Its about time I dedicated both blog space and more time to this amazing series. I know I've said this before, but I simply don't discuss this series all that much despite how amazing it is. Its just one of those games where once it leaves my mind, I just don't find a reason to bring it back. Heck before everything big got pushed back a year, I was planning on just waiting a price drop down on MGS5 because I knew I could do without it if I ignored the hype. Still silence does not mean a lack in quality. Quite the opposite. There are some moments and times where I have to wonder if certain areas of MGS make it one of the best franchises out there ever made, and one specific game even makes me think from time to time if it'd qualify as my all time favorite. Yes I put it on spot #10 or so on my old list, but its just one of those where your not truly sure what to do with. That game is the very same one I'm playing right now again: Metal Gear Solid 3.
Obviously this blog post isn't so much about first impressions as it is gushing about how amazing the game is. I'm 7 hours in according to the timer, and loving it just as much, if not more, than back when I was playing it in my early teens in the PS2 era. This game just has nearly everything good going for it. There's massive mechanical depth, a great learning curve, multiple playstyles, heavily cinematic cut-scenes and deep story telling, extra story telling under gameplay via codec calls, tons of content, hidden unlockables, optional side areas, survival elements, graphics that still hold up today (not that it looks like a modern game, but it just looks so solid in every single area), a theme rooted in between 60's era and spy movies, and so many hidden little secrets to find that many people are still discovering hidden actions after over a decade. Heck, I personally just discovered how you can kill one of the bosses before he even has his boss fight sequence, and then called to trigger a funny codec call about the bosses "always exploding" when they die. This game is brilliant!
MGS3 has everything I could have wanted over top of MGS2, which is where I started with the series. It took the complex stealth/action mechanics, hidden secrets, and awesome cut-scenes from the 2nd game, and added in jungle survival in a massive way, as well as more open level designs. You now could hunt food, cage animals and throw them at people, there was a camouflage system in place, and even more gear to start with in the first place. The only thing they truly removed was the radar system, which I'm completely fine honestly. I sunk some serious time into just goofing around in MGS2 when I was like 10, so naturally being given all MGS3 had to offer was just unbelievable. You can kind of see why I'm so serious about mechanical depth in games now, the truly talented can wind up like this game... or smash bros, or unreal tournament. However sticking to topic here, this game just had an absurd amount of work put into it for a PS2 game, and naturally I'm happy to be playing an enhanced version alongside my other favorite on a portable system united with one chip.
The only problem I really have with this otherwise perfect game is the controls. Believe it or not I once hated the newer controls of the franchise. I'm not entirely sure why, or maybe it was just strictly with MGS4 (which I don't own, so I cannot test it again at the moment). Now though, going directly from ground zeroes, to MGS3, I'm quite annoyed with the entire crouching system. Its very stiff and rigid, and that's just the crawl I'm talking about. The actual crouch is just a stance you take before the crawl, actual crouch sneaking just does not exist. In order to sneak, you have to be standing and walking with the L button held down, leaving you feeling like the worst stealth agent ever since you've got to be walking out in the open in order to "sneak". Meanwhile they'll somehow hear you if you crawl up to them, which just doesn't make much sense. Then there's the Vita stepping in to make matters a bit worse. The peak buttons are touch sensitive, interrogation is as well, and then its just better off not bothering with that stuff. On top of that, sitting there staring down at a screen is a bit
painful for the neck. In general this game is likely better on the consoles, but sadly that version is sold separately.
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| Sneaky, sneaky |
To be honest I may just end up getting it back on home consoles. I'm considering my options, and really all I need to complete the series is to get the PS3 HD collection, and then buy the $4 copy of MGS4. I've kind of gone all out on Metal Gear mania lately. I looked into getting a Foxhound hat again, and ended up ordering custom pieces to make my own (with the patches being dirt cheap compared to the ridiculous merchandise prices). I've been looking into the old games, checking up on critical insights on the past of the series, and now I've been digging deep into MGS3 and ground zeroes. Its just felt good to get hyped up for MGS5, and its a series truly worth being hyped up for. With the grand finale coming (because seriously, if Kojima is leaving Konami after the game that's supposed to tie the whole middle of the story up, don't seriously tell me we're getting another Metal Gear of worthy quality) I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a good send off to what is honestly one of the best franchises out there. Even at its worst (probably 1 & 4.. I'm not counting weird spin-offs like acid) its still been a deeply moving and innovative series. Until the conclusion though, I'll be working on this game, the best within the currently existing franchise. ...and maybe finding those XOF patches on the PS4 version of Ground Zeroes.
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| Thanks for being awesome |
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