Category Archives: Metal Gear series

Metal Gear series in general

Critical Close-up: Metal Gear Solid

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You know, I never really talk about MGS1 or the two old MSX games that came before it.  To me, the juicy part of the series (from an analytical point of view) began with MGS2, and I’ve always wanted to do that justice first.  But the folks over at BunnyHop have done a pretty great job with their 2 part video critique:

I found myself shrugging pretty frequently when it nitpicks on retroactive continuity choices or points out the unoriginality of the game.  While everything they say is true, and although the amount of research done is fantastic, I feel like it was put in there to demonstrate how knowledgeable they were, without much of a point.  The final evaluation is positive of course.  I suppose the video is more of an explanation than an argument, and by that standard, it’s really helpful and smart!

Kojima brings us up to speed on everything

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Here’s an interview in which Kojima explains pretty much everything he’s working on. The origin of the Fox Engine, the desire to make a Metal Gear game starring The Boss, the decision to include Raiden in MGS2 — it’s basically a recap of Kojima’s career up to this point, for people who don’t know. He also says that the Ground Zeroes demonstration was played on the PC (I figured) but apparently it’s about the same specs as the PS3 or 360 (which I still can’t believe).

Proudly presenting: Metal Gear Cliff Notes PART I

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(Warning: Contains language and blood.)

A long, long time ago, SnakeSoup administrator Ravi Singh approached me for collaborating on an epic Metal Gear flash animation revolving around the very first game in the series, which most Metal Gear fans don’t even realize exists.  I agreed. Continue reading →

Partnership with RedCode Interactive

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RedCode Interative is a small European team who’ve managed to crack the Metal Gear series wide open and dig up fascinating bugs, exploits, and features, much like the old “Game Genie” we all remember.  Want to play Metal Gear Solid looking like Meryl instead of Snake?  They can do that, among many other things.  Check out what they’re up to:

http://youtu.be/viTZOwnhXWg

You may have noticed that I very rarely discuss the actual gameplay of the series, or focus on projects being worked on by the community.  That’s not because I think it’s boring.  I love to see the clever tricks and devoted work of the community, and I respect the dedication they have.  RedCode Interactive reached out to me for a partnership, and after seeing their work I agreed that it deserved more attention.  In our own ways, we both enjoy deconstructing the games we love!

So, check out their website, maybe download the special save files (for use with the Action Replay Max memory card thing) and start playing those old games in a whole new way.

(Updated) Konami’s E3 Show features trailers, Mega64

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Konami’s “Pre-E3 Show” is now available.  Interviews, trailers, and a great Mega64 skit are being shown.  We finally get to see more of Rising‘s gameplay, which looks very typical for this genre.  Sadly, level design seems to be ripped from the Nintendo 64 era.  Huge crates scattered around for no reason, allowing you to reach higher areas; generic wide city streets with nothing going on; a train chase; a scripted bridge collapse.  The rushed development schedule is evident, and so is the lack of ideas.

And in case you hadn’t figured it out, the theme of cutting everything and has been cut down as well.  The developers say that only enemies and certain background objects will be sliceable, meaning you shouldn’t be expecting to get too creative with your sword.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

I’ll be talking about the upcoming E3, Zone of the Enders, and a bunch more on my twitter.  I’ve started using it regularly, and I’ll be using it to announce new articles and such for your lazy ass.

Escape From Minako

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1up.com‘s Bob Mackey has written a hilarious parody article on “cancelled games you never knew about” — including one by perpetually creatively-restricted Hideo Kojima:

Escape from Minako Box ArtHideo Kojima hasn’t exactly made a secret of his reluctance to stay onboard the Metal Gear Solid series; every time another sequel rolls around, it’s announced as his last — until Hideo quickly remembers the mafia-esque nature of the Japanese gaming industry means the only way out of Konami is in a body bag. Hell, if Kojima’s employers ever wanted to wreck their aging wunderkind, they’d simply have to mail an box containing his body of work to John Carpenter, James Cameron, and Ridley Scott, causing an avalanche of lawsuits to bury the famed developer until his inevitable death-faking and subsequent identity changing surgery.

Started and scrapped between the development cycles of Metal Gear Solids 2, 3, 4, and Peace Walker, Escape from Minako promised a less-stealthy take on Kojima’s standard style. The game put players in control of a humble robot manufacturer imprisoned at the evil Minako Corporation, forced to build a line of increasing complex and time-consuming behemoths against his will; throughout EFM’s ten stages, said protagonist would slay floors of cyborg executives, finally escaping at the end for a tearful reunion with his family and the concept known by many as “leisure.” When exposed to Kojima’s presentation for the game, Konami’s higher-ups couldn’t help but notice the strong allegory between Escape from Minako and Kojima’s actual working life. To counter such claims, the famed developer simply presented a picture showing the stacks of cash this new IP would bring in. The brass at Konami responded in turn with a 1:10-scale diorama depicting the money a new Metal Gear game would generate, complete with a model train that, when fully built, would carry an entire board of directors through tunnels upon tunnels of currency. A lesson for you would-be developers: when working on a pitch, never neglect the size of your money shot.

Well done, Mackey.

OPM interview reveals two sides of Kojima

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Oh, I love this.

As relayed by Snake Soup, the new OPM interview with Kojima talks about the dual nature of Kojima while creating games:

“In Guns Of The Patriots [Snake] was supposed to die” he continues but admits he was brought around. “Everyone on the staff really wanted to keep him alive, so I caved a little.” In the interview Kojima touches several times on the conflict between being a creator and a producer – being an artist and a businessman don’t always mix. “I’m a creator at heart, but at the same time I also have to manage the business aspect of it, figure out how to sell the game. I’m still trying to find that balance – it’s very delicate. How do you put in enough to make sure it sells, while remaining true to your vision?”

Without delving too deeply, I have discussed this same thing before, especially as it relates to the allegory of Kojima in the Metal Gear series.  Particularly, I believe that Kojima is absolutely expressing this same thing with Naked Snake during the events of Metal Gear Solid 3.

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