Camouflage which is white with brown spots. Useful against white backgrounds. [Obtained from the MGS3 Soundtrack Key Disc]
• MUMMY: looks like Snake's covered in bandages! Protects the wearer from serious injuries. [Available for download]
• GRENADE: provides Snake with a limitless supply of Grenades. [Available for download]
• Note that many other uniforms and facepaints are also available for download, and not all of them are very serious...

MGS3 / Characters / New Gamplay / Russian / Major Raikov / Cake Eater / Soundtracks Weapons & Items / Food & Medicines / Subsistence / Secrets