All time classic that still stands tall till this day.

Going to do chris's route now before I move on to the second game, but this is a game I definitely want to do subsequent playthroughs to get good at it.

Only issue I had was with the puzzles; some were kinda cool but others were mehhhhh.

Metal Gear Solid 3 takes the stealth out to the jungle. MGS3 is all about survival in the wilderness. It's a classic MGS game through and through. Just like the other games your going to get an exceptional experience here. A compelling story and huge map to explore. MGS3 continues to be a cinematic achievement and an amazing gameplay experience. The subsistence version is the way to go here for sure for the improved camera and all the extra features. Once again a defining games of the PS2.

Master Collection version
Platinum #192

The hype for Metal Gear Solid 2 has never been topped. Anybody who says otherwise wasn't there at the time. No game has ever felt as "next gen" as MGS2. The build up to the E3 2000 was crazy. The nearly ten minute trailer of pure next gen gameplay and story hints sent the crowds through the roof. It's very similar to EVO moment 37 in terms of sheer volume. The game is a master work in it's conception and audience expectations and it's marketing. Little did we know that what was shown before the game was only like about 1/5 of what was the real game. Snake only being playable at the beginning and a new character taking over the rest of the game is a crazy risky bait and switch that honestly probably will never be replicated again. The genius part though is it aligns with the games story perfectly.

When I finally got to play MGS2 is blew all my expectations away and then some. The new gameplay additions worked flawlessly with the old. Being able to pinpoint shoot in first person while still being able to run and gun in third person was great. I always felt like I had every tool at my disposal for every encounter. The game is second to none when it comes to attention to details and how you can interact with the world. Famously as such spilling cups over and watching the ice melt in real time. Or shooting different pots and pans and they all make unique sounds. Or being able to flip through the pages of a magazine your holding. Or how about getting a cold if your out in the rain too long? I could go on and on. This was simply crazy for an early PS2 game. Enemies not diapering when they die was also something new that you might not remember because it's so ingrained into the series now. Enemy AI was a lot smarter too. Being able to hear you way easier. Noticing small details like bullet casings, your shadow around the corner or environment manipulation. The bosses are great once again. They all have a rich history to them and there are always multiple different ways to approach them. Lethally or even non lethally. As with all MGS games the bosses are always a highlight. There are just so much nuances to the gameplay it's hard to talk about them all here.

The story pushes forward after MGS1 and delves into how the world has responded to the Shadow Moses incident. The story gets pretty heavy and very into it's themes. I don't really wanna spoil them as this game is best played fresh, but the themes of this game in 2002 are way more relevant to today that you would think Kojima was a time traveler. The story and themes are a pretty big focus on the game. Many people have done breakdowns and hours long discussions on why it's soo good and relevant. Konami even released a document of MGS2 behind the scenes making of the game and an indepth look at the story.

Finally rounding out the package the game has many unlockables and many difficulties. On top of that the Substance version adds on so much stuff it's beyond ridiculous. It's easily two games worth of material. You have the Snake tales (mini what if snake campaign), Movie Theater (customize the MGS2 cutscenes with multiple effect changes and characters), a skateboarding game and last the VR missions. The VR mission are huge. Like 200 some missions. It could have been it's own release. You can play as many different characters where you take on a variety of challenges. It's pure gameplay bliss. The MGS1 Snake mission were also so brutally difficult. I consider it a great achievement in completing them. Konami even had leaderboards for the main campaign and VR missions. Online leader boards in 2002? What doesn't this game do?

MGS2 is the complete package and a truly special game. I encourage everyone to try it.

Master Collection Ver
Platinum #195

t has been 10 years since Hitman: Blood Money, what many probably still consider the pinnacle of the Hitman franchise. Soon after the release of Hitman: Absolution, many Hitman fans like myself believed the series was as good as dead. It was streamlined to be more of an action/stealth game than a puzzle/stealth game, and the story beats really didn't line up with the rest of the series. Fast forward to January '14, where IO Interactive actually puts out an apology letter for Hitman: Absolution, and ensures the fanbase that next time will be different. The future of Hitman will return to it's roots, and boy, did it ever. HITMAN released in a (for some reason controversial) episodic format featuring heavily varying locations, a plethora of creative ways to take out targets, an unobtrusive story that doesn't rewrite the 47 character, and a host of new modes that add to the freshening up of the franchise. Custom contracts, elusive targets, and escalation contracts really give players reasons to keep coming back to the game. IO has also continued to listen to the community and patched the game to make it better and better. I'm excited the HITMAN franchise is a platform with a second season on the way, and I think that IO has finally surpassed Blood Money.