The Nintendo Gamecube isn't known for having a ton of smash hits. In the early consol wars between Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony, the Gamecube sadly came in a distant last. That doesn't mean it was a terrible system by any means, there just wasn't a large variety of games geared towards an older audience. However, one remake in particular possibly became the best game on the system all thanks to an all too familiar hero.

  When I first found out that Metal Gear Solid was being remade, I jumped for joy. Finally, my favorite game of all time was going to be remastered with modern graphics, and game play mechanics taken right out of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. It sounded too good to be true, and then I learned it was going to be on the Gamecube. I'll admit, at first I had my reservations. As far as I'm concerned, Solid Snake was a Sony guy even though he originally debuted to the US market on the NES. With my bias set aside, when Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes released there was no chance I was going to pass it up. It was everything I thought it was going to be, and that was pretty awesome.

  As far as Twin Snakes goes, it is a true remake of Metal Gear Solid. Setting is the same, map layouts are identical, and even roaming guards are in the locations we remember on the Sony Playstation. As I mention before the only elements that were revamped are the graphics and game mechanics, and both are stunning. Some of the new mechanics such as shooting in first person, rolling dives, hanging from ledges, hiding the guards you take out are all pulled right out the Playstation 2 games. These elements as a whole add a depth of realism that was missing in the original version, and are excellent to have at your disposal. For those who want to collect as many items as possible, holding up wandering guards for their dog tags has also made its return in Twin Snakes. Collecting these tags will add more unlockables for players to tinker around with, and adds a fun challenge. Even Snake's movement while sneaking around seems completely realistic, however compared to the fluidity of the cut scenes they come up a little short. One of the biggest flaws to Twin Snakes however is the control mechanics. Don't get me wrong, the game handles tightly for the most part, but its obvious that Metal Gear Solid was not intended for the Gamecube Controller. One frequent annoyance, although minor, is when Solid Snake attempts to choke an unsuspecting guard by using the A button. On occasion, instead of just choking the guard, he will flip the guard over his shoulder. This could be problematic when trying to keep a low profile, and be as stealthy as possible. Also pausing the game, and using codec isn't as simple as it should be. Having to use a combination of Start A, or Start B to accomplish these things can annoying. That just fuels my argument that Metal Gear Solid is a franchise best kept to the Sony consoles when the choice is available.

  Despite what most people think, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes wasn't directed by the franchises creator, Hideo Kojima. Although Kojima had his eye on the project, The Twin Snakes was actually directed by Kojima's go to man Ryuhei Kitamura. From the get go, you'll notice a distinct difference in their production styles. The original Metal Gear Solid under Kojima's care had a grittier, and dare I say less flashy presentation. Everything felt raw, but completely realistic. Kitamura on the other hand has an eye for flare. Solid Snake performs more matrix-like flips and bullet dodges during cut scenes, and many of the visuals seem a bit over the top. That is by no means a bad thing, but hardcore fans of the original tend to like Snake staying on the ground instead of flipping around like Spider-Man. Every voice over done in the game was also redone. The Twin Snakes brought back the majority of the cast from the Playstation smash hit, for this new adaptation of the classic. Overall, most of the voice work is just as good as the were the first time around. Unfortunately, some might say that you just can't recapture the essence of the original no matter how hard you try. I tend to agree with that assumption, but Twin Snakes offers voice talent that many games don't even come close to comparing too.

  Metal Gear Solid is one of those franchises that are completely timeless no matter how they are presented. When Solid Snake first graced the Playstation, he became an gaming icon to all nerds living in the United States. He's a rough and gruff character that never says die, and with Kojima's direction Metal Gear is the definitive stealth action game. Twin Snakes continues this legacy, although some might say doesn't live up to the original, it is easily better than many games out on the market today. Not to mention it gave us all a reason to run out and buy a Nintendo Gamecube, and with Twin Snakes it made it worth every penny.

Written by: RB

Over and Out

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