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LTTP: Metal Gear Solid (Series)

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Byronic Hero

Member
Okay, why the fuck did nobody tell me how AWESOME Metal Gear Solid is?!?!

Initial Impressions of MGS (Pre-Actually playing the game)

My first impression of Solid Snake was from Super Smash Bros, where I was upset at the fact that he found his way into the game when I though that there were dozens of other characters that would be better fits. I thought he was just a run-or-the-mill lame "badass" similar to Duke Nukem. (Yeah, I don't like the Duke, sue me)

But after this, I'm going to start playing as him in Smash, because not only was my initial impression of him as a character wrong, but also my assessment of the games he stars in as a whole.

Gameplay

I have started playing the first MGS and I started at about 10 pm and now it's around 3:30 am and I have to force myself to stop playing because I have a class this afternoon. By the first level, I knew I was hooked. The only stealth games I played were the Sly Cooper ones, so I thought this game would be similar to it, and in a sense, it kind of is. (At a very basic level at least)

I have played Resident Evil games as well as the original Parasite Eve games on PS, and can compare the gameplay to them. The inventory management is also similar, minus the fact that I can't store weapons and items away for later.

Presentation

Even before I actually started playing the game, I was greeted with an opening cutscene explaining the mission Snake has to complete, and I was completely blown away with how good the voice acting was. The writing, too, is top notch, it's almost like I'm watching something akin to Die Hard.

While the graphics haven't aged all that well, the character models still get the job done. The level design is also something that is done very well, every room feels very distinctive, and I never find myself aimlessly wandering around trying to find where I have and haven't been.

Current Impressions

Right now, I have just been tortured by
Revolver
and I can't wait to see what is next in this game as well as the subsequent releases. I plan on playing the HD collection for PS3 after this, then maybe trying Peace Walker. Only ones I'm probably going to skip are the Acids, cause strategy games aren't really my thing.

So, yeah, this game is good. Any advice from veteran players? Like what to expect in the next few installments (no spoilers please) or a specific order to play the next games in, ports I should avoid, whatever.

And with that I leave you with the comic that made me want to finally get around to playing this game
 
Prepare to sit through incredibly long cutscenes. Yes, longer than Metal Gear Solid.

Also, people will tell you to play in order of release, and I agree. It's harder to adjust to MGS2's controls when having played MGS4 or Peace Walker beforehand, for example.
 
Somewhere deep, deep in Kojima Pro HQ underground kitchen there is spectacular, FOX-engine driven remake of Metal Gear Solid being cooked slowly and with haute-cuisine precision, to cash-in on nostalgia hunger like no game has done before.
 
I started at about 10 pm and now it's around 3:30 am and I have to force myself to stop playing because I have a class this afternoon.
Click to expand...
Ah I miss this feeling, man. It's been too long since a game has me so engrossed in it, that I actually lost track of time, and can't get myself to quit playing it. Maybe I'm getting old.
Anyways, yes MGS1 is an amazing game, still. Please keep us updated about how you feel about the rest of the series.

RadioHeadAche said:
Prepare to sit through incredibly long cutscenes. Yes, longer than Metal Gear Solid.
Click to expand...
If you are into the fiction, the characters and the plot, then these long cutscenes are a treat.
 
Great post. Always nice to see someone new catch the Metal Gear fever.

I don't call it the greatest series of all time for no reason.
 
If you have a Gameboy Color or Gameboy Advance, Metal Gear: Ghost Babel is a great portable Metal Gear. Well, except for that awful conveyor belt sequence, but the rest is great.
 
Get the HD Collection, play all three in succession: MGS2, 3, then PW. Lastly, (of course) MGS4 - where it's all about
nanomachines
.

I have Portable Ops, but never played it tho.
 
Order of release is definetly the way to go.
Especially for newcomers.

Also the ACID games are great, but really aren't anything metal gear so it's ok to skip them....sadly
 
Byronic Hero said:
Okay, why the fuck did nobody tell me how AWESOME Metal Gear Solid is?!?!
Click to expand...

I've never played Metal Gear Solid, but if you've seriously never heard anyone talking about how much they love the series then this must be your first day on the internet.

Byronic Hero said:
My first impression of Solid Snake was from Super Smash Bros, where I was upset at the fact that he found his way into the game when I though that there were dozens of other characters that would be better fits. I thought he was just a run-or-the-mill lame "badass" similar to Duke Nukem. (Yeah, I don't like the Duke, sue me)
Click to expand...

There's actually quite a long story as to why Snake is in Brawl, but long story short the creator of Snake personally asked the Brawl developers if Snake could be in there. In fact, he asked them during the Melee development but Melee was too far into development for them to include Snake.

deim0s said:
Get the HD Collection
Click to expand...

Anyone know which version is the best -- PS3 or Xbox 360 (in terms of fps, loading screens, glitches etc)? I don't really have any preference for single-player games.
 
If you ever do decide to try the AC!D games, it may be better to start with the second game. It's a lot easier to get into compared to the first one.
 
MGS is definitely an awesome series. I got into it since last year. Currently playing MGS3 (just started today in fact) and it's really cool so far.
 
RadioHeadAche said:
If you ever do decide to try the AC!D games, it may be better to start with the second game. It's a lot easier to get into compared to the first one.
Click to expand...

Agreed every aspect of MGA2 is better.
Really wish Konami would put the games up on the PSN or release a HD version on Vita.
Social Ops i sthe closest thing to a new acid game i think i'll ever get though.
 
There's nothing out there like Metal Gear. I was a frothy-mouthed fan of the series ever since I played the first one, devouring every trailer and preview for each new game as they came out, but after playing MGS4 a few times I took a break from the series. Not as any slight to MGS4, which I absolutely loved, but the ending of the series just hit me deep down and I felt like I was ready to move on with my life. Then a couple of months ago the MGS4 trophy patch was announced, and it was like falling down a Metal Gear-shaped hole all over again. I platinum'd MGS4 over a couple of weeks, bought the HD Collection, threw MGS1 in again, tried my hand at deciphering the Ground Zeroes trailer. Life is good.

As for what to expect from a full playthrough of the series, you can count on huge expansions to the basic gameplay with each sequel. Kojima is nothing if not bold and inventive, and the Metal Gear series has evolved like no other I can think of. Not all of it is great, but when one of Kojima's harebrained schemes really comes together it's absolutely amazing. These games are pretty much unparalleled in providing you with a huge variety of gameplay options, either through giving you crazy equipment or abilities or through the level- or AI-design, and they usually leave your progression up to you. They're geared towards multiple playthroughs, too, with certain unlockable items encouraging different styles of play.

I'd also recommend taking your time with the games, and just playing around with everything you have. I usually get impatient and eventually want to plough on ahead, but I still love to run my Codec dry in every new area. The sheer volume of content in these games is staggering, and even after playing the games dozens of times each I still notice new things. I'm currently deep into an exhaustive MGS3 playthrough, trying to hear every radio conversation there is, and so much of it is absolute gold.

Just don't take the story too seriously. Everyone has their own opinion on how the story of Metal Gear has progressed, and more pointedly everyone has their own point at which something was just too crazy for them. A lot of people still can't get past MGS2, but MGS3 has a few moments and MGS4 is almost indescribable to someone who hasn't played it. I decided early on that I was down with wherever Kojima wanted to take me, but there are some cutscenes in MGS4 I really don't ever want to see again. Just take it as it comes, though. Don't take anyone else's opinions to heart and watch it all unfold for yourself.

I'd always recommend playing them in the order they came out, just like Star Wars (you wouldn't want to know Darth Vader was Luke's father before Empire, right?), so after MGS1 play 2 and 3 from the HD Collection, then 4, then Peace Walker. Portable Ops is technically canon (it fits in between 3 and Peace Walker, chronologically), but it's not a Kojima game and it doesn't really have much bearing on the overall plot. It's easily skippable, but if you have a PSP and you really have the fever it's not a terrible game.
 
LonelyGreyWolf said:
Anyone know which version is the best -- PS3 or Xbox 360 (in terms of fps, loading screens, glitches etc)? I don't really have any preference for single-player games.
Click to expand...

The PS3 version of MGS3 supposedly has a few places where the framerate drops a bit that the 360 version doesn't, but the 360 versions of MGS2, 3 and PW are supposedly a bit harder to play due to the lack of pressure sensitive buttons.

Anyway, welcome to the party, OP. I'm terrible at stealth games, but I love the MGS series, so I'm currently playing through the main series on easy just to enjoy the wacky storyline :lol
 
Combichristoffersen said:
The PS3 version of MGS3 supposedly has a few places where the framerate drops a bit that the 360 version, but the 360 versions of MGS2, 3 and PW are supposedly a bit harder to play due to the lack of pressure sensitive buttons.

Anyway, welcome to the party, OP. I'm terrible at stealth games, but I love the MGS series, so I'm currently playing through the main series on easy just to enjoy the wacky storyline :lol
Click to expand...

Peace Walker has pressure-sensitive controls?
 
Best video game franchise ever.

In fact I just started a series replay recently. Finished up MGS twice (on normal and hard) did all the sneaking VR missions on the special missions disk, and just bought MGS2 HD off PSN and currently playing through that on hard right now.:D

Will probably move on towards replaying MGS3, Metal Gear 1&2, MGS: PW and checking out Portable ops and Ghost Babel for the first time in between, while ending the series replay with a boss extreme play-through of MGS4!

I'll be all ready for ground zeroes in any case.
 
MGS2:awesome
MGS3:awesome
MGS4:awesome
Peace Walker:not as awesome as the others but.. oh what the heck it's awesome

If you like the original MGS get the HD collection. No doubt about it.

As for the play order: MGS2->MGS3->MGS4->Peace Walker so in release order like it was intended. Never mind portable ops, its not nearly as enjoyable as the others and does not have a awesome HD remake! You can swap MGS4 and PW if you don't want to get 4 before finishing HD collection.

MGS2: Awful.
Click to expand...
MGS3: Meh, decent i guess.
Click to expand...
Shame on you! Both are absolytely brilliant :3.
 
MGS1: Best of the series, overall a great game.
MGS2: Awful.
MGS3: Meh, decent i guess.
MGS4:
Nanomachines.
PW: Didn't mind it, but it's a pretty forgettable product. Also, lulz continuity errors everywhere.

Overall a pretty overrated series from one of the most overrated game designer ever.

Nanomachines
 
To be honest I can't comprehend how someone who likes MGS1 could dislike MGS2 - as it's pretty much MGS1 refined.

Unless you really hate the story that much.
 
Yay another fan :D make sure you play in release order. and nomatter what anyone says: DON'T SKIP MGS4.

Lafiel said:
To be honest I can't comprehend how someone who likes MGS1 could dislike MGS2 - as it's pretty much MGS1 refined.

Unless you really hate the story that much.
Click to expand...

I honestly thought it was the other way around. MGS2 felt way too unfocused.
weird bosses, half of which you don't even fight properly. (was dissapoint that you don't actually properly fight ocelot nor fortune). Storyline was all over the place with bizziare pacing. Rose. And ended on a cliffhanger.
It was a great game, but in my eyes the weakest in the series. And I already knew about raiden beforehand.
 
Lafiel said:
To be honest I can't comprehend how someone who likes MGS1 could dislike MGS2 - as it's pretty much MGS1 refined.

Unless you really hate the story that much.
Click to expand...

MGS2 has like trice the CS of MGS1 and all twice as long, constant invasive codex interruptions and an awful main character.

And yes, the story and the characters were nowhere as good as MGS1.
 
Order of release is best but with the exception of maybe Peace Walker, you will end your run of the series on a higher note if you save MGS4 for last.
 
You should play them in order. MGS 2 is radically different in story and such so be prepared.

MGS3 is the best game in the whole franchiese and in story. That is a bit of prequeal.

MGS4 continues the story into the future. Another marvelous entry with tons of insane moments.
 
You started with the best one, no other will measure up to it sadly. Have fun though, it's SO awesome.
 
I've just finished MGS for the first time, and am now playing through MGS2.

Pretty cool games.

But yeah, writing/voice acting is mostly awful. But it was expected at that time, nowadays though...

Is it as bad in MGS4?
 
_Keiichi_ said:
MGS1: Best of the series, overall a great game.
MGS2: Awful.
MGS3: Meh, decent i guess.
MGS4:
Nanomachines.
PW: Didn't mind it, but it's a pretty forgettable product. Also, lulz continuity errors everywhere.

Overall a pretty overrated series from one of the most overrated game designer ever.

Nanomachines
Click to expand...


If you don't like Nanomachines I've got bad news for you. They will have a big impact on our future, in good and bad ways.
 
I had a similar experience as the OP. I only knew Snake from Smash Bros., but then I got a PS3 and played MGS4. Even though I didn't get a lot of the references, it was a cool experience.

During this Summer, 3-4 years after I played MGS4, I started playing the previous games. First I played MGS1 on PSN - it was good, especially the writing and voice-acting. It was a little strange to experience "inverted nostalgia", since I played MGS4 first and then MGS1.

Then I bought the MGS HD Collection and played MGS2 and MGS3. Even though the games have a lot in common, each has a unique twist/feeling/mood/gameplay/whatever that makes them special. I especially liked MGS3 due to the environment and the story.

One of my favorite elements in the series is that all games are so self-confident and self-aware in a unique way not seen in many other games. Basically, the games feel "directed". Everything is connected somehow, and when you finally see this connection, it's awsome.

Bottom line: just keep on with the series, it keeps getting better and better.
 
So the order they have been released, okay cool. I'm going to see if I can find the HD collection an 4 for cheap somewhere.

I also know that the Internet people have Sao how good these games are, but I chalked it up the games being overrated, similar to Halo, GoW and the PS2 Splinter Cell games. I didn't think I would like MGS based on the reviews, but now that I have played one and experienced the fun first hand, I know that this series isn't beloved by many for no reason.
 
MGS2 has like trice the CS of MGS1 and all twice as long, constant invasive codex interruptions and an awful main character.

And yes, the story and the characters were nowhere as good as MGS1.
Click to expand...
Doesn't matter, since you can skip cut-scenes on subsequent playthroughs, and the replay value is where MGS2 really shines - VR missions, dog tag collecting, extreme / ee replays etc. The reason why I call it MGS refined is it pretty much has the top-down puzzle-stealth MG formula perfected in terms of execution of mechanics before the series shifts directions with MGS3&4, and it pretty much has loads of challenging content to put it into practice.

I do agree that the game could have used a few more bosses and maybe 1 or 2 hours of extra gameplay (
exploring the other struts would have been cool
)
 
I'd like to recommend the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. They're available on the HD Collection's version of MGS3, and in my opinion they're still some of the best 2D games ever created.

I love the 3D games, but there's just something about the sheer simplicity of the 2D ones that I really loved when I played them for the first time a few days ago. They really are criminally overlooked masterpieces, especially MG2. Their fondness for esoteric solutions can be frustrating sometimes, but it's astounding how many concepts from the later games were already fully realized in these old ass games. Definitely worth a play if you're like the series.
 
It's amazing how much better the framerate makes MGS3 on Xbox360 makes the PS2 look really really bad. Even tho they looks the same the frame rate makes it look WAY BETTER
 
The original MGS was something else, man. Not just the game itself, the whole... *puts on top hat and monocle* Experience. I still remember like a month after E3 1997, getting the issue of Next Generation Magazine with the first big MGS blow out preview with a bunch of screen shots, pouring over them and wondering "What exactly am I looking at here? I've never seen anything like this. This is a game? How the fuck do you play it?" When it came out, I felt like I was playing a game from the future that had been sent back in time. To say it was "fresh" in 1998 is putting it lightly as fuck. Then the day the MGS2 debuted at E3 2000 and the first pics and footage went public. That shit was the pinnacle, I have very few bad things to say about the series, it's one of my favorite franchises. But those were the highest high points in my memory.

Things kinda fell apart when MGS2 came out. Literally within a few hours on day 1 half of the internet was ablaze with blubbering fanboys rending their garments and crying to the heavens, "KOJIMA! WHY HAVE THOU FORSAKEN ME?
WHO IS THIS RAIDEN CHICK?! WHEN DO I GET TO GO BACK TO PLAYING AS SOLID SNAKE
?!?!" and it's been an uphill struggle ever since.
 
MGS1! What to say about this masterpiece?
I don't know if it's my favorite game, but is for sure the strongest experience I had as a gamer. I literally had goosebumps all the way through the game.

Sadly Kojima has failed to match the atmosphere and overall quality. MGS3 kind of did it but still...

Just play them in order.
 
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