Metal Gear SolidBy Chris Vavra - June 19, 2009 Print  Email(Note: This review assumes you have some familiarity with the series at large but, as such, there are minimal spoilers for the unanointed, whoemever you might be) Metal Gear Solid was regarded, when first released in 1998, as a revolutionary title. Writer/director Hideo Kojima had created a visceral story with mature themes, mature storytelling, and a sharp, innovative visual style that took full advantage of the 3-D world and the potential that it offered. In a lot of ways, this was Sony’s answer to Mario and Zelda from Nintendo. The original Metal Gear had been a cult classic for the NES even though that version had been mangled in the translation by Ultra Games. It wasn’t until 2006 with MGS3: Subsistence that we got the MSX version that had been developed in Japan. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake didn’t make it to the states legitimately until 2006. We got the unofficial Snake’s Revenge, which is not without its occasional charms, but it is a pale imitation. Metal Gear Solid is generally seen as the first mainstream installment, fair or not. In some ways, Kojima’s first 3-D endeavor with Solid Snake is his best because it has a very bare bones storytelling presentation. The cinematic flair and the over-the-top drama that ended up plaguing MGS2 and MGS4, in particular, is absent. The story is still flawed because some of the plot twists are telegraphed too easily and don’t stand up very well upon inspection (mostly with the DARPA chief), but the basic story arc is very consistent and is able to get the point across without grandstanding too much. Oh sure, there are moments (mostly with Meryl and Otacon) where the drama gets a little thick, but in general this is very much a spy story rooted with themes of disinformation, loyalty, family, and the uncertain future the world holds in a Post-Cold War Era. This was written before 9/11 so history has run its course, but in a lot of ways much of what was said about the nuclear age in 1998 is still true in 2009. Look at the world around us and the current political strife and tell me it isn’t true. The story itself is interesting to look back on, especially now that virtually all of the blanks have been filled. Seeing MGS’s story now eleven years later after seeing what has come in future titles gives a new shade to the story. Ocelot’s motives, in particular, are now completely different and a lot of his dialogue has a new tone to it that wasn’t realized yet in 1998. There are inconsistencies in spots, but these can be accepted because you can’t expect a writer to get absolutely everything right. That said, the minor hiccups along the way don’t hamper the overall experience and the story still packs an emotional wallop. MGS is one of the best video game stories we’ve had to date. The visuals and the cinematics look really dated today. The GCN re-boot in 2004 makes the game look even older by comparison. There are a lot of jags and sprites floating all over and the game looks rushed and sloppy. It doesn’t hold up very well, even though there is a lot of detail crunched into every scene to make it look real. In 1998, this was acceptable, but even then MGS didn’t stand up well from a pixilated standpoint compared to contemporaries like Half-Life, Banjo-Kazooie, and Ocarina of Time. The cinematics may not look all that impressive, but there is a strong flair to them anyways. The pacing is very strong and though the scenes run on a little long at times, it never really feels like we’re being pushed through the wringer like we did for the other three MGS installments. The timing and the rhythms of the scene, aided by some stellar voice acting, make the scenes work. The GCN re-boot never got this down pat because Silicon Knights was too interested in making everything feel like it jumped out of The Matrix. Kojima’s no-frills style is better suited for the story. The voice-over work, as I mentioned, is first-rate. Even today, we get some really bad acting by people working on the fringes of the entertainment industry. Kojima set the standard early with stellar work, especially by David Hayter, who plays the battle-scarred protagonist. Debi Mae West, Cam Clarke, Paul Eiding, and Christopher Randolph also deliver exceptional work as the main supporting players. The music is muted and minimalist by today's standards, but the themes do create a ominous feeling in the gamer as he encounters dark, foreboding rooms that are filled with mystery. The fast-paced combat themes mesh surprisingly well with the low-key tones and together they create a real strong soundtrack. The Psycho Mantis soundtrack and the Metal Gear maintenance base are among my favorites to this day. The gameplay, however, has not aged well at all. The gameplay was average by 1998 standards. Today, this kind of style would be scoffed at. No FPS mode when shooting, a fixed overhead camera, a limited, cone-shaped vision for your enemies? No jumping? Yeah, most gamers now would have a hard time dealing with a lot of this, especially when you see how Splinter Cell, in particular, has changed the stealth action genre for the better. That said, MGS does a fair job with the system it has implemented, much of which was carried over from Metal Gear 2. The series has always stressed stealth anyways and the game’s challenge is such to where you have to be stealthy or you’re going to get killed. You have a limited life bar, limited ammunition, and almost no rations. As you progress, you’ll earn more of these to make fighting easier (the GCN version ousted all of these limitations. Shame).Most of the boss fights are nothing special because the combat system isn’t terribly inspired. I’m happy to say, though, that the Psycho Mantis fight is still as memorable as ever. The rest are a mixed lot. The controls are responsive and they do work pretty well, but there are plenty of cheap hits that are going to be delivered on both sides. It’ll be frustrating if you haven’t played this in a while and you’ve been spoiled from MGS3 and MGS4. The gameplay system won’t kill you if you’re smart, but inexperienced gamers are going to find this system to be frustrating at first. I don’t get this to say this very often, but the mediocre gameplay doesn’t really hurt MGS. There are a handful of games out there that can overcome mediocre gameplay because the experience is so engrossing. Other examples include GTAIII and Deus Ex. The story, the replay value, and the appeal of the material carried the load in lieu of the gameplay. Since MGS is meant to be a cinematic experience in the first place you’ll be spending more time watching rather than playing. Some gamers might not like the more passive play, but it works because the story and the characters are so engrossing. Kojima may not be a great writer, but he’s a very good storyteller and he knows how to pull in the audience. If you a want more active game, Splinter Cell awaits. MGS is a short game, but there are enough Easter eggs littered around after you finish the game—plus an alternate ending, which hinges on the outcome of a key sequence—that you won’t mind playing the game a second or third time just to see what happens. Not counting cinematics, the game itself is a four-or-five hour endeavor. With the cinematics, double the length. Some might not think there's much value in playing such a short game twice, and they would be wrong. Picking up on all the clues and twists you might have missed the first time is a lot of fun in of itself, and absolutely worth another playthrough for that alone, especially if you want to see both endings. In addition to the single-player, there's also some VR training, which is designed to get you acclimated to the gameplay system. While not required for anything of value, the novice might find the material useful. There’s also a 25-minute briefing session that has some valuable background information about Snake and some of the other central characters. Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 also get their plots explained in a Cliffs’ Notes version if you don’t already know the story, which is unlikely, but possible. If you missed the game somehow, pick it up. It’s only 10 bucks and it will serve as a brilliant, worthwhile introduction to one of the most underrated series around. The gameplay is archaic, yes, and the graphics look terrible, but the cinematic experience and the story are just as strong now as they were when they were first introduced in 1998. Ratings |
 Select Choice Award |
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