What is Metal Gear Solid all about?

[Damon]

Ok I've heard so much about MGS2 and how it will continue the plot of the first with major twists etc, but I have no idea what the whole thing is all about. I would like to know the basic story from the first game, is it a 1st person shooter or a role playing game? What games are similar in style, is it weath me playing the original before febuary?

The PS2 is the first console I have owned since the Mega Drive so I have no idea what this thing is all about, someone please enlighten me and explain why the hype is so large for a game which looks, to the uninitiated eye (me), not that great.

[KC]

The story goes as this. The time is just after the cold war and the international scene is one of instability with rogue nations all loading up with nuclear weapons. A machine called Metal Gear was created by the former Societ Union as the best missile defense system, effectively making them invulnerable to attack or counter attack from the US. During the collapse of the USSR, the Metal Gear was sold or stolen by a covert US group. It represented the single most dangerous weapon in the world becasue it tipped the balance of power. The character, Snake, is a member of the Foxhound military program, a group of physically enhanced SEAL type infiltration experts. He goes in and uncovers a massive plot and counter plot by rogue US and Soviet military and the President of the US. In the process he destroys the Metal gear unit codenamed REX.

The second story begins with the infiltration of an oil tanker housing a new Metal Gear condenamed RAY built and designed by the US Marine Corp as an amphibious mobile battle unit. The whole story centers around Snake and a new character Raiden in their espionage roles and the twisted and convoluted plot or intrigue and betrayal. I am about 1/2 through MGS2 right now. It is as good as the first one.

What it is not is a mindless shooter. The objective is to infiltrate and get pictorial evidence of the new Metal gear unit and then defeat the various attempts to use it to topple the balance of power. If you are looking for a shooter, then this is not it.

[Herminator]

ok that was a great description of the stroy now for the game play. It is a third person perpective in the first game, and in the secind you can switch to first person if you need to. What made it so great was the little things, such as having to use the second controller port to defeat a phsycic guy who could see what your were going to do and avoid it if you tried to use your main controller port. The way the game was put together was awsome, to detect the laser beems you could use the infra red gogles or equip his cigaretes and see the beems in the smoke, doing this though would mean that your health would slowly go down. You had to decide when to use stealth or when you could just kill everything in sight, stealth was mostly the best choice though. One of the main reasons I bought a PS2 was for MGS2, that and GTA3, but since I am in the UK it is still not out yet .

[Minardi fan]

Damon my man! You have until February before MGS2 comes out here, so I suggest you run down to your nearest games stockist and pick up the original MGS NOW NOW NOW!!! At £20 WITH the extra VR missions thrown in it's a bargain, and it is one of the greatest gaming EXPERIENCES you will EVER EVER have. This ranks up close to Final Fantasy VII for heaven's sake! It doesn't take long to complete, it took me a weekend, but there's plenty of replay value what with two different endings and different costumes to unlock. I URGE you to buy it!!! Oh, and it will help you understand MGS2!

As for MGS2 - I can't wait!!!

[Minardi fan]

Release date here in the UK is now 8th March 2002. Plenty of time to finish the first one! In fact, I think I'll play through it again myself!!! Marvellous.

[Damon]

Thanks for all that guys, I guess I'll have to go get the original now!! From your coments it seems to me that the gameplay style is somewhere between Half Life and Deus Ex? Tell me if I'm wrong. I'm not a RPG fan but I did love both games listed above so will I enjoy MGS? Thanks again,
Damon

[Minardi fan]

I would say think Tomb Raider with stealth. Ever played Tenchu? (Very under-rated ninja stealth-em-up, and it came BEFORE MGS...) It's the same as that but miles better. Syphon Filter is also similar. Anyway, forget the gameplay style. It's the fact that MGS is MORE than a game, in the same way that Final Fantasy 7 is. It's an experience. It'll make you laugh, and it WILL make you cry. MGS is not to be missed by ANYONE.

Trust me Damon, you will enjoy MGS more than you could possibly imagine. It's a work of genius.

[Damon]

Ok I'm convinced, I'll have to go get that tomorrow.

[Minardi fan]

Get it today man! TODAY!!! *calm down Mark...*