An important artistic moment for videogames, where the gameplay is made un-fun on purpose and it WORKS.
Playing this game is hell for the best reasons and a knowledge of the events and climate of the industry surrounding its release are needed for full appretiation of this game.
If you are the type of player to care only about gameplay this game is NOT for you, hell if you havent played mgs1 and don't care about the industry and videogames as an art form this game also is not for you.
If you are interested to see Kojima slap the gaming industry in 2001 and predict the future of both games and society in general, this game is for you.

For a more in-depth piece, I'd have to replay the game again. I'd love to, of course, but it'll come at another time.

Rather, I will just say that there is not currently a game in my mind that will entrance you with its combination of bizarre and awesome mess. It's a riveting ride through the whole thing and while you may finish with a confused feeling, part of that confusion is that you never want it to stop.

Whether this one is my favourite or 3, I'd recommend playing the whole series. 4 for the sake of finishing the story, 5 for the sake of gameplay and pretending the story isn't even happening.

Its pretty much the opposite of the phantom pain, story is king in this game and its well executed for the most part. Theres a bunch of cool memorable characters and mindfuck plot twists. Having to play as raiden rather than snake didn’t really bother me, hes not a bad character and not playing as snake himself for once gives an Interesting perspective and snake is painted as a legendary badass so there was nothing to complain about there for me. The game has lots of clever and or entertaining bosses. The soundtrack is really great again too. The core gameplay is decent stealth action. There are some things that bugged me about it though. I think the level design gets pretty repetitive by the middle of the game and the backtracking accentuates this even more. Also gameplay wise, i think the section with Otacons sister is very weak. The sniper in this game feels like complete and utter ass unless you pop a pentazemin pill. There is also pretty much no choice to go loud, a stealthy approach is always a better option, enemies will infinitely respawn when alerted. This might sound like a foolish complaint because its a stealth game but other games in the series give you the option and its actually a viable way to play.

Prescience of the world aside, I just can't love MGS2 with as much of my heart as MGS1 or 3. It's the little things, but they add up, and lines about flapjacks and tuning forks just don't hit the same if you see them coming.

The thing is, I still can't deny MGS2 a spot in the five-star club. Over time my highest rating has become less and less of an indication of what games I consider "perfect" and more of a showcase of recommendations, and I know that whether I'm as into it as the others or not, MGS2 deserves their status, and so here it is.

This game is a unique and confusing game to review, a game that can be perceived as purposefully bad and a comment on society and where its heading it was incredibly thought provoking, however forcing someone to play an entire game for this message to reveal itself is too much to expect when the game plays like this, it's frustrating because it's paramount to the plot of the franchise and had the skeleton of a good sequel to mgs1 but this game is definitely the low point of the franchise, people can argue its brilliance but its a pain to play and the epilogue feels pretentious after playing a padded boring game. That being said there's some fun to be had from the normal metal gear wacky characters plot and 4th wall shattering moments.

Writing: 2/5
Gameplay: 3/5
Art Design & Visuals: 3/5
Voices & Sounds: 3/5
Atmosphere & Immersion: 1/5

The peak of the series formally and thematically. To describe MGS2 in one word is smooth. The stealth gameplay is the smoothest the series ever achieved during the top-down era. But it also evolves the stealth. Where the MSX games and MGS1 were about concealment, MGS2 emphasizes disruption of the industrial environment. Bursting steam pipes to stun guards. Hanging off ledges and hiding in lockers to break sightlines.

Norihiko Hibino's smooth jazz score during the Big Shell chapter, mixes classic analog jazz with contemporary digital instruments, just as MGS2 takes the idea of MGS1 and modifies it digitally.

Nerds hated it for the dumbest reasons, but Metal Gear Solid 2 is a great experience. Beyond being that "weird" and "insane" game plot wise. Great because of its form.