METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY is to METAL GEAR SOLID what THE MATRIX RELOADED is to THE MATRIX.
This might sound crazy, but think about it. Both are early ’00s sequels to late ’90s blockbuster hits that redefined their respective mediums. Both have a major plot twist that completely changed what we knew about the series (among many, many other plot twists). And both are praised for their technical aspects but still completely polarize audiences in regards to story.
It’s been nearly 15 years since the game came out and almost a decade since I’ve last replayed it myself. The times have changed after two new generations of gaming consoles and many innovations made throughout the 00s and 10s (many of which owe a debt to MGS2). So I was more curious about replaying this game than any of the other METAL GEAR games in order to see how well it held up and if it really deserved to be arguably the most controversial METAL GEAR game ever made.
Fortunately, the game holds up incredibly well for its age, which is what can be said for most of the top Playstation 2 games compared to their Playstation predecessors. MGS2 makes a few big improvements over METAL GEAR SOLID and the differences feel like night and day in terms of gameplay.
For starters, the addition of being able to shoot in first person solves a lot of the gameplay issues from the previous entries. And trust me, you’re going to need to do some first person action for taking out enemies from above and below, as well as the plain fact that third person shooting is the equivalent to being blindfolded.
MGS2 was groundbreaking for its use of both cover and using laser sights to guide the player’s aim (though a great deal of that credit goes to WINBACK), as well as basing accuracy on where the player aims, rather than basing it completely on chance and percentage.
However, the aiming system is not without its outdated set of flaws. The first thing that might frustrate modern gamers is the lack of being able to move while in first person, which could’ve easily been corrected by utilizing the second directional pad.
But the biggest problem with the aiming is that it’s too damn sensitive. Push the directional button just a little bit and you’ll swing the gun all the way to the other side of the room. It would’ve been nice to have the option to adjust sensitivity, not to mention soft auto aiming for enemies within point blank range (it’s much easier to hit an enemy thirty yards away than three feet away). And since we’re on the topic of point blank range, melee attacks feel a bit useless at times because you have to wait for the enemy to get completely back up before striking them again (and hope they don’t trigger alerts or hit you first). Too bad MGS2 didn’t take a note from DOUBLE DRAGON and allowed for some melee attacks while the enemy’s on the floor.
While the first person perspective made a huge improvement, it’s not the only thing that made a quantum leap. While they’re still short sighted as ever, enemies aren’t content with simply pacing back and forth during patrols and running around during alert mode before calling it a day. Enemies are far more ruthless this time around and will pursue you beyond just one room in alert mode, make group formations, and use a radio for both alerting enemy presence and to check into headquarters. And while this is common territory for modern stealth games, the fact that MGS2 helped create it and just how well it’s held up cannot be stated enough.
Also, after the slew of open world and semi-open world games out there, it actually feels refreshing to play a game that has a greater focus on level design. And while The Plant might seem like a small municipal in comparison to the large behemoths of today’s AAA games, few games have such clever craft when it comes to their locations. Every section of The Plant is unique and will push every one of your skills to the test.
On a side note, I will say that the graphics have held up fairly well. While the details and facial animations have shown their age, the HD has given everything a nice facelift with smoother textures and more details (and sometimes details I didn’t want to see…).
Feels like I’m wearing nothing at all.
Nothing at all.
NOTHING AT ALL!
But its technical merits were not the lightning rod for controversy. Rather, the real controversy comes from not playing Snake throughout the majority of the game.
But how do you follow up Solid Snake? Who could possibly replace the manliest video game protagonist ever? How can any character compete against the man with the grit of Clint Eastwood, the swagger of Charleston Heston, the testosterone of Sylvester Stallone, and the charm of Sean Connery?
Simple. Create the most effeminate, bishonen character in video game history.
Looking back at it, the whole outrage against Jack/Raiden was just a bunch of nontroversy. Although it could’ve been interesting if they had taken another route with, say, a female Meryl-like protagonist, it only made sense to have Raiden be near opposite of Snake. Having a Snake-like protagonist would’ve been even more infuriating, since what’s the point of having a Snake rip off when we could play as the real deal. And with this particular story, there wasn’t really much for Snake to do.
The problem isn’t with Raiden’s character. The problem is that the supporting cast and Raiden’s relationship with them just isn’t compelling.
Throughout the previous METAL GEAR entries, the one constant thread they all had were some great supporting characters and enemies. And while there were plenty of interesting characters here, they only had a few minutes in the spotlight, both in cutscene and fights. Which is a real shame, since Fortune could’ve been one of the best bosses had she not been given an anti-climatic battle and a quick death.
Most of the time is spent between Raiden and his girlfriend/data analyst Rose. And while I do like romance, the constant bickering between the two forgotten anniversaries got to be tiresome real fast. Put it simply, MGS2 felt less like a war time drama and more like a soap opera. Snake and Otacon’s bromance is a million times more interesting than Jack and Rose’s anniversary drama.
That’s not to say that there weren’t great moments to be found. Peter Stillman (Greg Eagles) had some of the best codec moments, Hal and Emma bring some compelling sibling moments, and David Hayter is at his best as Solid Snake. Still, there’s not as much soul in METAL GEAR SOLID 2 as there was in METAL GEAR SOLID.
And as far as the plot goes, it’s far less convoluted than I was expecting. Are kaiju Metal Gears, water-walking vampires, and soldier cloned presidents over the top? Sure. But is it really any more extravagant than psychokinetic psychics, M61 toting shamans, and blood transfused decoy men?
The only thing that really took me out of the game was Liquid Ocelot. I understand that Liquid Snake was arguably the series’ best antagonist, but bringing him back to life by attaching his arm to Revolver Ocelot and mind controlling him was a dumb idea then and is still one of the stupidest twists I’ve ever seen in a video game. Revolver Ocelot is compelling enough of an antagonist without having to cartoonishly morph him into “Liquid Ocelot”. And yes, I know they explained the reason behind Liquid Ocelot later on. But that’s trading an illogical question for an even more illogical answer.
And while a lot of the story is hit and miss, I found myself liking the themes more than I did previously. The whole theme of the internet and the memetic mutation of misinformation online didn’t make much sense in late era of web 1.0 when the game was first released, but it seems more relevant now than ever. And the other themes, from identity to the nature of sequels, was much more profound during my recent playthrough. It’s a game worthy of replaying to delve further into the plot, even if the numerous cutscenes and codec calls can feel overwhelming at times.
Regardless of whether you think METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY‘s story is a metafictional masterpiece or just a pretentious load, there’s no denying that the gameplay makes it one of the greatest PS2 games ever made. Its tightly constructed maps, mechanics, and challenges will still satisfy both hardcore gamers and newcomers to the series. Not to mention that METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SUBSTANCE adds a substantial amount of scenarios and content, making it all the more worthwhile to get. METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY might not have the heart that its predecessor did, but it upped the ante with clever gameplay and masterful craftmanship.
RELEASE DATE: November 12th, 2001
PUBLISHER: Konami
DEVELOPER: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
ESRB: M (Mature)
