One of the favourite things about the Metal Gear franchise is how every game has it’s own unique identity, none of them outright obsolete eachother. It was at the time the smoothest playing one yet, with a unique emphasis on future tech like the solid eye and octo camo. Levels were larger, more open ended with a number of different routes you could take. Or at least the first two are. Act 3 and onward, the game almost gives up on being a video game in lieu of straight lining you towards the next 40 minute cutscene. You still get some unique set pieces and boss battles, the final bosses of Act 4 and Act 5 simply blew me away, but the openness I liked so much in the first two acts basically goes away. As for the story, the broader picture is kind of a mess, it’s up it’s own ass and to this day I’m still not sure I fully understand it. Yet I can’t deny it holds some of the best directed sequences in the entire franchise. It brings back so many characters from across the franchise and tries to offer closure for all of them. Not every character is done as effectively as others, but I can’t deny getting a bit choked up by a surprising number of them, Naomi, Otacon, Meryl, Raiden, and I honestly can’t think of a better final shot for the series to end on.

It’s a mess, but an earnest one. I probably wouldn’t like it anywhere near as much if I wasn’t already so invested in this franchise, but I am and I can’t help but have a soft spot for it.