Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

released on Nov 13, 2001

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is the sequel to the espionage action game Metal Gear Solid. Much of the gameplay remains the same, as the game's protagonist has to sneak past guards, outsmart them using various gadgets and defeat the tricky boss enemies. The game expanded its predecessor's cover mechanic, with Solid Snake or Raiden able to take cover behind walls or objects and pop out to shoot at enemies, while the improved enemy AI allowed enemies to also take cover from the player. Metal Gear Solid 2 is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time, as well as a leading example of artistic expression in video games.


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raiden is my 5th favorite femboy

Clunky and cool. I get the hype.

Man we’ve come a long way in the technical approach, but I’d love half the heart this game has in a modern project.

I believe it's harder for me to review something in which I enjoy than things in which I have obvious and major critiques upon, which is why this game and specifically how to formulate my raw emotions towards it into a review has been all I am able to think about since finishing.
I hope this review will do it a shred of justice.

In the easiest and shortest way to define it, it is 'art', not in the sense of "yes this is a piece of art" but simply that it is art in and of itself, wholly and fully it is an artistic masterpiece.

Coming from Metal Gear Solid 1 in which I didn't have the best experience with I honestly wasn't expecting too much to begin with, another action espionage game by Kojima with an ending that tries to make up for the rest of the games short comings. However, what I was given instead turned out to be not only one of the most consistently fun games ever (utilizing its map design and gameplay mechanics better than its predecessor) with one of my favorite characters I've seen in anything ever made, but then when that final stretch did hit it did not stop getting better and better, with the final hour-ish of the game being beyond perfection. I beat this game in basically one day (about midnight the 16th to 1AM the 18th), I couldn't stop playing it whenever I had the chance, the chokehold it had upon me was immense.

The bosses are not anything crazy or standout but they're unique and play heavily important roles into the narrative that drive you to remember them more, which I believe to be better than just having scattered bosses that are more fun to play against but not important towards the games lore or narrative; None of the bosses left me underwhelmed or dreaded playing against.

The level design in which I've heard many complaints about was actually super cool, even in the times in which I'd have to wrap around multiple sections to get to where I had to go it never felt boring in the slightest, and this feeling of appreciation towards the level design was only amplified a significant amount the more I spent with it realizing its connections towards Shadow Moses and what it really is. I really appreciate level design that plays the heavy tie into the story and narrative of the world as well as the characters themselves more than simply 'cool looking areas', which isn't to say that Big Shell and the scenery within this game is not beautiful either, the cutscenes do so much justice towards the feel of this facility but simply looking around is amazing, the E.E guiding mission on the bridges specifically was so beautiful seeing the sun off in the distance.

Alongside being the absolute masterclass that it is in itself, it also has made my thoughts upon Metal Gear Solid 1 so much better too, with context to MGS2 I can't help but to think more positively of its predecessor and how they connect and make each other better; Changing my previous 2.5 star review of MGS1 to a more deserving 3.5 stars.

I wish not to spoil the magic of the final stretch, but it is without a doubt one of/if not the best conclusion to anything I've seen before, In this day and age, especially in recent times with the rise of Artificial Intelligence and the susceptibility towards it, I believe this game and its commentary to be more important than ever before.

There is so much more to this game, whether major events or minute details that play into its importance, that all I can truly say is to play it yourself if you haven't.