Metal Gear Solid

Metal Gear Solid From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the original Metal Gear Solid released for the PlayStation. For the Game Boy Color spin-off of the same name, see Metal Gear: Ghost Babel. For the announced film, see Metal Gear Solid (film). Metal Gear SolidThe American and Japanese covers of Metal Gear Solid used this logo on a simple white background, with no other details other than trade dress. Developer(s) Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (West) Publisher(s) Konami (PS1) Microsoft (PC) Designer(s) Hideo Kojima Series Metal Gear Release date(s) PlayStation: JPN September 3, 1998 NA October 20, 1998 PAL February 26, 1999 Integral: JPN 1999-06-24 NA 1999-09-23 PAL 1999-10-29 Microsoft Windows: NA September 24, 2000 PAL October 20, 2000 Genre(s) Stealth action Mode(s) Single player Rating(s) ESRB: Mature (M) CERO: 15+ ELSPA: 15+ OFLC: M15+ Platform(s) PlayStation, Microsoft Windows Media 2 CD-ROMs System requirements Pentium II 233 MHz CPU, 32 MB RAM, 4 MB video card, DirectX v. 7.0A[1] Input PlayStation controller (standard or DualShock), keyboard Metal Gear Solid (?????????, Metaru Gia Soriddo?, commonly abbreviated to MGS) is a tactical espionage action game directed by Hideo Kojima.[2] The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It was well-received publicly and critically, shipping more than six million copies[3] and scoring an average of 94% in the review tallying website Metacritic's aggregate.[4] It is the third title to be released in the Metal Gear series and a direct sequel to Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake.Metal Gear Solid's story centers on Solid Snake, a retired soldier who infiltrates a nuclear weapons disposal facility to neutralize the terrorist threat from FOXHOUND, a renegade special forces unit.[5] He attempts to liberate their two hostages, the head of DARPA and the president of a major arms manufacturer, and stops the terrorists from launching a nuclear strike.[6] Snake also confronts and defeats members of FOXHOUND.[7]The commercial success of the title prompted Metal Gear Solid to be enhanced and re-released on PlayStation,[8] and Windows PC under the name Metal Gear Solid: Integral; a remake, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, was later released for the Nintendo GameCube.[9][10] The game has also spawned sequels and spin-offs. A PlayStation 2 sequel, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, was followed by two prequels — Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops — on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable respectively. Game Boy Color spin-off Ghost Babel was joined by Metal Gear Acid and Metal Gear Acid 2, both on the PlayStation Portable. Another home-console title, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, is dated for release on the PlayStation 3 in early 2008.[11]Contents [hide] 1 Gameplay 2 Story 2.1 Characters 2.2 Plot 3 Development 3.1 Localization and re-releases 3.1.1 Integral, VR Missions and Special Missions 3.1.2 The Twin Snakes 3.1.3 Comic & Digital Graphic Novel 3.1.4 Other media 4 Audio 5 Reception 6 References 7 External links[edit] Gameplay Solid Snake hiding from a guard.Despite graphical improvements, Metal Gear Solid's gameplay remains similar to its MSX predecessor Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. The player must navigate the protagonist Solid Snake through the game's areas without being detected[12] — detection sets off an alarm, which draws armed enemies to his location. To return to a lower alert setting, the player must hide, and remain undetected by the enemy until a timer reaches zero.[13]To remain undetected, the player can perform techniques which make use of Solid Snake's abilities and the environment, such as crawling under objects (using boxes as cover, ducking or hiding around walls, and making noise to distract the enemy, such as knocking on the wall). The environments the player finds himself in can determine the best actions to take. These are carried out using the third-person camera; which slowly changes its angle to give the player the best strategic view of the area possible, and an on-screen radar, which displays enemy personnel and their field of vision.[14] Solid Snake is armed with many items and gadgets, such as thermal goggles and a cardboard box disguise.[15] This emphasis on stealth promotes a less violent form of gameplay — firefights against large enemy teams will likely result in heavy damage and possible death for the protagonist.[16]Intermixed with the player's progress are plot-progressing cut scenes and radio conversations as well as encounters with boss characters. To progress, players must discover weaknesses of these enemies (such as attack patterns) to defeat them. This is where the player will most often use the game's weapon-set, ranging from pistols to rocket launchers and hand grenades.[14] Game controls and play strategies can also be accessed via the Codec radio, where advice is delivered from Snake's support crew as if the character were playing the video game; for example, the support team may chastise Snake for not saving his progress often enough, or explain his combat moves in terms of which buttons to press on the gamepad. Completion of the title provides the player with a statistical summary of their performance, and a "code name" based upon it, typically the common name of an animal.In a first for the Metal Gear series, a training mode is available in which players can practice hiding techniques, weapons use, and sneaking.[17] In addition to the stealth gameplay, there are set-piece sequences that entail firefights between the player and the enemy from the third-person and first-person perspectives.[17][edit] Story Metal Gear series fictional chronology Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Metal Gear Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake Metal Gear Solid / The Twin Snakes Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots[edit] Characters Main article: List of Metal Gear Solid characters Metal Gear Solid's protagonist is Solid Snake (voiced by Akio ,,tsuka in Japanese and David Hayter in English), a legendary infiltrator and saboteur. During the mission, Snake receives support and advice via radio. Colonel Roy Campbell (Takeshi Aono and Paul Eiding), Solid Snake's former commanding officer, supports with mission advice and battle tactics. Campbell is joined by Naomi Hunter (Hiromi Tsuru and Jennifer Hale), who gives medical advice; Nastasha Romanenko (Eiko Yamada and Renee Raudman), who provides item and weapon tips; and Mei Ling (Houko Kuwashima and Kim Mai Guest), who saves the player's progress onto a memory card.[18]The main antagonist of the game is Liquid Snake (Banjo Ginga and Cam Clarke), leader of FOXHOUND, and genetic counterpart to Solid Snake.[17] An elite special forces unit, it contains experts specializing in unique tasks. Members are Revolver Ocelot, a Western-style gunslinger and expert interrogator whose weapon of choice is the Colt Single Action Army; Sniper Wolf, a preternatural sniper; Vulcan Raven, a hulking Alaskan mystic armed with an M61 Vulcan torn from a downed F-16; Psycho Mantis, a psychic profiler and psychokinesis expert; and Decoy Octopus, a disguise expert.[17]Other characters include Meryl Silverburgh (Kyoko Terase and Debi Mae West), the niece/daughter of Roy Campbell; Dr. Hal "Otacon" Emmerich (Hideyuki Tanaka and Christopher Randolph), the lead developer of Metal Gear REX; and Cyborg Ninja (Grey Fox) (Kaneto Shiozawa and Greg Eagles), a mysterious cybernetically-enhanced agent who opposes both Solid Snake and FOXHOUND.[17][edit] Plot Solid Snake in battle against Metal Gear REX.In 2005 (six years after the events of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake),[19] FOXHOUND and the genetically-enhanced Next-Generation Special Forces unit lead an armed uprising at Shadow Moses, a remote isle located in Alaska's Fox Archipelago and the site of a nuclear weapons disposal facility.[16] In the process, they acquire Metal Gear REX, a nuclear-capable bipedal tank, threatening the U.S. government with a nuclear reprisal if they do not receive a large cash ransom and the remains of the "legendary mercenary" Big Boss.[20] Solid Snake, in retirement at Alaska's Twin Lakes,[21] is forcibly dispatched at the request of Colonel Roy Campbell to penetrate the terrorist defenses and neutralize the threat.[22]Snake first locates hostage Donald Anderson, the DARPA chief. After he informs Snake of Metal Gear REX's deactivation procedure,[23] he mysteriously dies of what appears to be a heart attack.[24] Following a brief encounter with Meryl Silverburgh, who aids their escape from the base prison, Snake continues on to find the other hostage, ArmsTech president Kenneth Baker. He is used as bait by Revolver Ocelot, and Snake is challenged to a gunfight, interrupted by the arrival of a mysterious cyborg ninja who severs Ocelot's arm before escaping. Snake is again briefed on the Metal Gear project by Baker; much like the DARPA Chief, he dies of a sudden heart attack just before revealing key information.Snake then contacts Meryl via Codec, and agrees to meet her in the base's warhead disposal area on the condition he contact Metal Gear's designer, Hal "Otacon" Emmerich. While searching for him, he encounters the giant Vulcan Raven in an M1 Abrams tank, which he swiftly disables, and locates Otacon in his lab. The cyborg ninja Snake previously encountered reappears, and after a hand-to-hand battle reveals himself to be Solid Snake's former ally Gray Fox, who Snake believed he had killed years earlier. Before they can settle their score, the ninja vanishes again. Otacon, while safe, is unaware that Metal Gear is to be used as a nuclear delivery system, and breaks down when Snake informs him that he is continuing his family's close involvement with the US nuclear program. He agrees to aid Snake remotely, using special camouflage to procure information and supplies while remaining unseen. Snake then meets Meryl, and they discuss their differing roles as soldiers- Meryl having joined the military to feel closer to her father, an Army officer killed in action. Ultimately he allows her to accompany him on his mission. Their reunion is brief, and after being telepathically coerced by Psycho Mantis to attack Snake,[25] Sniper Wolf ambushes them, wounding and capturing Meryl and eventually Snake following a sniper's duel.While imprisoned, Liquid confirms Snake's suspicion that they are twin brothers.[26] He hands Snake over to Ocelot, who tortures him,[27] but Snake quickly escapes, and after being chased to the top of the base's Communications Tower, he encounters Liquid again, in a Hind-D attack helicopter. Despite being outgunned, Snake shoots it down,[28] and upon descending the tower is yet again ambushed by Sniper Wolf, and kills her following a second duel. Otacon, enamored with her, is overcome with grief, but continues to assist Snake.Snake descends into the bowels of the Shadow Moses facility, first cutting through the base forge then down into the warehouses below. Here he encounters Raven again, this time face-to-face, and kills him. Before he dies, Raven reveals that the DARPA Chief who Snake encountered was actually FOXHOUND member Decoy Octopus in disguise.[29] Shortly after, Master Miller calls and reveals that Dr Naomi Hunter, a support agent, had given Solid Snake the genetically engineered virus "FoxDie" during his mission preparations, and is sending coded messages into the facility- Campbell swiftly orders her arrest. The virus, designed to kill people with particular genetic markers via cardiac arrest,[30][31] was responsible for the deaths of Octopus and the Armstech president.[32] Naomi, struck by guilt, contacts Snake in secret and confesses that she joined the mission to sabotage it, as she is the adoptive sister of the now barely human Gray Fox. However, upon learning of Snake's own tragic past through the current mission, she no longer has the heart to kill him directly, having reprogrammed the virus.[33]Infiltrating Metal Gear's hangar and following the supposed procedure to disarm the warhead, Snake unknowingly activates Metal Gear REX,[34] after which Master Miller reveals himself to be Liquid in disguise. He informs Snake that his entire mission was manipulated by the renegades to allow the launch of the nuclear weapon.[35] As a parting gift as he boards REX, Liquid explains that they are the product of the 1972 Les Enfants Terribles project, a government sponsored effort to clone legendary mercenary Big Boss. However, part of the process requires that their genes be altered, Solid receiving all of Big Boss' dominant genes, and Liquid receiving all the recessive genes.[36][37]Drawn into battle with Metal Gear REX, Snake manages to disable the machine's sensors with the aid of Otacon, and Gray Fox (who admits to being "Deepthroat") manages to destroy its radome, but is wounded and crushed by its foot. REX is destroyed, but Liquid survives, challenging Snake to a final fist-fight atop Metal Gear, where Snake succeeds and is reunited with Meryl- possibly for the final time, depending on the player's actions (see below). After a protracted jeep-chase with the seemingly unkillable Liquid, Snake finally escapes the facility, and his brother collapses, killed by FoxDie.[38] Colonel Campbell, briefly ousted from command of the mission, calls off a nuclear airstrike intended to obliterate the evidence of the day's events, and officially declares Snake killed in action to prevent the US Government returning for him in the future. In the immediate aftermath, the player finds out Snake is actually genetically inferior to Liquid[39] and has an indeterminate amount of time left before FoxDie kills him.[40]Depending on the player's actions during the game, there are two possible endings: in one ending, Ocelot kills Meryl and Snake escapes with Otacon, while in the other ending, she survives and escapes with Snake. Meryl's survival is recorded as canon by In The Darkness of Shadow Moses, a story featured in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. A telephone conversation following the credits reveals Ocelot to be a double agent for the President of United States, the "third", Solidus. Ocelot's intention was to gain Baker's disk containing Metal Gear's specifications and deliver it to the president.[edit] Development Development for Metal Gear Solid began in 1995[41] with the intent of creating the "best PlayStation game ever".[42] Developers aimed for accuracy and realism while making the game enjoyable and tense. In the early stages of development, a SWAT team educated the creators with a demonstration of vehicles, weapons and explosives.[42] Hideo Kojima, the director, stated that "if the player isn't tricked into believing that the world is real, then there's no point in making the game". To fulfill this, adjustments were made to every detail, such as individually designed desks.[43]The characters of Metal Gear Solid were created by Hideo Kojima; modifications and mechanics were made by conceptual artist Yoji Shinkawa. The characters were completed by polygonal artists using pencil drawings and clay models by Shinkawa.[44]Despite being the third Metal Gear title (not including the non-canonical Snake's Revenge), Kojima chose the name Metal Gear Solid over Metal Gear 3 due to the relative obscurity of the first two games. The word Solid refers to the game being the third installment in the series, and also because the game uses 3D computer graphics.[45] Later sequels and prequels also bear the Metal Gear Solid title, following a new numeral progression.Hideo Kojima wanted greater interaction with objects and the environment, such as allowing the player to hide bodies in a storage compartment. Additionally, he wanted "a full orchestra right next to the player"; a system which made modifications (such as tempo and texture) to the currently playing track, instead of switching to another pre-recorded track. Although these features could not be achieved, they were implemented in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.[46]Metal Gear Solid was revealed to the public at the E3 gaming event in 1997 as a short video. It was later playable for the first time at the Tokyo Game Show in 1998 and officially released the same year in Japan[47] with an extensive promotional campaign.[42] Television and magazine advertisements, in-store samples, and demo give-aways contributed to a total of US$8 million in promotional costs.[48][edit] Localization and re-releases The English version of Metal Gear Solid (translated by Jeremy Blaustein)[2] contains minor refinements made during localization, such as adjustable difficulty settings, alternative outfits, and a "demo theater" for viewing cut scenes and radio conversations.[49]Some countries in the PAL region received a version of the game dubbed into their language, including Spanish, German, French and Italian. Most PAL versions feature an "Extreme" mode which introduces restrictions such as extended guard vision.[17] A premium package was released in Japan and the PAL region.[50][51][edit] Integral, VR Missions and Special Missions The cover of Metal Gear Solid: Integral.Released on June 25, 1999 in Japan,[8] Metal Gear Solid: Integral is an international version with additional features and an extra disc of additional missions (established as virtual training).[20] New features included costumes, the "Very Easy" difficulty level and three game modes, one using the PocketStation. A Windows PC port of Integral was also released in Europe and North America in late 2000 with PocketStation support removed.[20][9][52] Scoring 83 in Metacritic's aggregate, the game was criticized for "graphic glitches", the aged nature of the port, and being essentially identical to the PlayStation version.[53]The extra-missions disc from Integral was released as an expansion pack outside of Japan — in North America as Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions[20] (September 23, 1999) and in the PAL region as Metal Gear Solid: Special Missions (October 29, 1999).[54] VR Missions features training missions testing the player's sneaking and fighting skill, as well as less conventional tests, such as murder-mysteries, battling giant genome soldiers, and a mode allowing the player to control the Cyborg Ninja. It includes trailers for Metal Gear Solid, a preview artwork of Metal Gear RAY from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and a "photo shoot" mode to take pictures of Mei Ling and Naomi.[55][edit] The Twin Snakes Main article: Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes An enhanced remake of Metal Gear Solid, titled Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes was developed by Silicon Knights under the direction of Hideo Kojima and released for the Nintendo GameCube in North America, Japan, and Europe in March 2004.[10] While Twin Snakes was largely developed at Silicon Knights, its cut scenes were developed in-house at Konami and directed by Japanese film director Ryuhei Kitamura, reflecting his dynamic signature style, utilizing bullet-time photography and choreographed gunplay extensively.[56] While the storyline and settings of the game were unchanged, a variety of gameplay features from Sons of Liberty were added such as the first person aiming and hanging from bars on walls. The graphics were also updated.[57][edit] Comic & Digital Graphic Novel A screenshot from the Digital Graphic Novel illustrating its artistic style. Here we see Revolver Ocelot (first three panels) conversing with Solid Snake (final panel)In September 2004, IDW Publications began publishing a series of Metal Gear Solid comics,[58] written by Kris Oprisko and illustrated by Ashley Wood.[59] As of 2006, 12 issues have been published, fully covering the Metal Gear Solid storyline.[60] The comic mimics Yoji Shinkawa's gritty style using a palette of grays and rough, sketchy paintings as panels.Announced in January 2006, Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel is an interactive comic for the PlayStation Portable.[61] Based on the Metal Gear Solid comic book adaptation, it features visual enhancements and two interactive modes designed to give further insight into the publication.[62] Upon viewing the pages, the player can open a "scanning" interface to search for characters and items in a three dimensional view.[62] Discoveries are added to a database which can be traded with other players via Wi-Fi. The "mission mode" allows the player to add collected information into a library. This information must be properly connected to complete a mission. Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel was released in North America on June 13, 2006, Japan on September 21 and the PAL region on September 22.[63] In 2006, the game received IGN's award for Best Use of Sound on the PSP.[64][edit] Other media The Metal Gear Solid Drama CD is a Japanese radio drama continuation of Metal Gear Solid. Directed by Shuyo Murata and written by Motosada Mori, it aired, in 18 segments, from 1998 to 1999 on Konami's CLUB db program. The series was later released on two separate CDs.[65][66] A fan translation has since been made available [1]. Set after the events of Shadow Moses, Solid Snake, Meryl Silverburgh, Roy Campbell and Mei Ling pursue missions in hostile third world nations as FOXHOUND. Characters not seen in Metal Gear Solid are introduced, such as Sgt. Allen Iishiba (voiced by Toshio Furukawa), a Delta Force operative who assists Snake and Meryl; Col. Mark Cortez (v.b. Osamu Saka), an old friend of Campbell who commands the fictional Esterian Special Forces; and Capt. Sergei Ivanovich (v.b. Kazuhiro Nakata), a former war buddy of Revolver Ocelot.[edit] Audio Main article: Metal Gear Solid Original Game Soundtrack Metal Gear Solid's musical score was composed by in-house musicians at Konami, including Kazuki Muraoka, who also worked on Metal Gear.[67] Composer and lyricist Rika Muranaka provided a song called "The Best is Yet To Come"[68] for the game's ending credits sequence.[69] The song is performed in Irish by Aoife Ní Fhearraigh.[70] The main theme was composed by TAPPY.[68] Music played in-game has a synthetic feel with increased pace and introduction of strings during tense moments, with a looping style endemic to video games. Overtly cinematic music, with stronger orchestral and choral elements, appears in cutscenes. The soundtrack was released on September 23, 1998, under the King Records label.[71][edit] Reception Metal Gear Solid was a commercial success, shipping over 6 million copies worldwide.[3] Upon release, it was one of the most rented games,[72] and topped sales charts in the United Kingdom.[73] The game was generally well-received by the media, and was given high scores by some of the most prominent gaming critics. Gaming website IGN awarded the "incredible" rating of 9.8/10,[74] and the GamePro website gave it a score of 5/5 in the site's retro feature.[75] GameSpot granted a lower rating of 8.5/10, calling it "revolutionary" but criticizing its short length and low difficulty.[76]Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded Metal Gear Solid the unprecedented Platinum Award (four perfect scores of 10).[77] IGN editors ranked Metal Gear Solid as the best PlayStation game ever, and gave it the "Best Ending" and "Best Villain" awards.[78]Metal Gear Solid has appeared in many "best games of all time" lists. In September 2004, PSM ranked it #1 on its "Final Playstation Top 10" list in honor of the Sony PlayStation selling 100 million units. ref In 2005, IGN editors placed it 19th out of the "Top 100 Games",[79] while the readers voted it to 9th place.[80] Members of GameFAQs ranked it the 8th best,[81] and readers of Japanese magazine Famitsu ranked it 50th in a 2006 poll.[82] It also placed 23rd in Entertainment Weekly's list,[83] and 17th in both Electronic Gaming Monthly's[84] and Game Informer's lists.[85] In 2005, GamePro ranked Metal Gear Solid first in their list of "10 Modern Classics Every Gamer Should Own."[