Once you've landed on the beach, you'll see a set of stairs directly in front of you. Go up the stairs and across the bridge to the street beyond. When you get to the street, you'll encounter a few cyborgs. These three cyborgs will be pretty close together when they start so you can just run right into the middle of them and start swinging. You'll likely be able to hit most of them and knock them off balance allowing you to continue your combo until they are dead. If you don't catch them all then this is another going point to practice parrying.
After the cutscene, pick up the goods they drop and then enter the building. Climb to the middle floor and make sure to grab the [Item Box] by the railing before climbing up another level. This level also has an [Item Box]. From here, you should be able to see the chandelier Jump to chandelier (might be easier from the lower level) and cut it down. Go down to the bottom level to pick up [Data 1.1] before returning to the middle level and going through the door.
You'll enter a hallway above an enemy. Across from you should be a [Repair] kit. Sprint over and grab it before looking down at the target below. From here, you should be able to line up an attack. You'll see a dotted line over the enemy's head if you can execute the attack and if you can, just tap the activate button to perform it. If not, drop down behind him and come up to him to perform the attack. This is an instant kill attack called a Zandatsu.
The Streets
When you get outside, you'll be taught how to use the Augmented Reality but keep in mind that if you attack, it'll be deactivated. Open the [Item Box] to the right and then head for the bridge to the left. There are two enemies on the upper level and one of them is on this left side. You want to try to get the two on the upper level with a Zandatsu before going to the lower level. On the lower level are two more cyborgs. You want to come up behind them and hit them with a Blade Mode attack to kill both of them instantly. Doing so will save the civilian in the square and talking to him will net you [Hostage 1 of 4].
Continue up the street and you'll be attacked by a Gekko and two cyborgs. The cyborgs shouldn't be any more difficult than normal but two more will show up later and when mixed with the Gekko, they can be trouble. You can try to lure them away from the Gekko or Ninja Run and cut until they go down.
The Gekko will have a few different attacks that you need to be aware of. The first attack is one in which the Gekko lowers his head and charges at you. This attack cannot be parried so you need to try to avoid it. The best method for this is actually to Ninja Run almost directly at it but just off to the side so that you miss. He also has a couple of attacks where he will swing at you with his legs. These definitely CAN be parried and if you're good at parrying then doing so will make this battle a cake walk. Finally, there's an attack where he can hit you with a tendril and try to pull you in but if you rotate the left stick, you can reverse it and stun the Gekko.
After you get some hits in on the Gekko, you should get the chance to either cut up his legs or start a Quick Time Event (QTE) which will result in its destruction.
With the Gekko out of the way, look forward and you should see two bridges ahead of you. You need to cross the smaller first bridge over to the upper left side. When you've crossed that bridge, turn left again and turn on your AR. Ahead against the wall should be a [Blade Box] which requires you to activate Blade Mode to open it. Open it up and inside you'll find [Data 1.2].
Cross back so you are on the upper right side of the street. Move forward and you'll see a guard looking down over the street ahead. Watch out for the two patrolling Gekkos and sneak up behind him to kill him silently. Now cross the bridge and remember to watch out for the Gekkos. On the other side of the street are two more cyborgs which you can kill silently. From here, get lost and see if you can't find a way to get behind one of the Gekkos. You may be able to take both of them out without actually getting into a fight. This section is pretty tough to do in stealth however so don't be surprised if you don't manage.
If you don't, the fight will be similar to the previous fight except with two Gekkos. This is why it was crucial to get rid of the cyborgs. Worst case scenario, start Ninja Running and slicing up your enemies until the crowd has thinned some. Remember that you can parry the Gekkos so if you feel comfortable, wade right into the fight and you should be able to make short work of them.
At the end of the street, check to the right by the force field to find an [Item Box] and then head to the left side of the street. Enter the building that will let you past the force field. As soon as you get inside, look straight ahead at the pile of boxes on the floor to find your first [VR Mission 1.1]. Climb the stairs and enter the hallway at the top.
Bladewolf
Bladewolf is a tough enemy at first but if you take it slow, you'll do fine. Bladewolf has several attacks but every attack can be parried. He has three relatively simple attacks which generally leave him most open for attack. The first is an overhead attack with his tail where he spins through the air and comes down hard. He has another tail attack that involves a horizontal spin which is followed up by two more attacks, all of which can be parried. His final simple attack is one in which he'll back up a little and turn sideways after which he'll make a large lunge attack with his claw. This attack is pretty easily avoided and usually leaves him the most vulnerable.
Aside from those three attacks, he's got two special attacks that can be hard to follow. The first attack is one in which he hops back a little, charges up and then performs a lunge attack in which he spirals towards you. This attack can be followed up by up to two quick jumps after he lands so be careful of this attack and definitely try to parry it if you can (wait for the red flash to dissipate for the best results).
The other attack has him jump back and forth across the area before hitting you in mid air. If he hits you with the last jump, he'll pin you to the ground and do some moderate damage. It seems that you can only parry the first part of this attack, just before his first jump though you shouldn't try to parry after anyway because of how hard it is to keep track of his direction. If you miss that chance then after he jumps maybe 2-3 times, jump into the air and then start swinging your sword to keep you in the air longer so that he passes right under you.
Aside from his attacks, he also has two points during which he'll summon back-up. The first happens after you lower his health to below 70% and the second happens after you get him under 40%. The first batch of enemies is just a set of three cyborgs and the second is a single Gekko. The cyborgs come a clump and should pose little threat but remember to get the nano repair unit from at least one because this is a valuable healing opportunity. The same can be said for the Gekko but if you're having trouble dealing with him, be sure to check the Gekko page.
Parrying is your best friend here. If you can master the parry (remember to wait for the red flash to dissipate before acting) then this fight will be very easy. If not then it's best to make liberal use of the Ninja Run and attack only after he performs one of those first three attacks I mentioned. Or... take this opportunity to learn how to parry.
Hammerhead
After you've dealt with Bladewolf, check the building near where you started and you'll find that the door has been broken down. Go inside and on one of the shelves will be [Data 1.3].
When you've collected everything, head down the street and you'll bump into a group of four cyborgs but two of them will be carrying shields. The shields can be broken with enough effort but they can also parry your attacks. Alternatively, you can wait for them to attack and parry their attack which will immediately leave them open for an attack. Either method should suffice though one is likely to get you banged up a little bit.
When they've been defeated, three Hammerheads will appear in the sky and chase after you. You need to activate Ninja Run and sprint across the bridge. When you think you're safe, you're not and the bridge will fall out from under you. Tap the Heavy Attack button to save yourself and then continue your sprint across the bridge.
When you get to the far side, you'll need to fight one of the Hammerheads. There will be [Guided Missiles] scattered around the area to help you but it might just be simpler to climb one of the large corner pieces and then run around the upper level to attack the Hammerhead. Just remember to Ninja Run to avoid the rockets and reflect gun fire. When you get close, jump into the air and start hacking at it. It's also possible that you will be given an opportunity to run across the rockets like you did with Ray in the previous level. If you do, take advantage of it. Keep at it until you've cut it down.
Back on the Streets
Run through the arch at the back of this area and you'll enter another set of streets. Try to take cover behind one of the buildings on either side because there are five guards and [Hostage 2 of 4] here. Unfortunately, to rescue this hostage, you'll need to use an EMP grenade which you may not have. When you do, return here and wait for the patrolling guard to end up near the other two before throwing the grenade at them. When they are all stunned, take them out.
For now, keep in mind that two of the Cyborgs are flying. These enemies can usually be knocked out of their wings by hitting them with a string of heavy aerial attacks. Once they've been knocked loose, they turn into regular Cyborgs on the ground. From there, you can treat this group just like any other group of Cyborgs.
With the cyborgs gone, turn left and you'll see some moderately sized buildings. You may have to go forward a little and climb a shorter building to get there but if you climb up the building and turn left again, you'll be able to find [VR Mission 1.2].
Head up the street to the large gate at the end. On the right side will be a computer terminal. If you try to access it, you will fail and be instructed to take the left hand of a high ranking Cyborg. Head back along the street and as you go, an APC with three Cyborgs will arrive. Attack them as they disembark and they should be no problem. If one starts running up the street, let him go and try to draw him back to you instead of chasing.
The reason for this is that up ahead on the right side of the road will be a single soldier. If you activate your AR mode then he's got a special highlight on his left arm. When it is safe to do so, sneak up behind him and use Blade Mode to cut off his left hand and claim [Left Hand 1.1]. Take the hand and return to the gate to activate it. If you fail to get the hand for one reason or another, it's ok. Just return to the gate and use blade mode to slice through the small pieces in the middle of the gate (little finicky so be patient).
Through the Gate
When you walk through the gate, you'll be ambushed by a team of four Cyborgs and a Cyborg Elite. The Elite will carry a rather large blade and be moderately capable of sword fighting. He will use strong melee attacks and is capable of blocking or countering your attacks. The key to fighting him is really just to be ready for his counter attacks. If you do that then as soon as he sets up a counter, you can parry and counter to continue your attack. In short order, you should have the chance to remove his limbs.
Go into the building through the front doors and through the building to the right. Go down the short hallway and turn left to find a small hallway with [VR Mission 1.3]. With that in hand, start climbing through the building up to the top and be on the lookout for items and an [Item Box] on the way up.
Industrial
Run up the stairs in front of you and onto the building roof nearby. Look down and you'll see two Cyborgs nearby. Wait for the second to wander away and then perform a Zandatsu on the first one. Disappear again and wait for the other enemy to return. When he comes back and then turns away, sneak up on him and take his [Left Hand 1.2]. Activate AR and you'll see a couple of [Item Boxes] ahead. Open both and then while still in AR, check the rooftop of the building closest to the ferris wheel. Climb up the boxes on the right and Zandatsu this target.
From here, you can see the Gekko and Cyborg in the plaza. Wait until the Gekko walks past you and then hug the wall to the left as you sneak up on the Gekko for a Zandatsu. If you fail this Zandatsu then two more cyborgs and a Gekko will show up for the fight. If this happens, however, there is plenty of room here and you could also retreat to where you started the level to thin out enemies.
Check the left side of the area for a [Stinger Missile] and then check behind that building to find two Cyborgs, one of which will have [Left Hand 1.3]. Exit the area through the door to the back left.
Factory
Go down the path on the left and it will lead you right to the factory building. Cut through the fence and just beyond that, you'll be attacked by a group of Dwarf Gekkos. These things are only about 1.5 feet tall and have three arms attached to a round body. Because of their small height, their reach and speed is rather limited but they can be dangerous if you don't pay attention. If they can get behind you, they'll either attach to your head or around your chest to restrict you. A lot of fast attacks should deal with these pretty quickly.
As the number of Dwarf Gekkos dwindle, a few cyborgs will show up to augment the fight. Neither enemy is particularly tough so at this point, it is likely easiest to just switch from enemy to enemy as they approach you.
Before leaving, there is an [Item Box] on the blue crates to the right. Climb up the left side now and exit by cutting through the large fans above. In the next room will be a couple Gun Cameras which are wall mounted cameras with turrets attached. If they notice you, they will attack and alert others nearby so make sure not to cross the red sight lines. Walk around the lights and get under the camera before jumping up. A single Heavy Aerial Combo will take the camera out quite easily. There's another on the upper level as well. On the left side of this area is another [Item Box] on some more shipping crates. If you cause an alert, watch out for the Gekko that will come running.
Open the door upstairs and you'll enter a hallway with laser beams. Take your time and try to jump over the beams if you can though it may not be possible. Be prepared to be attacked by several Dwarf Gekkos and two Cyborgs. Further ahead, at the top of the stairs will be a similar matrix of beams that you can't avoid. When you go through it, you'll be attacked by a similar group of enemies. In this next hallway, be sure to watch out for the two Gun Cameras. Take them out quietly to make your life easier.
At the end of the hall, go through the door and you'll enter a square room with four pillars a few Gun Cameras. Attached to the pillars will be more laser beams but you can make your way through the room without being seen at all. First, eliminate the Camera on the first pillar to your right. Then kill the camera on the pillar diagonally across the room but be careful of the laser walls on either side of it. From the center of the room, go between the two right pillars and then hug the wall until you can get to the stairs leading up.
Climb the stairs but be careful of the Gun Camera up here. Destroy that when it turns away and then slowly make your way down the catwalk to the right. When you get closer to the end, you'll see another Gun Camera on a pillar and there will be a few Cyborgs patrolling. One of these Cyborgs will have [Left Hand 1.4] so be sure to surprise him if you can't get the drop on all of them. The Gun Camera has shipping crates directly under it so you don't have to worry about falling when you try to destroy it. Just to the left of that camera is a hole in the floor of shipping crates. If you drop down and explore, you can find [Man in Box 1 of 5].
Before proceeding, there are three collectibles coming up. Stop at the main intersection of the upper level. Ahead and to the left will be the exit from this area. Ahead and slightly to the right will be two giant fans and to the right will be more catwalk. Take the right here and then when you get to the wall, take another right to find [Data 1.4]. Head back to the intersection and find those giant fans. Cut through them and continue past them to find a [Blade Box] which will have [Life+ 1 of 6]. Go through the doorway to the next area but instead of going up the stairs, go down the stairs just to the left of them and at the bottom you'll find [VR Mission 1.4].
Now head up the stairs.
Mistral
Mistral has the unique ability to use the arms of Dwarf Gekkos in combat. She can attach them to the back of her suit or detach them and lock them together to form a staff. She will also be accompanied by even more Dwarf Gekkos. While this might seem to make your situation worse, they will frequently just be bounced around by your attacks and when they die, they'll leave health for you.
At the beginning of the fight, she'll start with the staff constructed and start swinging at you. She has quite a few weaker attacks that she'll use and they are almost all something that Raiden can Parry. Be careful of her overhead twirling attack which is NOT something you can parry and can deal heavy damage while covering a lot of the arena.
She can also turn the staff into whips which can move in unusual ways. She can use up to two whips at a time and when she does, she usually will jump into the air at some point and use the whips to pull her towards you for a quick attack. This charging attack can be blocked however.
She may block your attacks with her staff but her defenses are rather weak so if you keep after her, you'll get a chance to hit her in Blade Mode during which you want to try and cut off a part of the staff (which will be highlighted for you). Be careful because if you take too long or miss too many times then she'll attack you. After cutting the staff, she'll leave for a moment, allowing you to focus on the Dwarf Gekkos and to replenish your health.
She will jump down to resume the fight but this will play out similarly to before. After her initial attack, go in for an attack of your own and when you get the chance, cut her staff once again. After this, you'll exchange a few more blows and when you get her under 75%, you'll trigger a cutscene where you'll exchange a few blows and then after she pulls you over her head, you'll be able to perform a mid-air Blade Mode attack and cut her staff once more.
Your fight will continue on a pipe in a different part of the refinery. On the pipe, she willl still attack with the staff but this is the point where she will start to make very liberal use of the staff as whips so be watchful for those attack patterns. You won't get another chance to cut her staff until you get her down near 50%. After that, you'll fight a little bit more but another scenery changing cutscene will happen shortly.
You'll now be down on the ground floor of the refinery and the fight will continue. She'll acquire a new attack which has her cause a wave with the whip that moves across the ground towards you very quickly. She will also start throwing the Dwarf Gekkos at you while she is rebuilding her staff and these will explode if they hit you. Otherwise, continue the fight as you did before.
The fight will keep going until you get her down to under 10%. After that, you'll have a quick time event where you'll block her attack by hitting:
- Heavy Attack + Activate
Completing that simple Quick Time Event will end the fight
