an excellent conclusion to the metal gear series. almost every system and feature from the earlier games is polished to perfection here, the stealth gameplay is incredible, and ive never had so much fun managing mother base. the optional online FOB missions are a great addition too. i know part of the story had to be rushed and a lot of it ended up being cut, which definitely made some parts feel awkwardly paced, but i still thought it was a lot of fun. the ending is great especially, and there's a main mission after the story ends that i liked a lot too. i also really enjoyed the dramatic cinematography during cutscenes, with every cutscene being similar to a handheld shot which makes this game's visuals stand out a lot.

it amazes me how consistently every game in this series improves on what i first thought was a perfect formula. while i loved the earlier games' settings, this game's jungle is a much more memorable environment. the more open areas change the basic stealth gameplay loop just enough to feel fresh, but not vastly different compared to the first two games. the new mechanics introduced are a lot of fun, and it's really impressive how things like healing snake's wounds or changing camouflage are so in-depth. CQC is also great. visually, this game is unforgettable. there's something very particular about the visual style and art direction that makes MGS3 stand out among every other game i've played. in terms of its story, this game is perfect, especially how well the characters are written. i loved The Boss and i really liked Ocelot, even though i didn't like him in the first two games. the ending, while it was predictable, was one of the best and most emotional in any game i've played.