Current Events > Been playing Metal Gear Solid 1 for the first time *spoilers, probably*

(+) Yeah! (+)

I read a few recommendations, and a common opinion seems to be that Metal Gear 1 and 2 can be dated to the point its frustrating to play, and that you can maybe skip them. I think MGS has a log or something on the title screen. Might read it after I beat the game. I basically just beat the ninja and met up with Meryl right after that.

So far the game is pretty fun. My movement isnt very precise, so sometimes I end up dying due to dumb stuff. Regular combat is pretty meh, though of course I shouldnt really get into it very often if I can help it. Bosses are kinda fun. They usually take me a few tries, again cause I feel like combat is iffy. So even when I get it, I dont perform as I should.

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I think the relevant bits from MG1 and MG2 are this:

From MG1, the US received word that a fortified military base called Outer Heaven was creating a WMD. Big Boss, head of FOXHOUND, sent in Grey Fox to infiltrate, but he was captured and only managed to send the message, "Metal Gear..." Big Boss next sent in Solid Snake. Snake rescues Grey Fox and learns Metal Gear is a nuclear-equipped walking battle tank that can launch a nuclear missile to any target on the planet. When he goes to face the head of Outer Heaven, he discovers that it's actually Big Boss who has been using his position in the military to funnel money and state secrets into making Outer Heaven a superpower. Snake destroys the Metal Gear and believes he kills Big Boss.

From MG2, Roy Campbell, the new head of FOXHOUND, send Snake into Zanzibar Land for reasons that aren't important. He discovers that they've created a new Metal Gear (this is a recurring plot element, you might imagine), Big Boss survived and is leading the forces, and that Grey Fox joined him. Snake "kills" Grey Fox and burns Big Boss to death with a can of hairspray and a lighter.

The overall motivation behind Big Boss and Grey Fox were that soldiers can't escape the battefield. Big Boss established Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land so they could be places where soldiers could live and fight, respected and not used as pawns by politicians.

No, you've got it wrong. I hate war. Just like all the kids here. But... I need it. War is all we know. We can't make it in the normal world. We need the battlefield to survive. Big Boss gives us a place to fight. Conflict is on our blood. We can't deny it. I was born on the battlefield... And I'll die on the battlefield. All I can do is fight, Snake... all I can do is fight.

Once you've been on the battlefield, tasted the exhilaration, the tension... it all becomes part of you. Once you've awakened the warrior within... it never sleeps again. You crave even bigger tensions, ever bigger thrills. As a mercenary, I'd think you would have realized that by now. You care nothing for power, or money, or even sex. The only thing that satisfies your cravings... is WAR!

All I've done is give you a place for it. I've given you a reason to live.You saw those children, didn't you? Every one is a victim of a war somewhere of the world. And they'll make fine soldiers in the next war. Start a war, for its flames, create victims... Then save them, train them... And feed them back onto the battlefield. It's a perfectly logical system. In this world of ours, conflict never ends. And neither does our purpose... our raisond'etre.

On the battlefield, you and I are valuable commodities. But back "home", we're nothing but dead weight. If we're lucky, we might get the attention of some two-bit journalist from a cheap tabloid.You and I are doomed to remain here until we die like dogs on the battlefield.

It doesn't matter who wins here. Our fight will continue. The loser will be liberated from the battlefield, and the survivor will live out the rest of his days as a soldier.

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Tag, Brotherrr!

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Oh so the Gray Fox and Pyscho Mantis fights were super close to each other. The controls sorta got to me in this fight as well, kind of a pain to dodge everything. I feel like I watched his death scene years ago, way before this. It felt familiar. Meryl calling his face gross felt messed up, but he did just mind control her, so I think I get why she didnt really feel like being nice >_>.

pegusus123456 posted...
I appreciate this post. Its nice to have more context when people say stuff about his past, and particularly Zanzibar

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I only have one question that you won't have the answer to yet.

Did you like his sunglasses?

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*kisses poster in locker*

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Save after you get the sniper rifle. Also dont give up.

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my finger hurts

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PerseusRad posted...

my finger hurts

Isn't it... A thrill?

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I remember MGS came out around the same time as the first Dual Shock controller, and feeling that vibration move from one side of the controller to the other as the Hind D flew overhead was mind-blowing

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ug ug ug ug ug ug aw

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Just reached Disc 2. Ive still died at least once to every boss fight >_>. Its interesting how some items like chaff grenades and stun grenades get really important usage in regular situations. Ive been so used to just sneaking, that I often forget theyre there, and then get annoyed in the sections where it feels like I have no choice but to get shot, only to realize after I die or almost die.

I enjoy these speeches (I feel like theres a better word for it) that give a pretty good anti-war message. Somehow it doesnt feel as heavy-handed as it could. Considering Ive always heard the MGS series is a bit wonky, and seen a few examples, Im surprised how muted (somewhat) this game is.

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MGS1 is pretty straightforward, psychic asexuals, Inuit shamans, and shady understanding of genetics aside. It's really only MGS2 that gets super weird.
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watch out for their highly advance security systems like cameras

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I liked this game quite a bit, but the whole ending gameplay sequence from the Metal Gear fight to the end kinda bugged me. As Im posting this, I just listened to the stinger. Definitely has me interested in more.

Strider102 posted...

I only have one question that you won't have the answer to yet.

Did you like his sunglasses?

>_> They were pretty effective. Honestly I noticed he wasnt popping up on the codec for a bit, but I thought it was because he was investigating Naomi.


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NICE are you gonna play 2

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Congrats on beating mgs1.

I only played it myself in 2015, during the lead up to phantom pain. It's a good game because it balances the cinematic aspect and the gamey aspects perfectly.

Some games are more cinematic, other games are more gamey. Peace Walker is one of my favorite games because of the latter. I think you'll like the rest of the games.

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DocileOrangeCup posted...

NICE are you gonna play 2

Yeah I think so. Substance is the one to play, yeah? Assuming I cant get the Collection.

MrMallard posted...

Congrats on beating mgs1.

I only played it myself in 2015, during the lead up to phantom pain. It's a good game because it balances the cinematic aspect and the gamey aspects perfectly.

Some games are more cinematic, other games are more gamey. Peace Walker is one of my favorite games because of the latter. I think you'll like the rest of the games.

Some of the fixed camera angles definitely reminded me somewhat of movies, which Im sure he was going for. I havent played a lot of older games, just never got around to them, but I feel like Ive heard that these types of angles were a lot more prevalent back then. Theyre done to a point in modern games, but then the camera usually snaps back to normal after we see what were supposed to see.

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PerseusRad posted...

Yeah I think so. Substance is the one to play, yeah? Assuming I cant get the Collection

Sweet that's my favorite game of all time. Yeah substance is the best. The HD collection u mean? Or legacy

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I started up MGS2 just to have it ready to play when I felt like it. Is Otacons VA the same from the first game? >_> I think it is, but he just sounds so calm, its hard to tell.

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It's the same.

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Otacon's VA is Christopher Randolph, he's the man

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PerseusRad posted...

I started up MGS2 just to have it ready to play when I felt like it. Is Otacons VA the same from the first game? >_> I think it is, but he just sounds so calm, its hard to tell.

They're very persistent with voice actors until late in the series. Some even voice other characters as well.

MGS2 was fucking groundbreaking in terms of what they were pulling off in terms of hardware, interactivity with environment, the amount of things you could do...

And yet the simple stuff generally still works too. I play a game from the series once a year, at least. Glad you enjoyed the OG; did you consider the Gamecube remake, or was it an availability thing?

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IIRC, Christopher Randolph and David Hayter said they played the parts as if Snake and Otacon were in a relationship.

I personally was not surprised.

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ShyOx posted...

Glad you enjoyed the OG; did you consider the Gamecube remake, or was it an availability thing?

The version I played was just the most available to me. Although unfortunately my controller didnt have rumble, so I missed a few good parts that were super obviously going to use it. Just how it goes though.

pegusus123456 posted...

IIRC, Christopher Randolph and David Hayter said they played the parts as if Snake and Otacon were in a relationship.

I personally was not surprised.

Ill try to see if I notice anything when I go through the game. Assuming youre talking about 2 here.

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don't worry if you end up hating mgs2, it is in fact worse than 1

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PerseusRad posted...

Ill try to see if I notice anything when I go through the game. Assuming youre talking about 2 here.

I think they were talking about MGS4, but I kinda get the vibe in the second game too.

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Guerrilla Soldier posted...

don't worry if you end up hating mgs2, it is in fact worse than 1

Story, yes; plot, probably; aura and atmosphere, yes

But gameplay? Nah son, gameplay of 2 was on fuckin point

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ShyOx posted...

Story, yes; plot, probably; aura and atmosphere, yes

For reference, MGS2 is by far the weirdest of the first four games. I haven't played MGS5 or GZ or wtf ever, but I'm betting it's still weirder than them.

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pegusus123456 posted...

For reference, MGS2 is by far the weirdest of the first four games. I haven't played MGS5 or GZ or wtf ever, but I'm betting it's still weirder than them.

It is, mostly due to the jarring nature of 2.

I'm a huge MGS fan though, it's the only 3 or more series I've beat in its entirety. Wow, I just now realized that too...

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2 is the best MGS, you're in for a treat TC

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Gwynevere posted...

2 is the best MGS, you're in for a treat TC

Def got the most replay value outside of challenging yourself in MGS5

Honestly kinda jealous of TC at this point, MGS2 is a game that totally holds up if you can get over the controls

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i like mgs1 a lot but now it kind of just feels like a proof for mgs2 which is the real achievement

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So far the game is fun. If I remember when I saw in passing over the years, people didnt really take to Raiden, at least not to start with. I can see why, Snake seems obviously more likable. Its not like I hate him or anything, I can easily see his arc where he gets more mature over the course of the mission. I kinda burned myself out listening to the colonels control tip codec calls, that Im not gonna remember anyway >_>. Ill have more fun when I just play and figure it out.

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He built his first atomic bomb at 10. That got me.

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Im spending too much time trying and failing to stick people up, Im doing the classic thing where I frustrate myself out of a game i otherwise like.

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PerseusRad posted...

Im spending too much time trying and failing to stick people up, Im doing the classic thing where I frustrate myself out of a game i otherwise like.

I never bothered with all that, but are you firing at all? I think you can improve the odds by crippling limbs and firing near them with loud weapons like shotguns.
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pegusus123456 posted...

I never bothered with all that, but are you firing at all? I think you can improve the odds by crippling limbs and firing near them with loud weapons like shotguns.

My issue was more figuring out how to best hold people up, esp with other enemies around. Not having a silenced weapon sucks as well. I think I was just going about things the wrong way, it's going a bit better.

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PerseusRad posted...

My issue was more figuring out how to best hold people up, esp with other enemies around. Not having a silenced weapon sucks as well. I think I was just going about things the wrong way, it's going a bit better.

Neutralizing short term and then getting through an area is the best tactic. Remember, you just have to get through the area 90% of the time. Every time you tranq someone, you leave a body, every kill leaves a body etc

What difficulty you doing?

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ShyOx posted...

Neutralizing short term and then getting through an area is the best tactic. Remember, you just have to get through the area 90% of the time. Every time you tranq someone, you leave a body, every kill leaves a body etc

What difficulty you doing?

Just Normal. Honestly I've never been a huge fan of stealth games. Probably because when I get frustrated, I just keep getting worse instead of better, and stealth punishes that. I think I'm getting preoccupied with all the new stuff, instead of focusing on the game, so I oughta relax a bit.

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ShyOx posted...

Neutralizing short term and then getting through an area is the best tactic. Remember, you just have to get through the area 90% of the time. Every time you tranq someone, you leave a body, every kill leaves a body etc

This is the right way to play stealth games. It's also the exact opposite to the way I play stealth games. I don't consider an area cleared until I can do fuckin' cartwheels through it without being detected.

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I still think it's the best out of the series. The feeling just gets darker as the story progresses. And ends on a somewhat higher note. I can't describe it as nostalgia. It's just a unique feeling.

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pegusus123456 posted...

This is the right way to play stealth games. It's also the exact opposite to the way I play stealth games. I don't consider an area cleared until I can do fuckin' cartwheels through it without being detected.

Lol I was the same for a long, long time. But then I realized a huge chunk of the fun is by the skin of the teeth making it through areas without being seen.
PerseusRad posted...

Just Normal. Honestly I've never been a huge fan of stealth games. Probably because when I get frustrated, I just keep getting worse instead of better, and stealth punishes that. I think I'm getting preoccupied with all the new stuff, instead of focusing on the game, so I oughta relax a bit.

Yeah that's the right way to do it. You get a silenced tranq gun in the easier versions. Don't be afraid to kill people, just like you said, doing it unsilenced is hard without using the choke.

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I started with MG1 and MG2. If you think they will be dated, you'll be impressed at how ahead of their time they were

My favorite franchise of all time, and I actually think 2 is the best and does have the best story. Yes it's weird, but it also accomplishes ridiculously ambitious storytelling the kind of predicted the future and where we are now in terms of the age of the Internet. It's eerie how much that game correctly predicted about the future

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3 is the best IMO but 2 is incredible.

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Just beat the first real boss and met the ninja. Fatman wasnt really fun, but he also wasnt hard if you had health coming in. I only died because I was trying to attack Fortune and used all my rations earlier. It felt kinda tedious.

The story really isnt as gripping as 1s was. The gameplay is overall enjoyable, but has some of 1s flaws, while bringing in more to deal with.

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I found the tranq stuff probably later than I should have >_>. This is gonna make things great once I get used to using it again. I felt really good with it when I was using Snake.

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@Master_Faust