While I tried to play this series in order, I didn't get access to MG2 until I got to the MGS3 Subsistence disc. I really wish I had played it earlier though. It steps up from Metal Gear in a big way, becoming a lot more fun and accessible, as well as pioneering a lot of the systems I thought were introduced to the series with MGS. Having played MG1 and MG2, it's crazy how much of MGS is reuse of certain game mechanics and set pieces but in 3D. So much so that I think a lot of what MGS gets credit for should really be given to MG2.
This game was a pleasant surprise and a really fun game to play. What holds it back is puzzles that rely on the original manual, which do not always make it clear that that's where the solution can be found leading to some frustration. In comparison to MGS it is also a lot more slim on the story, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The game really feels like all killer and no filler, although if certain shortcuts aren't found between buildings you may disagree when it comes to all the backtracking. I think if you're a big fan of MGS you really owe it to yourself to play MG2 as it really is the progenitor of a lot of what made that title great. Plus it's only about 6 hours so even if you don't like it, it's not the biggest time commitment.
This game was a pleasant surprise and a really fun game to play. What holds it back is puzzles that rely on the original manual, which do not always make it clear that that's where the solution can be found leading to some frustration. In comparison to MGS it is also a lot more slim on the story, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The game really feels like all killer and no filler, although if certain shortcuts aren't found between buildings you may disagree when it comes to all the backtracking. I think if you're a big fan of MGS you really owe it to yourself to play MG2 as it really is the progenitor of a lot of what made that title great. Plus it's only about 6 hours so even if you don't like it, it's not the biggest time commitment.