Reviewed by CL on 7/21/2005
Metal Gear Solid is the best Playstation game in my collection, and could be argued as the best Playstation game ever. This game pretty much defined the stealth espionage genre of games that are so common today. The stealth espionage idea had roots starting with the original Metal Gear for Nintendo. However, the execution was not so good and it felt more like a small game feature rather than its focus. Metal Gear Solid was the first game to successfully integrate stealth and action into a truly new and fresh gaming experience.
There are so many good things to say about this game and why it deserves to be in everyone's collection that I don't really know where to start. The first thing you notice with this game is the amazing amount of detail and polish that went into this game. Everything from the cinematic opening to cigarette smoke used to detect laser trip wires. The attention to detail in this game is so noticeable that I feel comfortable saying that the world created in this game rivals anything available today on the 128 bit systems. The graphics are cutting edge for the PS1 and the style and presentation make the most of all the great visuals.
However, the main focus of this game is not the flashy visuals; it is focused on the gameplay. This is the area where this game truly shines. This game presents a completely different type of gameplay where it is rewards being sneaky and stealthy instead of brute force. This makes the game very cool to play since you're forced to hide in cardboard boxes and dodge tripwires and do other cool spy stuff. It’s a gaming experience unlike any other.
I know that this review is a little disjointed and jumpy, it doesn't do this great game justice. I feel confident saying that this is a game that everyone should have in their collection because it is a classic that started one of the most popular genres in gaming. Also, its a great game that you won't be sorry you picked up.
