Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater by Konami.
Like Sons of Liberty before it, Snake Eater is split into two chapters: the Virtuous Mission and the titular Operation Snake Eater, which both take place within the same week. Late July to early August.....1964. Yep, for the first time in the series history we're going back to the Cold War...so what about Solid Snake? Well, although the main character is called Snake for the majority of the game, we learn that he is indeed Big Boss, Solid Snake's biological father and the villain in the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Snake is sent into the Soviet Jungle to retrieve a scientist by the name of Sokolov, who is apparently developing a "weapon of mass destruction". After successfully rescuing Sokolov, Snake is ambushed by a unit of the Russian GRU known as the "Ocelot Unit" headed by the young Revolver Ocelot. After taking out the unit, Snake and Sokolov are stopped on a bridge by Snake's former mentor, only known as "The Boss". The Boss states that she is defecting to the Soviet Union with a GRU colonel named Volgin and is giving him A Davy Crockett Recoiless Nuclear Warhead along with Sokolov. After throwing Snake off the bridge and leaving him for dead, Volgin fires the Davy Crockett at the facility where Sokolov was making the WMD. Snake is recovered by his mission team and something interesting happens between the time of the Virtuous Mission and Operation Snake Eater...
US President Lyndon B. Johnson (I probably misspelled that but whatever) get's a call from the head of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev about the nuclear explosion at the facility. The President exclaims that America had no involvement in the explosion, however, Soviet radar picked up the gunship that dropped Snake into the jungle. In order to clear America's name, Snake has to go back into the jungle and:
- Rescue Sokolov
- Destroy the Shagohod (WMD)
- Eliminate The Boss
- Get rid of Colonel Volgin
Something that I was worried about when Snake Eater was first announced was how in the name of God would traditional MGS gameplay work in a 1960's setting. A lot of Metal Gear Solid 2 consisted of using neat gadgets to overcome obstacles and bosses and it was really fun. So, by removing all of that, how does 3 stack up? Actually, with all of it's additions, pretty damn well. A camouflage system was added, so now you had to apply body and face paints that blended well with your environment in order to stay undetected. Suppressors could now break after extended use and now, you had to worry about something that was cured simply by ingesting rations in the previous games. Snake regains his health automatically, however he has to maintain his stamina by eating wild animals and food, which will actually deteriorate over time (if not captured live). Snake can also be injured, and therefore players would have to heal him with Serum and Splints and what-not to cure broken bones, cuts, burns etc. What this all adds up to is an almost sandbox like experience within the boundaries of the games Jungle setting. While a lot of the modern gadgets such as the Codec, Digital Camera and Nikita Missile Launchers, the sense of stealth in this game is pretty high. Well, Metal Gear IS a stealth franchise so i guess it makes more sense to make it more based on survival and undetection than anything else. Overall, I think 3 is not as fun as 2 in terms of gameplay, but it's still very fun and worth trying out.
Graphically, it's actually hard to think that this game is ten years old. This game still amazes me on the PS3, and when I went to play it on PS2 and 3DS I was still in awe at how detailed this jungle is. Sure, the immersion kind of detail is lacking from MGS 2 (what I mean is that environments are much more restrictive and less interactive that before) but this game is sure as hell pretty. It's not just good looking but also diverse and well thought out. Environments are perfectly suited to the challenge you're faced with when dealing with the situation in that environment. Whether it be a stealth approach or an all out assault, there's something about the way the environments were designed that make this one of the best looking and thought out games in the last decade.
In the sound department. first things first (this is required by MGS 3 review law):
"AND IIIII'M STIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLL IN A DRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAM, SNAKE EEEEEEAAAAAAATTTTTTEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!"
Now that I got that out of the way, what do I think about this games music? Kinda good, but at times forgettable. What I mean by this is that a lot of the battle themes are actually really forgettable, and in a Metal Gear Solid game that is a crime amongst itself. However, when the music is good.....it is damn fucking good. The game's main theme, Snake Eater sung by Cynthia Harrell is amazingly corny but catchy as hell, and the ending theme, Way to Fall by Starsailor is just brilliant and goes well with the games ending.
"AND IIIII'M STIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLL IN A DRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAM, SNAKE EEEEEEAAAAAAATTTTTTEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!"
Now that I got that out of the way, what do I think about this games music? Kinda good, but at times forgettable. What I mean by this is that a lot of the battle themes are actually really forgettable, and in a Metal Gear Solid game that is a crime amongst itself. However, when the music is good.....it is damn fucking good. The game's main theme, Snake Eater sung by Cynthia Harrell is amazingly corny but catchy as hell, and the ending theme, Way to Fall by Starsailor is just brilliant and goes well with the games ending.
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| This image is also required by MGS 3 review law. |
Overall....hmm. I do really like Snake Eater a lot, I really do, but - and I know I'm going to get stick for this - I honestly prefer Sons of Liberty. Snake Eater looks better and has a better story, but Sons of Liberty's gameplay and sound are just way better than what Snake Eater offered. However, in its own right, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is one of the best stealth games ever made and it's a good survival game too. I reccommend it to any PS2, PS3, 360 or 3DS owner.
Story: 10
Gameplay: 8
Graphics: 10
Sound: 6.5
Personal Enjoyment: 8.5
FINAL SCORE FOR METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER: 8.6/10
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