Scientist Supreme!
Banned
Ok. I agree reading is important but that was obviously not what he was implying.
Unless I'm wrong.
Unless I'm wrong.
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I feel like I'm the only gamer that doesn't get Metal Gear Solid
- Thread starter BFIB
- Start date
The reviews of TPP really make me want to get into it. I've never been a fan. I tried Ground Zeroes from PS+ and it didn't grab me. I might give it a shot when I get some extra money next month, but at the same time I feel like I'll be wasting my money and I might trade it in not long after purchasing.
I already got Madden and I'm not really digging it. Don't really want to spend more money on games I won't play/enjoy. Might just wait for Mario Maker and keep my wallet closed for now. But at the same time I really want to give MGSV a chance.
I already got Madden and I'm not really digging it. Don't really want to spend more money on games I won't play/enjoy. Might just wait for Mario Maker and keep my wallet closed for now. But at the same time I really want to give MGSV a chance.
MichaelFassbender
Member
Not gonna lie, every time I read someone praising the writing in MGS ( or recently P4G) I just assume they've never read a book in their life.
If that's insulting then w/e
You should probably just assume they're comparing it to other video games.
There's no point in playing them if you want to skip the cutscenes.
I loved Metal Gear up through Solid. Then I began to notice the writing. Once that happened it was over, too much silly shit. But I still respect it as a successful long running franchise.
This is fair.
This is fair.
Well yes, and choose-your-own adventure books are the most interactive books in existence.
But very few people care these days, because if you're looking for entertainment that is highly interactive, books are a terrible medium to choose. Choose your own adventure books shouldn't really be described as the "best" books for interactivity, just as the "least bad." Similarly, MGS might have the best story in video games (or it may not), but if video games are not very good at telling stories as a medium, then it's damning with faint praise.
Amentallica
Unconfirmed Member
Oh boy, yea. Just downloaded Witcher 3 and after about half an hour of playing I had to put it down. Wasn't enjoying it.
Screaming Meat
Unconfirmed Member
Holy sweeping generalisation, Batman!
You would be wrong... and not a little pompous.
Scientist Supreme!
Banned
This is strange to me. Why would you assume that?
Ya, if we're talking about video games on a video game discussion forum and someone says the story is good (with no qualifier), I would take that within the context of... surprise... video games.
Assuming that they're comparing it to like Moby Dick or something seems like a real illogical stretch.
partyphone
Banned
writing that is "good for a video game" is bad writing.
READ A BOOK
READ A BOOK
MichaelFassbender
Member
I'm not Batman! I'm Mikey "F-Bomb" Fassbender!
The story is awful. There's some campy pleasure to get from it some of the time but a lot of the time it's just plain terrible.
The gameplay is good though. There are few games that are as richly inventive as MGS in their gameplay mechanics. It doesn't always hit the mark (tailing the guy in MGS4 for like...................an hour or whatever) but when it does there are few series that are quite as exciting.
The gameplay is good though. There are few games that are as richly inventive as MGS in their gameplay mechanics. It doesn't always hit the mark (tailing the guy in MGS4 for like...................an hour or whatever) but when it does there are few series that are quite as exciting.
Screaming Meat
Unconfirmed Member
I guess my reading comprehension is fucked. I swear it said Batman...
Sumio Mondo
Member
It's a video game, not a book. Different ways of telling stories and all that. People enjoy manga and anime too and they have some shitty writing in their respective mediums. People like what they like, get over it.
partyphone
Banned
Nope. No. Never. Games deserve good writing.
MichaelFassbender
Member
That's okay. We can probably come to a generalized agreement on this subject. The council will convene in 3 weeks time, along with a snack table.
Screaming Meat
Unconfirmed Member
Because there are no books with bad writing, right? Because, as mediums, they don't require drastically different approaches in their creation and consumption, right?
SneakyStephan
Banned
MGS games are what you make of them. It's an AI sandbox.
I had a ton of fun pushing the AI's buttons in both mgs1 and 2 and seeing how they reacted.
Agreed that the stories are gibberish though, especially in the newer ones.
I had a ton of fun pushing the AI's buttons in both mgs1 and 2 and seeing how they reacted.
Agreed that the stories are gibberish though, especially in the newer ones.
TouchMyBox
Member
Because games are games and not movies?
I wouldn't skip cutscenes in a game where I care about the story like MGS, but the majority of video game cutscenes are totally skippable.
And your major turn-offs to the series previously were the controls and cutscenes? I'm meaning people who like stealth and the gameplay, but are turned off by those two specific things.
Screaming Meat
Unconfirmed Member
Especially last generation. I skipped cutscenes in last-gen games like it was my fucking job, because they were boring and the graphics/animation weren't good enough to the level where I was really interested in watching them.
I would argue bad writing is bad writing regardless of medium, video games have the potential for good writing.
IMO MGS is bad writing regardless of being a video game, pulp nonsense
Scientist Supreme!
Banned
Guess we are going to have disagree because I do think its good. 85% percent of time. Beauty and beast unit is terrible.
Moon_frogger
Member
I don't think that's fair. Metal gear is a mashup of camp/b/noir movies and old comic books mixed in with real world events and social commentary/interactive storytelling. You don't hold professional wrestling to the standard of classic literature and you shouldn't hold metal gear solid to that standard either. It's still quite brilliant for what it is, which is a video game, not a novel. Not saying games can't have a deeper meaning but underneath the silliness, bad dialogue and camp metal gear probably has more to say in a single game then your average video game. There's deeper meaning to be had there, if you're willing to look for it.
Because the writing is on a level with those self published fantasy novels that you find on Kindle unlimited.
Engaging writing is engaging writing, saying it's good for a video game is just admitting that video game writing is shit , but this is just a little less shitty.
Given the modern budgets of games it's utterly baffling that games still lack in this area.
Sumio Mondo
Member
The biggest problem last generation was that the vast majority of them were unskippable, long, drawn out walking a long distance/scripted events that go on forever. I mean damn, they really forced you to watch the story last generation. Say what you will about Metal Gear even if you hate the story, but at least you can skip the cutscenes in Metal Gear, unlike the vast majority of other games out there last gen...
FoxhoundNL
Member
I had the same doubts. GZ didn't grab me either, but the open world in V feels reallly good so far. I like how big the playing field is when you have to infiltrate and get into some building to extract someone for instance. It plays so smooth and it really feels like you're on a mission. I haven't played too much yet (about 6-7 hours and taking my time, but it feels a lot like VR missions on steroid in an open world, with modern controls and not too much cutscenes. 4/GZ gave me little hope, but this is probably the best SP campaign I played/will play this year.
Chill Penguin
Member
Eh, I'm an avid reader but I still find MGS to be a rather entertaining story. It's an insane ride that mixes science fiction, fantasy, and a spy thriller into a package that's just fun to delve into. You can enjoy both classic literature and campy video game stories,don't take yourself so seriously.
elcuervo75
Banned
Not when the majority of the most expensive Hollywood blockbusters, most successful popsongs and YA novels have shitty writing. Typically the games with decent writing have an an actual author involved.
I first tried MGS2 from the HD collection and got so bored by the intro I turned it off before the actual gameplay started.
Then I tried MGS3 for a couple of hours and thought the 30 minutes of gameplay I actually got to partake in were garbage.
Ground Zeroes was pretty good I thought.I only played through it once but I might go back to it again.
Phantom Pain looks good but I've been put off it because you have to play some levels on harder difficulties to continue the story.
I'll likely get it when it's cheap.
Then I tried MGS3 for a couple of hours and thought the 30 minutes of gameplay I actually got to partake in were garbage.
Ground Zeroes was pretty good I thought.I only played through it once but I might go back to it again.
Phantom Pain looks good but I've been put off it because you have to play some levels on harder difficulties to continue the story.
I'll likely get it when it's cheap.
Scientist Supreme!
Banned
Totally agree with the second statement. I hate when people say that. I sadly can't agree with first statement.
partyphone
Banned
NinjamicWZ
Banned
I like the same things in books that I like in MGS.
Tyrant Rave
Banned
Not really into the series but stealth games just aren't my thing. I played through MGS4 and thought it was okay but the gameplay wasn't for me so I never really played any of the others.
Also played Rising. Was fun for a playthrough or two, but nowhere near the best action games.
Also played Rising. Was fun for a playthrough or two, but nowhere near the best action games.
Different doesn't have to mean bad. It can be different and be good also. And I'm aware people enjoy manga and anime, and most of it has shitty writing just as bad as most games. Im fine with people liking what they like. People are also just as free to dislike what they dislike, and the writing in gaming for the most part is fucking terrible.
Its getting better though, we have to remember writing in gaming started reallllllly light, and for a long time was completely unimportant.
Ghost Trick comes to mind for me as the game with the best story.
I think MGS has an interesting spy/conspiracy/sci-fi thriller at its core, just overwhelmed by nonsense and fan service.
NinjamicWZ
Banned
I wonder if there's a series of games that helped break down a lot of walls for writing in more interactive games and set the industry on the right path.
I genuinely struggle to think of any. Most of the ones that do a good job are the ones that take it lightly or sort of side step it by not taking themselves seriously at all.
I enjoyed Braid, assuming that qualifies, that's about the best I can do. Gaming just doesn't have a lot of good writing at all, let alone great writing.
Oh there are more than one of those. Assuming you are being snarky, they came long before MGS on PS1, and the earlier Metal Gear games didn't do nearly as much for advancing the writing in gaming during the MSX era as others did. I respect the franchise and its accomplishments, but don't try and make it the sole advancement of building stories in gaming. Because it had a shitload of help with that.