Story Level 5 — Major Firepower

How to beat it

1. Take the rooftop shortcut. Level 5 is a long run across the city skyline, so keep moving and never sit in the open.
2. Use cover constantly. The Bad Beans and Mercenary Beans here hit hard; duck behind crates and walls between bursts.
3. Clear every mercenary before Firepower drops in — you don't want adds during the boss phase.
4. Fight Major Firepower at the end. He's tanky and his attacks are punishing, so dodge first and shoot in the gaps.

Boss strategy: Major Firepower

• Major Firepower wears reactive armor — he flat-out says your bullets are 'puny.' This first fight is scripted to end with him escaping, so don't panic when he won't die.
• Survive the encounter rather than racing for the kill. Keep dodging his attacks and chipping until the cutscene triggers.
• He escapes and promises a 'surprise' — that's the tank in Level 6, the ambush in Level 7, and the helicopter in Level 8.

Tips

• This is the game's first difficulty wall — one speedrunner spent about 3 hours on the final bean here. If you're stuck, you're not alone.
• You don't need fancy gear. One player cleared the Firepower fight with zero deaths using only base Magnum Rounds, so patience beats panic-buying.
• If you keep dying to the run-up, grab a power-up that gives temporary invulnerability and push through the worst stretch.