Many sequels in media find themselves scrambling to be as good as the original, and copy it bar for bar, which always results in a sequel that finds itself lackluster in comparison to the original, so what should a sequel do?

The answer to that, at least in my eyes, is a sequel should sidestep, and defy all expectations the consumer has in place. That's the best thing Metal Gear Solid 2 does, defy the expectations of the person playing from start till finish.

This expertly crafts an experience that may not excel in the same ways the original does, but serves as a meta commentary on the prospect of sequels in itself, which on it's own justifies the existence of this game. But the way everything in this game is perfect is amazing.

The combat, the music. the controls, the story, the level design; they all go hand in hand and work in tandem to craft an experience that makes your jaw drop, and you don't see that very often. This game ends up striking a contrast towards the original Metal Gear Solid.

That contrast being the focus of each of the stories. The original Metal Gear Solid, in my eyes, is a character based story, while the sequel goes to achieve something entirely different, again with it's meta commentary, and message regarding the net and individualism.

And that is only a fraction of why I love Metal Gear Solid 2 so much. it defies expectations, and doesn't try to cater to the consumer that wants a boring repeat of the original, and that's why it's aged perfectly, and continues to stand the test of time.