Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is the fourth entry in Konami's Metal Gear series and continues to follow the exploits of Solid Snake, a legendary mercenary who's already foiled three devious and bizarre plots involving various incarnations of Metal Gear, a bipedal, nuclear-capable robot whose existence threatens to destabilize an already jittery near-future world.
In Metal Gear Solid 2, Solid Snake is working for a fringe group known as Philanthropy, an organization devoted to the destruction of Metal Gear projects around the world. Thanks to the fallout from Snake's previous mission on Shadow Moses Island, any country with a decent bankroll now has access to Metal Gear technology. To combat this problem, the Marines have developed a new Metal Gear, known as Metal Gear Ray. Snake's mission is to infiltrate a tanker headed out to sea and obtain proof of the existence of this new Metal Gear, while keeping out of sight in the process.
Things soon take a turn for the worse as a rogue group of Russian soldiers take control of the tanker and its precious cargo. And thus begins Metal Gear Solid 2's plot, which features a cast of characters, new and old, wrapped around a core that is part military techno-thriller, part comic book heroics, and in keeping with the Metal Gear Solid tone, part philosophy.
Infiltration and stealth are of key importance to a successful mission, but there are also ample opportunities to cause death and destruction. The environments in Metal Gear Solid 2 are more interactive than its predecessor, as weapon fire damages windows and knocks items across the room. More precise sharp shooting is not only possible in this sequel, but also necessary at times. Of course, well-considered strategies and careful, stealthy execution are absolutely crucial to success.
Controls
L1 Button = lock onto an enemy soldier with equipped weapon
L2 Button = equip item button
R1 Button = first person view button
R2 Button = equip weapon button
Start Button = pause; button controls; display map
Select Button = enter codec mode
D-Pad = movement; camera movement
Left Analog Stick = movement; camera movement
Square Button = use weapon; throw/choke
X Button = toggle crouch/stand
Triangle Button = action button
Circle Button = punch; knock (when flattened against wall)
Right Analog Stick = change camera angle ~ Mark Hoogland, All Game Guide
Review
If there was any question before, it's now clear that Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear series, deserves to be mentioned in the same class as Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto and Sega's Yu Suzuki. With Metal Gear Solid 2, one of the finest pieces of software yet released for the PlayStation 2, Kojima has shown that, like the best of artists, he can transcend the medium in which he works to create something that should be universally recognized as pure brilliance.
Looking at any one individual area of Metal Gear Solid 2 will uncover some small deficiencies. However, when judged as a whole, the total package more than makes up for the shortcomings of any of its parts. The gameplay of Metal Gear Solid 2 has much in common with its 1998 predecessor, but like any good sequel, the game has been updated a great deal. The result is an extremely solid, entertaining experience that only gets better as it goes along.
Unlike the relatively simple super-soldiers of Metal Gear Solid, the enemies in MGS 2 are smarter, meaner, and packing more firepower. They also work together in a far greater capacity, and when you're discovered, the situation can quickly degenerate into impossible odds. This makes the stealth component of the gameplay even more vital. Guards still have a limited field of vision, so it isn't impossible to get around, but players will have to use their smarts as well as skills, especially at the higher difficulty levels.
Even though your chief weapon is stealth, the game is still violent. Metal Gear Solid 2 might just be the most realistically violent game yet created, and it certainly earns its M rating. But pacifists, take heart. It's possible to complete the game without killing anyone except bosses, and the non-lethal combat options are quite impressive. Then again, sadists can kill all of the enemies that they want, so long as they do it carefully and quietly.
The storyline is one of its most difficult aspects to discuss, given the secretive nature of the developers, and the twists and turns they've thrown into the plot. Suffice it to say that there are some real bombs dropped in the game. Some of these are slightly telegraphed, but there are others that are absolutely, jaw-droppingly surprising. The cast of characters, both old and new, is impressive, and the voice acting is among the best heard on a console. The same can be said about the visually stunning cut-scenes, which run in real time and are directed with the eye of a seasoned Hollywood director.
Overall, the plot does occasionally seem to stray and lose its focus, and you might think that the developers overloaded the story to make it seem more complex than necessary. But the storyline is probably far deeper than in any game before it, and if one truly examines all of its finer aspects after all is said and done, everything that has happened comes into focus. Everything serves a purpose, and what seemed like a liability at first is redeemed.
In short, Metal Gear Solid 2 looks beautiful, plays precisely, and has a complex, detailed plot that will tax your brain and maybe even have you questioning the greater truths of life. If that's not a game that qualifies for a perfect score, then no game possibly can. ~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide
