Some of you who have followed my comments here on IMDb.com might say now; -Well, it's about time!!! Here I commented Snake Eater, and butchered Sons of Liberty, but totally ignored/forgot about their predecessor; Metal Gear Solid (to Nintendo fans aka The Twin Snakes)! Shame on me! It's almost as I no longer deserve the title Gear Head!
I actually started playing the original game a few months ago. At first, I didn't really understand why because PlayStation 2 has spoiled me visually for nearly 5 years now, and starting to play a PlayStation game again now made me think; "Geez, these graphics are crap..." I must remind you all that I don't always care that much about graphics as long as the story is thriving and the gameplay is good. MGS succeed on these two points more than most PSX games out there. (Before anyone starts rapping at me for 'dissing' the graphics, let us all remember that MGS at the start of its prime was considered having THE best graphics EVER on a PSX action adventure.) I still can't claim that I have completed the game (or any of its sequels for that matter). Playing through the game and see the credits is not the same as completely finishing the game. Especially since MGS rewards you for completing the game several times. Play through it once, and you get either the good or the bad ending, and the representative bonus item to use the next time you play. Complete it again, and you will get the other ending than last time, and the other bonus item. (If you know how to determine which ending you will get, that is.) And after you've got both endings, you'll have alternative outfits in the game on your third game. I'm not going to say that MGS was the first to do this, but it was with MGS that I saw this in a action adventure game myself. And yes, I was majory surprised, and impressed. Already back then did I understand that this game was absolutely going to have a sequel. This was just the first step on the ladder of superb success!
Now there might be some of you who says; what's this?! This guy usually slaughter games and films, and now he starts out with appraisal? OK, fine, I do have some criticism. And good ones too: MGS was first announced to be a PlayStation-Only title. This was a lie. About a year later, the game was adapted directly to PC. In a way, that was good. Now people with PCs, but no PSX could enjoy this spectacular game. The problem, however, was the fact that the transition from PSX to PC hadn't been the best. Lots of technical problems and game control was a mess, unless you had a PC gamepad. Luckily for me, I had one. A Logitec Dual Assault Pad that resembled the PSX pad. Later, the game was actually re-made, from scratch, for Nintendo Gamecube, with all new graphics and extras. I could fully understand. In my youth, I had a Nintendo 8-bit video game system. And yes, I had the original Metal Gear. I loved that game! Therefore, I was not surprised at all to learn that not only was the Metal Gear series going back to its roots, but in new format. But I learned three details that disappointed me greatly; 1. The exact same voice cast was hired in to do VO, but at some points, the script had been changed. Who made that decision?... 2. The same VO, but only re-recorded. I'd say that they should've gone for the original from the PSX version (like they did on the PC version), because, and don't ask me how they actually managed to do this, the voice cast, on several occasions SCREWED UP their lines! They actually messed up! Cam Clarke did a WAY better job on the PSX/PC version. Most of his lines was truly heartfelt and touching. The rest was very good as well. On the Gamecube, his VO was flat. And when he was going for Liquid's aggressive and psychotic demeanor, it came out bad. No feeling, no convincement, no life. And finally, 3. This game would've made a ten times better PC transition than the PSX version. First and foremost because of the incredibly improved graphics. But NO! Konami had exclusively sold the rights of The Twin Snakes to Nintendo and Crystal Knights. So, the deal with Nintendo is more sacred than the one with Sony? Thanks a f#@Xing lot, Koj! This is absolutely the first case of video game development racism I've ever encountered.
But there's is so much good here still. Just remember this; MGS was the milestone of an entire game generation, and is still considered the Best PSX Game of All Time. It has inspired to several game genres and have been copied/parodied/competed/rivaled by many other game developers. I mention Splinter Cell, Syphon Filter, M:I, Chase The Express, Extremination, Grand Theft Auto III/Vice City/San Andreas, LOTR: Two Towers, LOTR: Return of the King and King Kong as just a few. No doubt, Metal Gear Solid was a revolutionary, an innovator and an inspirer in its grand days, and continues to be so even now, eight years after its first release on the PSX.
I actually started playing the original game a few months ago. At first, I didn't really understand why because PlayStation 2 has spoiled me visually for nearly 5 years now, and starting to play a PlayStation game again now made me think; "Geez, these graphics are crap..." I must remind you all that I don't always care that much about graphics as long as the story is thriving and the gameplay is good. MGS succeed on these two points more than most PSX games out there. (Before anyone starts rapping at me for 'dissing' the graphics, let us all remember that MGS at the start of its prime was considered having THE best graphics EVER on a PSX action adventure.) I still can't claim that I have completed the game (or any of its sequels for that matter). Playing through the game and see the credits is not the same as completely finishing the game. Especially since MGS rewards you for completing the game several times. Play through it once, and you get either the good or the bad ending, and the representative bonus item to use the next time you play. Complete it again, and you will get the other ending than last time, and the other bonus item. (If you know how to determine which ending you will get, that is.) And after you've got both endings, you'll have alternative outfits in the game on your third game. I'm not going to say that MGS was the first to do this, but it was with MGS that I saw this in a action adventure game myself. And yes, I was majory surprised, and impressed. Already back then did I understand that this game was absolutely going to have a sequel. This was just the first step on the ladder of superb success!
Now there might be some of you who says; what's this?! This guy usually slaughter games and films, and now he starts out with appraisal? OK, fine, I do have some criticism. And good ones too: MGS was first announced to be a PlayStation-Only title. This was a lie. About a year later, the game was adapted directly to PC. In a way, that was good. Now people with PCs, but no PSX could enjoy this spectacular game. The problem, however, was the fact that the transition from PSX to PC hadn't been the best. Lots of technical problems and game control was a mess, unless you had a PC gamepad. Luckily for me, I had one. A Logitec Dual Assault Pad that resembled the PSX pad. Later, the game was actually re-made, from scratch, for Nintendo Gamecube, with all new graphics and extras. I could fully understand. In my youth, I had a Nintendo 8-bit video game system. And yes, I had the original Metal Gear. I loved that game! Therefore, I was not surprised at all to learn that not only was the Metal Gear series going back to its roots, but in new format. But I learned three details that disappointed me greatly; 1. The exact same voice cast was hired in to do VO, but at some points, the script had been changed. Who made that decision?... 2. The same VO, but only re-recorded. I'd say that they should've gone for the original from the PSX version (like they did on the PC version), because, and don't ask me how they actually managed to do this, the voice cast, on several occasions SCREWED UP their lines! They actually messed up! Cam Clarke did a WAY better job on the PSX/PC version. Most of his lines was truly heartfelt and touching. The rest was very good as well. On the Gamecube, his VO was flat. And when he was going for Liquid's aggressive and psychotic demeanor, it came out bad. No feeling, no convincement, no life. And finally, 3. This game would've made a ten times better PC transition than the PSX version. First and foremost because of the incredibly improved graphics. But NO! Konami had exclusively sold the rights of The Twin Snakes to Nintendo and Crystal Knights. So, the deal with Nintendo is more sacred than the one with Sony? Thanks a f#@Xing lot, Koj! This is absolutely the first case of video game development racism I've ever encountered.
But there's is so much good here still. Just remember this; MGS was the milestone of an entire game generation, and is still considered the Best PSX Game of All Time. It has inspired to several game genres and have been copied/parodied/competed/rivaled by many other game developers. I mention Splinter Cell, Syphon Filter, M:I, Chase The Express, Extremination, Grand Theft Auto III/Vice City/San Andreas, LOTR: Two Towers, LOTR: Return of the King and King Kong as just a few. No doubt, Metal Gear Solid was a revolutionary, an innovator and an inspirer in its grand days, and continues to be so even now, eight years after its first release on the PSX.