Snake? SNAAAAAKE!

[Nique]

Hello my name is Nique I am 27 years old and I am going to play 'Metal Gear Solid' for the first time. What do I need to know?

[Meister]

It's on the actual CD case the game comes in.

[greed]

Is this the first time you're playing the first game or the first time you're playing the whole series?

If the former, not really much to say. If it's the series, then the important thing to know is if you like the gameplay but find the writing annoying, maybe skip to 3 after 1. 2's not bad per se but it really goes up it's own ass with the storyline. 3 has the best gameplay and keeps the story as a nice enjoyable pastiche of 60s spy flicks. The story is also fairly unconnected to 2's so skipping 2 won't really matter. 2's plot is really important to 4 though.

[Nique]

It's on the actual CD case the game comes in.

I can only assume the meaning of this cryptic message will become clear once I start.

@ greed - well, we bought the 'Complete Collection' so we'll probably go ahead and play 2 as well but yeah I'm playing MGS PS1 style for the first time.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Well, seeing as you're asking, I suppose it's not such a big problem if I leak a tiny spoiler, though I'll stick it in tags anyway;

Save Meryl. Otherwise the plot will make no sense later on

Oh and remember to change controller sockets. You'll know when.

[Spooniest]

I would say what you need to know is that this isn't Contra. Don't go on a psychopathic kill-spree until you've learned the way the game works, and have become confident, or you'll get wasted.

Be extremely paranoid about anything that could give away your position. Look before you leap. Don't waste resources.

Have fun!

[Seil]

Snake has a history with foxes.

And Liquid is armed. (http://www.gigaville.com/images/foxhound_037.png)

[BitVyper]

People are gonna tell you this game is about stealth, but those people all played the game wrong. There's actually a hidden "coward stat" in every game that measures how often you hide, and what weapons you use. The higher it is, the dumber the plot gets, and the game trusts you to play it less. By the time most people got to MGS4, their coward stat was maxed out (it tracks you between games and even systems! I'm not sure how), so the game was mostly cutscenes, and the plot was convoluted and ridiculous. In THEIR ending Big Boss is so disappointed in them he fakes his own death so as not to be associated with them any longer.

What you're SUPPOSED to do is remain in the open at all times and punch EVERYONE. Even Otakon. ESPECIALLY Otakon.

You'll know if you messed up the first game because Grayfox will die, and in the second game you won't get to play as Snake except during the intro. That was supposed to be the major hint that people were playing wrong, but no one got it.

[CABAL49]

Switch controller ports.

[Ramary]

Prepare the Metal Gear wiki, you will need it to understand what the fuck is going on in MGS2 and 4. Even then, you have little hope.

1 and 3 are less prone to this,the most coherent is 3 (also my favorite of the games).


ALSO: Look at the ass, it is important.

[Kim]

Play Metal Gear AC!D 1 & 2. You can thank me later.

[Locke cole]

I also very much like 3. It felt like I was actually sneaking and successfully infiltrating places.

[BitVyper]

Also if you keep your coward stat at zero throughout all four main titles, you unlock Dance Battle Mode.

[Revising Ocelot]

If you play MGS3, MAKE SURE YOU GET THE SUBSISTENCE VERSION.

[synkr0nized]

Hello my name is Nique I am 27 years old and I am going to play 'Metal Gear Solid' for the first time. What do I need to know?

Learn to enjoy watching cutscenes.

Learn the Shadow Moses island layout. You will likely backtrack through it a couple times.

[Revising Ocelot]

Oh, and leave at least an one hour buffer for cutscenes. Seriously. Longer if you're near the end of a game.

[Seil]

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/evolutionskate_052902_17_640w.jpg

If you're fast enough, sometimes you'll see some characters in their underwear. If you're not, well, you'll have to bear Raiden without his underwear.

[Ecks]

Contrary to what a one armed man will tell you later, it is totally okay to use Autofire. He won't know.

[Solid Snake]

Oh for fuck's sake.
...What, Nique?
Oh, no, let me shout it dramatically like you did.
Wwwwhhhhhaaaaaatttttt?

[Seil]

Metal Gear Acid is to the Metal Gear series as the contents of a Port-A-Pottie at a construction site.

[MuMu]

Play 3, skip the rest.

[Nique]

Play Metal Gear AC!D 1 & 2. You can thank me later.

Metal Gear Acid is to the Metal Gear series as the contents of a Port-A-Pottie at a construction site.

This is a pretty vast difference in opinion. Explain?

[CelesJessa]

Don't listen to everyone else. Play all of them. In numerical order.

Play Ghost Babel (also known as Metal Gear Solid on the gameboy).

[Kerensky287]

Don't listen to everyone else. Play all of them. In reverse numerical order.

Fixed.

It's a countdown, really.

A countdown that they released backward.

[CelesJessa]

Vague things to know:

Cigarettes are always useful!
Watch out for Poisonous Zanzibar Hamsters
Owls are great ways to tell time
Cardboard boxes will save your life
Everyone is lying to you, always
Hide the bodies!
Manage to avoid drowning!
Someone will pee their pants
There are 260 steps on the ladder in MGS3
Glowing mushrooms can save your life
Don't let beautiful women touch you
Ketchup totally looks like blood
The guards can hear you sneeze
Stinger missiles are the best way to snipe
Hiding under tanks is cowardly, but easy
Call everyone on Codec, all the time.
Ocelot is carrying a mousetrap
BEEEEES
If you get food poisoning, spin around until you vomit
Tranq EVERYTHING.
Syringes have more than one use
Watch for the glint on his scope
Up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A might come in handy (If you're a cheater)

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

I duno about reverse order but you could certainly play them anachronistically, starting with 3, then Portable Ops, then Peace Walker, then the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, the move on to Metal Gear Solid, MGS2 and finally MGS4.

It only requires 5 different consoles and you get the full story in chronological order!

Also I don't think the Acid games are canon so leave them out anyway.

[Kim]

This is a pretty vast difference in opinion. Explain?

AC!D and its sequel are under appreciated gems that take place in their own timeline seperate from the MGS games. To prevent himself from mischaracterizing Snake with his own take on Snake's character growth, the games focus on questioning Snake's very identity. They use a card based mechanic but are still very stealth focused. With nothing to compare against, the first is clunky though charming and memorable. The second fixes much of the clunkiness, but the villains aren't as memorable.

They are flawed gems but they're still gems.

[Seil]

Metal Gear Acid! is actually Metal Gear Card Game! in disguise.

Also, MGS3, MG, MG2, MGS1, MGS2, MGS4 is the proper numerical order.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

Don't listen to all the fuckers who make you believe MGS3 is good.

Also, Seil, your order is chronological not numerical.
And Hawk, the word you're looking for is the above mentioned "chronological"
It would be anachronistic if the games weren't in their proper places on the timeline. As they actually are if you play them in numerical order.

And and and... I'm out of ways of being a jerk right now, but I'm not even trying.

I bet you all love me now...

Seriously, though. MGS3 is overrated. Keep your expectations low and you wont be disappointed.

[Revising Ocelot]

Seriously, though. MGS3 is overrated. Keep your expectations low and you wont be disappointed.

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3423/sigweek.jpg

[Fifthfiend]

Hello my name is Nique I am 27 years old and I am going to play 'Metal Gear Solid' for the first time. What do I need to know?

Step 1. locate trash receptacle

Step 2. throw that shit out

Step 3. play a good game

[Solid Snake]

Step 1. locate trash receptacle

Step 2. throw that shit out

Step 3. play a good game

More like:

Step 1. Read comment from Fifthfiend bashing one of my favorite videogaming series.
Step 2. Gasp in revulsion.
Step 3. Never take anything Fifth says seriously again.

[Pip Boy]

More like:

Step 1. Read comment from Fifthfiend bashing one of my favorite videogaming series.
Step 2. Gasp in revulsion.
Step 3. Never take anything Fifth says seriously again.

More like:

Step 1. Read anything posted by fifthfiend.
Step 2. Never take anything Fifth says seriously again.

[BitVyper]

Well calling it trash is a little unfair, I guess. I mean, the world can always use more coasters.

[Seil]

I was going to take Fourth's avatar and do the "disregard logic acquire fallacies" thing, but then people would just associate it with Steve Jobs.

[CelesJessa]

Step 1. locate trash receptacle

Step 2. throw that shit out

Step 3. play a good game

http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/9307/36105270.png

[Kim]

I tried to rep you CJ, but it wouldn't let me so.

Blame the SOC system.

[MSperoni]

Dangit, I was going to do the "SOC system?" thing but you beat me to it in your Post Title.

I think Liz is a PNC.


The best thing about the Metal Gear Solid games is that love them or hate them, there's a LOT to make fun of.

MGS3 is the best though in my opinion. It has some gameplay "bleh" moments, but the story isn't stuffed up its own ass in it (well, relatively speaking) so it kind of makes sense. Kind of...as long as you don't think about it.

If you play MGS4 just skip all the cutscenes. You don't need them. The plot is better to just make up on your own. Like: "Two old men broke out of a retirement home and are waging war against the young and against each other." or something.

[Magus]

Hello my name is Nique I am 27 years old and I am going to play 'Metal Gear Solid' for the first time. What do I need to know?

I hear it's amazing when the famous purple stuffed worm in flap-jaw space with the tuning fork does a raw blink on Hara-kiri Rock.

I need scissors!

61!

[Locke cole]

I liked 3's gameplay. I only managed to make it to The End so far, but there's something I just love about the camo system. There's always a thrill when I manage to make it through an area without alerting any guards, or even having to tranq anyone.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

3 is the only MGS game I've ever played and I bought it on a whim at my local Gamestop a couple years back. I played the shit out of that game and I loved the hell out of it. Gameplay was solid and entertaining, and the story was a James Bond movie with Kurt Russel replacing Bond.

Next to Shadow of the Colossus, it's the best game on the PS2.

[CelesJessa]

I duno about reverse order but you could certainly play them anachronistically, starting with 3, then Portable Ops, then Peace Walker, then the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, the move on to Metal Gear Solid, MGS2 and finally MGS4.

Honestly, I really wouldn't suggest Metal Gear in that order. If you play 3 first you won't know who or why Ocelot is important, what the heck is the deal with that Raikov character, Big Boss is the main character right? (Even though I do love MGS3, I don't consider Big Boss the hero of the series.) Also, it's been awhile since I've played, but I believe it gets a lot into the whole Patriots/Philosophers/Lalilulelo thing that was introduced in 2.

Given, I was someone who started the Metal Gear series with Metal Gear on the NES so I'm not sure what it's like to start with MGS (By the way, is it the original PS version of MGS or Twin Snakes?)

Though backwards? Playing 4 first is a terrible idea. TERRIBLE.

Also the plot of MGS (2 and 4 specifically) aren't bad if you're willing to go to crazytown for awhile and laugh at the CRAZY PLOT TWISTS. (Actually I really like MGS2 so...)

[Ecks]

1. Acquire Gamecube
2. Acquire Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
3. Play aforementioned game in aforementioned system
4. ?????
5. Profit!

[Solid Snake]

1. Acquire Gamecube
2. Acquire Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
3. Play aforementioned game in aforementioned system
4. ?????
5. Profit!

Playstation version of MGS1 >>>>>> Twin Snakes

It really isn't even close.

[Kim]

Ridiculous game with ridiculous dialogue , ridiculous characters, and ridiculous twists got ridiculous cinematics and some gameplay improvements. I fail to see in what way Twin Snakes is inferior.

[BitVyper]

I found the cutscenes kind of jarring and out of place, to be honest. Except the one where Greyfox fights Rex. That was pretty awesome. Mostly because of a music video someone on Youtube made that set it to Maniac.

Of course, I dislike the series in general, so y'know.

[Solid Snake]

Ridiculous game with ridiculous dialogue , ridiculous characters, and ridiculous twists got ridiculous cinematics and some gameplay improvements. I fail to see in what way Twin Snakes is inferior.

1: They got rid of the awesome ridiculous accents.
2: Gameplay became far too easy with the first person mode shenanigans. MGS2 was designed to incorporate it, MGS1's stages weren't.
3: Most of the new music was worse than the old music. Why the hell would they get rid of the amazing Encounter (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI1VpElKWF8) theme and replace it with other stuff?
4: Solid Snake the grinding old-school soldier rides a freakin' missile uuuuuuggggggghhhhhhhhh

I mean part of what I appreciated about the original MGS was this whole theme of Solid being actually being 'inferior' to Liquid and all those Foxhound agents with their crazy superpowers yet totally outsmarting / outsneaking them with underdog shenanigans and that whole theme is ruined when the supersoldier has Sonic the Hedgehog style reaction abilities

[akaSM]

4: Solid Snake the grinding old-school soldier rides a freakin' missile uuuuuuggggggghhhhhhhhh

You and Liz (and CJ) talk about that game as a ridiculous game. That point seems to fit in a ridiculous game :raise:

[Kim]

PRETTY MUCH

If Snake can out think a psychic and out snipe a super sniper he damn well better be able to do all sorts of other ridiculous bullshit.

[Solid Snake]

If Snake can out think a psychic and out snipe a super sniper he damn well better be able to do all sorts of other ridiculous bullshit.

But that's just the thing
It's even cooler if Snake can't do all kinds of Neo in the Matrix shit, because then it's just a legit underdog grunt soldier outsmarting and outfighting people with zillion to one odds
Which is awesome

[IHateMakingNames]

When was Solid Snake an underdog? He's the fucking super soldier cloned after the other super soldier and was already legendary before Metal Gear Solid. They made the bad guy of MGS another clone because who the fuck could match Solid Snake?

[Kim]

I change my answer to IHMNs

[Solid Snake]

I change my answer to IHMNs

I change my answer to where the frak are you and why haven't we watched P4 Episode 2 yet

[Kim]

My internet has been mostly dead since last night I'm phone posting during game breaks.

[BitVyper]

Snake's super power is that he's Rambo.

I don't really mind him being superhuman so much as I mind the cutscenes in Twin Snakes. They're just trying way too hard to impress in all the wrong places, and it comes off like someone spliced a Mountain Dew commercial's DNA into the game.

[MSperoni]

If in "First Blood" Rambo approached the asshole sheriff and did a Chun-Li esque spinning bird kick to him it would look odd because Rambo doesn't do that kinda thing(as hilarious as an image as that is). It's similar with Solid Snake.

It's not that jumping on missiles/etc is "too goofy" for a Metal Gear Solid game, it's just that it is when Snake does it. It looks weird based on what's been established with the character. He's a super soldier but he's down to earth about it (relatively). I mean, what sounds more in character for Snake: Doing a backflip and landing on a missile or just casually stepping out of the way so it goes by harmlessly?

He handles Foxhound on their own terms because that's what Snake's been trained to do (though I think the Psycho Mantis fight puts an odd spin on that). He's got a...believable level of unbelievability. He's Punisher, not Spiderman.

I did like Twin Snakes, and I can't say the cutscenes make me like it LESS than the PS1 version. I think when I consider the positive and negative qualities of each version they end up balancing out for me (after all, you can skip cutscenes).

EDIT: Just looked on Wiki and it said that Dustin Hoffman was among many of the potential Rambos before Stallone got the part... Dustin Hoffman as Rambo? That woulda been a....very different feel to the character for sure....

[Spooniest]

You're playing a game that has portable, compact remote-controlled missiles, a portable, compact rocket launcher, the ability to hide in a box to outsmart your foes, the point of view set to above the characters' heads and a story in which you figure out how to contact an important character by looking at the back of the case you bought it in.

And his name is Solid Snake. At this point, I'm perfectly willing to believe that he could leapfrog a missile.

I mean, geez, it sounds like this game was competing for some kind of "most ridiculously outlandishly awesome ideas to put in a videogame" award.

[Kim]

It won't win that.

God Hand won that award.

God Hand wins it every year.

[Kim]

I just realized that the ideal MGS game would have time travel and I don't know why I've bothered playing any MGS game that isn't that.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

Twin Snakes Snake's stunts really do seem out of place, and I'd prefer the PSX version because of that. I'd say it's because the MGS series is grounded in realism, but we have cyborg ninjas, psychics, ghosts, mechas... and that's just scratching the surface, barely.

However, for some reason, I wouldn't mind Raiden doing all that crazy shit.

[MSperoni]

I think that's because Raiden is Mr. Appeal-To-Anime-Fans and it's not out of character for him to do those kinds of things. He has a sword and long white hair, etc. It's like with the Cyborg Ninja. You expect a ninja to do that kinda stuff.

It's not a question of flipping over a missile being believable or not, it's a question of how it works when Snake does it. And it doesn't. Those kinds of stunts don't suit his character.

Also the gimmicky stuff about looking on the back of the CD case and beating Psycho Mantis by switching controller ports is just Kojima-videogame-quirkyness. I think that has to be taken into separate consideration in regards to things like this. Like the hyperspace arsenal in GTA games. They're in the game but they're...not...Which is pretty surreal.