Lets take a second to set up a scene. Picture yourself alone on an island just off the Alaskan archipelago. The island is home to a dismantled nuclear warhead disposal facility, its been taken over by terrorists hell bent on launching a nuke, and its up to you to save some hostages, and put an end to this terrorist action. If you put all of these elements together in a video game you'll have the crown jewel, Metal Gear Solid.

  For those of you how are unfamiliar with the Metal Gear Solid franchise, it is one of the highest selling game franchises of all time and Metal Gear Solid is the one that started it all for the US market. Back in 1998, most action based games were what you'd expect. Pick up a weapon and let the bad guys have it. That's all good and fine, but Metal Gear Solid offered players something different, something refreshing. Instead of rushing in and letting the bullets fly like a typical action game, the point of Metal Gear Solid is stealth. Playing as highly trained government operative known as Solid Snake, who is a true bad ass if I might add, the player must infiltrate Shadow Moses and stop the terrorists. Sounds simple enough, but since this is a stealth game staying hidden is the key to your survival. You are heavily outnumbered, and if you try to just run and gun your way through this game it will simply spell out an untimely demise for our hero. The fact you start off the game completely unarmed doesn't help your cause either, but I digress. Using stealth skills to sneak up on, or around enemies to avoid large fire fights was a huge change for many gamers, not to mention one of the most rewarding experience you'll ever have in an action game.

  In its time, Metal Gear Solid's artificial intelligence was top notch. Enemies patrolled, listened for sounds, and followed Solid Snake's footprints that he left in the snow. Back in 1998, this made for some challenging game play to stealth/action new comers. But, this is 2009 and for gamers looking to go back or pick of Metal Gear Solid for the first time, the game's AI is very simple compared to many of our modern games. This doesn't mean playing Metal Gear Solid would be a waste in today's day and age, in fact its quite the opposite. To put it simply this game is a classic, and more than just AI earns that title.

  One of the defining elements of Metal Gear Solid is its cinematic quality was eons ahead of its time. With gripping cut scenes, tremendous voice work, and a deep gritty story, it makes it almost impossible to put the controller down once you start. Every character has purpose, every boss is unique, and everything about Metal Gear Solid's plot is down right cool. Now Metal Gear Solid wasn't our hero, Solid Snake, first adventure and the game makes hints of that. For many US gamers, the plot made comments about events that were basically unknown to us. The reasoning behind this was in Japan, Metal Gear was an already established franchise for the MSX with the release of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake for that system. Although Metal Gear was available to the US market on NES, its port didn't capture the essence of its MSX counterpart. I won't even get into the bastardization of Metal Gear 2's counterpart, Snake's Revenge. Anyway with those comments aside, players who haven't experienced Metal Gear 1 or 2, won't feel in the least bit lost with Solid's story. It explains itself, moves fluently, and leaves the players wanting more.

  There are few games that truly stand the test of time, and beckon us to play them over and over. Only a legendary game could make a simple exclamation point, a symbol of the stealth/action genre gamers recognize and love. I can say with absolute certainty that Metal Gear Solid is one of those games, and was easily one of the best titles available for the Playstation platform. Metal Gear Solid pulls those playing it in, and once it sinks its hooks into you there is no turning back. It was way ahead of its time, and worthy of becoming one of your favorites. I know its definitely one of mine.

Written by RB

Over and Out

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