I'm still in a dream
Snake Eater
I just beat MGS3 recently and my mouth is still open in awe of the genius of Hideo Kojima in creating one of the most thick and convoluted narratives I have ever seen, but having the skill to weave and resolve said plot within a ~fifteen hour experience.
MGS3 is not perfect mechanically, but with a release year of 2004 that is easily excusable, however everything else included in the game is done to almost a sheer perfection. Metal Gear has become sort of a meme (MGSR pun intended) in how all over the place the plot gets and how interconnected it seems every single character is, but after getting my feet wet I see why the series is held in such high regard outside of the fact.
In Snake Eater you hear the legendary quips of: "You're pretty good," Snake's issue with tactical engravings, and learn about the "basics of CQC" which make you laugh, but the story is so much more interesting than these moments. You play as Naked Snake, who many will eventually know as Big Boss, on a sneaking mission deep into Soviet Russia in the height of the Cold War 1960's with one mission: to rescue a Soviet scientist to bring back to the States.
Everything goes awry very quickly and Snake's mission changes on a whim, soon the famous man with the headband and sneaking suit becomes the sole person responsible in prevention of nuclear destruction. Friends soon become foes, Snake becomes isolated and alone in the jungles of a foreign land. Constantly while you fight the pest ridden jungle and Soviet forces on your top secret mission (I will not devulge due to spoilers) you learn more and more about the uncertainty of the task you were given and those who come to your aid. Snake Eater beckons the player to ask many questions: Even though the future of the world rests upon Snake's shoulders, why is everything going the way it is? Why are certain characters acting as if they are playing both sides, is the sacrifice for your nation, pride, or for a loved one? By helping the United States, are you really performing the morally good action?
It's with the above levels of intricacy that MGS3 hits the nail on the head. There's so much at stake and so much unknown that the story has you constantly invested and impacted by the events that go on. One moment you are silencing guards inside a desolate forest, and a few moments later you are watching the Soviet Union at a terrifying new level debut heinous and world destroying technology.
Sneaking in MGS3 is far improved on the sneaking in MGS2, where camoflauge and added items to Snake's toolbelt make it extremely rewarding when you succesfully take out an enemy encampment and are able to hide from it. I still get chills on my spine from a moment in the game where you climb a mountain and have to take out troops on the way to the other side, ideally without being seen. Part of this is due to the wide arsenal in Snake's inventory: you have multiple pistols, a shotgun, several fully automatic options, a sniper rifle, and more that are all available for your Soviet removal needs.
Needless to say, but MGS3 has stellar voice acting from the entire cast, and especially everyone's favorite David Hayter.
All in all. MGS3 is a masterclass in storytelling that gives you a captivating experience with exciting gameplay in addition.
Snake Eater
I just beat MGS3 recently and my mouth is still open in awe of the genius of Hideo Kojima in creating one of the most thick and convoluted narratives I have ever seen, but having the skill to weave and resolve said plot within a ~fifteen hour experience.
MGS3 is not perfect mechanically, but with a release year of 2004 that is easily excusable, however everything else included in the game is done to almost a sheer perfection. Metal Gear has become sort of a meme (MGSR pun intended) in how all over the place the plot gets and how interconnected it seems every single character is, but after getting my feet wet I see why the series is held in such high regard outside of the fact.
In Snake Eater you hear the legendary quips of: "You're pretty good," Snake's issue with tactical engravings, and learn about the "basics of CQC" which make you laugh, but the story is so much more interesting than these moments. You play as Naked Snake, who many will eventually know as Big Boss, on a sneaking mission deep into Soviet Russia in the height of the Cold War 1960's with one mission: to rescue a Soviet scientist to bring back to the States.
Everything goes awry very quickly and Snake's mission changes on a whim, soon the famous man with the headband and sneaking suit becomes the sole person responsible in prevention of nuclear destruction. Friends soon become foes, Snake becomes isolated and alone in the jungles of a foreign land. Constantly while you fight the pest ridden jungle and Soviet forces on your top secret mission (I will not devulge due to spoilers) you learn more and more about the uncertainty of the task you were given and those who come to your aid. Snake Eater beckons the player to ask many questions: Even though the future of the world rests upon Snake's shoulders, why is everything going the way it is? Why are certain characters acting as if they are playing both sides, is the sacrifice for your nation, pride, or for a loved one? By helping the United States, are you really performing the morally good action?
It's with the above levels of intricacy that MGS3 hits the nail on the head. There's so much at stake and so much unknown that the story has you constantly invested and impacted by the events that go on. One moment you are silencing guards inside a desolate forest, and a few moments later you are watching the Soviet Union at a terrifying new level debut heinous and world destroying technology.
Sneaking in MGS3 is far improved on the sneaking in MGS2, where camoflauge and added items to Snake's toolbelt make it extremely rewarding when you succesfully take out an enemy encampment and are able to hide from it. I still get chills on my spine from a moment in the game where you climb a mountain and have to take out troops on the way to the other side, ideally without being seen. Part of this is due to the wide arsenal in Snake's inventory: you have multiple pistols, a shotgun, several fully automatic options, a sniper rifle, and more that are all available for your Soviet removal needs.
Needless to say, but MGS3 has stellar voice acting from the entire cast, and especially everyone's favorite David Hayter.
All in all. MGS3 is a masterclass in storytelling that gives you a captivating experience with exciting gameplay in addition.