Metal Gear Solid 1 Discussion

So I finished playing through MGS1 for the first time, and while I definitely had fun, there were a few points that I couldn't get past:

>convulted-ass story
>the game doesn't know whether it's a game or a movie at times and several times it performs a bit underwhelming on both sides
>Snake and Meryl feels slightly forced, if not that then their lines can be pretty shite ("You won't get your romance scene here, huh?" and "Call me David" stand out)
>there is some stuff in the game that feels really out-of-the-way and encourages exploration, which clashes with the idea of getting the job done (that being said going through some of the areas was pretty cool)
>the fight against Metal Gear REX and the fistfight against Liquid both have some bs in them, like the missile shots and the fistfight mechanics

I don't want to sound like I absolutely hated this game; it had a lot of cool points in it (ie Psycho Mantis fight, torture scenes, some of the thematic stuff, and the post-credit conversation), but I feel like the game was definitely rough around the edges, especially when it tried balancing action, stealth, and the movie-esque quality. Do the other games in the series fix this kind of thing? Should I continue with the next game?

>the game doesn't know whether it's a game or a movie at times
>he doesn't know Kojima is a movie director

MGS V is actually the most balanced simply because there's barely any story in favor of (very repetitive) gameplay. The others are still movie-games.

MGS1 is amazing in its time. It doesn't hold up as well as, say, 2 or 3. Those are both all time classics

Good to know; should I keep going starting with Sons of Liberty? Also if I do, should I emulate it or get the HD version on PSN?

MGS2 is great. Though it has a lot more "muh japanese anime" moments.

I love how over the top it is, but it could rub against your taste.

Gameplaywise it's a straigt improvement. If you liked the core gameplay from mgs 1 definitely pick it up.

The story is probably the only point you would have trouble with, as it's extremely verbose to the extent that multiple cutscenes intrude in the way that some of the lengthier conversations do. (snake, can love bloom on a battlefield? i always skip this.)

But, thematically it is very sound. MGS2 is worth playing purely if you had played MGS1 first, as the game is a commentary on the nature of sequels and if the story of 1 is fresh in your mind then the impact of the second story will hit harder.

My recommendation is play it. Even if you don't like it it's a game that should be experienced. Some of the themes are even more relevant today than they were when the game came out and I have a lot of fun with the gameplay. Despite the wordiness of the story I would rate it as the best in the series.

What's your main gripe with the game anyway?

Hell yeah, SoL is honestly a perfect 10/10 game IMO. The HD version is great. They don't change anything except touch up the graphics.

If you can emulate without sacrificing performance I would just go for it. The Legacy Collection on PS3 is a great deal though so if you've got one and plan on playing up through MGS4 then definitely consider buying that.

>Skipping cut scenes in Metal Gear

1 is probably the best game in the series as a whole. I would say that's the only one you really need to check out.

I would just skip 2. Maybe watch an LP if you care.

3 goes into some different directions. It still struggles to express itself as a game and as a cinematic narrative experience simultaneously.

>MGS V is actually the most balanced simply because there's barely any story in favor of (very repetitive) gameplay

I can't think of any scenario where this is a good thing in terms of game balancing, especially since it came off the heels of the very story-centric GZ, i.e. the game that people assumed MGSV would be, just on 1000x the scale

Come on man, you can't seriously watch the fucking briefing every time you play mgs1, or "what are those sticks in your hair?", or the cringelord Johnny and Meryl scenes in 4.

Some of this shit is just contrived, unnecessary bullshit.

Thanks for responding; that's all good stuff to hear

My main gripe with MGS1 was my second point, where the game has trouble distinguishing itself between the cutscenes (which I mostly enjoyed when it wasn't hella cheesy (if that's what you meant by 'muh japanese anime' then I'll consider it)) and the gameplay, which was fun, but still felt a bit empty. It wasn't very intuitive, which would make sense with the context of trying to complete your mission, but that got in the way of figuring out where you're trying to go or whatever. Plus some of the boss fights felt like horseshit (ie the ones I mentioned in the OP plus Sniper Wolf phase two where it takes about ten years for your scope to move from one corner to another). I also felt that it tried to cover too much ground in its messages and themes, which made the impact of each point less hitting. Mostly personal gripes, but if the sequels flatten out the bumps, then I'll give them a shot.

I mean, how often are you replaying the games? If it's to the point where you remember all of the scenes, what's even the point of replaying it?

MGS2 is basically improved in every way IMO, except that you have to activate your radar in each new area, which is annoying having to sneak around guards with the fixed camera angles.
MGS3's intro goes on for about an hour or so, but after that it's almost pure gameplay. The story is much more simplistic as well. In an odd sort of way the mechanics kind of remind me of the old Thief games, with how camouflage works.
MGS4 is a slightly uneven Movie:Gameplay ratio and drags on a bit, but the mechanics are all solid and it's a joy to play after you've finished all the previous games.
With V Kojima kind of got bored making MGS for 25 years and went a different route with open world and letting the player choose between stealth and action gameplay. I enjoyed it even as a purist, but I could see why others would hate it.

I should clarify that when I say "MGS4 is a slightly uneven Movie:Gameplay ratio", I mean the hour length I spent watching cutscenes was probably about how long I spent actually playing the game, and slightly stacking in favor of the cutscenes.
Seeing as how you took a lot of issue with the game's cutscene-heavy nature... yeah, make of that what you will.

I don't man, I just got this legacy collection disc and have been playing through 2 and 1 so they're just pretty fresh in my mind. I watched most of the cutscenes as I hadn't played 2 in 10 years or so, but skipped a few of the more uninteresting ones like stillmans introduction and some of the EE nonsense.

When the story is good I'll watch, but why should I experience boring parts of it if I have a chance to skip it? Especially if I've already seen this stuff.

I always watch the gray fox and vamp corridor scenes. I always watch the colonel go apeshit, I always watch Solidus do anything, but I never watch any Snake and Meryl bullshit.

If I can add and remove parts of the gameplay to my liking why are you chastising me with a puking anime girl for doing the same with the story?

its cuz yer a fgt

In terms of apeing MGS1's annoying gameplay quirks aside from story, MGS2 features more backtrack padding, there's a part where you help Danny Glover defuse some bombs, and it has you go all over the fucking place trying to find them, and even aside from this, EVERYONE makes a few loops in Big Shell the first time around until they get the layout, which probably adds an hour or two to the gameplay

There's another part that's the basis of UNDERWATER ESCORT MISSION memery, but if you're playing the HD collection version, it's not AS bad, since you were getting fucked by the underwater framerate and low resolution on the PS2, making it a bitch to see where you were going, especially if you just read that this is where the body armor is hidden

MGS3 and beyond are pretty straightforward with little-to-no backtracking. You sometimes play levels again after the plot has you go to them from a different insertion point, but you're never forced to go all the way back to an obnoxious point in the world to get a key item that lets you get past something in a midgame/endgame area. This also tends to be where people think MGS games started to get more linear, but it all comes down to whether or not you're playing these for the story/experience over the gameplay

> missile shots
There is absolutely nothing bullshit about the missiles other than the fact that you can jam them with chaff grenades (in both of the fight's phases), which can't be done IRL as ATGMS are usually wire guided.

>>the game doesn't know whether it's a game or a movie at times
>>he doesn't know Kojima is a movie director
Wait till you play the 4

Ironically mgv has more gameplay abd very little movie bs but stand out as the worst mgs ever

MGS1's gameplay arguably feels like empty because it's almost literally the same as Metal Gear 2, an MSX game. That and limitations from not everyone having controllers with analog sticks. Hell most of MGS1's setpieces are straight from MG2, which made me appreciate it a lot.

>Sniper Wolf phase two where it takes about ten years for your scope to move from one corner to another
Use triangle or the binoculars for spotting her and then equip the rifle you shitter, that much is not only realistic but also mentioned in the codec calls. Or alternatively cheese her with Nikitas if you are a casual. Also you're going to love the other bosses in the rest of the series.

>I also felt that it tried to cover too much ground in its messages and themes
It's one of the very few games that touches on those themes, and if I'm not mistaken Metal Gear Solid is the only japanese vidya that threats nukes and deterrence in a sensible way.

The story is meant to be told in a specific way. It's carefully crafted that way.

>convulted-ass story
lol wait till you play mgs2

>MGS1
>Not Twin Snakes

good for you for not fucking up your experience

If it makes me want to skip it it's not crafted very well. I have a high tolerance for bullshit, but some of the stuff Kojima writes could really be edited out, or made more concise.

Also are you seriously ragging on someone for wanting to selectively experience parts of a story that I've already heard?

I'm not going to go ahead and call you a full blown autist, but man you don't make a very good point other than "You're supposed to experience it."

I enjoyed the game a lot more without needless exposition dumps about fatmans cologne or whatever. If you happen to enjoy the opposite, for whatever reason that may be, do so.

MGS is a 3D adaption of MG:Solid Snake

MGS2 is a port of the port, played for the lulz

HD version is upscaled version. Nothing different on it. You should get the HD collection which comes with MGS3 and PW in a single package

just give up already, you can't change the shit taste you were destined with. no one cares that you can't enjoy a real video game. but they do for some reason.

Also, because PW has that multiplayer and you can have fun, or that's what i hope, since everyone moved to MGSV at some point.

However, the HD version lacks the skateboarding minigame, and also MGS3HD lacks monkey escape