Sound: 10
Gameplay: 10
Replay Value: 10
Reviewer's Tilt: 10
Overall: 10
Reviewed by Chris
Graphics were definately not left out. The last Metal Gear Solid's graphics were mindblowing, this is no exception.This time around you receive some of the best graphics ever created in a video game, with lifelike animations and shadowing. Glass bottles shatter with extreme realism, the enemies are very interactive with their environment and will hunt you down. Everything you wanted in sequel was considered and introduced in this game. Now we can't wait for the sequel. Blood splatters look great, and wet feet leave footprints. Cigarette smoke reveals lasers, and windows break into a million pieces. Why am I telling you about this? Well, it has to do with the fact that these graphics will simply blow you away. You will be in awe at the constant 60 FPS. You will glare at the details of the humans' faces. Everything looks and feels perfect, and we must thank Hideo Kojima and his inventive team.
Are you worried about the game's playability? Don't be. It's as user-friendly as it is unique. The stealth approach to combat really adds depth and a huge fun factor. Part of the funnest parts of Metal Gear Solid 2 consists of character development, something director Hideo Kojima is damned fine at. He does an excellent job of setting up some of the most ruthless characters and giving them notable features like a heart. These characters are pure evil, but they're not all that bad, and their motives are clearly understandable. Take for instance Fortune, a boss in MGS2. She is a hot cocoa-skinned chick with a huge lightning gun, and bullets can't hit her (!) thanks to a technology developed by the GW. (If you want to know who the GW is, play the game. We don't have enough page space to even begin to discuss the multiple plot aspects.) So when you finally fight her in a boss fight, she begins to unravel everything she plans to do. She's a very brilliant character, with a nice pair of...um, boots?
Well, if you like the best sounds, music, and voice acting in any video game, then you might want to check out Metal Gear Solid 2. The voice acting is highly professional, and the adrenaline-pumping soundtrack was made by Henry Gregson-Williams, a world-renowned composer for films such as Armageddon and The Rock. The sounds are the highlights of the action, which produce excellent effects such as bullet ricochets, superb gunshot sounds and environmental sounds.
There are many things to do in this literally perfect game. First of all, you can hold people up to get their dogtags, bullets, rations, etc. Then, you can take them hostage by dragging them around so that enemy personnel won't fire at you. Then, you can either choke them and break their necks. Or shoot their limbs to make them suffer and eventually bleed to death. This is a game can be a little cruel and sadistic now and then, but remember: You don't have to be. Speaking of, you don't even have to kill anyone! Not even bosses! This is because of your tranquilizer gun, which knocks people out insead of just plain killing. One you do this, you don't even kill bosses. It's fun to do, but very challenging.
There's a few big plot twists within the game that are, well, very huge. In fact, I won't even go there. If you really want to know, play through it. There's one surprise that really made people mad. It is pretty important, and those of you who have beat the game know what I am talking about. Let's just say that no pictures that you have seen of MGS2 have been telling the whole truth. Those after the tanker mission, anyway. How do I feel about the plot twist? I think it's terrific! It gives depth to the final result of the story, and adds some real sense of wonder to the ending.
Everything about Metal Gear Solid 2 is great. This is one of 2001's best games, and one that should not be missed.