I'm just past the first boss battle (Revolver Ocelot in the C4 room with Kenneth Baker), and I felt like sharing my thoughts so far. I'm playing MGS1 while also working toward the true ending in Peace Walker. I figure if I start this thread now, I can ask for tips as I go along.
My impressions so far... are very positive! My only gripe is that I'm still not used to shooting by releasing a button, which made the shootout with Ocelot feel a bit awkward. It took me like three or four tries before I defeated him.
But other than that, it's been smooth sailing. I appreciate that there's no ambiguity in the enemy's line of sight — you simply look at your radar (when available) and you can see their vision cone. It's not like MGS3 where they can spot you from a mile away. Although one downside to the radar is I find myself looking at the corner of the screen whenever it's available and playing entirely off the radar, lol.
That said, when I look at the environments instead of the radar, I find myself appreciating the game's art direction, atmosphere and attention to detail, which holds up very well. I'm not blinded by nostalgia, either — this is my first time playing MGS1, and I didn't own a PS1 growing up. The facility at Shadow Moses has this lived-in feel to it with its coarse textures and moody lighting, and there are some really nice touches like the semi-transparent view of the ceiling lights from your top-down perspective.
Speaking of perspective, I find the top-down view to work quite well so far. Getting around Shadow Moses is a snap using the D-Pad, and I enjoy scoping out each room and hallway with the first-person view (Triangle) to see additional details. I also find the context-sensitive cover to be fairly reliable, allowing me to press my back against walls and watch approaching guards, or to lie low under a surveillance camera until it's looking the other way. Sometimes I stick to things unintentionally, however, which can be a brief inconvenience while trying to flee enemies.
The soundtrack is utterly fantastic. It's neat to finally see it in its proper context: I've already heard many of these themes in MGS4, MGO2, SSB Brawl, etc., but here I can experience them in their original context. The voice acting is decent, too, although it's odd hearing David Hayter's Snake without the gravel, and hearing Mei Ling with an accent.
I think the most impressive aspect so far is the level design. Shadow Moses reminds me, in many ways, of the Spencer Mansion from RE1. Very focused design that unravels in layers, where the backtracking makes you more familiar with the environment. It gives Shadow Moses an intimate feel. I can already see why this is considered such an iconic location.
I should also note, I've been here before — in MGS4. It's neat seeing certain details in their original context, like the two separate vents you can use to access the main hangar. I'm thinking when all's said and done, it might be fun to revisit MGS4 with the knowledge of this game fresh in mind.
At any rate, my MGS marathon continues. MGSV (GZ + TPP) still stands tall as my favorite overall game — a towering achievement, in terms of gameplay and design — but I've been thoroughly enjoying the rest: MGS3, Peace Walker, and now MGS1, with MGS2 to follow.
Speaking of MGS2, I sampled "Snake Tales" a week ago, and now I'm really excited to dive into the full game. MGS2 just feels slick.
My impressions so far... are very positive! My only gripe is that I'm still not used to shooting by releasing a button, which made the shootout with Ocelot feel a bit awkward. It took me like three or four tries before I defeated him.
But other than that, it's been smooth sailing. I appreciate that there's no ambiguity in the enemy's line of sight — you simply look at your radar (when available) and you can see their vision cone. It's not like MGS3 where they can spot you from a mile away. Although one downside to the radar is I find myself looking at the corner of the screen whenever it's available and playing entirely off the radar, lol.
That said, when I look at the environments instead of the radar, I find myself appreciating the game's art direction, atmosphere and attention to detail, which holds up very well. I'm not blinded by nostalgia, either — this is my first time playing MGS1, and I didn't own a PS1 growing up. The facility at Shadow Moses has this lived-in feel to it with its coarse textures and moody lighting, and there are some really nice touches like the semi-transparent view of the ceiling lights from your top-down perspective.
Speaking of perspective, I find the top-down view to work quite well so far. Getting around Shadow Moses is a snap using the D-Pad, and I enjoy scoping out each room and hallway with the first-person view (Triangle) to see additional details. I also find the context-sensitive cover to be fairly reliable, allowing me to press my back against walls and watch approaching guards, or to lie low under a surveillance camera until it's looking the other way. Sometimes I stick to things unintentionally, however, which can be a brief inconvenience while trying to flee enemies.
The soundtrack is utterly fantastic. It's neat to finally see it in its proper context: I've already heard many of these themes in MGS4, MGO2, SSB Brawl, etc., but here I can experience them in their original context. The voice acting is decent, too, although it's odd hearing David Hayter's Snake without the gravel, and hearing Mei Ling with an accent.
I think the most impressive aspect so far is the level design. Shadow Moses reminds me, in many ways, of the Spencer Mansion from RE1. Very focused design that unravels in layers, where the backtracking makes you more familiar with the environment. It gives Shadow Moses an intimate feel. I can already see why this is considered such an iconic location.
I should also note, I've been here before — in MGS4. It's neat seeing certain details in their original context, like the two separate vents you can use to access the main hangar. I'm thinking when all's said and done, it might be fun to revisit MGS4 with the knowledge of this game fresh in mind.
At any rate, my MGS marathon continues. MGSV (GZ + TPP) still stands tall as my favorite overall game — a towering achievement, in terms of gameplay and design — but I've been thoroughly enjoying the rest: MGS3, Peace Walker, and now MGS1, with MGS2 to follow.
Speaking of MGS2, I sampled "Snake Tales" a week ago, and now I'm really excited to dive into the full game. MGS2 just feels slick.