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METAL GEAR SOLID
[Import version]
SCPS 45320~2
Copyright © Konami
Sony Playstation, 1 Player, Dual-shock compatible
3D Action
Available in Japan
¥6,800
—by "Metal Geir Solid" Friestad
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Konami's "tactical espionage action" game is one of the most eagerly
awaited PlayStation titles since the days of FINAL FANTASY VII. At this
year's ECTS (Europe's answer to the E3 trade show)
it was the only game that caused people to wait in long lines to play. So what kind of
game is it? Does it live up to the ridiculous amount of hype? And more
importantly, should you drop that huge sweater you were knitting and rush
out to sell your comic book collection so you can buy the METAL GEAR SOLID
import?
The first question is partly answered by the game's own
subtitle—"tactical espionage action." Basically, METAL GEAR SOLID puts
you in the standard issue army boots of one Solid Snake. He's an elite
soldier who has to infiltrate a terrorist base, save the world from nuclear
destruction, and oh, perhaps save a few hostages on the way. This is not
that old arcade classic COMMANDO, though, and you don't run in with your
guns blazing. Do that, and you'll end up meeting your maker rather sooner
than you'd want to. Instead, you must rely on stealth, hiding in the
shadows and avoiding enemy contact as much as possible. Fans of the ninja
game TENCHU, which we reviewed a while ago, will feel right at home in this
environment; this is everything TENCHU was and more.
What METAL GEAR SOLID's subtitle doesn't say anything about is the game's
incredible cinematic look and feel. Creator Kojima Hideo has said in
several interviews that he really wanted to be a filmmaker—and
METAL GEAR SOLID is an outstanding testament to this. The game looks and sounds
like a movie.
Any gamer with a shred of self-respect will immediately break out in a cold
sweat and worry whenever there's eager talk about blending the worlds of
games and movies. And the multitude of "interactive movies" on the market
explains why. But fear not, METAL GEAR SOLID is a very different beast.
Instead of masquerading pixilated FMV-clips of bad actors as gameplay,
METAL GEAR SOLID is cinematic in much the same way as TOMB RAIDER and
RESIDENT EVIL were. Cut-scenes occasionally interrupt the action to help
advance the story and set up whatever obstacles you have to overcome in the
immediate future. In METAL GEAR SOLID this concept is stretched to
incredible new lengths, and the end result is that you really feel like
you're playing the part of a Hollywood action thriller's main character.
This is all well and good, but does the game live up to the rather insane
amount of hype and praise that has been heaped upon it ever since vague
rumors and a few early screenshots leaked out from Konami's headquarters in
Japan many, many moons ago?
In a word, yes.
The attention to detail and the amount of work that must have gone into
this stunning piece of software is nothing short of jaw-dropping. The
graphics, while revealing the limitations of the aging PlayStation hardware
and pushing it to its limits, are incredible. So is the sound, which for a
change is vital to the gameplay—listening for enemy footsteps,
knocking on walls to find out which one to blow out with C4 explosives, and
so on. The music is also extremely well done. Much like a successful movie
score, it mainly goes unnoticed in the background and manipulates the
emotions of the viewer/player as the story unfolds.
The incredible usage of the Dual Shock controller's vibrating function adds
immensely to an already seriously powerful gaming experience. To achieve a
more anime-like look to the game, all the animation was done by hand
instead of by motion capturing actors. But what brings this all together
and makes the end result greater than the sum of its parts is the
gameplay—the heart and soul of every good game. And METAL GEAR SOLID
has a big heart. It also has its faults, but they're all rather
minor and easily overlooked.
Does this then mean that you should drop the sweater and sell the comic
book collection? Not necessarily. METAL GEAR SOLID drops a huge
amount of dialog on your head, and unless you're fluent in Japanese you're
going to lose out on a lot of the plot, which means losing a lot of the
game's atmosphere. Fortunately for USA readers,
METAL GEAR SOLID will be available by the time
EX 3.6 is published.
So run, don't walk, to the nearest software store and buy
METAL GEAR SOLID when it becomes available. This
game is a
must-buy. 
Rating: **** out of 4 |
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