Metal Gear Solid 2 thoughts (spoilers abound)

All right, I finshed the game, my thoughts.

First off the gameplay sections were classic MG, and I loved the new first person shooting mode, it adds a whole dimension to the sneaking game. One of my favorite tactics was to tranqulize all the guards in the area and then execute them one by one by shooting them in the head. I also liked how it was more difficult to escape after being discovered, definitely more incentive to stay covert.

As for playing Raiden, at first I was like, "What were they thinking?!" but as the game wore on I got used to it. Still, something about controlling a sissy bishonen doesn't sit quite right, and I thought it would have been nice to split the narrative at times and control Snake even for a little bit in the plant chapter.

Now the story...I have to say that it's left me a bit unsatisfied. MGS had a great story, even with all the misinformation and plot twists the story just worked. I'm not feeling this this MGS2. First of all the whole Patriots thing just goes a little too far IMO. I mean, government coverups and hidden agendas are fine but I think the whole idea of of a sinister Big Brother-like group doesn't seem to fit well with the game. Still, we don't really know what's up with them, especially with the final exchange between Snake and Otacon. And Solidus, I don't know, he seemed kinda sorry, he's supposed to built up to be the third Snake and a kickass character, but in the end he's just a pawn and got beaten by sissy boy. Some of the messages in the end also really seemed to be pulled out of the air, and don't really seem substantiated by the game as well. The plot twists towards the end also got too numerous and far-fetched. And some scenes didn't work at all, like the President trying to grab Raiden's balls, what was that?! And Otacon having a relationship with Emma's mother, was that really necessary? But I did like all the little references to MGS, like Emma wetting herself like Otacon and Snake pointing to his headband "Infinite ammo." Halfway through I was thinking "This is game of the year" but then the story faltered towards the end.

Disregarding the gameplay enhancements in this sequel, I'd have to say I enjoyed MGS more. In the end though, it's still a great game and I would still wholeheartedly recommend it and am eagerly looking forward to the inevitable sequel.

 

Forget about MGS2 , Headhunter is where its at .

 

I got the game yesterday
sat down at 3pm in the afternoon...played till 4am skipping dinner..supper..accompanied by a bottle of water n my pack of cigs

At the end of the day...I'm glad kojima is ready to retire from the MG series...I really disliked the way the story is told, I hate having to sit thru hrs of doing nothing but watching two floating heads talking. Sure it's the story that counts..buy let's see if anyone is gonna enjoy buying a ticket..walk into the cinema..sit down n watch the actors 'read' out the story

If the story is supposed to be told through a big screen..FUCKING SHOW IT!

Bad enuff I sat thru ZOE and copped the shitty story, shitty ' AIEEEE BUT U SHOULD NOT KILL" little brat....now I have to sit through some stupid rookie who's been brainwashed by 'patriots' and have liquid come out at the end n declare ' I AM THE REAL MASTERMIND' yak yak yak..blah blah blah.....
and what?!

No confrontation with ocelot n Liquid...Olga goes off in the dumbest possible manner...confronting Solidus with only a handgun???

So much for character development.

Sure there are some fun bits in the game...throwing the girly mags to distract the soldiers are fun...sniping birds are fun...sneak around...etc etc etc...

but, all goes to waste when the story is crap.

It's like watching the replacement killers...some good action bits..but crap storyline..leaves a bitter taste~

On some levels...I was also extremely dissappointed by the bosses in the game.

Olga remains the most ' fun' boss IMO...kinda like the old game 'western bar'...

I was hoping I could take down fortune myself..but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...fucking story gets in the way

I suppose..some may say Shenmue is also a 'watch the movies' type of game...

The BIG difference to me is the way the game is played.
Hell at least in both Shenmue games...I can say I PLAYED a great game and both games came with a storyline that made sense.

Cannot say the same for MGS2.

 

Yeah I dunno, I didn't mind that much through most of the game watching the cutscenes, guess I got used to it from MGS, I kinda looked forward to watching the plot develpment and the military operations.

Still, I haven't played it much since I beat it, but my feeling's the same, excellent gameplay but crap ass ending. Still a great game, just left me going "What the hell".

Yeah I hope whoever takes over for the next game tries a different style.

 

I supposed I should have mentioned that during MGS1...I personally 'talked' to everyone thru codec..ensuring that I 'heard' everyone's lines and got the complete story.

I'll definitely go back n do it for MGS2...just to get the complete story as well..

I guess the diff is..at least in MGS1..while there are many codec scences, at least they were brief...

 

I actually just finished the Japanese version of MGS2 yesterday. Initially, I was quite disappointed to be playing Raiden and to hear Rose whining all the time but in the end, I understood why Kojima chose to make her and others the way he did. He leads you to believe a certain story and then does a 180. In fact, unlike so many other plots, I couldn't really predict where it was going which is something I like but
I can understand why some people don't like the content especially in the end. There's a striking similarity between the ending in MGS2 and the TV ending of Evangelion. In both cases, the director exploits the world and cast to convey the story they want to tell much to the dismay of fans. It's not what they expected nor wanted but for some reason, these stories with "who am I" and "what is my role in life" ideas appeal to me. I'm just not sure if a video game is the correct medium for MGS2's story. Unlike MGS, the cutscenes really dominate the whole game. Actually, there isn't much game to it. Boss battles and everything in general are too easy for veterans. I guess this is the price the gamer pays when one wants a sequel and the person behind it is forced to make it. That is, making a sequel for the sake of making it instead of making a sequel due to having new ideas.

 

I didn't like the end of Evangelion either, by the end of the End of Eva movie I wanted to punch Anno in the face. But the way you put it makes much more sense. I guess I can understand how people like it now.

You know they keep saying, "Let's switch over to Codec so no one can hear us."? Well wouldn't you still have to talk so that it goes through? Clearly, at least the guy's lips have to move, I don't see how it would work unless you produce some sort of vibration in the air.

 

Did ADV release the TV ending over here or just the redone one? My approach to End of Eva is that it's a retelling of the TV ending from a different angle. The end result is the same. I don't want to go into that much detail since we don't have an Eva spoiler warning.

With "both" Eva movies, fans demanded a true ending and Anno made something but not what they expected. I guess it's bad that he played with fans' feelings but it is his work.
Kojima has done something similar with all of these MGS2 trailers. He led you to believe that you were getting more MGS but in a broader scope. You could say that the fans were betrayed but I don't feel that way.

I don't totally understand that codec thing. It appears to be telepathic but yet they can also see each other?!

 

Well, despite my trashing of the game..I did went back to play it and collected all those damn dog tags yesterday...not all....in the process of completing very hard...

anyway....it CAN get kinda fun...especially when the player do the 'fun' stuff like throwing porn on the floor...climbing right next the camera dude to take a pic of ray...etc etc etc

It's the ending the shits me the most. I hated Eva..I hated Shinjin, Asuka...I hate this sort of 'new school'(for a lack of a better word) heroes...always non stop bitching from them...

Otherwise...the game can be fun...just like u said..the bosses were way too easy...then again...the way to fight the bosses were'nt exactly very different compared to MGS1...which was also another disappointment...I was expecting the need to find new ways to take down the bosses...but good old stinger~

 

I think the edited version was released first by ADV, and it's been kept till now. No idea about the DVDs though. Come to think of it, the Eva movies aren't even available commercially are they?

Anyway yeah despite my bitching about the ending it's still a fun game to play. You gotta admit Solidus was weak though. Best I can figure it, the codec goes telepathically, and since the characters are usually in close quarters (Ames & Raiden, Raiden & Emma, etc) they can see each other's faces. No wait that doesn't explain when they're far apart. Ah who cares.

I assume that you guys (or Shou at least) got the limited Japanese edition with all the cool shit? How is it?

 

ah game...action figure....
the illustration book is the best~!