Metal Gear Solid 2
Metal Gear Solid was pretty innovative for it's time, but Konami and director Hideo Kojima aimed to make the sequel a real glimpse into the future of gaming. I remember seeing a lot of teaser videos before this game came out, showing of all kinds of new tech including intense simulated weather, fantastic A.I. and fully destructible table contents. Remember though, at the time seeing an entire table full of glass bottles getting shot and shattering everywhere was groundbreaking.
Metal Gear Solid 2 really was an epic accomplishment, as Kojima's works tend to be. Easily 1 part movie, 1 part game and 1 part existential postmodern artwork. Not only was the game great because it was a well-built, ahead of it's time espionage shooter, but also for it's incredible real-time cutscenes. Cutscenes which tend to run over-time, I was almost late for work a number of times when I found myself completing a section only to trigger a cinematic that ran on for well over 10 minutes. I didn't want to skip it and miss some major story points, but I also needed to save the game (which happened after the cinematic).
Metal Gear Solid is another series that I can't possible wrap my head around the plot. I can't even finish a whole game before I've lost what happened in the beginning. It doesn't help that Kojima throws twists at you like revealing that the entire game was actually a simulation (inside a simulation?). If I remember correctly, the ending of MGS2 finds Raiden looking at his dog tag, which then features your name which you enter at the start of the game. Which was so impressively rendered in realtime it was almost freaky.
MGS2 was a very beautiful game. As is the case with all Metal Gear Solid games, the engines are always way ahead of their time and Konami really made the PS2 sing. The rainy cargo ship at the start was one thing, but the warm, setting sun off the water while you ran around the oil rig was simply breathtaking. All this and it hardly looks dated since they managed to accomplish such fantastic style in the levels and designs. It really lends itself well to the HD re-releases that we've seen recently and some more I believe are on their way.
Metal Gear Solid may not be for everyone. It's really rough on the brain, but pleasing on the eyes. Though I haven't necessarily been interested in the most recent MGS release, I have always had a special place for the series. There really is nothing else even close, Kojima has made sure of that. With that in mind, I'm very excited to see what he does now that he'll be working on the next Silent Hill title. Hopefully I can understand it.
Metal Gear Solid 2 really was an epic accomplishment, as Kojima's works tend to be. Easily 1 part movie, 1 part game and 1 part existential postmodern artwork. Not only was the game great because it was a well-built, ahead of it's time espionage shooter, but also for it's incredible real-time cutscenes. Cutscenes which tend to run over-time, I was almost late for work a number of times when I found myself completing a section only to trigger a cinematic that ran on for well over 10 minutes. I didn't want to skip it and miss some major story points, but I also needed to save the game (which happened after the cinematic).
Metal Gear Solid is another series that I can't possible wrap my head around the plot. I can't even finish a whole game before I've lost what happened in the beginning. It doesn't help that Kojima throws twists at you like revealing that the entire game was actually a simulation (inside a simulation?). If I remember correctly, the ending of MGS2 finds Raiden looking at his dog tag, which then features your name which you enter at the start of the game. Which was so impressively rendered in realtime it was almost freaky.
MGS2 was a very beautiful game. As is the case with all Metal Gear Solid games, the engines are always way ahead of their time and Konami really made the PS2 sing. The rainy cargo ship at the start was one thing, but the warm, setting sun off the water while you ran around the oil rig was simply breathtaking. All this and it hardly looks dated since they managed to accomplish such fantastic style in the levels and designs. It really lends itself well to the HD re-releases that we've seen recently and some more I believe are on their way.
Metal Gear Solid may not be for everyone. It's really rough on the brain, but pleasing on the eyes. Though I haven't necessarily been interested in the most recent MGS release, I have always had a special place for the series. There really is nothing else even close, Kojima has made sure of that. With that in mind, I'm very excited to see what he does now that he'll be working on the next Silent Hill title. Hopefully I can understand it.
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