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Boring, not much action, crawling through grass is dumb

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 51
Date: April 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

The graphics are okay, but sub-par compared to other FPS shooters on the PS2.

This game is over rated. Crawling through grass and avoiding enemies is boring and hard. Whenever the enemy sees you, which happens MANY times, you have to restart from your last save; I had to save the game every 5 minutes.
I just wanted to shoot the enemy instead of hiding, but I guess the point of this game is to NOT use your guns...which is stupid.

Save 30 bucks and buy God of War 1 or 2.

Mindless Fun. Incoherent story.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 0 / 6
Date: September 14, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is fun if you're looking for something in the stealth genre without any learning curve or depth.

Western audiences that didn't grow up watching Japanese cartoons will find the cut scenes excruciating. They're painfully long and full of redundant exposition. Japanese films tend to emphasize imagery and symbolism, and their audiences will give a pass to plots and character motivations that play fast and loose with logic if they have the former. This game echoes those priorities, which means you have to listen to a lot of exposition to tie the story together, which wouldn't make any sense without some pretty convoluted explanations explanation. (It is still kind of unfeasible, but at least you know what the designers were thinking).

The game play is actually kind of fun. I was at first disappointed because I was expecting something a lot more realistic and cerebral. This game is neither, and if you're like me, I probably wouldn't recommend it to you. But I think it does succeed in being the kind of game it set out to be. At least the actual game play does, even if the story is an unmitigated mess.

It's worth a purchase if you've never played MGS3 or are a die-hard fan.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: March 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User

If you missed out on the excellent MGS3 when it was first released, then here's your next chance to give the game a go-through. At only $30, this game is a deal.

The main new features Subsistence has are a new 3rd-person camera which is completely controllable with the right joystick, some added Snake Vs. Monkey missions, MSX ports of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2, and an online mode.

At first I found what was included as new material to be lacking, but then I realized its price tag justifies how little there is for returning MGS fans. I say there's little for returning MGS fans because much of the new material is simply rehashing of old material. For example, there's a theatre where you can see all the cinematics from the game. As a MGS fan who's already played the game, I've already seen this. Or take another mode, where you can battle all the bosses at a whim. I've battled all of them before.

If anything, I think it's worth the purchase just for the MG and MG2 ports from the MSX system, and to a lesser extent for the online mode.

The online mode, though, just doesn't work too well. MGS's gameplay is meant for one player. In the 1-player experience, guards don't go after you even if you're hidden (unless you make yourself noticed) and nor do they come running out of nowhere. In most of the online modes of Subsistence, though, this isn't the case, obviously.

My main complaint is that the overhead view that's a staple of the MGS series just doesn't allow you to aim very well whatsoever. Yes, there is the new 3rd-person controllable camera, as well as the first person view, but these are unwieldy to use in the middle of battle. Usually by the time you switch to first person by pressing the R1 button and attempt to aim you're dead. I suppose all that's needed is to get used to the overhead, now 3rd person controlled perspective, but it's just not as natural as aiming on a first person shooter.

The mode that's closest to the actual 1-player experience - the sneaking mission - where one character is Snake and the rest are enemy guards - is the most effective of the multiplayer modes. In this mode, the person playing Snake tries to find the microfilm and return it to his base while the guards try to stop him. Here the gameplay holds up better because it's used for what it's suited for. In contrast, a mode like Team Deathmatch just isn't suited for MGS's gameplay mechanics.

The MSX ports of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 are a great thing for fans of the series, and are great games in their own right. I'm sure many gamers from the NES days will recall playing MG on it. Well, this port is from the MSX (a computer system that Hideo Kojima published the two MGs on), and it's different than the MG for NES in a good way. The NES port had translation issues, as well as they changed some other things. But here we're given Hideo Kojima's full vision of MG and MG 2.

I haven't played MG 2 ever, but here in the US it was apparently released as MG 2: Snake's Revenge, and Hideo Kojima wasn't involved with it whatsoever from what I recall. So here we're given MG 2, as Hideo envisioned it, which is a great thing. The game was never formally released here in the US (we just got the aforementioned Snake's Revenge), so it's a great thing to have on Subsistence.

If you've never played MGS3: Snake Eater, then that's the biggest reason to purchase this game. For 30 bucks, you're getting it cheaper than when it was first released (it was $50), plus you're getting some great special features. Just playing through MGS3: Snake Eater alone is well worth $30.

If you're a casual fan of the series, I'm not sure if MGS3: Subsistence is worth running out to get, unless you know if the online mode is something you'd enjoy. Because that's about all that makes it worth getting to a casual fan. That and the ports of MG and MG 2. As I've said, the online mode isn't all it's cracked up to be (but that's just my take on it - perhaps you'd enjoy it more, for all I know). As a die-hard fan, though: definitely get it.

Subsistence was also released in a Limited Edition, which cost $40 ($10 more than the regular version). The only difference was that it came with a 3rd disc which contained a MGS3 movie presntation using the game's cutscenes and codec conversations. It isn't a big deal, but as a die-hard fan perhaps you want to get your mitts on it. It can't be found anywhere except ebay anymore, however, and it's of course going for ludicrous prices.

If you pre-ordered early enough, you also got a special DVD called Metal Gear Saga Vol. 1. This isn't too big of a deal to miss out on, either, so I wouldn't get in a twist over it. It's a nice addition, though. It goes over the MG and MGS storyline, from the beginning (MGS 3) to the end (MGS 2). Hideo Kojima is interviewed, and says some interesting things about each game. Again, not too big of a deal to miss out on.

I give this game three stars as a die-hard fan. If I weren't a die-hard fan, and I'd have just picked this game up and played it for the very first time, I would give it 5 stars.

As it stands, as a die-hard fan, I don't think it has enough extra features to justify more than 3 stars from me (maybe three and a half if I could go with that). Yes, its price makes up for this, but I was definitely at least somewhat disappointed with the lack of extras.

Great update to an excellent game.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: June 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The Metal Gear series is one of my most faverite video game series ever,I also like Splinter Cell and Hitman but they are no where as good as Metal Gear.There is not a game in the MG series I don`t like.There is two more games coming out that are part of the Metal Gear canon:Metal Gear Solid 4:Guns of The Patriots for PS3 which is the proper sequel to MGS2:Sons Of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid:Portable Ops for PSP which is an interquel between MGS3 and the original Metal Gear game released in the 1980`s.

Anyways Metal Gear Solid 3:Subsistence is an updated version of MGS3:Snake Eater(which I used to own) with tons of worthy extras:

*Full game of Metal Gear Solid 3:Snake Eater
*New adjustable low angle 3D camera,now all these camera issue complaints can be put to rest.
*The Metal Gear series debut for Online multiplayer,called MGO.
*Full versions of the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2:Solid Snake that have been translated from Japanese to English.
*Secret theater mode can be unlocked after beating the MGS3 storyline game,it faetures every cutscene-but some cutscenes have to be watch during the game and are optional to watch in the storyline,as your reward for unlocking them all you get another extra called the "EVA peep show".
*Parody theater-a few cutscenes which have been altered into funny rather than serious events for your own amusement.

And none of these features are not rushed but very worthy.
My top three features in this game are the new 3D camera,MG1 and MG2,and the Online mode which was the reason why this game was praised so much.MGS3:Subsistence is only 30$ NEW,so if you have never played MGS3 and like action games or simply miss your old MGS3:Snake Eater like i did-definately buy this game.
If you play the main storyline,you play as this guy called Naked Snake who is sent on a mission to Russia to save a Soviet scientist named Sokolov,and Snake must also eliminate a nuclear supertank to save it from launching missiles into the U.S.
its set in 1964 during the Cold War between USA and USSR.
As Snake you must outsmart your enemies by hiding them and fooling them buy camouflaging in your surroundings.It is set in a cold jungle.
Also since Snake`s mission will take days,maybe even over a week he must eat things like snakes,goats,frogs,birds,bats,fish and various fruits to keep his "Stamina" bar up to scratch,otherwise he will start to become week and won`t be able to shoot streight and will lose eye sight.
But all in all its a very fun and thrilling action game!
END.

Better camera angles makes better game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 16
Date: March 21, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I'm not a huge metal gear solid fan I'm more into splinter cell. I rented the first version of this game and couldn't get into it because the terrible camera angles; you really couldn't see much of anything and you had to rely on a radar just to find out if a gaurd was three feet in front of you, that was stupid. This new version has a pretty good camera system and that makes it a lot funner; you don't even need the radar anymore. I wish the guns could be used more like SC with an over the sholder view point, but other than that no complaints. The graphics for this game are amazing. I didn't even know ps2 was capable of this quality of graphics. It feels like I'm playing an xbox game. I love the night vision and thermal goggles, probably put in there for splinter cell fans. I also like the camoflauge idea it's real fun to see gaurds pass right by you and not even know you're there. I could care less about the story line and cut scenes, but you can jump right pass those without having to watch them if you're not interested in that type of thing.

Good game, much funner to play now than the original.

Good game, but not much different to snake-eater

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 02, 2008
Author: Amazon User

As I think mentioned in other reviews, this game is virtually identical to snake eater except there is a different camera option and a few other minor differences. There is also an on-line play (but I didn't test it), snake vs monkey (fun), the old MGS games and a few other items.

Unless you are very crazy about the MGS line, I suggest you get EITHER this or MGS3: Snake Eater. If you have a choice, this one is more robust.

A must have for stealth fans

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 21 / 27
Date: April 29, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The Metal Gear series has brought ever-improving fun of stealth combat and intricate plot lines. With Subsistence, you've pretty much maxed out your PS2!

You don't have to have played the previous Metal Gear entries to enjoy this game. It's a stealth shooter much like Splinter Cell. You have a vast array of weapons, are sneaking through jungle scenery and taking out your enemies as stealthily as you can.

The graphics are really quite impressive for the PS2 - perhaps the best they could be. The sun dapples down across the jungle floor. Beams of light shine down through gaps in the trees. Waterfalls splash, leaves wave as you sneak through the canopy.

The character movements are of equal quality. When your character runs, crawls, presses against walls and performs other movements, it really is uncannily like there's an actual person following your directions.

The sound is very immersive. There aren't blaring rock music soundtracks in the background. When you creep through the jungle, listening intently to figure out where the sniper is hiding, you haer your footsteps, the stream gurgling near you, the birds occasionally singing overhead. The smallest sounds can really help you track down your enemy.

It's cool how the game tries to keep things "real". When you find forest animals, you can kill them for their meat. If you get injured, you have to patch it up properly - use serum if there's a poison, dig out any darts, bandage the wound, and so on.

That being said, I do find it really funny that your enemies sit around and patiently wait for you to do these things. I realize why they have to do that for gameplay reasons. Still, when you're facing an arch enemy who is about to pounce on you, it's vastly amusing for you to sit down for 5 minutes and do intricate surgery on yourself - and then use your radio to call in to your friends and chat about strategy options. When you're done, there your enemy is, being a gentleman and letting you get prepared before the assault.

There is a SUPER funny sequence in here when you are talking to a scientist, and he explains the concept of a "metal gear". It is completely nonsensical, which of course makes it so funny. It's one of those classic dialogue sequences that you record to your computer and forward around on the web.

The game really shines in many ways. You have a lot of cool technology at your disposal so you have numerous ways to achieve each goal. You can use your heat sensors ... or motion sensors ... or just watch very carefully with your naked eyes. You can experiment with a variety of camo and paint options to see what helps you best blend into your environment. You can go for a frontal assault or sneak around the back way. You always know what your objective is - but how you choose to achieve it is completely up to you.

As if this wasn't all great enough, there are a TON of extras in this set. There are hilarious extra videos. There are a bunch of online games as well as additional mini-games and older games included for free in the set.

Highly recommended!

Can This Franchise Get Any Better?

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 23 / 26
Date: April 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Ever since the first "Metal Gear Solid" brought stealth-gaming, cinematic storytelling, and the franchise to a new level back in 1999, this series has gotten nothing but better. This latest entry is an expanded version of "Snake Eater" (first released Nov. 2004). To all new gamers, do not let this series' long-standing reputation intimidate you. Believe me, this newest entry in the acclaimed series is one for everybody. To anybody who plays video games, this is one to check out.

For the newcomers, the "Metal Gear" games require the player to avoid enemy conflict and reach their objectives through stealth and covert tactics. The previous games took place in more industrial settings like warehouses and weapons factories. This time, lead protagonist Snake must survive the jungle using camoflouge and the utmost caution. But to as much of a stealth game as this is, it also a fierce yet poetic one. From a tense sniper battle in the jungle, to a gruesome and sadistic torture scene. From a deadly escort mission with plenty of carnage, to a one-on-one confrontation amidst white-flowered fields. It's also a pretty damn funny game sometimes. The sexual tension in this game is both alluring and shamelessly exploitve...I'll leave it at that. I must admit that I find the prologue chapter (which will take a new player about an hour to finish) to be kind of dull until its closing cutscene. But be patient, and you will be rewarded.
Playing through the other two "Metal Gear Solid" games makes the story clearer and more meaningful. However, I say with confidence that because "Metal Gear Solid 3" features a more direct plot than the cryptic second title, newcomers should get into this one fairly easily. Honestly, you need not to have played any "Metal Gear" game for this gripping story to make sense. Will you get more out of it as an experienced player: Definitely! Can you still appreciate this exciting, suspenseful, character-driven, and intelligent tale without the background: Definitely!

For those who've already played through "Snake Eater" (the original PS2 version), there is more additional content that is well worth checking out. The most popular addition is a new camera system that allows players to avoid the top-down perspective, and better see their surroundings as if it were a jungle version of "Splinter Cell". Although this makes the game a lot easier to play, some of the presentation is lost. Hideo Kojima created some of these levels with a cinematic flair, and you don't get as much suspense when you can see everything. The good news, which somehow wasn't advertised very well, is that you can pick either camera view whenever you want. You, the player, are in complete control of how you want to play this game at ALL times.

Disc 2 features some excellent content. A new Theater lets you watch some outlandish parodies of some of the "Snake Eater" cutscenes. The CIA Director's revenge on Snake, Snake's HALO dive going terribly wrong, and my personal favorite---Raiden's desperate need for the spotlight and the resulting "time paradoxes" he causes. These alternate reality scenes are hilarious! The complete library of the original cutscense is available on the first Disc from the get-go. There is some Online versus modes that deathmatch fans will love. And for the true "Metal Gear" fanboy - the MSX versions of the first two "Metal Gear" games, which were terribly butchered on the NES (sorry, Nintendo).

So, should those who own the original "Snake Eater" pick up the expanded version of "Metal Gear Solid 3"? My answer is absolutely! Trade in your old copy, and pick up this version immediately. It's very fair-priced for 30 bucks or less, and the Extra content is excellent. I love all of the "Metal Gear Solid" games, in all of their iterations. What's special about this game is that for the third time running, Hideo Kojima's beloved "Metal Gear Solid" franchise surpasses all expectations that I have no doubt that "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" on the PS3 is going to be amazing - such faith in a video game series is rare!

FOR THE NEW PLAYERS
Original versions
"Metal Gear Solid" (PSone, 1999) and (PC, 2001)
"Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty" (PS2, 2001)
"Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater" (PS2, 2004)

New versions of the old titles
"Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes" (Cube, 2004)
"Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance" (PS2/X-Box/PC, 2002)
"Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence" (PS2, 2006)

One of the best games in recent years...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 18 / 22
Date: May 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The first hour or so i played this game i was very disappointed. It starts off extremely slow with a boat load of boring on screen text. Heck, your 'boss' will remind you about 15x that you should use stealth to complete your mission. Yawn...

But when the prologue ends and the meat of the game begins... you are in for a treat.

Everything single part of this game is practically flawless. From the graphics, to the weapons, to the enemy design, to the voice acting, and especially the in game cut scenes.
Some of the cut scenes are so friggin entertaining that its scary. They are so good that they made a special dvd that compilies every cut scene into a feature length film!

Plus, with this special 'Subsistence' edition you will get a whole lot more than the original game. You will get two super old school Metal Gear games for the MSX console which are over 15 years old, bonus 'blopper' movies which are a joy, a light hearted monkey catching game, and more. Getting all of this bonus content for 'free' is beyond awesome.

If youre looking for an action packed, mature, brilliantly executed game than look no further. This game is all you need for pure gaming pleasure.

MGS goes Fully 3D - Complete Control Over the Camera! (Press R3)

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 19
Date: May 06, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Naked Snake! CQC - Close Quarter Combat Advanced A+

To think I almost gave the original MGSIII Snake Eater 1 star! "Metal Gear Solid 1" October 1998 designed to save the Playstation1 from the Ninento64 "Golden Eye" (released in September 1997) was a new type of `cinematics' game that the N64 cartridge could not do (playback of movie scenes on a disc is "MGS1"), MGS1 is about 4 stars at best or five if you really thought it was the bee's knees, maybe the preferred "Golden Eye" for 5 star treatment. Playstation2 hype, Christmas 2001 "MGS2: Sons of Liberty", created a big five star stomping fan base (see the reviews), but most of us could see how phoney "MGS2" was. I gave "MGS2: Sons of Liberty" 3 stars back then (maybe much less now considering), boring cinematics and constant in-game radio stops made it horribly annoying; flat game play often simply unplayable out of restriction. Quite limited in movement considering the excitement, the character of Raiden was also not Solid Snake either. The oil tanker was cool as a map for the first hour but not the whole game! In 2005 I played "MGS3" for thirty minutes and boxed it shaking my head. I went back to it again for another attempt last week. Let me explain. All is forgiven... and then more some.

The good news is that MGS3: Subsistence is now the first fully 3D MSG game. Press R3 and it is like the camera on Resident Evil 4. Press it again and it reverts back to the fixed camera mode. You can basically see everything you want now. So wow wow wow. "MGS3: Subsistence" is a Solid Five star game, the best MGS experience besides not even being MGS at all at times (this is why it is better), maybe as good as the experience of playing "Half-life 2" till the end, I am not a MGS fan (still not; skipped `MGS2.5: Subsistence' totally) but I played this like it was the best thing since "GTA: San Andreas" or slice bread. The video cut-scenes are the finest on the PS2 yet (or any game for that matter; some elements are PS2 rendered; wear the zombie mask camouflage for best cut-scene effect!), "MGS2" had great graphics, but MGS3 is all about the all-too-very real jungle and wildlife around you (Yes PS2 graphics are nothing compared to a PC ATI 256mb pro card, but Snake Eater lives!) LISTEN NEXT - William Ewart Fairbairn, General List, was born February 28, 1885 in Rickmansworth, Herts, England. Prior to the Second World War, Fairbairn was the Chief Instructor at the Shanghai Municipal Police from October 1907 to March 1940. Fairbairn joined SOE in March 1942 with the rank of Captain, having previously been an instructor at the War Office Special Training Centre in Scotland in July of 1940. He founded CQC (see review title). CQC is employed in MGS3 as a means to effectively fight and ground the enemy with Judo type throws and holds and "Tenchu" style executions, use him as a human shield or interrogate the enemy for mission information (yes you heard right), you can also select several types of camouflage (play `Barbie' every other new area you explore, but still come out feeling more like a man) MGS3 has the most realistic jungle terrain accomplished in a game since "Far Cry", as you crawl your way very slowly through miles of Russian woodland for a few days (literally), also hunting the wildlife to feed yourself and a self-administered x-ray medical scan system that allows you to select treat various wounds with different medic tools, I came out the other side of this EPIC INSTANT CLASSIC thinking that there is a future revolution in gaming waiting to happen as a result of Solid Snake, you should support this game! Why? Solid Snake gets you doing things in the jungle that you have never done before in a `game'. At one stage I could see my own vomit on infrared because of a bad animal I killed and ate. This hot zone gave me away to a sniper called `The End' who eradicated me because of it. Towards the end of the game things get more urban. I hope MGS4 is in Tokyo City but just like the jungle here! I find the following most logical. You must find your own way but - see map, camouflage gear (check halfway through map again), first-person quick look, infrared look, sonar ping, crawl, kill rat food, ping again, crawl slowly to bad guy, CQC grab (Choose CQC mode), interrogate, kill, CQC ground smash three other enemies there and then, hide in bushes, set TNT, crawl away, detonate if bad guys come, eat hunted food, try CQC three more enemy, accidentally fail with CQC on one who alerts six other enemy, take them out with up to twenty weapons of various types or CQC them all, blend into the jungle and run away, the choice is yours until you get to the other end of the map where a video will play and although the story is ten times better than MGS2, it is still Japanese, so these things will always remain illogical to us Westerners, still works better than most PS2 attempts, at times Manga quality, this is one of the most memorable games I have played in my lifetime. Also now that most of the PS2 stealth games have come and gone the jury is in. MGSIII simply owned them all hands down. Now with the new 3D mode it is worth playing it all over again.

Use your sonar, map and equipment and play the game SLOWLY (not GTA madness!) as in crawl for miles and miles in the right frame of mind and you will appreciate how significant things really are. Subsistence also includes MULTIPLAYER and will 0WN YOUR BROADBAND! Given the fact

New Features:
- Fully 3D by pushing the R3 button.
- Demo Theater, Extreme difficulty level, Duel Mode and more Snake vs. Monkey missions.
- More Camouflage and face paints.
- Cutscenes theater parody.
- Plus some other extras.

Pros:
- The first true stealth game you will ever play.
- Likely the last true stealth game you will play until the PS3.
- CQC.
- Russian Jungle

Cons:
- HIGHEST PS2 LEARNING CURVE. Takes hours to break in properly. Intro does not appear until a few hours.
- Does not last forever.

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