haxxiy

User Score
7.0

Presentation - 8.0
Gameplay - 8.0
Value - 7.0

Kojima developed Metal Gear ages ago and the critically acclaimed game only got a sequel much years later, on the PS2. Playing this game was a peculiar experience to me since it actually happened after I beat Snake Eater twice, also my first game in the series. So I wasn't actually aware of metal gears and Big Boss clones and stuff. 

The game starts with you playing as Solid Snake on a ship that is going down the Hudson River. The first impression is positive overall. The game graphics are trully impressive since they run at 60 frames per second and the effects were top-notch at the time, such as the rain falling. Once in a while you could get some rough slowdowns while in the open (rain is a heavy engine hitter guys. Look at SOTC and it's last colossus 10FPS fight). Still the gameplay experience will run smoothly most of times.

Your first objective is take some photos of a new Metal Gear in possession of the USA Marine corp. For some unknown reason, russian mercenaries manage to take control of the outer levels of the ship in the middle of New York. Um, whatever. 

The enemies are somewhat realistic. They will shoot at you on sight and call for reinforcements. If you kill a patroller or put one to sleep, the lack of response on the radio will alert his superiors and he will later be replaced as soon as his body is found and a caution alert will enter into play. You should be beware of these alerts, for they cripple your radar, making you unaware of what's expecting on the next corner. Hide from the enemies is difficult at bay, but you need no more than a good metal closet or some cunning skills on the inward. Not only that, russian mercenaries and marines seem to be almost blind for anything six feet out from their eyes. Yes, it is a game, but it kind of breaks the immersion feeling.

Later on the game Snake will be totally forgotten and substituted by a blonde guy named Raiden that met universal dislike by players, with reasons. First of all this was supposed to be a Metal Gear game and players felt that a MG game without Snake is like a Batman game where you play as Robin most of time. The main criticism in my opinion would be how an immature teenager and his immature love interest managed to become top spies working for the government on a mission that could decide the ecological future of the northeast american coast. Not only that, Raiden moves belong more to a ballet school than to a spy soldier...

The inconsistencies do not end there. First of all you have a arm that somehow manages to possess an old dude. Then a vampire guy and a magnetic woman that act sort of unstoppable incredible hulks. Wait, this is Marvel comics or an espionage game? I could go on and talk about the cyborg ninja, the half-hour long cutscene and the government conspiracy but I think you already got the point pretty clear.

The gameplay, graphics and sound are good,but I would not recommend this game to anyone searching for a compelling story or a realistic, mature video game. Definitely a step down from the first MGS. Thankfully, partial redemption came with Snake Eater.