Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This is a walkthrough of the locations of each of the Race to Save Humanity icons. Only two of these icons were revealed before the contest was cancelled, but thanks to the Replace to Save Humanity patch, we can now see where the last four would have been located.
The locations are as follows. Note that the order below is the proper release schedule the developers intended, while the video simply shows them by proximity:
1. Chapter 1-D (headcrab scientist)
2. Chapter 2-A (bridge)
3. Chapter 3-B (on the right ledge above the generators)
4. Chapter 4-H (inside the cavern)
5. Chapter 6-D (on top of the surrounding hills)
6. Chapter 2-C (beneath the crashed shuttle)
This is a walkthrough of the locations of each of the Race to Save Humanity icons. Only two of these icons were revealed before the contest was cancelled, but thanks to the Replace to Save Humanity patch, we can now see where the last four would have been located.
The locations are as follows. Note that the order below is the proper release schedule the developers intended, while the video simply shows them by proximity:
1. Chapter 1-D (headcrab scientist)
2. Chapter 2-A (bridge)
3. Chapter 3-B (on the right ledge above the generators)
4. Chapter 4-H (inside the cavern)
5. Chapter 6-D (on top of the surrounding hills)
6. Chapter 2-C (beneath the crashed shuttle)

![GITS: SAC PS2 speedrun - 49m47s (easy)
Watch this run with annotations here: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E8J8u3PoEw ]
This run has been verified by the folks at Speed Demos Archive as a legitimate speedrun with no cheating. Its available on the SDA website with my written commentary: http://speeddemosarchive.com/
This is an easy mode, single-segment speedrun (with deaths) of the PS2 version of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. I use some glitches and oversights to save time, but as with any single-segment run, there are mistakes.
The individual tricks I use during this are all detailed in my other GITS videos, viewable here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL724CDB9F4E5201F0&feature=plcp
I die a total of four times in this run, one of which is intentional early on. (Second death: Level 6, I get shotgun stunned and then hit with a grenade launcher. Third death: failed Oniyama skip. Fourth death: Level 9 Shaft, ledge-grab failed on me.) Otherwise, I estimated that I lost a total of 3m19s to mistakes and deaths.
There are a total of 50 maps in the game, so the average time per map is slightly less than a minute. Average time per level is a little more than four minutes.
A few time notes:
22:06 - I got a good run with the Jigabachi fight, managing to get a pattern where it stops briefly to let me shoot it. It could have still gone faster, but it was good luck for single-segment.
25:26 - I get killed by being staggered by a shotgun and then hit with a grenade launcher in 6-E, then spent a fair amount of time messing up the final jump of this section. Ideally I wouldve finished this section a minute faster.
32:30 - Theres a good bit of time lost here because the two Tachikomas didnt show up for a while. Sometimes they appear instantly and sometimes it takes forever. Its something I need to test more.
40:42 - I get screwed over by the ledge-grabbing mechanic in the final section of the Shaft, costing me a life but not too much time.
47:34 - This Multiped Tank fight went really well, coming in at about two and a half minutes. I even managed to jump on top of it while it was exploding from the final shot, which is insanely hard to do with the boss speed, and it cant really be planned.
The run was recorded with a Hauppauge HD PVR on 9-23-11. GITS: SAC PS2 speedrun - 49m47s (easy)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1MbgDxE5LU/mqdefault.jpg)
![Alter Echo - Power: Kess shortcut
The Morph Pounce lets you do a few time-saving tricks on this level, but unfortunately the sequence cant be broken seriously to complete it faster.
Morph Pounce: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EqND43sh4M ]
On level 16 (almost right after getting the Stealth form back), the stealth tracks let you avoid the various Pounce Nubs and platforms you typically have to traverse. Getting on one of the anvil-shaped platforms in the first section lets you make leap to the platform and access the switch that deactivates the barrier.
For the second part, you cant reach the platform immediately, but Morph Pouncing on one of the anvils lets you reach a Pounce Nub. This requires you to jump and morph back to the Stealth form mid-jump, then press Pounce again to attach to the Nub.
Unfortunately, while its possible to bypass the second barrier entirely, the second switch must be activated or the level becomes unbeatable. When the second switch is activated, Kess zips from one floating platform to the final, which allows the last cutscenes to play out properly. When you skip this second switch, Kess isnt in position for the next one. This is important because Kess knocks Nevin off of the last platform and reactivates the switch, but shes not even there to do this if you skip the second, causing nothing to happen in the cutscene. This means the entire level breaks.
Still, the other two little shortcuts while tricky are useful. Alter Echo - Power: Kess shortcut](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Uvul8v4tAH4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Bleed (PC) - The Racer strats
Planning some strategies for a full game speedrun, so here are a few notable tricks with level four. I use the Laser Rifle and the Chainsaw here, since they seem to both play an important role.
First, you can use the Infinite Dash to keep the tunnels from slowing you down in the first area. Since they hurt you when standing on talls train cars and prevent you from moving forward briefly, dashing past important cars helps speed up this area by several seconds.
Infinite Dash: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj7Mevp9LG4 ]
This is pretty hard to do, especially with the uneven terrain making a difficult trick even more difficult. Additionally, some Bunnies are positioned in a frustrating manner along the top of the train. I use the Laser Rifle to shoot through multiple simultaneously, but this method is so high-precision that its guaranteed to have a high failure ratio. Also, this starting part of the level is randomized, though, which means that certain Bunnies will sometimes spawn directly in your path, ruining your chance of dodging the tunnel.
Once you get past the first screen, the Infinite Dash becomes valuable again in the long flat stretch before the Mantis Core. The Laser Rifle again lets you shoot through several Bunnies while the Chainsaw wouldnt cut through them fast enough.
For the actual Mantis Core fight, I use the Laser Rifle so that regardless of the angle Im shooting it from, itll take damage. The same isnt true of using the Dual Pistols, although its possible to kill it faster this way if the pattern serves you well.
When you approach a tunnel, the Mantis Core will slam its body into the ground, and this is a great opportunity to use the Chainsaw. If you stand directly underneath the Mantis Cores head, its body slam wont hit you, which means its stationary for a long period and its in close range. The time it spends right next to you lets the Chainsaw deal almost half its health on Normal.
Of note, during this fight, theres a safe spot you can stand in just barely on the inside of the left train car. It lets you avoid every attack except the Cores stabbing one, but it does make it a little more difficult to hit it if youre using Dual Pistols.
For Bunny Rockette, I believe the best method is to use the Laser Rifle punctuated by bullet time to make your shot. This means you fire a shot in slow-mo and almost immediately turn it off (letting the Rifle get its two hits in) so that the Laser Rifle cools down at normal speed. If you use bullet time while waiting for it to recharge, it easily takes twice as long, so carefully going in and out is the best strategy.
Because of this, Dual Pistols arent nearly as good here. Reducing the firing rate of the Dual Pistols with bullet time defeats the purpose of using them.
Also, I discovered its possible to die and still beat the stage, if you time it properly! Bleed (PC) - The Racer strats](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/V0-YRp2X02A/mqdefault.jpg)

![Advent Rising - 5-B Shortcut (speedrun tricks)
This shortcut utilizes the Skyward Shield trick [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y0D-kmWg6I ] that allows you to jump on top of Negate Shields repeatedly and reach areas much higher than usual. It requires you to perform it four times, and so this is one of the most difficult tricks to pull off.
Normally you would have to run around to the right side of the map and run up a long slope, whereas this bypasses that and leaps up the side of the cliff. This doesnt save an incredible amount of time, but from five to fifteen seconds is still useful. Advent Rising - 5-B Shortcut (speedrun tricks)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Wz2l5mVQVrM/mqdefault.jpg)
![Hydrophobia - Swimming on land addendum
In addition to my previous video on swimming on land, Ive discovered another way to have Kate hover in the air besides just using the fine-view. If you continually cycle through your ammo using the scrollwheel as you move up from the water onto the ground, shell continue her swimming animation as if she never left the water.
[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yia8W-Tu5E ]
Generally, it seemed to work best by quickly going in and out of fine-view and then cycling the ammo, since my previous video illustrates that fine-view by itself already works. This puts the camera further back and shows Kate actually kicking through the water. Also, using areas that slope out of the water onto land work better than harder transitions.
The camera is incredibly jerky when performing this glitch because it seems to think that Kate should be in the water underneath whatever ground shes standing on so it continually shifts down toward the water.
Otherwise, I could be wrong, but Kate seems to fall slower while in this state than she does normally.
Again, its just a fairly minor visual glitch thats funny and easy to do. Hydrophobia - Swimming on land addendum](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/X2WT4a9MQO4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Alter Echo - Citadel: Ascent shortcut
A small shortcut in level 46 lets you bypass a fight and leap over a forcefield. Again, this uses the Morph Pounce. A second trick may be possible here.
Morph Pounce: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EqND43sh4M ]
After going up the stealth track from the very bottom of the map, you encounter a circular room with tentacles popping up from the ground. From the track, angle Nevin to the left and place yourself lower down near the floor. Perform a Morph Pounce with two solid jumps afterward to drop down into the open ceiling of the alcove that contains the barrier.
Because the fight contains fighting a few Hydras, its worth skipping just for the irritating they cause. Additionally, practically no time is lost in attempting the shortcut because the enemies will be triggered as you leap into the room. The trick is very hard to pull off, though.
After performing this trick, theres another potential skip above that stealth track. The angle is difficult and Im not even sure if its even possible to get high enough, but it would save a few seconds waiting for the Tickers to set off their explosion to open the door. In general, this latter trick is probably not worth it and definitely not as valuable as the first, but its worth noting. Alter Echo - Citadel: Ascent shortcut](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/X542D3-6Hqk/mqdefault.jpg)
![Lift Drift [glitch] - RAGE
Theres a lift in the atrium of the Gearhead Vault that suffers from an amusing problem when you activate it twice. It mostly involves falling through it or getting stuck in it.
After you progress through a chunk of the Gearhead Vault, youll arrive back at the central plaza through a convenient elevator. Youll notice, though, the elevator lever can be pulled twice if done quickly, resulting in the lift moving slightly further than it should. If you pull it twice at the top of the lift, youll go lower and sink into the floor; if you pull it twice at the bottom of the lift, youll go higher and pass into the ceiling.
You can get permanently stuck by taking the lift higher, since the ceiling wont automatically kill you as you move into it it will simply keep trying until you unobstruct its pathway with your body. (Note that you can still die in numerous ways around certain elements, such as the ropes holding the elevator.) When you push the lift into the floor, its quite easy to reach a point where you can just crouch, pushing you beneath the ground and onto the elevator floor, and then walk off underneath the map to your death.
Theres also a variety of weird problems I show off, such as falling through the elevator floor, getting lifted up with the elevator by the head, and ending up stuck in position. Although I havent tested it much yet, I believe these specific problems are caused by the elevator lever having collision, and when its pulled, it can actually push your character with it.
All told, this is the game accidentally forcing the lift to perform the same action twice because the lever doesnt cut off player interaction immediately after the first pull. With the first activation, the lift begins moving, followed by another activation that thinks the lift is stopped. The second activation then pulls the lift for its entire distance as well, unaware that its not settling in the place it expected.
This is interesting because the lift has a pre-programmed speed and distance it moves instead of a mandated destination. In other words, theres no interpolation from the start and stop of the elevator. If there was, activating the switch twice would be meaningless. I imagine this was to prevent unexpected physics glitches like you might see in other games, though I imagine its more time-consuming to put together.
Obviously, this is largely an out-of-bounds trick that (as far as I can tell) serves no practical purpose. That being said, this is the only elevator Ive tested it on and there may be a few others with similar issues that use the same lever system, such as inside the Power Plant. Ive experimented with one or two other elevators, such as the one in the garage of Subway Town that leads to Marshall and Elizabeth, and Ive found they seem to have a few oversights. So far, nothing serious, though.
Check out the game on Steam: [ http://store.steampowered.com/app/9200/ ] Lift Drift [glitch] - RAGE](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XB14hY64H_Y/mqdefault.jpg)

![Crawlphin Dive [glitch] - Dark Storm VR Missions
By interrupting your Dolphine Dive, you can place yourself in a crawling position while gaining three times your standard crawling speed.
Any place where you have space to run, sprint forward and perform a Dolphine Dive (Ctrl). Before the dive finishes, perform a combat roll (space bar) to blend the two actions together. Youll land in a prone state, but youll move as if you were standing up and walking.
What likely happens here is that both actions finish and combine their effects together for this fast crawl: the Dolphine Dive places you in a prone position, but the combat roll places you in a standing position. Since the Dolphine Dive likely sets you in prone near the beginning of the animation, the combat roll momentarily interrupts it, but applies its own characteristics to the process, including standard walking speed.
This faster crawl is extremely useful, but also somewhat limited. While you still make the same noise as if you were walking. your profile is lower and youre harder to see. I could see this being used in specific sections of a speedrun since its a snap to perform.
Here are the results of the speedtest I only showed a selection of in the video:
1st: Running - 4:04
2nd (tie): Walking/Fast Crawl - 8:18
3rd: Crouch - 14:28
4th: Crawl - 21:22
These clips were recorded in Prototype 0.6.7.
Despite the video, I actually enjoy this game a lot even in this pretty glitchy state, and Id love to see it finished. If it looks interesting to you, be sure to check out the Kickstarter or download the demo on Steam and try it yourself.
Kickstarter: [ https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1201252455/dark-storm-ascension ]
Steam: [ http://store.steampowered.com/app/395150/ ] Crawlphin Dive [glitch] - Dark Storm VR Missions](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XRDkF8LnaII/mqdefault.jpg)