MGS2 review (Metal Gear Solid 2 - Sons of Liberty (PS2))

Member Name: donruk

Product:	Metal Gear Solid 2 - Sons of Liberty (PS2)
Date:	04/06/02 (161 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great graphics, Great gameplay, Fun

Disadvantages: Messed up story, a little too short, Can be a bit silly at times

Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons Of Liberty, is the latest addition to the popular Metal Gear series. Unlike many simple action shooters, Metal Gear games are requiring stealth and wits. These are not Rambo games where you are can mow down a bunch of men, and shrug off your enemies like an invincible machine. Because of this unique and realistic style of gameplay, ever since the first Metal Gear game this series has enjoyed a huge following.

Behind The Scenes:

Konami, and the talented Hideo Kojima team developed MGS2. Allot of work was put into this game and is said to be Hideo's last Metal Gear project.

Introduction:

Metal Gear, which is a nuclear armed mech, is a dangerous weapon that can bring Armageddon. Solid Snake, is part of an anti Metal Gear organization, which strives for the elimination of all Metal Gears for the world's safety. The U.S Marines are developing the latest Metal Gear, called Rey. Snake infiltrates a Marine cargo ship in order to gain proof of Reys existence, and present it to the international community. An army of Russian commandos, which have taken over the cargo ship, interrupts his mission. Metal Gear is then stolen, by the powerful Revolver Ocelot, the cargo ship destroyed, and Snake believed dead.

Story Review:

The only real complaint that I have with this game is its story. The story is divided into to parts, the Tanker level, and Big Shell. The story goes along fine on the Tanker level, (which is about one fourth of the game) but goes to hell in the Big Shell level. The further you get through the game, the more silly and ridiculous the story becomes. The game's story is so twisted and out of wack, that I don't know where to begin. There is no balance, the story is out of control. Some of the characters, like Vamp are also a little silly, and are more suited for an XMEN cartoon. It's sad to, because the story started off
so good in the Tanker level. But ends up being so ridiculous, that The Russian commandos are actually working with U.S Navy Seals gone bad(which look more like XMEN), with the president of the United States as the main badguy, wearing blue armor. I'm sorry but anybody with half a brain can tell that a story like that is beyond repair. The reason that this is such a big problem is because much of the game is interrupted by cut-scenes. That wouldn't be as much of a problem if the game had a better story, but I don't want to see a bunch of cut-scenes that are about silly things. The story should enhance the gameplay, but in this case, it's the other way around. Since MGS2 is a game, and not a movie, the story won't effect my review too much, but it will still loose one star. The story could have been so much better if the story stayed on track after the tanker level. It's really a shame.

Gameplay:

MGS2 is a great game, and is a blast to play. You character can perform great moves like, sneaking in back of your enemy and breaking his neck, and then hiding his body in a locker, or throwing him into the ocean. Stealth is the focus of this game, and you must use your wits to overcome many armed enemies, and booby traps. Different kinds of weapons, from handguns to rocket- launchers are also at your disposal. The tanker level is more compact, and is the most fun over all. There are also some good boss battles in this game. The enemy a.i is good, and when one enemy spots you he will call for back up, and the next thing you know, there will be dozens of heavily armored shock troops after you. If you are familiar with MGS for PS1, then you shouldn't have a problem with MGS2's control. You can complete MGS2 in about 10-15 hours depending on how fast you are, but I like my games a little longer. The only real problem that I have with the gameplay is that in the Big Shell level, the pace is affected by the many interruptin
g cut-scenes. I
wouldn't have any problem with that, if the story were actually good. Overall, a fun game to play, and you won't find many like it.

Graphics:

Great graphics. The character models have a high polygon count, very detailed and move with great animation. The Tanker level looks the most impressive, with great environmental detail, like heavy sea storms, great lighting effects, and among other details. I especially like the hanger level, with the hundreds of Marines on screen listening to a speech amidst the impressive Metal Gear Rey. This is one most graphically impressive areas of the game. The Big Shell level does not leave as much of an impression, as the tanker level, but it still has it's great moments like the amazing water effects, impressive boss battles, and cool character design. The cut-scenes are top notch graphically, and really are a sight to behold. MGS2 is one of the most graphically impressive games on the PS2, or even on any other gaming platform.

Sound:

The sound of MGS2 is good, but with only a couple flaws, The sound effects are very detailed, like Russian voices calling for backup, or the many environmental sounds. On the downside, some of the character voices, like Vamp or Raiden are little silly.



Conclusion:

Despite a weak story, MGS2 is one of the best games available for the PS2, and is highly recommended. If the game had stayed on the same track as the Tanker level all the way through, I would have given it a perfect score. Pick up MGS2, I think that you will enjoy it.

Summary: