Survival Instincts
Well, I've returned from my hiking trip to the Drakensberg mountains, with nothing but aching muscles, fond memories and an infinitely disturbing photographic image of a man licking a cat. Naturally, this is one of many images and stories I shall inflict upon your unshielded and wholly unprepared psyches within the next few days, so you'd best be prepared. I was most definitely ready for this grueling trek into the wilds, a journey which would see me forsake the wonders of the 21st century (such as televisions, computers and dry shoes) for rain-swept scenery and viciously steep vistas - and it's all thanks to videogames.
I'm referring to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, a game which not only entertained me beyond measure but also imparted crucial skills necessary for survival in archaic and unforgiving terrain. Marking a triumphant end to Hideo Kojima's trilogy of stealthy spies, ludicrous codenames and very large robots, I have no qualms in claiming that Snake Eater is a masterpiece and the best game in the series, something which is both surprising and unsurprising. It's a shock because the original game, which has recently been remade in the form of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is easily one of the greatest games of all time. Back in 1998, it was hugely innovative and provided a slightly different approach to the stealth genre which had been shoved into hardcore fruition with Thief: The Dark Project the same year. The game's radar system meant that instead of lurking in shadows, you had to utilize the environment and a keen sense of timing in order to avoid your foes. It also featured interesting characters (brought to life with expert voice acting), a fantastic storyline and hugely creative and memorable boss encounters.
And then we get to Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and the "unsurprising" part of my description. The great thing about this game was how it pulled out the rug of just about every gamer in existence. Everybody was ready to accompany Solid Snake on his next great adventure, only to be greeted by the whiny and floppy-haired pinnacle of androgeny, Raiden. Now, he wasn't really that bad when he was wearing clothes (Uncomfortable gaming moment #13: Controlling a character who's naked). He had a cool cartwheel move. No, the real problem came in terms of the story. You see, the problem with pulling the rug out from under your audience is that they may crack their skulls on the impact with the ground, something which apparently happened to the writers. Whilst the first game got a little preachy with its anti-nuke message, the second game went completely overboard with philosophical ramblings towards the end and eventually seemed to be attacking the very cohesivity of your brain with inane banter. It was as if the game's plot was a carefully arranged castle of cards, each plot twist carefully resting on the one below...and then somebody came and dropped a fucking hedgehog on top of it. I mean, that's not even a card.
It's not all bad though, since the gameplay was still excellent, pushing the original game's mechanics into new territory with very impressive graphics and clever AI. Most people seem to forget that aspect of the title, even when they're complaining about the cop-out of an ending. Yeah, the game must have been absolutely horrible if you played all the way until the end, huh? To sum up, it was a great game that lost the plot (very literally) and didn't quite live up to the lofty expectations generated by the seminal original.
So, Snake Eater. Taking place in 1964 (and thus well before the events of the first two games), the game throws out most of the series' traditions and throws Solid Snake into a critter-infested jungle. It should come as no surprise that in a game called Snake Eater, you will, in fact, eat snakes. And bats. And squirrels. And crocodiles. And parrots (well, only one, but still). You can capture animals alive or dead, all for the purpose of keeping Snake's belly filled and his stamina high. Should it start dropping, his wounds will heal at a slower pace, his aim will get wonky and his stomach growling will alert nearby guards. It's a nicely implemented system and never needs so much maintenance as to become annoying. There's also a cure system in place, which requires you to dig out bullets with a knife, sew up deep cuts and apply splints to broken bones. Indeed, all the activities which came in extremely handy on my trip to the mountains.
Of course, the meat of the game is the stealth, and you're unlikely to find a finer example of it than what's served up here. First of all, the Soliton radar system is gone. No more pattern avoidance and no more keeping tabs on which way a guard is looking. It makes the game so much better, but you have to watch out: It might make you scream at the TV at first. If you play MGS3 like you played the first two games, you will become an angry guard magnet and be shot repeatedly. You'll become enormously frustrated and invent new lewd words as you smash your PS2 controller on your forehead. The trick with the game is to use your motion sensor, binoculars and directional microphone to slowly and patiently suss out guard patrols as you lie in wait for them and their easily slit throats. The game's camouflage system allows you to don clothing that's most similar to the environment and you'd do well to constantly change it and stay hidden. It gives you a huge advantage, since it allows you to see the enemies whilst remaining invisible from their sight. If you become accustomed to this deeper and slower style of play, you'll realize just how amazingly crafted this title is.
The game also brings the cinematic goodies to the next level. The main characters are extremely well developed and the more straightforward plot (though it still hits you over the head with some big surprises in the end) is always engrossing. Perfect voice acting, a superb musical score and Hideo Kojima's energetic direction makes for some amazing cutscenes, especially towards the game's ludicrously mezmerizing climax. Combining elements from the Indiana Jones films, Ico, James Bond and then effortlessly blending cutscenes and gameplay, MGS3's ending sequence is the stuff of legend. It's unbelievable and is in itself worth the price of admission.
Oh, and let's not forget the boss battles. Wow. Just wow. Konami hits a supremely creative note here with this team of eccentric villains, most evident in a boss battle with a devious sniper in an enormous jungle that will utterly destroy your nerves and probably captivate you for over an hour of pure tension. To say more would ruin it, so I'll just leave you with this crucial advice: Watch your back. Seriously.
Also: Go get the game. Right now. Or I'll be forced to show you that picture with the cat and the licking thereof.
I'm referring to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, a game which not only entertained me beyond measure but also imparted crucial skills necessary for survival in archaic and unforgiving terrain. Marking a triumphant end to Hideo Kojima's trilogy of stealthy spies, ludicrous codenames and very large robots, I have no qualms in claiming that Snake Eater is a masterpiece and the best game in the series, something which is both surprising and unsurprising. It's a shock because the original game, which has recently been remade in the form of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is easily one of the greatest games of all time. Back in 1998, it was hugely innovative and provided a slightly different approach to the stealth genre which had been shoved into hardcore fruition with Thief: The Dark Project the same year. The game's radar system meant that instead of lurking in shadows, you had to utilize the environment and a keen sense of timing in order to avoid your foes. It also featured interesting characters (brought to life with expert voice acting), a fantastic storyline and hugely creative and memorable boss encounters.
And then we get to Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and the "unsurprising" part of my description. The great thing about this game was how it pulled out the rug of just about every gamer in existence. Everybody was ready to accompany Solid Snake on his next great adventure, only to be greeted by the whiny and floppy-haired pinnacle of androgeny, Raiden. Now, he wasn't really that bad when he was wearing clothes (Uncomfortable gaming moment #13: Controlling a character who's naked). He had a cool cartwheel move. No, the real problem came in terms of the story. You see, the problem with pulling the rug out from under your audience is that they may crack their skulls on the impact with the ground, something which apparently happened to the writers. Whilst the first game got a little preachy with its anti-nuke message, the second game went completely overboard with philosophical ramblings towards the end and eventually seemed to be attacking the very cohesivity of your brain with inane banter. It was as if the game's plot was a carefully arranged castle of cards, each plot twist carefully resting on the one below...and then somebody came and dropped a fucking hedgehog on top of it. I mean, that's not even a card.
It's not all bad though, since the gameplay was still excellent, pushing the original game's mechanics into new territory with very impressive graphics and clever AI. Most people seem to forget that aspect of the title, even when they're complaining about the cop-out of an ending. Yeah, the game must have been absolutely horrible if you played all the way until the end, huh? To sum up, it was a great game that lost the plot (very literally) and didn't quite live up to the lofty expectations generated by the seminal original.
So, Snake Eater. Taking place in 1964 (and thus well before the events of the first two games), the game throws out most of the series' traditions and throws Solid Snake into a critter-infested jungle. It should come as no surprise that in a game called Snake Eater, you will, in fact, eat snakes. And bats. And squirrels. And crocodiles. And parrots (well, only one, but still). You can capture animals alive or dead, all for the purpose of keeping Snake's belly filled and his stamina high. Should it start dropping, his wounds will heal at a slower pace, his aim will get wonky and his stomach growling will alert nearby guards. It's a nicely implemented system and never needs so much maintenance as to become annoying. There's also a cure system in place, which requires you to dig out bullets with a knife, sew up deep cuts and apply splints to broken bones. Indeed, all the activities which came in extremely handy on my trip to the mountains.
Of course, the meat of the game is the stealth, and you're unlikely to find a finer example of it than what's served up here. First of all, the Soliton radar system is gone. No more pattern avoidance and no more keeping tabs on which way a guard is looking. It makes the game so much better, but you have to watch out: It might make you scream at the TV at first. If you play MGS3 like you played the first two games, you will become an angry guard magnet and be shot repeatedly. You'll become enormously frustrated and invent new lewd words as you smash your PS2 controller on your forehead. The trick with the game is to use your motion sensor, binoculars and directional microphone to slowly and patiently suss out guard patrols as you lie in wait for them and their easily slit throats. The game's camouflage system allows you to don clothing that's most similar to the environment and you'd do well to constantly change it and stay hidden. It gives you a huge advantage, since it allows you to see the enemies whilst remaining invisible from their sight. If you become accustomed to this deeper and slower style of play, you'll realize just how amazingly crafted this title is.
The game also brings the cinematic goodies to the next level. The main characters are extremely well developed and the more straightforward plot (though it still hits you over the head with some big surprises in the end) is always engrossing. Perfect voice acting, a superb musical score and Hideo Kojima's energetic direction makes for some amazing cutscenes, especially towards the game's ludicrously mezmerizing climax. Combining elements from the Indiana Jones films, Ico, James Bond and then effortlessly blending cutscenes and gameplay, MGS3's ending sequence is the stuff of legend. It's unbelievable and is in itself worth the price of admission.
Oh, and let's not forget the boss battles. Wow. Just wow. Konami hits a supremely creative note here with this team of eccentric villains, most evident in a boss battle with a devious sniper in an enormous jungle that will utterly destroy your nerves and probably captivate you for over an hour of pure tension. To say more would ruin it, so I'll just leave you with this crucial advice: Watch your back. Seriously.
Also: Go get the game. Right now. Or I'll be forced to show you that picture with the cat and the licking thereof.
posted by MrGenuchi at 9:06 PM
1 Comments:
I learn from games too. For example, Katamari Damacy has taught me that:
1. Japanese people are very messy, leaving shoes, crackers, fish, crabs, fire hydrants, rats, cats, dogs, and other knick-knacks all over the place.
2. If you can't get a girl, roll her up into a ball.
3. People won't notice a random rolling ball of crap unless it's big enough to roll over THEM.
Oh yeah, and your blogs rock Ludwig!
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