Metal Gear Solid

"Buy ... it ... NOW !!!!!"

FOREWORD

I purchased MGS LATER than most players ... still well within its "massively hyped" release period, but on the cusp. I had heard NOTHING but "Omigod it's so cool omigod you so have to buy it" for WEEKS and weeks and weeks and thought "why not - surely they can't ALL be wrong ?"

Got it home, slapped it into my Playstation and practically WET myself. Read on !!

OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVE OF THE GAME

You play a character who bears the rather unfortunate codename "Solid Snake". You are a secret operative that has been despatched to a Nuclear Weapons Disposal Facility on Shadow Moses Island in response to a terrorist incident with a view to releasing two hostages and determining whether the terrorists that now have control over the facility have the capacity to launch a nuclear strike (which is what they are claiming).

The game functions as an action/adventure where your ability to use stealth, misdirection and intelligence to outwit and outmanoeuvre your opponents is just as important to your success as your ability to shoot guns, throw grenades and attack using your hand-to-hand combat skills.

GRAPHICS - 9/10

Graphically this is a VERY impressive offering for the Playstation. Granted by today's standards the graphics appear blocky in places - particularly on the cutscenes - the characters faces for example are NOTHING compared to the re-released version of this game on the Gamecube, but the graphics flow very smoothly, with some VERY good interfacing with the vibro-function of the controller (e.g. in the opening scenes when the Hind D flies past you, the vibrations you feel through the controller increase as the Hind gets closer, creating a really REALLY good impression that you are actually there).

Similarly, the animation of the characters has been done both realistically AND effectively ... characters respond to things within their line of sight, and particular attention has been paid to clipping - i.e. where the objects borders lie - so "CAN this guard see that footprint from his present location" is the question, not "HOW THE HELL can this guard POSSIBLY see that footprint from his present location" as with so many other games.

You are given a radar in the top-right corner of the screen (it does more on the easier difficulty settings), and it depicts the cone-shaped field of vision of your enemies as they are moving about. This nice graphic twist adds to the ambiance of the game, as you are given an added level of pressure - i.e. get out of his way before you enter his field of vision.

In addition to this there are a LOAD of minor graphic effects that really make the game stand out as something that has had SERIOUS effort put into it ... from being able to see characters breath in the winter-weather outside the facility to the footprints you leave in the snow ... the hi-tech effect on your binoculars and the fact that you can enter a first-person view mode to look around, bringing you from the largely aerial viewing perspective into a more grounded one.

VERY IMPRESSIVE WORK.

SOUND - 9/10

Many games of this ilk have crappy voice-acting, and that is one of their major let-downs ... Metal Gear Solid boasts a professional voice-acting cast that put a lot of feeling into their dialogue. There are some VERY lengthy conversations during the game, but there is little lagging between what one character says and how another responds, so it does flow for the most part like a proper conversation (and you can skip it if you get bored of it).

There are plenty of characters that have dedicated voice-actors ... all the terrorists (Octopus, Mantis, Raven, Liquid, Ocelot, Wolf), including the staff at the Disposal Facility and your own team of helpers (Mei Ling, Roy Campbell and so on), and NONE of them have irritating voices to listen to ...

Even the incidental voice-acting, like the guards, is well done ... when you're sneaking about and hear a guard say "What the ... ?" a chill runs up your spine as you cling to the wall ... the voice acting is well done throughout and really adds to the atmosphere of the title.

The sound effects are also very well done ... the explosions sound like PROPER explosions - nothing tinny or irritating - different explosions for the different grenades you have at your disposal - same thing with the weapons - each handgun/assault weapon has its own signature-noise.

Even hitting different surfaces produces different sound effects, such as kicking in the door to a locker.

As with the graphics, OBVIOUS care and attention has been put into making sure the sounds are professional and cinematic throughout.

CONTROLS - 9/10

Crisp and responsive, the controls handle well under pressure, and once you have the relevant button combinations down (e.g. hand-to-hand punches and kicks, grappling, throwing and so on) you can be running around the game like a pro, snapping necks and dragging corpses out of the way so as not to draw attention to yourself like a REAL assassin.

The shoulder-buttons function as quick-access buttons for your two inventories - weaponry and items, and this means that you can quickly flick from having an item in your hands for a delicate operation, to having nothing in your hands so as to make a quick escape, or get down and dirty in hand-to-hand.

As you are probably noticing by now, I keep emphasising that a LOT of attention has been given to how the game fits together, and the control method is another good example of this. The game designers have obviously thought "how are we going to make this (action) doable ?", and then tailored the control method to that end ...

The end result is that you feel like you really are controlling Solid Snake's actions 100% - if he dies then it's because YOU suck ... not because (and I love it when people say this) "the game is cheating" ;)

PLOT - 10/10

As impressive as the graphics, sound and controls are, it is the PLOT that makes this game a classic. Boasting more twists and turns than a contortionist made of rubber bands, just when you think you're making good progress you get BROADSIDED by something else happening.

The terrorists (Decoy Octopus, Revolver Ocelot, Psycho Mantis, Vulcan Raven, Sniper Wolf and Liquid Snake) are all VERY very well fleshed-out, and you do get the feeling that you are interacting with them as real characters during gameplay. You really WANT to kick Raven's ass, and you really DO have respect for Wolf's accuracy.

This almost chess-like approach to the game makes you attack it from a more mature standpoint. These aren't JUST video game characters - they are your ENEMIES, and you have to beat those muthas DOWN ...

Without wanting to spoil the game for you, the plot is VERY engrossing, and draws you in very well, leading you from one location to another, desperately trying to accomplish your mission, all the while feeling that whilst what you are doing IS having an impact on the terrorists and THEIR objectives, they are VERY smart, and are doing a very good job of adjusting their plans so as to take account of the inconvenience you are causing them.

... and then there's Grey Fox ... the rogue ninja cyborg who is ALSO lurking about the facility somewhere ... he's something of a wild card, but his importance to the plot becomes apparent as the game is played out.

TOP marks to Kojima for coming up with a plot that is both interesting AND rewarding. This game COULD have been easily made into a movie.

GAMEPLAY - 9/10

To say that the game is addictive is laughable. It's HELLISHLY addictive. I know people to have gone without food, water or basic necessities for DAYS in order to beat that boss that's been causing them grief for so long ... as I have already touched upon, the combination of engrossing plot and (what was at the time) really quite revolutionary levels of control mixed with graphics and sound and DETAIL had people drooling on themselves without even noticing.

Even now, YEARS after the title's original release, there is something very satisfying about going back and duking it out with Liquid when he's in his Hind D, or having Psycho Mantis tell you that you're careless, but good at avoiding traps, whilst reading your memory card.

The game is VERY good, VERY addictive, and VERY rewarding to play.

REPLAY VALUE - 9/10

EXTREMELY high on the basis that you get rewards for completing the game within certain timeframes, from the bandana (which gives you infinite ammunition) to the stealth camouflage (which makes you invisible to the naked eye), you will complete the game and then want to play all the way through it again to either improve on your best time, or obtain one or more of these KICK@SS items as a reward.

VALUE FOR MONEY - 10/10

Worth every penny, plain and simple. This game will provide you with HOURS of enjoyment and can inspire obsessive/compulsive tendencies in the weak-minded. It is one of those games that I would recommend to ANYBODY with an imagination. You WON'T be disappointed.

OVERALL - 9/10 (This is NOT an average)

Metal Gear Solid has it all. A FANTASTIC plot that unfolds as the game is played out, excellent graphics, great voice-acting, a good array of weapons and items, AMAZING levels of attention to detail in-game, and a cast of some of the most three-dimensional villains I've ever come across. It is a GREAT game that will sit proudly in your collection for years to come.

MAIN GOOD POINTS

* Well thought-out and engrossing plot that lulls you into thinking you know what's going on and then smacks you upside the head and makes you take note that you know NOTHING.
* Fluid and very well-designed graphics that add a great deal to the enjoyment of the game.
* Professionally planned and executed dialogue and voice-acting, with DECENT voice-actors.
* VERY high levels of detail and attention paid to even the most minor aspects of the game - from hiding in lockers to tapping on crates to draw guards away with sound ...
* High levels of replayability based on the goodies you stand to win if you play the game WELL.

MAIN BAD POINTS

* There is a LOT of dialogue to get through, and whilst this is fine the first couple of times, on subsequent play sessions you will wind up skipping lots of it.

SO SHOULD YOU GET IT ?

DEFINITELY yes. If you can get your hands on a copy and have the time to invest in seeing it through from start to finish I can practically PROMISE you that you won't be disappointed. This is one of those rare fulfilling titles to play that makes you smile when you're finished :)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/22/04