izigame.me

The best and worst Metal Gear game.
Coming from the rest of the series, this game lacks in many areas that make a Metal Gear game. It's the void of quirkiness, for its mood is much too serious. No cute medic talking about Godzilla, no fat terrorist who roller skates drinking alcohol, even Ocelot got nerfed to a very serious and one note right hand man. The pacing of the story becomes dependent on the player's use of casette tapes, as the cutscenes are far and few between throughout the game. A radical change from the movie like playthroughs of Sons of Liberty and Guns of the Patriots. In general, this game lacks the thought provoking narratives behind other games. There's hardly any big message here apart from just war is bad. The plot is so flawed that many people believe this game is still unfinished.
But really, that's about all the bad I can say about this game. The graphics, nine years later, are still absolutely gorgeous. The engine is very well optimized assuring any computer can witness the high fidelity animations and set pieces this game has to offer. The gameplay is top notch, too, in my opinion the best in the series. Gunplay is satisfying and movement is some of the best in any shooter. Stealth is natural, realistic, and thrilling. The variety of options on deck at any time is near limitless when matched with the many play styles it allows. Most of all, this game has an atmosphere not found in many other games. Many times I found myself just riding horseback as Venom Snake listening to Joy Division on the cassettes through Afghanistan and Africa, taking everything in. I felt truly immersed in this world, even when performing the most mundane of actions. The mix of sound design, soundtrack, environments... It's hard to put into words the feeling this game creates.
I do not regret buying this game twice. It has been there for me at my lowest, providing me with solace when I needed it the most. Even with its flaws, it is an unforgettable experience that I would recommend to anyone.