Blast from the Past: Metal Gear Solid 3: Movietime
March 4th, 2007While part of the purpose of our site is to look at future games, that still doesn’t mean that we forget about the older ones. As I suggested earlier, I actually have a huge backlog of older games to play. I finally received Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (which isn’t even on my original backlog list, as I don’t even own it) from my Gameznflix trial and started to play through it. I’ve been a prety big MGS fan (I’ve played through the original PSX version at least twice, MGS2 once, and the Gamecube MGS remake once as well), but for some reason I never got around to the 3rd one. I tried the original MGS3 once for just a few minutes, but it didn’t really click for me. After I saw the remake, MGS 3: Subsistence, score really well, I wanted to give it a shot. So now that I’ve finally found a chance to play it, what do I think?
To be honest, I’m still having trouble really getting into it. Without the familiar “radar” system from the earlier games, it can be quite difficult to plot a way through the areas without being spotted. Certainly, I know I just started and need to get better at the game, but so far even just at the beginning of the game it’s been difficult to try to sneak around the area, and add to the fact that if you don’t hit a guy directly in the head with your tranquilizer, he doesn’t fall asleep right away (and is able to call for backup). I’m still moving through the game, so I’m hoping it becomes more natural and more interesting, but so far it’s just been tedious.
Second, I just got to the opening “credit” sequence, which is a direct rip-off of the opening James Bond sequences. I don’t have a problem with “Bond sequences”, but here’s the thing… MGS is NOT like Bond. Just because both of them are spies, they’re not even remotely similar. Is it supposed to be a joke of some sort because the game takes place in the 60’s? There are usually some jokes or “easter eggs” in the other games, but this just seemed way out of place. And, while I’m quibbling about it, why does the credit sequence take place over 2 hours into the game? Maybe you could zip through it quicker if you’re good and skip the cutscenes… but it’s my first time through, so I like to see what’s actually happening.
Of course, in keeping with the rest of the series, the cutscenes are all excellent, but I feel like they’re even longer and more gratuitous than the previous games. Honestly, it’s not even just 1 cutscene at a time… it seems like there will be a cutscene, and then another cutscene, and then another… Honestly, they can pile up maybe 4-5 cutscenes in a row. Again, they’re great quality, but it’d be nice if they were a bit more interactive. I think I’ve watched more cutscenes than actual gameplay in the 2+ hours I’ve played so far. Hopefully in MGS4, Konami will take a page from Capcom’s brilliant Resident Evil 4 and actually put some “action buttons” (where a button pops up and you have to press it quickly) into the cutscenes. I realize they’re not much, but at least it makes you feel like you’re playing a bigger part in the action rather than sitting back and watching a movie.
I’m going to continue playing and hope that it gets better for me. I just keep hearing so many great things about the game, I feel like I’m obligated to give it some more time. Anyone else out there play it? What were your impressions?
Posted in Jeff, Past, Sony |
March 5th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Yes, the opening theme song and the Bond-ish references are tongue-in-cheek. When I first heard the song (at E3), I thought it was crap and that it must be a joke. Once you finish the game’s story, though, the song is actually not as bad as it seems at first.
The beginning hours of the game are VERY cutscene-heavy, but it sets the stage for what’s going on. They spread out as you get further into the game (although when you do get to a cutscene, grab a drink because they usually aren’t short). Enjoy! It’s the best MGS story of them all- I’m sure you’ll agree once you hit the finale.
March 5th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Cool. I’ll keep playing it and hopefully I’ll also get better at it, since I seem to have trouble getting through areas without the Soliton radar that was so helpful in the last games… I’m also still struggling with the crouch/laying down controls, strangely, even though I know this is the exact same as it has been in the past few games. I’ll keep trying to get up and end up going into a prone position instead, frequently getting me spotted and shot at…
Ah well… a learning curve can be good sometimes. =)
March 5th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
The crouching uses the PS2’s pressure-sensitive buttons- that may be what’s causing problems for you.
It’s definitely harder without the radar, but I really enjoyed sneaking around the forest, taking my time and scouting the area I was entering. If you really want to feel like you suck at MGS, play the Online mode
March 5th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Yeah, fortunately (or unfortunately) for me, by the time I want to try the online mode, the servers will be gone… I won’t be able to see how much I really suck. =)
I’ll have to play around with the crouching. Basically, the problem I seem to have is that I’ll be in a prone position, then I’ll want to stand up, so I’ll hit the crouch button and start running, which causes me to get in a crouch position, and then lay down again. This is basically the same as the previous games, but for some reason I am having more problems with it this time around. I also wish there were sort of a crouch-walk, like in Splinter Cell (which I also haven’t played too much of, honestly… another game I’ve started but have not gotten too far in). Oh well, I just need to get better at Camouflaging and sneaking behind enemies.