Having not played it since it was first released, I was curious to see how things had changed and/or been improved for this latest iteration of the classic stealth action game.
It doesn’t long to see it hasn’t changed much at all. Which depending on how you view your HD re-releases is either a good or bad thing.
Some games, like Halo Anniversary, go to town, adding so many new features it looks and feels like a new game. Others, like Ico, keep the bones of the game the same but spice up the visuals just a little.
And then there’s Metal Gear Solid 2, which takes the approach that if it was good enough for the 1990s, it’s good enough for now, and changes almost nothing.
In some ways, this sucks, as the muddy character textures and low polygon counts look awful on a big HDTV (the level art, being blocky by design and better lit, doesn’t look too bad). In others, though, it’s awesome, as you see things like hairy armpits (pictured in clip above) in greater detail than ever before.
As for how the game plays, well, it’s Metal Gear Solid 2. The controller is mostly the same on PS3, so everything gameplay-wise is how you remember it. It’s funny, having recently played Deus Ex, which owes so much to the Metal Gear series, Metal Gear Solid’s stealth mechanics have held up surprisingly well.
The other Metal Gear games getting the HD treatment (MGS3 and Peace Walker) are playable here as well, i’ll try and at least get footage of those, if not get my hands on them.
Dark_Templar
Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 10:55 AMFinished MGS1 seven times. Once was enough for MGS2…
Pioneer
Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 10:29 PMGo and think about what you typed and repent.
AkIRA
Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 12:26 PMOh man watching that tanker opening makes me want this SO bad. That Tanker level is my favourite in a game, ever. will be good playing MGS3 again, I only played through that once.
Adrian Milano
Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 4:23 PMYeah I only played metal gear 2 once and I’m a huge fanboy, BUT i did play the tanker twice as it is fantastic. Metal gear 3 is the best. I will replay that. Metal Gear 1 I have finished heaps. Peace Walker was to arkward on PSP so I never finished it, waiting for the ps3 controls in the remake YAY!
miaculpa
Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 8:06 PMIt wasn’t good enough for the 1990s you dumbass, MGS2 was reelased in 2001.
Christ, typical Plunkett article.
Otacon
Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 12:42 AMMost anticipated game release of the year.
Kizaru
Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 4:41 AMI think anyone who has half a brain knows that the Halo anniversary is a completely different effort for a completely different goal, and as was stated in another article here, they changed so much of that game that it felt like a brand new game instead of something that’s supposed to be nostalgic (hence the changeable graphics).
Sony’s efforts were clearly just to update classic games people loved and want to experience again in better quality. It’s all about nostalgia and nothing else. Microsoft, on the other hand don’t really have a, let’s say “extensive” library of “classics” to draw from, that’s likely the only reason they’ve updated Halo to such an extent.
AerintheADEQUATE
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 1:32 AMI think Luke is confused about the terms “Remake” and “HD Remaster”
They are not the same thing.
Frank
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 12:03 PMIf it isn’t broken then don’t fix it. What would be the point of completely revamping MGS2 with new features, they might as well make a new game. The whole muddy textures point is pretty pointless.
God what a waste of a perfectly good article, no interview at all with Hideo Kojima or anyone from Konami. No mention of release date or if it will even be available in Australia. There’s more mention of the Halo HD than there is MGS or even the collection that they’re bringing out of probably some of the most important games ever to come out in the last eleven years.