Metal Gear Solid

That's right, I've never played a Metal Gear Solid game before today. I am generally not a fan of stealth games, as I mentioned in my Deus Ex article, but I figured that what with all the hype surrounding the entire Metal Gear series, I needed to give it a chance. After a few hours at the first game, I'd have to say that it's pretty good. The gameplay itself isn't amazing, but what really makes the game feel above average is the style, plot, and characters that all come together to make a really fun atmosphere.

The game feels like a military-themed anime in the style of Ghost in the Shell or Appleseed. There's lots of futuristic technology like invisibility cloaks and giant robots, but also that little bit of realism associated with sneaking around and dying if you've been spotted in an inconvenient location. This last point I can't stress enough because this game will kill you. As with most stealth games, it's a lot of trial and error. You try sneaking on this route, they see you, you die, you try a different route, and just keep repeating until you get past the guards. This gets easier when you get a cardboard box to hide under (yes, apparently no guard will think twice about a cardboard box lying in random sections of a military base). Still, the game really feels like you have to go through the game the way the developer wants you to. It's very linear and story-driven. This is both a good and bad thing. It's bad because it means there's little room to experiment with tactics. You just sneak through the game, and you either get caught or don't. If you get caught, you try to run and either die or don't. If you don't, then you have to hide until the alert timer goes back to zero, at which point you just attempt to sneak through that section again. It's usually not practical to use stealth kills or anything unless you absolutely have to. It's possible to create distractions to lure guards around, but I find that usually unnecessary.

Now, the linearity is good because of the story. The plot really does add a lot to this game. I find if I treat it as an interactive movie instead of a game as such, it's a lot more enjoyable to experience. The cutscenes are good, the dialog is good, and voice acting is good. The gameplay feels like just a vehicle to let you travel between cutscenes, but honestly, I don't mind. OK gameplay coupled with an awesome story and sense of style (gotta love Snake sneaking around in a cardboard box, or the occasional sexual jokes and other things thrown into the game for humor) makes this a fun game.

So why am I playing this all of a sudden? The Metal Gear Solid Essentials collection is upon us, which puts all 3 MGS games into one collection for a measly $30. I call that an amazing deal and I was curious about whether I should bother with it, before playing the first game. Well the answer is definitely "Yes." If I ever end up getting a PS3, I'll definitely get MGS4 as well. If you're a fan of stealth gameplay, I can see why this series might just be one of your favorites. If you aren't, like me, you'll still probably enjoy it for everything it offers outside of the sneaking. And even the sneaking isn't bad.