The controls in Metal Gear Solid can be tricky to get to grips with. It can be easy to accidentally lean against a wall when aiming to run past it (or vice versa). The analog controller comes recommended, but only for precision of direction - for a stealth game it's perhaps surprising that Snake runs regardless of how far the stick is pushed. As such, Snake cannot face a direction without moving towards it, which was why I did not like use of the FA-MAS and I did not enjoy the boss battles involving hand-to-hand combat. The overhead view which Metal Gear Solid primarily opts for is restricting, and I felt that there were times where the game could do ...  Read the complete review

Every so often a game will appear carrying months (and occasionally years) of hype and anticipation on it's shoulders. Some deliver the goods, and become regarded as classics (Final Fantasy VII, Silent Hill), whilst others stumble over their reputations whilst in development (Soul Reaver, Driver 2 and Tomb Raider 3 among countless others) and never quite deliver what they promise. Metal Gear Solid thankfully is one such game that belongs to the former group - not just terrifically enjoyable, but also technically fantastic when released on the PSOne back in 1999. The box claims that Metal Gear Solid is a game based around 'tactical espionage ...  Read the complete review

I have to say that this is one of the best games that I have ever played. I first played this game when it was leant to me as a mate, and I forced him to ring up days after demanding why I had not returned it. This was simply because I refused to be torn away from the screen and hand it back, I was facinated. The storyline had gripped me from the start and as the new twists in the plot made it more and more facinating, I grew more and more transfixed. For the first time in a long while, here was a game that I was prepared to sacrifice my social life for until I had completed it, and I just about did as well! You play the part of an agent named Solid Snake, and ...  Read the complete review

I can't imagine there will be too many games of this type that were released for the Playstation that are as good as this. I found myself captivated from the start of the game with the story, graphics and everything and couldn't wait to start playing. The first cut scene you see for Metal Gear Solid drew my attention in straight away to the game itself. As I was saying the story and the graphics are also great and this is a game I could have have played for hours and hours without stopping. There is nothing particularly original in the story line for this game. You play as the special unit called Snake which is sent in to put a stop to terrorists ...  Read the complete review

I've been a fan of the metal gear series since the first game came out for the NES way back in the 80's. Even back then, the series was lauded for its inventiveness, such as the emphasis on stealth over brute force and the always-fun ability to hide from enemies under cardboard boxes. Sadly, the game never became as popular as it should have, due to its incredibly high level of difficulty. Even with a cheat for infinite lives I never managed to complete the game! As such, its sequel, Solid Snake, passed under the radar for most NES gamers. Cue 1998 and a revamped, re-imagined Metal Gear is released for the Playstation, entitled Metal Gear Solid. It took the ...  Read the complete review