Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
From Konami
One of the most anticipated titles in PlayStation2 history absolutely lives up to the hype.
One of the most anticipated titles in PlayStation2 history absolutely lives up to the hype. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is the follow-up to one of the most captivating and intelligent adventures on the original PlayStation. Solid Snake, everyone's favorite mullet-sporting supersoldier, is back, along with many other familiar faces and voices. While its predecessor was lauded for telling a complex story, this sequel has even more fascinating twists and turns. Also, like Metal Gear Solid, MGS2 takes console-game storytelling to an entirely new level with stunning in-game movies, great graphics, and game mechanics that let you find your own solutions to challenges. The game's twisting and at times bizarre plot will undoubtedly keep some gamers perplexed.
Konami has replaced the moronic enemies from the first MGS with more cerebral and capable foes; this causes an even greater emphasis on stealth than the original. The controls have been refined and Snake's repertoire of moves has grown, significantly deepening the gameplay. This is, technically and stylistically, one of the best-looking PS2 games on the market. The sound is also topnotch, with a fabulous score and outstanding voice acting. What makes this game such a standout, however, is how all of these sight, sound, and story elements combine to immerse the player into an entertainment form somewhere between movie and game. It will be years before Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is surpassed. This is interactive entertainment at its finest. --Raymond M. Padilla
Pros:
- One of the best and most complex stories in gaming
- Outstanding graphics with many interactive elements
- Excellent soundtrack and voice acting
- Long periods of watching instead of playing
- Some extraneous dialogue
- Solid Snake may inspire gamers to grow mullets
E3 Preview
We cut through the flash and noise of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) show floor so we could get the most-awaited--and best-looking--PS2 game out of the way. Even though Konami displayed the playable Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty demo on the Zone of the Enders game disc, a new movie showing even more innovation kept the drool factor high at E3. There's no doubt that this game sets the bar high for smooth, ultrarealistic gameplay and impeccable graphics.
Though we've all seen only a portion of the final game, the demo boasts more features than most games already on or heading to the shelves. In MGS2, players continue the stealthy adventures of Solid Snake, and this time he's on the hunt for the secrets behind stolen technology and his own past. It's a history filled with more cover-ups and conspiracies than a file cabinet jammed with X-Files.
As the story progresses, players are treated to an incredibly impressive world. The environmental effects--rain, wind-fluttered canvas canopies, etc.--are among the most realistic ever seen in games. Characters come to life with finely detailed movements and real-life characteristics. Intuitive controls allow the player to mesh with the lead character, Snake, for easy sneaking, hunching, peeking around corners, and even hanging from ledges. No denying that this overhyped game looks on track to deserve every syllable of prerelease praise. --Eric Twelker
Now that I've played more than the Demo...
As promised I'd post an actual review of the game after beating it to a pulp.
Needless to say that this is an amazing game with a gripping story, and defintely a worthy sequal. To say that it has perfect top notch graphics and music that will blow you away. Not to mention its great character development and plot twists.
I won't give away any of the story where as to me (and a lot of other people) this game has some of the best Plot twist in history. All I will say is that the game is divided into two parts. The "Tanker" chapter and the "Plant" chapter. They both link in everyway and you can see if you play through the game.
The characters are a true treat in this game. There are several new characters introduced and they all have their own reasons for being where they are. However the main villian...compared to Liquid Snake isn't the best. Next to Kefka (FFVI) Liquid was probably the best villian of all time. In comparison, the main villian didn't live up to Liquid.
The music is breathtaking done by Harry Gregson-Williams (The Rock and Enemy of the State if you don't know him). The music will really catch you, and that intro music is just awesome!
I'm not much for graphics but I will say that the graphics are so good that when watching the cinema scenes they look like real people! Can't go wrong with that. Also, the voice acting is sheer brilliance. They actually show emotion and they have a change in tone when they're upset or sad.
It'll take you about 10-15 hours to complete the game your first time through but it is worth it. However, movie cinemas make up at least six hours of the game. This may bother some people as they said the first one was short. Sorry to say that the game is NOT short. But that means you actually HAVE TO WATCH THE CGs!!!! Also, watching the CGs is the only way to understand anything thats going on.
The game doesn't really present any BIG challenge. In fact with the new gear and stuff you can do I'd say it makes the game EASIER than the first (is that possible!?). To say the least though the new gear isn't much different from the old gear in MGS.
Lastly the fun factor. The game is very fun if you don't take it too seriously. What I mean by that is don't be ashsmaed to break some of the stealth rules and have fun with the guards every once and awhile. That was the funnest part of the first one.
One final note. In the HARD and EXTREME difficulty setting you can choose to have a game over if you're spotted. Being that you take so much damage I'd probaly suggest that you take that oppertunity on EXTREME.
OVERALL
Graphics: 10
Plot/Story: 10
Music: 10
Gameplay: 9
Fun Factor: 10
Overall score: 9.9
You won't be disappointed
Was it worth all the hype??
alright people, i have played and finished this game in 16 hours non-stop in the NORMAL difficulty setting, here's is what i think..
being a hardcore MGS fan i had waited for this games arrival ever since the end of the first Metal Gear Solid, and after beating the game finally i could say that i am very excited but very disappointed at the same time.
the graphics and gameplay are dope, giving the surcimstances i don't think it could be any better, there is an insane amount of detail in the game, from tidbits like flies buzzing over your head to the incredible AI of the enemy, you can either go extremely tactical like me, or just dive in guns blazing and shoot every moving thing in sight, although that tends to give you a little more than you can handle it's still loads of fun, and with a truck load of new equipment and weapons, your task couldn't be easier, but don't let that fool you, this is still a tactical espionage game, and being foolish would leave you bleeding on the floor.
you can hang from platforms, hide in lockers, hide dead enemies in lockers, shoot in first person view, grab enemies in a choke hold and break their necks, or you could just take them hostage and use them as human shields while retreating from a barrage of bullets being fired at you, which really pumps up the realism, although the number of cut-scenes do get a little annoying after a while (some are 10 minutes long), if you're like me and love the whole story thing it's good enough, plus it gives you the break to do other things like go to the bathroom or get something to drink, although the whole thing starts to turn into a soap opera later on in the game, especially in the plant chapter, the game starts to act funny toward the end too, which really get's you confused.
that's another thing, the plant chapter, although letting you play another character than Solid Snake adds alot to the development of the games story line, it kinda made me sad, i was hoping to play with Solid Snake all the way through, but oh well, it's still as good, it gives you a different point of view to the game.
over all this game is one of the best in the world, but the thing that dissapointed me the most was the ending, i tend to get my self really cought with the story when i'm playing, trying to really feel the game, and when the game suddenly finishes leaving you hanging in the air, it's not that good anymore, especially when you have your hopes high for taking on Liquid Snake again, i guess it's in a way giving you a hint on a third installment of the MGS series, but still, i wanted to get that sucker.
so was it worth the hype?, i would guess so, as long as you don't get your self completely cought up with the story line, you're gonna have a lot of fun with this, the gameplay itself is waaaaay worth the money.
Pros:
-Beautiful graphics.
-Awsome sountrack.
-Insane realism.
-Gripping story line.
-A pretty good replay value.
Cons:
-Large amounts of long cut-scenes tend to get annoying.
-Some of the conversations in the game makes you think you're playing a soap opera.
-The ending sucks.
Metal Gear Solid 2 is a hot game
Metal Gear Solid 2 is an excellent masterpiece made by Hideo Kojima. This game has superb graphics made with the excellent hardware the Playstation2 has. The gameplay is very good. I like the style of gameplay. The third-person view makes the game more realistic than some other some other first-person shooters on Playstation2 like "James Bond: Agent Under Fire" and "Time Crisis 2". The game runs at a nice, crisp 60 frames per second (fps). The game is violent in some ways, because you have to kill people with guns. The game has a very good story, with makes it more realistic, and the superb graphics tie it all together. I think that Hideo Kojima meant to make this game into a mini-movie in a way. There is many excellent FMV's (movies) which look very good. Some times in the game, there is too many movies, and to many Codec (communicator) calls. That gets in the way, and starts to get on your nerves. But it's okay. Some times the Codec calls last like 10 minutes, and that is annoying.
But even though they have minor problems, there should be no hesitation of picking this title of the shelves or off the online cart. If you don't have a Playstation2, get one, or if you have any Xbox,(which you shouldn't) Konami is being a good sport and is producing Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance for Xbox and Playstation2. You must play Metal Gear Solid for PSone to understand the storyline of Metal Gear Solid and Solid Snake. I believe it is available at Amazon.com for ... . Buy both today!
