I decided to try out Metal Gear Solid(MGS) for the 4th time to see if the game can hold my interest. I tried it on a whim for ten minutes. Those ten minutes became thirty minutes then an hour, then close to 2 hours before I needed to sleep. So suffice it to say, MGS has taken hold of me and won’t let go. Until I completed the game. So here's my review after the end credits are rolling.

Story-wise I found it very engrossing. Beyond a simple rescue mission and whether or not Snake can determine if the renegade unit called FOXHOUND have the capability to launch a nuclear strike. And stop them if they do. These two mission objectives I found were very clear cut in the beginning, however, there are many threads intertwined that keep the mystery and suspense piling up into I would say well-executed plot threads to intrigue the player on what’s underneath the surface of Shadow Moses in Alaska. You play as Solid Snake, a legendary infiltrator and saboteur. You can learn more about his past during his time on Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake in the menu. Alternatively, you can read them here. The game also has an exclusive cutscene if you linger in the main menu and briefings option to give players more context on Snake before the mission begins.

You don’t have much when you start the game. So exploring can help you in the long run like finding a cardboard box to evade enemies who do not realize an intruder is inside, ballistic weapons to shoot the soldiers in case you're caught and even C4 and grenades are here. If you need a bit more explosions to help matters. I love the Soliton radar system since it displays the enemies' range and you can see how far that extends in the environment. Thereby allowing the player to move Snake along pathways and nearby walls to evade enemy detection. Sound is also key, so you can’t expect to run everywhere. Soldiers can hear you running so it is a good idea to wait for them to walk away before moving along.

Stealth-wise I didn’t have much difficulty evading the enemies' patrols since the soliton radar system displays pretty much all I need to know about current enemy whereabouts. There are even items like the chaff grenade and stun grenade to jam cameras and stun all enemies which are very handy to abuse. Players can even choke enemies which I didn’t realize was an in-game feature until I read the manual after the end credits rolled…Cue facepalm… Be that as it may, I feel the beginning can be a bit rough for newcomers on where to go.

But, calling operation members in your codec is a nice way to refresh your main objective at times. I also deeply appreciate candid conversations whenever you talk to anyone on your codec. From Master Miller, you’ll receive tips on what to do. Campbell will remind you of your objective with Naomi chiming in. Mei Ling is the save option and positive reinforcement member of the operation, always there to lift your spirits. And more come along as you progress further into the game.

I often found myself calling my operation members after a major event or boss fight to see if they can offer any insightful tips/hints to solve my current dilemma.

To my delight, every boss encounter is given careful attention not to give too much away while also not being too vague. It strikes a delicate balance I found appreciated time and time again. I will admit I had times I wanted to google what to do, but I decided to make calls on my codec before I did. By the time the end credits rolled around, I noticed I finished a blind playthrough! It’s been so long since I made a genuine attempt at one. I can’t remember the last time I did. And man it is such a great feeling you were able to finish a game without getting spoiled on how to resolve a troublesome situation here. Although, I should note there is nothing wrong with using walkthroughs either. I usually use them when I'm in a pickle.

And yet here I am very surprised I withheld the urge. Due to the codec calls saving me every time. I wish more games had this feature implemented to allow the player to call an in-game hotline to help them. And I felt the codec calls were implemented in such a way I found naturally and not out of place since conversations occurred fluidly.

Levels are small; generally, you do have a somewhat linear path to follow with other areas to explore around Shadow Moses. Usually, when you're in an elevator you can access different floors that can range from filled with soldiers on patrol to not so many soldiers on patrol. These floors have low to high-clearance rooms. You can only enter if you have the correct level keycard. As you progress further into the game you will attain more high-clearance cards. This makes backtracking in the early and mid-game, not a big deal. And I found my time passing by quickly due to the bite-sized levels. It is pretty cool finding additional items along the way if you enter the prone position and first-person view to see tucked-away items, you don’t normally see from the overhead camera view.

However, I would like to point out there were two points that kinda soured my experience with the game. Not so much to make it a big deal. But it caused the pacing to halt in a way. One occurs midway to the endgame where I have to backtrack to the first location to retrieve an item essential to progress. The other time required me to keep coming back and forth. This occurred very late game and honestly wish the backtracking could’ve been lessened. It’s not a big detriment, but it's like putting the brakes on the story content and makes the player go through filler in a way. And to progress past that hurdle you need to go back to certain areas multiple times. Granted, after thinking heavily on the matter for some time, I realize Kojima probably added it in to give characters a bit more room to flesh out due to the codec calls you receive. Which provides massive ramifications to the game’s storyline being unfolded. So ultimately I have mixed feelings regarding that. Not a positive or a negative. A more well known reviewer @Drax touches upon that aspect more in their review you can see here. And I agree with their suggestion on new areas instead. Fair warning it does contain spoilers throughout the game.

That’s the only major critique I found for the game and in a minor aspect the slight jank in shooting and movement controls. The latter was a bit alleviated by switching to analog mode on my PS3 to make use of the analog sticks instead of the directional buttons. I think I would’ve appreciated a bit more rations(they are the only items to restore my health as far as I know) just in case my health went under. I had to abuse ration locations and re-enter the area to refill my stock of them.

Still the game holds up pretty well besides these issues I stated above.

On Snake’s character I found his demeanor and habits to be a refreshing take on protagonists I've seen thus far in the series. He’s gruff, honest, really loves to smoke and engages in casual flirting, but also doesn’t like shady bullshit which I love. You learn quite a bit about his character in various codec calls and the people you meet during your infiltration. One encounter made me nod my head several times concerning two males and one female he meets along the way. Without going into spoilers, the female encounter with Snake and subsequently throughout the game is one I found to be one of the game's strongest points. We see Snake take on a different role I love to see. And one I feel demonstrates so much more than his character of being a ‘legend’ so to speak. One male he meets displays a different side to Snake and while he doesn’t get a lot of attention I found his character and development to be interesting as well as genuine. I can’t help but root for the guy ya know. The final character is one I deeply respect for their encounter with Snake while unveiling parts of a ‘character's’ background and relationship I didn’t expect.

It is these encounters with Snake and more that transform him from a “Legend” into something deeper.

Speaking of going deeper, I'll hit the ‘throat’ of the game so to speak. There’s quite a bit of villain monologue here which I didn’t mind since I love long cutscenes. They can range from under five minutes to over five minutes. And granted villains don't always monologue. Sometimes conversations will occur on codec or when Snake talks to someone in a cutscene. So bear that in mind when playing the game. Speaking of cutscenes, I love how they’re done in the game. And see why it's warmly and fondly praised among the fans. They can range from intense action scenes to interesting conversation encounters. Adding tension and mystery where scenes needed it. And even FMV clips are included too! Honestly, seeing the cutscene work here reminded me heavily of my time playing through Vagrant story. I can see how much cinematic work was involved there and how that inspired Yasumi Matsuno during development because of Metal Gear Solid. You can read more about that here. Where Matsuno has a long conversation with none other than Hideo Kojima.

During my eleven-and-a-half-hour playthrough on normal difficulty. I felt the game played like a spy action thriller with many intense cutscenes in the game. And those moments only enhanced my experience with the game greatly. So kudos to you Kojima and your team for all the wonderful cutscenes. And the music during those moments spliced together wonderfully providing a mix of cinematic music, and orchestral at times. Graphically, I think the PS1 version of the game holds up. And many voice actors here performed very well. David Hayter voicing Snake is the most memorable to me. But the villains also hit a lot of notes I found to be menacing while almost comical to me. Snake’s codec calls to various members are also pretty good.

In conclusion, Metal Gear Solid is a fantastic game from Hideo Kojima on the PlayStation 1 and one I feel touches on a lot of relative themes concerning current world events in 2022/2023. Had a blast and the countless “Snakeeeeeeeeeeeee!” Being heard on the screen never got old to hear. Worth a playthrough for any newcomers curious about tactical espionage action games or want to dive into a Kojima game. Really looking forward to playing Metal Gear Solid 2 when I get around to it.

8/10

- For those who have played the game already. I’ll hint at the character’s name I mentioned above in my review here.

The female with the starting letter M and ends with L
The first male with the starting letter O and ends with N
The second male with the starting letter G and ends with X

After playing this game, I finally understand the title, and think they misspelt it, because really it should be called "Evil Residence". It is in fact, so evil, that the architect who designed this place got lost it in, and then died after getting trapped. They have a signboard in the backyard which showcases the following four locations: the "Cave of Hatred", "Valley of Destruction", "Path of Revenge", and "Summit of Madness". They even hired CROWS to attack you if you fail the puzzle.

On a serious note, Resident Evil hits all the right notes - It is tense, scary, maze-like, and never lets up for a moment. I sweat while playing this game. You always have to be plotting ahead, about what to bring in your tiny inventory space, what your route through the mansion will be, when and where you should use your precious limited ammo, or finally spend it? And just when you think you have everything planned out and are finally safe, the game says:

"That's it, you've used this route too many times"

And then unleashes a hoarde of zombies on that path. From faster more aggressive zombies to broken doorknobs, Resident Evil forces the player to constantly compromise and reroute their paths. You may know the mansion's layout really well, but you never really know what will be safe. This is my favorite part of resident evil - the constant tension.

I also love the traps and tricks riddled around the mansion - secret passages, lowering ceilings, knight blender machines. It makes the whole mansion feel so complex and memorable. Furthermore, that fact that events within the mansion change over time also make it feel alive, even tiny details like crows coming to mourn their dead comrade, or the surprises waiting for you when you return back to the mansion from the nearby residence.

I also love the limited saves system. It forces the player to push on just a little bit further, take that extra risk, instead of saving every time you reach a typewriter. It once again, keeps that tension always going.

Having multiple screens for one room is weird at first, but I think that the clunky controls really add alot to the tension - having to awkwardly maneuver around a zombie, not being able to see what's around the next corner, it makes even tiny encounters with a singular zombie in a narrow hallway seem like a mountain of a challenge. It makes every single thing in this game a constant unrelenting challenge.

Personally, I think Resident evil is a very special and memorable experience. It forces you to master the layout and controls, but even then, you never know just what might happen on the way.

Absolute powerhouse of a game and one of the best video game storylines I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I had heard these games were good, great even, and that they had fun stories, but I was not ready for the storm of emotion and conflict this game constantly smacks you in the face with. Its a genuine masterpiece. Combat is decent, pretty well-made but nothing crazy, but fun nonetheless. Great side content (though pretty time consuming too). Ruined my sleep cycle but I think it was worth it

Used Resident Evil 4 HD Project to play
Resident Evil 4 is a suprising instant favorite of mine, as I didn't expect to love it as much as I do

Some of the best 3rd person shooting combat in... ever, still after all the years. Creative encounters constantly thrown at the player, demanding aim and positioning, doing constant micro decisions of which weapon to use and it's worth the ammo, to excell at impossible odds. It resembles a combat you'd see in John Wick movie, and B-movie horror tone of RE4 helps it's frankly insane narrative and insane accomplishments made by Leon

Controls were suprisingly modern when I switched from controller to mouse and keyboard, making entire issue of tank controls obsolete (and even then, when I played with controller, tank controls weren't that big of an issue), and while inventory controls on MK were uncessecarry deligated to unusual keys, they weren't that much of the hinderance after getting used to it.

The only complain I would do is that going into the inventory to change weapons would kill the pace of combat, I didn't really felt that, but it might be issue for some.

It is an instant classic, a must play!

A huge step-up from the first game. The added crouching and knocking on walls already give this a way more engaging stealth feel, but also the bigger levels, the radar and the different screens, guards can walk between, makes it feels way more like a huge place you're infiltrating.

The progression is not quite as cryptic as it was in Metal Gear 1 ... there were some instances where I looked at a guide real quick, but I'm confident you can beat this on your own without taking ages.

The keycard system luckily got a little better. There are now cards that combine multiple levels, so that you don't have to switch between all of them to try them out on a door. And generally the map/radar helps getting around the map a lot ... I never got lost, like I did in the first one. It's all really neat stuff.

Bosses are pretty well done in this game. Not all of them are great, but you can tell they tried to give all of them a unique gimmick and some of them require a specific strategy to overcome them. The Running Man in particular comes to mind. It's just a bit of a shame that the final onslaught of story-relevant bosses are kind of a cakewalk and especially the last one feels pretty lackluster in terms of gameplay.

The story still isn't nearly as intricate as they'll become later in the series, but there are a decent amount of twists and character moments and I'm pretty fond of the 4th wall breaks, even if they went a little overboard at times.

Good time, I can see myself replaying this one some time.

For what is essentially the very first stealth title on consoles, this is a pretty impressive game. There's lots of ingredients in here that became a staple not only in this series but in the genre as a whole.

However, it obviously isn't perfect. There's plenty of areas where stealth simply isn't possible and fire fights are forced on you. This can be fine, but triggering those without a warning is a bit off-putting. Alerts also don't always matter all that much ... Often you walk a few steps, enter a new screen and you're fine. Later MGS games do this too, but the small scale of a screen in this game makes this a bigger issue.

A way bigger problem is the progression, though. Freeing hostages for information or using your codec for instructions is a great feature, however it doesn't always work well enough to figure out the location of cryptically hidden items or the path forward. Having dozens of doors that need different keycards and don't show what level of keycard they need makes exploring a huge guessing game. Having to try out like 6 different keycards for some of the later doors to check if you even got the right one is dumb. At least let a higher leveled one open every lower level door too.

As for bosses ... They did a good job at making these very varied and they had some good ideas. The execution is just pretty lacking most of the time. The final boss in particular is very underwhelming.

What I find fascinating however, is how many ideas there are in this game, that later get reused. The keycard thing, getting captured and thrown into a cell, electric floors you have to deactivate with a remote missile, hallways filled with gas, lasers you have to spot with goggles, a Hind D boss, the "turn your console off" line ... All of that is already in here.

The storyline is very barebones, which might be surprising considering what franchise this is, but I suppose for the time this was normal. Some select moments are pretty cool though. Can't imagine many games having character lie to you to hinder your progress for example. That still isn't something that's happening all that much.

Last thing I would mention is the music. Not all of it is amazing, but overall there are quite a few catchy tracks in this. I caught myself humming along quite a bit.

So yeah, a decent Metal Gear prototype that only continues to be build upon. I'd say this is worth your 3-4 hours you'd invest in it, but definitely have a guide ready, or maybe just use maps. It makes it all more tolerable and fun.

This is my first time playing the original Metal Gear Solid, and I was pleasantly surprised on how much it holds up to this day. It has some solid (sometimes silly) voice acting, great map designs, and some excellent characters.

Shadow Moses Island was a joy to explore, behind every nook and cranny you can find some good secrets that can help you stop Metal Gear Rex. Each area is easily recognizable and you don't get lost going back and forth in these corridors. Dealing with the baddies are not either too easy or too hard, there was a right balance of difficult for the most part.

The bosses are, for the most part, very memorable and pretty fun. And almost each one plays a little differently. Psycho Mantis for example, you would have to change to the controller to player 2 and just get a hit out of him. Sniper Wolf hits you from a distance and you have to either out snipe her, or find a clever way on getting hits on her. Meanwhile, the last couple fights were not easy in the slightest. The boss fight with MG Rex was very hard but actually fair, there's a pattern you must follow that allows you to get pop shots with your stinger and once you figure that out, its not as bad as you think. Liquid, however, had me pretty pissed. It's the type of fight that really highlights some of the flaws of the game, the CQC (close quarters combat) is not refined here, but you need to fist fight liquid in a time limit. The aiming and positioning can be grueling if you can't figure it all out, and it was driving me crazy!

The only other part of the game that was really tough to get through was the second part of the communication tower, with its unfairly places turrets in certain corners going up the long flight of stairs. But with knowing that it might be easier to deal with in subsequent playthroughs.

Other than those two things the game was great! You have a great ensemble of supporting characters you talk to through codec, you have twist and turns that will keep you on your toes, and its all wrapped around on what i felt was a very solid and good story! It still hold up to this day, and should be played by everyone.

This is a strong recommendation, this is a strong game to have on everyone's library and to appreciate how far Metal Gear has come since 1998.

Played for the first time through the DMC HD collection. IDK man there's just something special about ps2 action RPGs—they just don't make them like this anymore! OK sure the camera is annoying and the autolock is janky and some of the fights suck, and yeah I got stuck a few times on normal, specifically at the scythe mob in the small arena and the final boss, but overall the game far outshines its flaws. I love a good hack and slash and DMC is fun to play, combos are satisfying, missions are nice and short, getting new weapons feels cool, and the game just oozes personality. The melodrama of the story kind of works in the game's favour since it plays it so serious but really it's just cool to be Dante and move through cool levels. I adored the Mundus in space fight, beautiful design and I love suddenly being in a bullet hell shmup; more games should be this comfortable subverting gameplay expectations (shout out the Sea of Stars true ending final boss). After that dope ending cinematic I rewatched the NG+ intro cinematic just to see it. Not 100% but I may return to hunt some more achievements at a later date, this was just the short and sweet palette cleanser I needed after a 70hr slog.