Metal Gear Solid

You know you're dealing with an epic game when you park your arse down to write the review and discover you're still shaking with excitement. With Metal Gear Solid this is exactly the scenario.

Despite its belated PC appearance and only slight graphical improvements over the PlayStation version, this combination of gameplay styles is one of the finest examples of action and storytelling the PC has ever witnessed. It's easily on a par with Half-Life when it comes to creating tension and emotion and there's even that unique Final Fantasy ingredient whereby you develop a real affection for the main characters involved. Your actions even determine the outcome of the story, so theoretically you can play through again and again and experience a new set of emotions each time.

So, what about the actual plot? Well, without giving away any story-spoiling intricacies, let's just say that terrorists, nuclear missiles, double agents and enormous, walking, nuclear missile-launching robots are just some of the trials and tribulations our anguished hero, Solid Snake has to endure.

At the start of the game he has very little to aid him in his mission. As he progresses onwards through third-person perspective tank hangars, armouries, laboratories and other James Bond-type locations, Snake slowly acquires machine guns, remote controlled missiles, grenades, sniper rifles, stinger missiles and numerous other gadgets on his quest to spray as much brain tissue and guts through the air as possible.

But it's not all mindless maiming. One of the traits of the Metal Gear series of games over the last 14 years (the first one appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986) has been to base the gameplay on basic puzzle-solving, as well as apocalyptic shoot-outs. There's no denying that it's a style of play that takes some getting used to; your first foray through the snow-covered opening stage usually ends with a guard following your footprints and pumping your face full of lead, as you peer around a comer to see if the coast is clear. A separate CD of optional VR training levels helps when it comes to understanding the espionage tactics needed to survive (even if there are 300 to wade through). But, on a more cynical note, you wonder whether the excessive amount of stages is an attempt to make up for the fact that there is no multiplayer game.

Snake Eyes

Essentially, MGS is played from an overhead perspective that's very similar in look and feel to The Phantom Menace, although other views do come into play. If you back into a wall, the camera automatically swings down to point directly at you and is a view that's useful when it comes to checking down hallways or around corners to see if enemy henchmen are laying in wait.

And then we come to the much-hyped first person mode; an added extra we were told would bring a whole new dimension to the game. Unfortunately, this simply hasn't happened. Why? Because it simply isn't there. OK, so you can look around in that mode - but can you walk, run, jump or even shoot? Not on your nelly. The only real first-person action you get is when you find a sniper rifle and some Stinger missiles. Admittedly shooting down a Hind helicopter with said missiles is a serious rush, but couldn't Konami have made a little more effort to produce a first-person view that could be enjoyed throughout the whole of the game?

While we're on the subject of movement, you may be interested to know Snake can be tricky to control if using the keyboard. Pointing a weapon at somebody is usually a fraught procedure involving dozens of miniscule taps on the cursor keys to get it right. The auto aiming helps alleviate this to an extent, but there are plenty of locations where perspective and panic combine to make the whole procedure irritating. If you've got a gamepad handy, use it.

And, while we're having a bit of a moan, it's only fair to mention that, although generally superb when it comes to keeping the story ticking over and charged with excitement, the frequent cut-scenes do go on a bit. Sometimes conversations between Snake and his supporting cast go round in circles, with the main points being repeated over and over. Thankfully, a quick tap of the Escape key gets rid of that particular nuance.

Get Loaded

MGS does have its little foibles -that much is obvious. Yet when it comes down to it, one major point prevails: MGS is immense fun to play. You feel compelled to reach the next stage because you want to see what further twists the plot can take, and equally because some of the end-of-level bosses such as the Cyborg Ninja are so utterly enjoyable to do battle against. The fact that loading times are ridiculously short is another major reason why you simply cannot leave your PC.

Ultimately, this version is barely any different from the PlayStation game of two years ago. But it doesn't matter - because if a game is truly good, it can stand up and be counted on any format it's released on. MGS is recommended for exactly that reason. If you need a light mix of stealth and action, Metal Gear Solid is the only choice.

If the Resident Evils of this world left you quivering and gibbering in the dark, Metal Gear Solid will undoubtedly induce a similar terror. This, the most recent instalment of the long running console-based Metal Gear series of games, has actually been out on the PlayStation for about 18 months now - and as you should already know, the game was a monster hit worldwide.

Courtesy of a joint venture between Konami and Microsoft it's now the PC's turn to host the show. So just what is all the fuss about then? Well, the story goes something like this. In his latest and most dangerous mission, the irrepressible Solid Snake (a covert operations specialist as opposed to a 20ft boa-constrictor or 20in pom star) must infiltrate a terrorist stronghold, rescue a few feeble-minded scientists, destroy the infamous Metal Gear Rex (an enormous walking nuclear missile launcher), get the girl - or one of them anyway, and then roar off in a F-16 while the base turns into a gigantic fireball behind him.

MGS is rip-roaring stuff: Alistair MacLean could have written it and Pierce Brosnan could have starred. Most of your time is spent hugging walls, crawling under tanks and dodging searchlights. One mistake and you're history. Enemy soldiers possess such finely tuned AI that they follow sound and footprints and even roll grenades into tunnels and holes if they suspect anything untoward.

And then there are guns. MGS features more than 30 weapons, including machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket launchers. There's also a huge selection of tools ranging from night vision goggles to body armour to cigarettes - and you'll be surprised at just how useful they can be.

The real question is how will the PC version be different? Firstly, there's support for screen resolutions of up to 1,024x768, meaning that graphically the game is far sharper and more detailed than its console counterpart. Secondly, and much more significantly, the PC offers a first-person as opposed to third-person view. Apparently this option was available in the Japanese PlayStation version, but you had to complete the game before it could be unlocked. No such gruelling effort needed here, although it has to be stressed that the console version was third-person for a reason, and that very good reason was so that you could easily hide behind walls and watch enemy soldiers approaching before leaping out of your hiding place to break their necks. Hopefully that's not going to affect the gameplay too much, although the feeling here at Towers is that the PC version will veer towards action rather than strategy - a theory bolstered by news that players can save whenever they like instead of at the end of each stage. Whether this is good or bad news completely depends on your own preferences, of course.

What is good news though, is the revelation that PC gamers will have access to literally hundreds of missions due to the inclusion of a mission pack as part of the deal.

MGS is due out towards the end of the year, and rest assured we'll get into gear to bring you more news when we have it.

Solid is an action/stealth game developed by Konami and originally released on the Playstation in 1998. The game was created by Hideo Kojima; a creative mind now highly regarded in the video game industry. The narrative tells us the story of Solid Snake, a highly skilled soldier who uses his tactical acumen to prevent terrorist attacks. Metal Gear Solid gained immediate success, and went on to spawn four additional sequels. It kickstarted a stealth franchise that is now regarded as one of the finest in the genre, and introduced us to one of gaming's best soldiers.

One of the most impressive aspects of Metal Gear Solid is its cinematic quality. For the time, Metal Gear Solid crafted some incredibly cool sequences that pushed the boundaries of the Playstation hardware. Lengthy cutscenes tell a personal and complex story of political intrigue and espionage. In many ways, the world and story feel larger than life. It can be a bit convoluted at times (especially later in the franchise), but the story of Solid Snake feels like a blockbuster movie more than a simple stealth game.

As Solid Snake, you aim to sneak into a dangerous facility where a group of terrorists are planning a nuclear attack. You'll have to stealthily avoid and dispatch guards, rescue kidnapped victims, and fight against tough bosses. Throughout the experience, you'll use your radio to discuss the mission with several characters. Lengthy dialogue sequences and great voice acting make these characters memorable and personable, which adds some significant weight to the storytelling. Creative bosses like the telekinetic Psycho Mantis or the super accurate Sniper Wolf feel epic, and overcoming these enemies makes you feel like a true super soldier.

Gameplay is slow-paced but intense, blending a mixture of action and stealth. As you explore the facility, you'll have to avoid guards and other enemies by sneaking around. Enemies have a vision range that is displayed on your mini-map, so you'll have to stay in the shadows and use hiding spots for cover. Solid Snake employs a variety of gadgets and items to stay undetected, such as the iconic cardboard box disguise. Some of the most intense moments in the game don't come from gunfights, but rather sneaking through heavily populated areas without being seen.

When the action does get going, things can be pretty difficult. Solid Snake is proficient with weapons, but the damage he takes is realistic. You won't be able to absorb a full clip of bullets without dying, so it's best to keep things on the quiet side. You can equip silencers to your weapons, use close quarters combat, or use a number of gadgets. Once you've dispatched an enemy, you'll have to hide their body. If you do go loud, there's usually a decent selection of weapons to choose from. Besides your trusty sidearm, you'll come across sniper rifles, assault weapons, and even some impressive experimental weaponry.

Overall, Metal Gear Solid expertly blends realistic stealth and action gameplay with a complex and rewarding narrative. It's a story that doesn't take your intelligence for granted, and one that feels both epic in scope and personal in nature. You get to know the character Solid Snake while also learning about the political turmoil the world is stuck in. Along the way, you'll bask in the strategic gameplay, meet tons of memorable characters, and overcome challenging bosses and creative puzzles. It's a game that prioritizes its story, and despite the slow pace, rarely feels boring. If you're a fan of games like Splinter Cell or Assassin's Creed and you've never tried out Metal Gear Solid, you're missing out.

It seems Konami just can't stop bringing out all their classic NES games on the PlayStation. First Contra, then Castlevania and now, one of their best games ever. Metal Gear will be coming to the 32-Bit scene.

From what we has seen so far, Metal Gear for the PlayStation appears to be radically different from what fans of the original game and its sequel, Snake's Revenge, are used to. It appears to be more along the lines of Resident Evil than the top-down action-adventure game of the good old days.

If the new version can maintain all of the exciting gameplay and strategy of the original as well as sport the incredible graphics that we have seen so far, then everyone is in for a major treat.

Expect to be able to gain a large variety of weapons and items to use in your mission. With such gorgeous graphics mixed with the classic gameplay of the original (Metal Gear is a favorite here), the new Metal Gear could be one of Konami's best games yet.

Many here have longed for a follow-up to the classic NES games that seemed like they would be forgotten in the sands of time (Bionic Commando from Capcorn is still MIA). Luckily for us, Konami has brought back the original mind behind Metal Gear and allowed him to realize his true vision of the game.

The way the game was intended to be was one of an espionage theme in which avoiding detection came before killing. The adventure-style mechanics should still remain mostly intact with the addition of full 3-D environments that are drawn in realtime instead of prerendered backgrounds.

It seems Konami is going to make a serious run at getting back their previous reputation of being one of the elite software makers in the field.

After the six-minute video tape of new Metal Gear Solid footage was unveiled on the day of this year's E' show, the hysteria began. People camped out in front of Konami's TV monitors and gazed at what they saw in total awe. It's been quite a while since any one game could stir up so much commotion, but somehow Konami's managed to pull it off with the amazing Metal Gear Solid.

The game, part three in the Metal Gear series (behind Metal Gear and Solid Snake, both released for the MSX2 years ago and subsequently ported to the NES), takes place in the early part of the 21st century in Alaska. The terrorist group Fox Hound has taken over a U.S nuclear weapons storehouse, and it's up to Solid Snake to infiltrate it and disarm the nuclear threat.

On our recent trip to Konami Computer Entertainment Japan, we were able to witness a playable version of the game for the first time anywhere in the world. Needless to say, it looks absolutely incredible. Like in past Metal Gear games, the main emphasis is on strategic infiltration, and not fast action. You are rewarded more for sneaking around and not being seen than you are for walking up to and blowing away your enemies. You begin with only a pack of cigarettes and some binoculars, but along the way you'll pickupa wide variety of items and weapons, including many old favorites like Remote Control Missiles, Plastic Explosives and more.

The game takes place from a top-down perspective, but you can switch to a first-person viewpoint at any time to survey the action up close. You can crawl on the ground, hide underwater and even use downed enemies as human shields--obviously, there's a lot of gameplay here. Still, the most amazing aspect of MGS is the attention to detail evident throughout the game. Outside in the snow, you'll actually see the cold breath coming from a guard's face as he breathes. When firing automatic weapons, you'll see shells flying all about, and characters will stop and reload with each new round. If you hide behind a wall and just observe a guard for a while, you'll see him yawn or stretch his arms-he might even crack his neck. The realism is just astonishing.

Metal Gear Solid is already being hyped as 1998's Game of the Year, and while we'll reserve that honor until we play the final version, we won't deny that right now it's looking like one of the best games ever made. Unfortunately it's not due for release in Japan until the summer of 1998, so a U.S. release isn't likely until the third or fourth quarter of 1998. We'll be back with more on the game as development progresses.

Very few games that spend a long time in development live up to the hype heaped upon them. After three years in the making and several promising previews, Metal Gear Solid had a lot of expectations to fulfill, especially considering it's a sequel to one of the most beloved video games ever released--Metal Gear for the NES.

Metal Gear Solid handily meets those expectations and, in most cases, even surpasses them. MGS joins the PlayStation elite, easily ranking as one of the best titles currently on the market. Not convinced? Then compare Metal Gear Solid to the top PlayStation action titles; the competitionv just wilts. What we have here is a masterpiece. Nothing else even comes close.

Solid Script and Story Line

Metal Gear Solid is an innovative combination of cinematic direction, action, and strategy. With an engrossing story line and one of the best uses of the Dual Shock controller to date, Solid completely envelops you in its suspenseful grip.

MGS continues the story of special forces' member, Solid Snake, who gets dragged out of retirement for one last mission: Stop a group of terrorists from launching a nuclear missile from their Alaskan-island stronghold. Even unarmed, Snake is deadly: He can beat down guards, snap necks with his bare hands, and crawl inside small spaces like air ducts. Snake begins the mission equipped only with a pair of binoculars and a pack of cigarettes, but can collect weapons and other items, including scopes, explosives, and even cardboard boxes.

Cardboard boxes? That's right! Unlike most action games, Metal Gear Solid encourages stealth-n-sneak over run-n-gun. It's to your advantage to avoid fights by creeping past, or even hiding from, enemies. Emphasizing this "stealth is best" philosophy is an incredible enemy A.I. Your adversaries are smart: They defend themselves, investigate strange noises, follow your footsteps in the snow, and, once alerted to your presence, hunt you down until you elude or kill them.. Fortunately, multiple camera views help keep you one step ahead of the action. You can always see your enemies--either from the game's default overhead view, first-person perspective, or even from around a corner while pressing against an adjacent wall. Picture a combination of Tenchu, GoldenEye 007, and Resident Evil, with the intensity of the movie Die Hard, and you'll get an idea of how Metal Gear Solid plays.

Snake Eyes

Integrated into MCS's play engine is a fascinating and well-crafted scenario where you interact with several characters--friends and foes alike. The dialogue and voices in these sequences are high points, the script is sharp and witty, and the complex plot remains exciting every step of the way (plus, characters don't convulse spastically when they talk, as in other games). Stylish direction punctuates the dialogue in the cut scenes, underiining the words with dramatic framing, montage, and other striking cinematic techniques.

Dual Shock controls help bridge the gap between the gameplay and the cinemas, keeping you in solid command of Snake; the controller's vibrations also help draw you into the action. Whether it's a quick shake that accompanies a guard spotting you or fast-paced thumping during an onscreen heart attack, the Dual Shock (or equivalent) keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Besides its rock-solid regular game, MGS has several excellent options and extras, the best of which is the VR Trainer. Here, you can practice your skills and even unlock secret training modes. Another cool option is the Briefing mode, which covers every aspect of the mis: sion in great detail.

Metal Masterpiece

MGS's solid works do get slowed by a few wrenches. An inconsistent frame rate occasionally stalls the eye-catching graphics, which also have a tendency of slowing to a crawl when you pan or zoom in with the binoculars or the rifle scope. Equally annoying are the constant interruptions you suffer through in the early part of the game when your team chimes in with obvious advice that's already listed in the instruction manual.

Yet, even with its minor faults, Metal Gear Solid is this season's top offering that no self-respecting gamer should be without. Forget the fast-food action titles with rehashed formulas that never worked--Metal Gear Solid elevates video gaming to high entertainment.

Graphics

Metal Gear Solid's visuals are stunning and detailed. The only flaws are some bulky polygons, a bit of breakup, and an inconsistent frame rate.

Control

The game's multiple menus are simple to access and even simpler to use. The only thing that keeps the controls from getting a perfect score is the lack of a custom controller configuration.

Sound

Truly state-of-the-art, the music and sound effects rank among the best heard on the PlayStation. The energetic voices are well cast and make every word of the excellently scripted dialogue count.

Fun Factor

Metal Gear Solid is the rarest of things: a video game with looks, brains, and heart. Its combination of excellent action and superb story line makes it one of the PlayStation's top titles.

It's made the CamePro cover, it's been the talk of the town in Japan, and it's certainly goinq to be Konami's premiere product this season. Yep, Metal Gear Solid is an action/adventure game that's sure to fuel PlayStation sales this holiday season.

Mission: Accomplished

Boiled down to its basics, Metal Gear Solid is Mission: Impossible (albeit for the Nintendo 64) done right. Returning to an intuitive and intelligent mode of gameplay, Konami's game developers have spent the last three years fine tuning Metal Gear by adding depth to the artificial in telligence and the level design. This isn't just bad guy blasting and simple gun-dependent action. In fact, above all else, you must use stealth to sneak your way through most missions.

That's not to say there isn't some weapon play involved. You'll have to find and use various armament, like Claymore mines, Makita rifles, and more. A large amount of the game, however, involves not having to use weapons; instead, you waylay guards, sneak up on sleeping patrolmen, and find every possible nook and cranny to hide in. All that creeping around creates a dense feeling of tension in the game, and you'll find yourself holding your breath on more than one occasion. The creative mastermind behind Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima (Policenauts, Snatcher, Metal Gear NES), has also cast this game in stunning cinematics--every cut scene grabs you by the eyeballs. Taken altogether, this is a visual and creative masterpiece.

Seen It, Done It

Konami paid a visit to CamPio with a 100 percent complete Japanese version of Metal Gear Solid. This CD unveiled intricate and detailed plot lines as well as some fascinating gameplay. Basically, you weave Snake (the game's hero or anti-hero, depending on your point of view) through the levels, avoiding guards and finding equipment while unraveling something of your dark past through a series of flashbacks. You have a limited health bar that you must replenish by consuming rations, and you start out weaponless--making Metal Gear more a game of survival than was Mission: Impossible (see ProReview, August).

The A.I. will help you out a little. If you can't seem to guide Snake out of the bathroom without getting him killed, the game will compensate for your ineptitude by supplying more ammo for the weapons he finds and more rations--but it will also slightly alter the game's ending, which means that only an elite few will view the game's true finale.

Metal Gear will be rich in surprisingly subtle audio and visual clues linked to changes in the environment. For instance, in a level where you're supposed to plant plastic explosives, you may have to find the right spot by tapping on the walls--a hollow sounding tap would indicate that the wall is thin and that a charge of plastic explosives would be effective there. Even less obvious clues--such as dried paint chips which expose a newly painted wall as an actual hallway en trance--guarantee that you'll have to massage the old bean a bit and he prepared for some clever thinking.

Gear Up for Adventure

Other bonuses which will guarantee the game's success include a thorough training level (during which you're timed and graded on certain mission skills, such as evading two patrol guards at once, crawling into air vents, or avoiding searchlights) and full Dolby Surround sound, which adds to the game's realism. However, this is all just window-dressing for a game that, at its core, is a very complex and immensely enjoyable adventure. This definitely ain't your daddy's Metal Gear--gamers who remember with fondness the hours of intense excitement that the two original NES games (see sidebar "Back to the Future") brought into their homes are going to find themselves challenged even further. Everyone else will just be thankful that they bought a PlayStation.

The Game Boy Color seems an unlikely candidate for a sequel to one of the biggest games in PlayStation history. Nonetheless, the latest game in the Metal Gear saga has found a home on everyone's favorite 8-Bit portable game machine, and--surprise--it's actually good. It's been seven years since Solid Snake destroyed Metal Gear at Outer Heaven. However, thanks to the American government, the Metal Gear menace is not a thing of the past. Research has continued on the bipedal nuclear tank, and when the plane carrying Metal Gear is hijacked, the government needs Snake to return to Outer Heaven once again to stop the terrorists and save the world. Sound familiar?

What's odd about the Game Boy version of Metal Gear Solid is that it seems to take place at the same time as the PlayStation game, even though each one has its own completely different setting and story. Campbell and Mei Ling both make appearances in the GBC game, though Snake acts like he's never met Mei Ling before, just like he'd never met her before in the PS game. The whole thing is presented as though the stories are taking place parallel to each other.

Otherwise Metal Gear Solid on the GBC encapsulates just about every aspect of its PlayStation cousin. From the need to avoid detection and conflict to the seemingly endless collection of cinemas, it's all been shrunk down to Game Boy proportions with relative success. Besides the story mode, Metal Gear Solid on the Game Boy includes the now-famous VR missions and even a two-player Battle mode. Players can also go back to stages after they complete them in the main game and attempt to get a better rating based on their completion time, rations used and kills.

It may still be awhile until we see the true sequel to MGS for the PlayStation2, but this gem of a Game Boy game should at least make the wait a bit more bearable.

The eagerly awaited Metal Gear Solid will be Konami's main attraction at E3. Hopefully, the most burning question about the qame can then be answered: Hill Metal Gear live up to the hype or will it be crushed by it?

Solid Gears

Even though Mkal Gear looks like a 3D action/shooter, the game requires more than blast-weiything-in-sight twitch skills;you must also rely on your ability to stealthily avoid trouble Snake, the main character, must choose his targets carefully sneaking up behind guards andaisinq them as human shileds, or simply snapping their necks. In fact, you start the game armed with only a pack of cigarettes and binoculars in your inventory--but you can collect more weapons along the Way.

As Good As ft Looks

In Metal Gear Solid, you play as Snake, a member of a special-forces team sent to diffuse a hostage situation. The videotape of Metal Gear Solid wowed audiences at last year's E3, and was one of the most talked-about games of the show. Hopefully, gamers will be able to play this very promising action title from Konami at E3--and if MGS plays as good as it looks, it could be one of the best PlayStation games ever.

Metal Gear Mayhem

Metal Gear Solid uses multiple camera angles and an advanced enemy A.I. to immerse you in the action: for example, guards will investigate suspicious sounds or activites. Snake is loaded with a plethora of moves, including the ability to crawl, swim, and even fistfight using multi-hit com-bos--and that's just for starters. Imagine what you can do wtren'you find weapons...

It’s easy to take for granted the idea of "cinematic" games in 2014, after we’ve been exposed to countless projects over the years featuring impressive levels of character depth, storytelling scope, movie-like visuals, and over-the-top situations to valiantly survive.

Back in 1998, however, the idea of cinematic gaming experiences still brought to mind live-action footage with minimal amounts of interactivity crudely attached. Then came Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid, and the world changed. At least, we certainly seemed to think so, since Konami's PlayStation. It’s easy to understand why. While the game’s visuals and technology may seem out of date at this point, for its time, Metal Gear Solid presented an experience that felt like nothing we’d seen before. The way it looked, the situations it depicted, the interactions characters had with one another, the countless little touches and small details for players to find—it all felt larger than life and beyond what we thought could be possible in gaming.

Today, Metal Gear Solid has its share of rough edges (beyond its jaggy, sometimes-jittery early-era polygons), most notably in its gameplay. Since the game was designed for the analog-stick-less original PlayStation controller, getting Solid Snake to do exactly what you want takes practice and patience. Still, the game remains a thoroughly compelling experience. Snake's mission to stop Metal Gear Rex and FOXHOUND retains its excitement and charm, and the depth and variety of gameplay it offers still stands the test of time.