At first, when playing, I remember feeling "This game is fine enough but somewhat simple, I'm curious which parts the praise comes from". Then upon reaching the boss fight with Psycho Mantis, everything started making sense.
Metal Gear Solid truly did pioneer cinematic games, and then some. There are so many points of this game where the player can really feel that the developers were making as much thorough use of the fact that this is a video game as possible. Making the player check the back of the case for a character's codec number, messing with controller/rumble/TV features to cause thrilling effects, using gameplay as a vehicle to convey the severity of or immersion of a given situation, it all feels so much like a modern big budget game would.
The core stealth systems are very straightforward here and can be easily cheesed or navigated, which is my only gripe with the game. I felt engaged but sometimes certain game feel elements felt archaic or not well realized enough. The cardboard box almost entirely solves stealthy situations, with little interaction beyond "wait for the guys to pass by", and the weapon aiming does not feel fun to use. However, I would still say I had fun overall.
I was also engaged with the story. It's worth mentioning that this is, as of writing this, the only Metal Gear game I've ever completed. This is being said to illustrate that I have no frame of reference for the "bonkers deep lore" reputation this franchise has. As a standalone story, stakes are built, plot elements are properly foreshadowed and told, and characters are developed. It's a good story.
Metal Gear Solid is definitely as important as a video game as it's been built up to be, and very impressive for the time/hardware it was released. It can still feel a bit clunky or flat in places, but is still well worth checking out.
Metal Gear Solid truly did pioneer cinematic games, and then some. There are so many points of this game where the player can really feel that the developers were making as much thorough use of the fact that this is a video game as possible. Making the player check the back of the case for a character's codec number, messing with controller/rumble/TV features to cause thrilling effects, using gameplay as a vehicle to convey the severity of or immersion of a given situation, it all feels so much like a modern big budget game would.
The core stealth systems are very straightforward here and can be easily cheesed or navigated, which is my only gripe with the game. I felt engaged but sometimes certain game feel elements felt archaic or not well realized enough. The cardboard box almost entirely solves stealthy situations, with little interaction beyond "wait for the guys to pass by", and the weapon aiming does not feel fun to use. However, I would still say I had fun overall.
I was also engaged with the story. It's worth mentioning that this is, as of writing this, the only Metal Gear game I've ever completed. This is being said to illustrate that I have no frame of reference for the "bonkers deep lore" reputation this franchise has. As a standalone story, stakes are built, plot elements are properly foreshadowed and told, and characters are developed. It's a good story.
Metal Gear Solid is definitely as important as a video game as it's been built up to be, and very impressive for the time/hardware it was released. It can still feel a bit clunky or flat in places, but is still well worth checking out.