On the 2nd attempt, I couldn't even make it past one round of torture. On the third round, I managed to resist all five!
For the record, I skipped all of the cutscenes and codec conversation I had already seen on the 2nd and 3rd attempts, and I actually don't remember much of the codec conversation that occured between Ocelot's first two rounds of torture. I still enjoyed them on the first time around and the game has definitely not ceased to provide compelling info at any time. I also remember when Naomi was talking about her genetic career and Snake asked about the possibility of genes containing memories, I couldn't help but think "Assassin's Creed?" Also, when Ocelot was talking about his desire to see another global war (or something), I couldn't help but wonder if this foreshadowed MGS4.
After that, I had to get all the way back to the underground passage where the sniper duel took place (kind of annoying having to take that long route twice within the span of one session, but oh well). This was followed by running past guards to reach the top of the communications tower (fun stuff!), followed by using the rope to evade Liquid Snake's Hind D and taking out guards defending the route to the Stinger Missiles (because we need an anti-aircraft weapon of some sort, yep!). I then had to run up to the top of the area where the initial communications tower chase took place (but not on the roof of the tower, of course) to get a ration in order to survive the stream of turrets in the other tower. There was also more deep conversation between Otacon and Snake beforehand, which I enjoyed listening to (like I said, this game's plot never ceases to be compelling. Bring on MGS4's 30 minute cutscenes - I'm ready!).
And then it was time for man vs. copter! After one failed attempt, I managed to shoot down Liquid Snake's Hind D in a battle that kinda came down to the wire. Either this or Psycho Mantis was probably my favorite boss battle in the game so far. And for now, this seems to be the second boss battle in which the boss actually dies - although I KNOW BETTER OF COURSE.
I'll play more tomorrow. IIRC the end of disc one is looming right around the corner.
From: Lightning Strikes | #005 The series follows inverse Star Trek film logic in terms of game quality (which is to say, the odd numbered ones are the good ones, as opposed to Star Trek where it's even). Especially if we count Peace Walker as MGS5.
Lies! MGS2 is the best one in the series.
-- I made a living on time trial blowing myself off to cross the finish line at ludicrous speed. -transience
I do feel kind of disappointed with this game. Don't get me wrong, Metal Gear Solid is not bad or even overrated - it deserves all the praise it gets and is looking to be an easy 10/10 game and one of my favorite games of all time. I think the problem is that ever since I got into hardcore gaming over the Winter 2007 holidays, Metal Gear Solid has been quite possibly the game I've wanted to play most for the longest amount of time. As awkward as this is going to sound, MGS is probably the game I have the most "baggage" with going into it for the first time, as across January 2008 to June 2012, it has quite possibly been the one game I was most interested in for the longest amount of time. I managed to knock off the vast majority of Nintendo games I was interested in, my desire to get into the Final Fantasy series kinda died off about three-quarters of a year ago (oh sure, it's rising again NOW, but still), and there were several current-gen games I used to be interested in solely due to their critical acclaim (yes, I used to be that stupid) which I deemed were "not my kind of game" (e.g. multiplayer shooters, WRPGs). So...
...okay, long story short, Metal Gear Solid hasn't lived up to four and a half years of expectation. But honestly, I have a feeling that no game would. I also find that the game may not be as good as a good number of my favorite Nintendo games (e.g. Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime, Super Metroid, The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, heck I probably prefer Ico and Shadow of the Colossus).
But Metal Gear Solid is not an overrated game at all, and it's still shaping up to be one of my favorite games of all time. It's just that it simply couldn't live up to 4.5 years of me expecting that it would be better than the vast majority of my favorite games. But again, I have a feeling that no game possibly could manage that.
-I do kinda feel that MGS is surprisingly Metroidvania-esque, in that finding items and unlocking previously closed rooms is a key part of the gameplay (perhaps as important as the stealth itself).
-Just to ask, do you guys know any major examples of a "man vs. aircraft" boss battle in any game released before Metal Gear Solid? I know that it's become quite popular considering how Grand Theft Auto III, Half-Life 2, and Uncharted 2 all feature "man vs. copter" boss battles (note: I've never actually played any of those games, just heard that they have helicopter boss battles. Also I've watched an LP of Half-Life 2 before).
-The last two bosses requiring use of one item (sniper rifle for Sniper Wolf, AA gun for Liquid Snake's chopper) only during the fight kinda reminds me of dungeon bosses in Zelda games, although obviously here we were getting the aforementioned items in order to fight the aforementioned bosses!
-I've heard that there is a boss battle against a jet fighter in Sons of Liberty. Looking forward to that!
-IMO Metal Gear Solid's gameplay and level design are just as "ambitious" and "groundbreaking" as its story.
The original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 had Hind copter fights. Actually, a lot of the stuff in Metal Gear Solid first showed up in Metal Gear 2 (Hind fight, running up the stairs from the guards, fistfight with Grey Fox)
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We are thought, and reality, and concept, and the unimaginable
From: Lightning Strikes | #005 The series follows inverse Star Trek film logic in terms of game quality (which is to say, the odd numbered ones are the good ones, as opposed to Star Trek where it's even). Especially if we count Peace Walker as MGS5.
Lies! MGS2 is the best one in the series.
Believe it or not, MGS2 was actually the one I was looking forward to the most.
And yes, if you guys thought I was not excited for the rest of the series anymore because of my "great realization", you are horribly mistaken.
Yeah, GT's Metal Gear retrospective pointed that out. Pretty sure that there are very few non-Foxhound affiliated characters in the game who didn't appear in Metal Gear 2, as well. Any other pre-MGS game with such a boss battle?
I also agree with Leonhart on this game containing one of the best casts of villains in any game, and I have high expectations for the rest of the series where this is concerned.
As for the plot, it seems that if Foxhound wasn't going to launch the nuke, it was going to take over the world via cloning Big Boss. Nice to know! IIRC that was in the one codec conversation I said I didn't remember very well. I know some people don't like major plot reveals coming through codec, and I can understand why it would irk someone, but I personally really enjoy it.
As I said, this game's an easy 10/10 for story. Quite frankly, the same can be said of the presentation. And the gameplay (well the gameplay does have some things that irk me, but not a whole lot at all). And the design. And the whole darn game.
Yeah, this is one of the best games ever. 'Nuff said.
And...wow, both Snake's and Otacon's real names are references to 2001: A Space Odyssey. Honestly, I've never seen that movie. I was already very interested in it anyway.
Also, something I forgot to ask about earlier, but...watching that guy who was guarding Snake's cell in between Ocelot's rounds of torture was rather funny. Is he a recurring character in the series?
Not until MGS4. Wait could be the another guy. If the guy at the torture room is the same one guarding Meryl's cell then yeah. Funny how I always kill him while escaping the cell but yeah he's a pretty important character in MGS4.
I've actually watched a bit of a LP of MGS4 (not too much of it though) as well, which is most of the reason why I was thinking about how the guard returns in MGS4 (as an ally who works closely with Meryl? Don't remember very well).
-I noticed last session that Miller's voice sounds identical to Liquid Snake's. I know why, but Miller's become more of an important character thanks to his accusations of Naomi being a terrorist spy who injected Snake with Foxdie so I figured now was as good a time to mention as ever. I know the whole deal with Naomi is correct, but...okay, would you believe me if I understood the whole thing, but feel that it's too complex to write down, especially without giving off some spoilers which I know but don't feel like mentioning until the game does so? Anyway, I'm definitely with the people who consider MGS1 to have one of the best storylines in any video game.
-As for the rest of the plot, Otacon began hacking into Baker's database to help Snake (finding out more disturbing info about Metal Gear REX in the process), and we found out about Ocelot's and Liquid's plans to cause a diplomatic stir by targeting Lop Nor in China (something which caught me is that the winning question of the 2002 National Geography Bee was which country Lop Nor is located in - rather funny to think that the answer was in a popular 1998 video game! And yes, I used to participate in the geography bee).
-Sniper Wolf and Vulcan Raven are now both dead, with both giving entertaining speeches in their final moments. It was also rather nice for Vulcan Raven to give Snake the level 7 card.
-Both boss battles themselves were very fun, although Sniper Wolf's was a gimme once the player is set up in position and doesn't lose Sniper Wolf while sniping. Well, I suppose Snake also needs to keep his pills ready and whatnot...I dunno. Vulcan Raven's right up there with Psycho Mantis and the Hind D for my decision on favorite boss battle so far. Also, somehow Vulcan Raven sounds like he would not be out of place in Star Fox 64 to me.
-I really liked how the game's music became more dramatic as I entered the blast furnace and even moreso in Rex's Lair. I can only imagine playing this back in the day when it must've been so revolutionary.
-Bring on MGS2's "postmodern" story!
-And as of now, I'm currently trying to heat up the PAL key to get the 3rd and final code input. Time to awaken this colossus and destroy it...oh wait, wrong game!
Also I'm interested in seeing how the future and technology evolves in the sequels.
Anyway, I got to the battle against Metal Gear REX (whose attacks are very reminiscent of the Egg Walker in Sonic Adventure. I wonder...). Long story short: Naomi and Liquid Snake ended up revealing a lot of interesting and disturbing plot points.
And I beat the game! The Metal Gear REX battle, fistfight with Liquid Snake, and final chase sequence were amazingly epic finishing touches, and there was also Liquid Snake revealing his ultimate motive: rebuilding the "Genome Army" which was being decimated in the years leading up to the game's events.
I don't really feel like writing up a full review right now. Like I said, however, Metal Gear Solid had pretty much no flaw that really got in the way of my enjoyment, and then the game does a lot exceptionally well. Pretty much an easy 10/10.
Bring on Sons of Liberty! I'll see if I can get the MGS HD Collection soon - I did see it in a local Gamestop once.
-Quite cool to see Gray Fox, in my words, "pull off a Super Metroid" and sacrifice himself to help Snake destroy Metal Gear REX. -Naomi's final words were pretty darn powerful and uplifting if I do say so myself. -I loved the video clips of Alaskan wildlife shown during the credits. I guess the implication is that the clips are from Snake's point of view. If they aren't...allow me to have my own interpretation, please!
And the review!
First off, like I said, I'm with the people who consider MGS1 to have one of the best storylines in any video game, and that was likely the biggest reason I beat the game so quickly - the plot was just so darn gripping, and it got even moreso as the game progressed. Very few characters, if any, are left to be mere cogs in the war machine, pretty much all of the good guys and perhaps even one of the bad guys undergo some serious character development to emerge as at least happier people if not necessarily "better" people (since that term can be used rather loosely), the plot does an amazing job tackling real world issues like nuclear weapons and genetic engineering, etc. The game's top-notch (at least for the time!) presentation also really helps - I personally believe that the game's music was utilized as a storytelling tool very well even during the gameplay, and I would not be surprised if the graphics are perhaps the best of any console game until Final Fantasy VIII, plus the voice acting is top-notch. I can't really think of any way to improve the story or presentation. However, I feel that Metal Gear Solid is still just as much about its gameplay as its story, if not more about the former. I found MGS's stealth gameplay to be very satisfying (particularly trying to fix my own mess when I got caught), and it's of course quite complex (yeah, just wait until I get to the sequels, I know. Looking forward to them!). Furthermore, each area in the facility has its own architecture and its own traps to deal with, making for entertaining level design as well. I also really enjoyed the "Metroidvania" elements and boss battles. I can think of a good few issues I had with the gameplay, but they barely did much to get in the way of my enjoyment. My biggest issue with Metal Gear Solid, which again isn't that big of a deal, is some of the backtracking needed, and there were only really two occasions during the game where this got the slightest bit egregious.
Score: 10/10. While I still do feel a bit disappointed for reasons I outlined earlier in this thread, it's safe to say that Metal Gear Solid has joined the ranks of my favorite games of all time and I certainly want to explore the rest of the series and quite possibly the genre.
And...I honestly feel as if I wrote that haphazardly. I planned my review ahead of time, but then I forgot what I originally planned to write when I came here. Good thing the review turned out to be decently long anyway I guess.
Okay, current "next playthrough consideration list" looks like this:
1) Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty 2) Final Fantasy VIII 3) Super Metroid 4) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time
Though I won't have my Wii back until near the end of this month, as I stated earlier. Discussion on this is definitely encouraged, although for now, I want to journey into the rest of the Metal Gear Solid series.
I sent an e-mail message to my parents about possibly getting it. The thing is, I will be moving out of my current house (which was always meant to be nothing more than a temporary habitation) at around the 16th, and then I'll be out of town for about a week then.
Also, I have a feeling that Solidus Snake was mentioned at the end as sort of a lead-in to Sons of Liberty. I'm hyped.
I will not be able to continue the series until I move into my new house. This could be as early as the 16th, but at that point my house will have pretty much nothing (well, it will have a TV so I will be able to play), which has driven my parents to come up with ideas for staying away for a while, until at least a few days before everything from my last house arrives (which will include, among many other things, my Wii). Until then, I might replay MGS1.
I also forgot to mention that the Blast Furnace kinda reminded me of Ico and RE4. And when I was on the elevators in that area (not the big ones), I couldn't help but think of Legends of the Hidden Temple ("with your guide, Kirk Fogg!"). If it wasn't for SOTC, this would be the second game I've played in a row with such elevators.
Also, Liquid Snake should not have lost to Frog back then.
Random question: Do you guys think Samus could pass for a cyborg ninja if she used a sword? Hey, there's an idea for the next Metroid...(IMO I personally consider action and combat to be key parts of that series. At least, more key than for RE or MGS).
Okay, here's a significant change to my current consideration list:
1) Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty 2) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3) Ico 4) Super Metroid 5) Assassin's Creed
Final Fantasy completely drops out, and I got interested enough in replaying Ico and Shadow of the Colossus for that series to land in at #3. I decided to increase the list to 5, leaving the door wide open for the debut of Assassin's Creed.
-Quite cool to see Gray Fox, in my words, "pull off a Super Metroid" and sacrifice himself to help Snake destroy Metal Gear REX.
You know that even though they're both video games, someone sacrificing themselves to help the hero take down the bad guy is a common trope that extends across all manners of storytelling.
you're gonna want to play MGS3 right after you beat MGS2
MGS3 is the best one anyway too
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The box says "Online Gameplay not rated by ESRB", I should be able to trade my phallic named Wobbufetts to a bunch of 8 year olds. - MarvelousGerbil
I'm getting the MGS HD Collection once I move into my permanent residence and out of my temporary house.
Also, we should totally get Psycho Mantis, Sniper Wolf, Otacon, Meryl, and a lot of characters from this game into a GameFAQs contest. MGS1 quite possibly has the greatest character cast in any game.
Off-Topic: What do you guys think of the old Nickelodeon game shows "Legends of the Hidden Temple" and "Nick Arcade?" I've been watching them on YouTube a lot lately and I used to watch them when they aired on Nick Games and Sports.
No they have not. They very well should have, though!
And oh wow the Metal Gear series just turned 25. That alone is reason enough for me to play through the sequels, and then there's you guys' requests, me wanting to see how the future evolves in the sequels and how the stealth gameplay improves, etc.
Just posting to agree with everyone else that you should play the entire MGS series ASAP. I'm not as big a fan of it as some people here are but it's still pretty good.
When you get around to Assassin's Creed keep in mind that the first game, while good, is very flawed and those flaws are all fixed in AC2. It's my second favorite series this gen, though, and you'll probably enjoy it.
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Gamertag/PSN-Murphiroth "Would have liked to run tests on the seashells..."
Just FYI, most of the reason I allowed Assassin's Creed onto the list was because out of the last three games I played, Metal Gear Solid obviously shares the same genre while Ico and Shadow of the Colossus both feature a lot of PoP-style acrobatics. Assassin's Creed effectively seems to combine them to me.
Okay, the list updates again now and expands to six. And with that, Samus muscles her way up, and a blue hedgehog outruns the assassin to enter the list.
1) Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty 2) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3) Super Metroid 4) Ico 5) Sonic the Hedgehog 6) Assassin's Creed
The situation right now is that I won't be able to get the MGS HD collection for about 8-15 days, so I'll probably end up replaying MGS1 if only to be closer to that timeframe.