Metal
Gear Solid 2: Substance
In
a world ravaged by terrorism, high tech weapons of war, weapons
of mass destruction, and espionage, you bravely assume the role
of an ultra top secret hero who battles evils to defend the free
world in “Metal Gear Solid 2:Substance” for the Xbox.
So, get ready for the triple thrill challenge of the newest Metal
Gear story installment, a redux weighing full of new levels and
beyond belief extras.
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"Metal
Gear Ray" strapped down to hull of secret transport ship. |
Since 1987,
the "Metal Gear" series has drawn fans from all over the
world. It’s tech savvy espionage
themed storyline of military hero versus an army–much
like the James Bond films–created a mix that has kept the series
going through 4 main games and several spin offs. Geared
toward the older
males in the household (Since the videogame rating system began
Metal
Gear games have received "M" ratings, the equivalent to
the MPAA’s "R" rating), the series however has never shied
away from adding complicated scripts and dialogue to move the action
on the screen. And somewhat similar to the Bond series, Metal Gear’s
villains are just as complicated and slightly bizarre. The usual
storyline formula takes a slight turn this time though when our
hero “Solid Snake” steps aside later in the game and
“Raiden” takes the charge of stopping terrorists from
getting their hands on the newest robotic nuclear weapon known as
“Metal Gear Ray”.
If you are new
to the series you won’t miss a beat, as the game retells
the story of the last Metal Gear adventure through newspaper clippings.
Those with a basic foothold on gameplay can start right off into the
main game, or you can get to know the two main heroes Snake and Raiden
better through the highly addictive virtual boot camp on stealthiness
called “VR Missions.” Each
VR Mission eases you into the challenge of the overall game by teaching
you how to sneak past guards and handle weapons. Working somewhat
similar to “Star Trek’s” “Holodeck”,
enemies and targets appear before you in over 500 different missions
as you battle it out to reach the goal. The idea is along the lines
of “running the gauntlet", with each mission being long
enough to grab your interest but also short enough to hold on to it.
Each mission can be seen as a mini puzzle that is surprisingly addictive.
Unlocking
some of these enigmatic challenges adds to the VR Missions’ appeal.
You may be able to plan and execute missions against your virtual
foes using one method, but in order to get 1st place, you’ll
probably have to change your strategy several times to get the job
done.
Completing
the later missions is a real achievement, but getting a high
first place score will allow you to visit a special Konami web address
to see how you stack up against the rest. Finish enough missions
and you’ll unlock some of the game’s many secrets.
For
those who just want to get right into the main game “Sons
of Liberty”, you can choose between which chapter of the game
you want to play: “Tanker” or “Plant”, or
the original style of Tanker + Plant. Gamers who have already played
SOL for the PS2 will notice a new difficulty level and a new challenge
of collecting dog tags. Why would you want dog tags? Well, if you
successfully sneak up on an enemy and hold him up, he’ll shake
in fear and drop a tag. Get enough tags and you can unlock secret
items like infinite ammo or “stealth” (invisibility
device). Get all the dog tags and the game will give you a top secret
Konami web address where you can download cool stuff to customize
your PC or Mac!
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Metal
Gear Solid—a game so remarkable that an independent
company manufactured and commercially marketed a special disc
that allowed gamers to play the title on the Sega Dreamcast
console in order to further draw out the game’s visuals. |
If you’ve
already played Sons of Liberty and want to jump into the extras, you
can play alternate missions for the two main characters, or you can
play as the more seasoned hero of the Metal Gear series, Solid Snake,
in “Snake Tales.” Many gamers felt let down when the new
character Raiden stole the show in the second half of the original
“Sons of Liberty” game. Not only was Raiden an issue,
but SOL was a heavy story-driven epic. Even though gamers enjoyed
the cinematic aspects, including the big Hollywood soundtrack, still
a lot of gamers felt the game lost touch with its extremely popular
1998 predecessor “Metal Gear Solid” for the PlayStation.
Now with Snake Tales added to the package, there should be no complaints.
Our hero Snake is back and better, and this time he’s playable
in the second half of the game–with more espionage adventure–as
you can explore different selectable storylines. In fact, there are
5 storylines you can play in the “Plant” chapter.
MGS2: Substance
is an amazingly complete package that packs a lot of punch, as well
as heat, but by adding the alternate storylines–and other well
thought out extras–the game does an interesting job of setting
itself apart from last year’s Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of
Liberty for the PS2. Creator Hideo Kojima was well aware that there
was a lot to live up to artistically and in the way of gameplay,
so he continued to work on Metal Gear 2, like he did with Metal
Gear Sold, to produce an even more stunning and complete piece.
For those who were able to get their hands on “Metal Gear
Solid: Integral”–sold in 1999 only in Japan –gamers were
treated to a slightly enhanced version of the game plus a separate
disc (later sold in the U.S.) that included extra features, such
as VR training missions. This time U.S. gamers get a lot of “Substance”
and fans get everything they wanted.
For
More Information Visit the Official Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
Pages: |
United
States |
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