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5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 17, 2001
Author: Amazon User

those three words sum up the pc verson of the popular ps game. the graphics have been souped up with full 3d support. remeber how the ps verson was all grainy and sandy during the movies? well the pc has no problem handling 3d motion so it shines and sparkles clearly going at 60 fps. the story is one of the most elaborate i ever saw in a game and for those who havent played it, play it now! buy it rent it, borrow from friends and burn it i dont care just play this game, you will not be disapointed.

Superb!! Best tactical shooter ever!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 26, 2002
Author: Amazon User

...it's technically not a tactical shooter as much as a straight-up shooter. I like R6, but the whole "mission planning" thing is boring and tedious. (but the gear selection is cool, though) MGS cuts the sissy [stuff] and gets down and dirty. You play as Soild Snake, the government's "secret weapon" against terrorists. The fairly deep plot unfolds slowly, with some text involved, but it's very easy to follow. I'm pretty sure every MG game has a continuing plot about Metal Gear, the Army's nuke-armed mobile battle tank thingy. (think bad ass Battle Mech) The best part of the game is the tense gameplay, deciding on the fly how to run for cover to hide from enemies, as the game relies on stealth (you don't even have to fire a gun until third "area"; there aren't really "missions" or "levels", per say) for your survival. The game is loads of fun and the demo left me wanting more, which is a good thing.

Now, the bad stuff. This game has some very minor details that annoy me.

1. The character's mouths don't move when they talk; their heads skip around to identify who's talking.
2. The graphics, especially character faces, show their age.
3. AI is decent, but not superb. They can look right at you and not see you if you aren't in their "cone of sight"--a cone of light on the radar to show where they see. The "cone of sight" system makes the game much eaiser and makes you snicker more when you evade a guy that's trying really hard to be professional.

Other than those few gripes,the game is definitely worth checking out.

An Excellent Port of the Playstation Classic

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: March 22, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I have always loved Metal Gear games. I was a huge fan of the original NES Metal Gears, as well as Metal Gear Solid when it launched for the PSX. Nonetheless, I was pleased to see Konami do a PC port of it where it can benefit from the PCs' superior hardware, and even moreso to see that they even threw in some new content, and enhancements as well. I must admit that I've had my copy for some years now, as I picked it up just a few months after launch when I saw it at Circuit City.

As far as the enhancements go, you're getting an immediately noticable graphics upgrade. There's still quite a bit of clipping just like the PSX version but it's only reeeeeeeally noticable in certain areas, and it even runs smoother than the original. You might be tempted to think Konami might have done some touch-up work here to knock out some of the clipping, and make Snake's facial features a bit sharper as MGS's character models are pretty primitive--in some games, clipping can be reduced, or toggled on and off (sometimes via a cheat), but there's nothing like that here. It would have been nice if they had cleaned up the blocky, low res textures a bit, and upped the pixel count; but no--you're getting a straight port of the original with few technical enchancements of this nature. Nonetheless, the graphics are still vastly clearer, and less pixelly looking than the PSX's paltry 320x200 graphics with support for resolutions right on up to 1024x768; and that alone almost single handedly makes it worth the cost of admission. While somewhat below what you expect from a PC port, when compared to the PSX version, the difference is simply jaw-dropping--looking much more smooth, and crisp than anything the PSX could have delivered. Konami also decided to throw in "VR Missions" in this package as well. This fun little title is an expansion of the virtual reality missions included in the training segment of the game, and originally launched seperately (in America) for the PSX, enjoying mild success for a few months after launch. While it's inclusion in this package is a welcome, and appreciated bonus (think of it as getting a free game), it's somewhat counterbalanced by the fact that Konami left out rumblepad support which seems more than a little conspicuous here (to say nothing of disappointing--even PC Gamer mentioned this when they reviewed it), as it was such a such a heavily lauded (and applauded) feature of the original, but what can you do?--at least you're getting a gamepad compatible menu, and in-game interface--features you come to appreciate when you're playing the game on your TV using a gamepad. Nonetheless, AWOL rumblepad support remains my single biggest gripe with the game.

Gameplay is just like the original, complete with easter eggs and secrets. The story is interesting, well thought out, and full of plot twists and surprises. The codec dialogue with your support crew is where a good portion of the games' backstory unfolds, and can get a bit lengthy at times, but overall, most of the dialogue is reasonably well written, and acted except for just a few parts where some lines come off awkward. Throughout, there is a big focus on stealth tactics; you'll spend a good majority of the game in stealth mode--dodging and hiding from cameras, and guards. The levels are large, and cleverly designed which really brings the stealth aspect out with white knuckle moments when a guard may patrol right up to your position only to walk away without seeing you--or when you need to grab/strangle a guard without setting off an alert. This keeps you alert, and thinking carefully about how to work your way through each area. When you do set off alerts, you have the option of retreating from engagements, and trying to hide until the alert expires, but this isn't always easy. In some segments, and particularly on higher difficulty settings where the enemy AI is better, the guards search more thoroughly, and may find you or try to flush you out with grenades if they see you try to hide in a duct, or under a vehicle. As mentioned, the guards and genome soldiers become more intelligent on the higher difficulty settings; they are more alert, their patrol routes more varied, they have a larger cone of vision, hear better, and in the outdoor levels, notice your footprints in the snow, and can even notice your breath pluming in the cold if you're hiding too close to a corner. So the improved enemy AI combined with fewer item pick-ups, and not having any radar makes the higher difficulty settings much more challenging when you're re-playing to improve your rank (reference the strategy guide for ranks)--thus extending the games' replay value. Though it's not the preferred method, you CAN fight your way through some engagements, and it simply won't be avoidable in others, but in almost all cases except boss fights, you're going to be relying on stealth tactics, and your wits to pull you through. The combat system could have used some polish (this was addressed in MGS sequels), but I can appreciate that combat isn't what the game is really about, so there's not a big focus on it. The game is also well paced, has a reasonable learning curve, and the action is interspersed with very challenging boss fights. There are also developer's cheats available to get you past the toughest parts if need be. For fans really into niche peripherals, the game is even supported by PC Gameshark 3.0 (still readily available, and cheap here on amazon) with infinite ammo cheats (though there's a trick involved with getting them to work in conjunction with developer's cheats--see comment). Konami has even thrown in the ability to play from 1st person mode, but it's practically useless except as a look mode as it doesn't seem very refined, and is extremely clumsy. There is simply no way I could imagine playing the game this way. The save system is a hybrid of sorts--while you can save anywhere, anytime, you re-start at the beginning of an area (minus any items collected before your demise) regardless of where you save.

Speaking in terms of production values, they are decidedly middle of the road as well, and sadly lacks the excellent presentation quality of PSX Metal Gear Solid. PC Metal Gear Solid was developed and launched as a low budget value title, and it's in this area, that this is most obvious. The box has the same screen shots etc on the back as the PSX jewel case, but is otherwise a plain white box with the red Metal Gear Solid logo on it. The screenshots on the box don't even approach the brightness, or clarity as those on the PSX jewel case--they're so dark, you can't even discern the gun barrel on the tank. In my opinion, even mild embossing/debossing, or foiled lettering on the logo could have gone a long way towards improving the overall presentation quality. Even the discs are plain silver discs with the Metal Gear Solid logo screen printed on. You get a manual (console style, but does not fit in the jewel case as it should), 2 disc jewel case (PC style, not Playstation style so forget about any nice double sided jewel case inserts)--so the overall outward presentation isn't quite as good as the PSX's. To me, these minor complaints are forgivable as they aren't the meat and potatoes of the game, but still--a game as successful and influential as Metal Gear Solid deserved better treatment. Die hard fans (of which I consider myself one) I'm sure will quibble over things like this all day, arguing that PC fans should be happy we got a PC port of the game at all, and were foolish to hope it might get the full blown, A-list treatment. Which may be true to a point, but the game still could have been much nicer, and (probably) more successful with higher production values, and a better advertising campaign. It was also a bit disappointing to not see any bonus or expanded content--but it's more than made up for by the fact that even without any, or the VR Missions, the game is pretty big, so you're still getting allot. In general though, these are more caveats than criticisms--I've yet to see a console port that gets everything right.

If there is any down side here, it has to be that there is little incentive for fans who have already completed MGS, and MGS: VR Missions to buy this aside from being offered a graphically enhanced version of the game. On the other hand, the game is an undeniable classic, it sports a very nice graphical facelift, is usually a value title, in my experience, it's typically very stable, and well behaved, and it's specs are so laughably low that I can't imagine anyone with even a quasi-modern computer having trouble running it. This classic is definetely worth picking up, and will easily re-pay it's self many times over--especially if you never played the original. All said and done, I'm happy with my purchase, and don't see myself selling, or trading this game. I'll have to ding it a little for sparse technical enhancements, AWOL rumblepad support, and middle of the road production values, but it still offers a tremendously enhanced experience over what the PSX original can offer, and thus remains an excellent port, and a good value overall.

Potential for the Best Game of 2000

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: September 19, 2000
Author: Amazon User

MGS was great for the Playstation, and will be even better on the PC port.It features both Metal Gear Solid and the VR Missions together on one disc, with better sound quality and more colors.The only problem with original was everything was in a shade of blue-grey.

Metal gear heaven

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: May 14, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This game is five stars because of it's stunning graphicks and asum story line also because it's cool fighting sequences and it's realisim like how you can knock on stuff and the gaurds will go se where it came from or how when you leave foot prints in the snow they'll follow them those are just some of the 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000 of reasons that this game is the best

Wow

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: June 19, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I'm a big fan of the series, and this game is no exception. MGS is beautifully ported from the playstation game system to PC. A combination of one of the most incredible stories in video games out there, and fantastic gameplay makes this game one of the greatest classics of all time. The resolution is so much higher on the PC version and the added bonus of all the VR missions is the icing on the cake. Even if you own the original playstation version, this is a great buy for all the extras.

Faithful Translation of The PlayStation Classic...Nothing More!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: August 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

The PlayStation classic that reinvented video game cinematics, storytelling, and gaming as we know was faithfully ported over for PC gaming in 2001. This PC version even adds a nice bonus by having the "VR Missions" disc added; "VR Missions" was originally a seperate game that featured an expanded version of the "Metal Gear Solid" training levels. But just how good is this version compared to the PlayStation edition released in 1999?

STORY
---FOXHOUND agent Solid Snake is brought out of Alaskan retirement to take down terrorists who have taken over a Nuclear Weapons Facility at the nearby islands. Six renegade soldiers --- one of them Liquid Snake, who has an uncanny resemblance to Solid Snake --- are leading the takeover. Along the way, Snake communicates through satellite radio with mission-leader Col. Campbell, and other specialists who assist him through the arduous operation. Betrayal, love, philosophy, and political intrigue all strike a powerful chord throughout the story. It might feel imbalanced once in a while when bosses like Psycho Mantis reveal a troubled childhood, or when the gatling-gun toting Vulcan Raven begins to delve into Sioux heritage. Also, some of the cutscenes run a little too long. Minor complaints aside, the story & characters are top-notch.

GRAPHICS / ANIMATION
---The PC improves the jagged-polygons from the console version, and it even runs smoother. But this game didn't look great as far as PC games go; instead, it was good by console standards. However, the cutscenes are real-time, and are actually very nicely animated. There aren't any sudden glitches when Solid Snake, or any other AI enemy, change movements. Instead, they move naturally and fluidly. "Metal Gear Solid" was a great-looking PS-one title, and its look is mostly unchanged on a computer.

SOUND
---This is a split-decision. The voice-acting is excellent, but the dialogue isn't always very natural. It's a little too philosophical and...beautiful. The dialogue-writers couldn't find the right balance between reality and poetry --- one glaring example is when our gruff hero starts to reflect on friendship & the future while gazing at a sunrise. The actors are actually better than the Nintendo GameCube's new voice actors for "The Twin Snakes," but the written words in that version come off more naturally. The music is also hit-and-miss. The music is excellent, but when you're hearing the same track OVER & OVER again during a 15-minute CODEC conversation between characters, it becomes annoying. Just listen to the conversation when Snake is locked in his prison cell, and try to block out the musical score.

GAMEPLAY
---First off, for those who've played or seen this game already...the Psycho Mantis battle is sadly downgraded because the mind-reading segment is completely removed. Now, for the uninitiated, this game relies on stealth. Hiding from the enemy is much wiser, but not simply because alerting the terrorist soldiers will call in infinite reinforcements...but also because the combat is not that great. I can respect that negative, because combat is not the key strategy to success. However, there are scenarios when combat is unavoidable, and most gamers will have trouble battling the bosses and enemies properly because of odd controls. Also, there's a backtracking section at the end that would rival "Metroid". The stealth portions of the game are still amazing after all these years, but the combat always needed work. But the level design is genius, and also some suspensful moments --- such as when a guard patrols so close to your position...only to turn and guard opposite direction.

EXTRAS
---The VR Missions, which are on a 2nd Disc and help you improve your tactics and maneuvers, are all here, and wonderfully ported. Even the crazy MYSTERY and VARIETY levels are here, and are also excellent. There are a couple of training missions that will drive you bonkers with their puzzles.

IS THIS WORTH THE MONEY?
---Although "Metal Gear Solid" is a classic milestone in all of gaming, it hasn't aged as well as others have. The graphics don't look great, the gameplay has vastly improved in later iterations of this series, and replay value is lacking because there's little to unlock. Because the Nintendo GameCube now has the revamped version of this game ("The Twin Snakes"), plus since this game hasn't improved much over the PlayStation version, I can;t give this 5 stars. For those who have never experienced this game and don't own a GameCube, pick this up right now. I'm lowering the grade as a "Metal Gear Solid" fan. As far as gaming goes, this one is a classic.

You want a cool game? Then buy this!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: January 04, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This game is BETTER than the playstation game, with the sidewinder game pad you can really play. With the first person and the VR missions, its a great deal and a great game. Once again you friendly programmer finds a great game.

Greatest Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: December 02, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This is the greatest game ever. There is nothing better. The story line is awesome with a few good twists. The graphics are sketchy but that adds to a bigger playing field. The weapons are made so real.

Not a Rabid Fan - 3 and 1/2 stars

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 5
Date: April 14, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I'm not going to give this game a "raving review" since I am not a gamer who thinks Metal Gear is better than air but it is one of the best looking "console-to-PC" games around. The visuals look great and the controls are easy to use and configure. The actual gameplay is pretty good but it will take time to master this game for novices.

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