METAL GEAR SOLID 2: Sons of Liberty - Master Collection Version

breaks my heart to review this game negatively because I was having a good time with the story (gameplay maybe not so much..? 1, 3, V, and even PW were far better gameplay-wise IMO). My opinion on that could change IF I was given the opportunity to do that, but I am not going to replay 3-4 hours of gameplay that I lost due to a PS2 disc-reading error (on STEAM???). This port is a sick joke... Being a fan and not wanting to sail the seven seas on a franchise I love made me instantly purchase this game since it has "Very Positive" reviews. Turns out, everybody is saying to download 3 "Master Collection Fix Mod"(s) in order to prevent file corruption. And you have to be on Windowed mode before triggering a specific cutscene in order to avoid the disc-reading error. I am probably going play this again, just not on Steam. It would behoove you to do the same!

'Kept you waiting, huh?' Solid Snake's speech at the end was more educational than half of topics that you study in school. By far one of the best games that have touched the topic of AI and how its going to affect our lives, to change it, to controlled it. Raiden is such perfect character for this game, a character that doesn't have the power of free will, chained by higher ups. 'Who am I really?'

Kojima’s masterpiece and one of the most important video games ever made. The game tells a massive and incredibly engaging story filled with plot twists, memorable characters and themes that are still relevant today. What makes it even more impressive is how many parallels it draws to our own reality despite being released in 2001. The gameplay, characters and soundtrack are all fantastic. Snake and Raiden are both amazing protagonists and the reason why you play as Raiden in the first place is honestly genius. It takes every aspect I loved about the first Metal Gear Solid and improves on it. The gameplay feels much more refined, incredibly satisfying and just a lot of fun to play. The writing is absolutely phenomenal. Every major character feels important and well developed and the storytelling is simply on another level. The second half of the game completely blew me away. Plot twist after plot twist left me speechless. What impresses me the most is how ahead of its time the game was. It is honestly crazy how accurately Kojima predicted and explored topics that are even more relevant today than they were back then. The message of this game is incredibly important and remains just as powerful now as it was over two decades ago. I really think everyone should play this game at least once in their life. It is not only one of the greatest games ever made but also one of the most Insanely important message that is still relevant today.

This is probably the most divisive Metal Gear Solid game (at least of the first 3) but it's always been my favourite. It just cranks the madness up to eleven as the game progresses, and it has a lot of gameplay improvements over the first one. The plot gets gloriously unhinged in a delightful way; I think it may be the maximum levels of Kojima-madness of any of the series (it's close with MGS 4). I think the game was maligned a little due to the fact you play as Raiden most of the time, but Solid Snake is still a heavy presence and Raiden is a better character self-insert as he's lost in the plot most of the time. Rose, on the other hand, is unbearable, I'll give the haters that. And as for this version, it ran well on Max Resolution mode on my potato of a computer, never crashed, and unlike the first one, all of the achievements popped on the first try when they should. It's full of solid content (I wish that was pun intended) and made it feel like it was the early 2000s again.

Metal Gear Solid 2 is not just a relic of the PS2 era; it is a terrifyingly accurate diagnosis of our modern world. Back in 2001, Hideo Kojima brilliantly predicted the age of information warfare, fake news, and digital manipulation that we live in today. What was once dismissed as a controversial and experimental narrative has since become our everyday reality. The game is not long, yet it is masterfully designed for repeat playthroughs, with every session revealing deeper layers of its complex story and intricate details. It remains a meta-referential masterpiece that was decades ahead of its time, both technically and thematically. MGS2 is more than just a game; it is an unforgettable cultural artifact that resonates even more powerfully today than it did at launch.

Cinematic!!

[h1][b] TLDR: A genuine leap forward from MGS1 with that classic Kojima design and a story ahead of its time, though aging first-person combat controls can lead to some frustrating experiences. [/b] [/h1] [h1]PROS: [/h1] ➕Amazing improvements over MGS1 ➕Great Kojima game design ➕Fun Easter Eggs ➕Story [h1]CONS: [/h1] ➖Controls feel old, outdated, and often frustrating ➖Often easier and quicker to die if discovered instead of hiding and waiting it out ➖Looooooong and constant cutscenes limit gameplay [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/Synikx/recommended/2131630?snr=1_5_9__402]You can find my review for Metal Gear Solid (MGS1) here.[/url] [h1] [b] Content (Game world/Narrative) – [7/10] [/b] [/h1] The game world takes place on a tanker (boat) and an oil plant. Both places are full of hidden nuggets to find and ways to interact with the environment - things like fire extinguishers have multiple practical uses in combat and stealth gameplay. While the areas are mostly linear and not very big, it’s still a rather impressive world, especially back upon its release. The story is rather normal, but quickly devolves into crazy near the end. The vast majority of the game is (meant to be) a near perfect representation of MGS1, just with different characters and setting. The plot predicted things like fake news, and AI-curated information way back in the early 2000s, truly ahead of its time. I found the story to be good, but Raiden is often insufferable and serves as a somewhat dim-witted exposition piece. [h1][b] Gameplay (Mechanics/Difficulty) – [5/10] [/b] [/h1] The gameplay loop consists of using stealth methods (mostly) to get from point A to point B by any means possible, along with boss fights on the way. The stealth mechanics are very good. The enemy AI is solid and has great interactivity when it comes to hold-ups or room clears, it feels very realistic. The combat mechanics…less so. The new hotness for MGS2 is the new first-person view, which is incorporated into almost everything. It’s clunky and a pain to use. Even some of the controls with the forced-perspective camera are terrible as the camera shifts when you flatten against a wall which is confusing control-wise and often made me lose my position due to moving the joystick to the new camera angle. The difficulty is generally forgiving. There were a few parts where checkpoints were far behind and instant death was possible (right after the Harrier fight), but for the most part, I found the games difficulty to be on the easier side. [h1] [b] Graphics (Quality/Technical) – [5/10] [/b] [/h1] It’s obviously a PS2 game, but remade in HD for modern systems. It’s still very much PS2-era and the environments show. The technical side is good, I didn’t run into any issues and the game played at 60 FPS. By far the worst part on the technical side is the aging controls. Combat is such a chore, I found it easier just dying and restarting the room rather than dealing with being discovered and fighting my way out. I noticed no bugs. 1440p @ 240hz | installed on SSD [h1] [b] Audio – [7/10] [/b] [/h1] Great audio. The music is subtle and largely unimportant. The voice acting is very good, top notch performances. Also a special nod to the sound effects, especially during the cutscenes. Gun sounds and footsteps are loud and sound good. [h1] [b] Replay Factor (Longevity) – [2/10] [/b] [/h1] Not a lot of replay value. Other than Easter eggs and achievements, there’s only optional VR missions. [h1] [b] Final Verdict – [7/10] [/b] [/h1] Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (MGS2) was such an epic game back on its release. The last time I played this game was in the early 2000s on my PS2. I would say the game aged fairly well, especially the story, but the controls can be a point of frustration. This is a worthy update to the game - it runs great on modern systems and preserves the original in all its glory and flaws. Not much seems to have changed other than the HD visuals and achievements. By far the worst part of the game for me was anything to do with combat. The stealth aspects are good, but aiming is clunky. Shooting in the first-person view is what the game tries to shove at you at every event and boss fight, but it is just more and more evident how this mechanic has not aged well. Still, apart from the controls, this is a game worth experiencing. While MGS1 is still good, it has aged worse than MGS2, but MGS2 brings the MGS series into a more modern era with this entry. There are so many improvements and that classic “Kojima” design that oozes out of this game. It’s a fun trip, not only from the fun tidbits like walking around in boxes, sending Otacon cute girly pics, and shooting seagulls with tranq darts, but it has a great story that was ahead of its time. This is such a prime candidate for a game that deserves a reMAKE not a reMASTER. Overall, I do recommend MGS2. It’s a huge jump up in the series from MGS1 as long as you can get past the somewhat terrible combat controls. [h1] [b] Recommend? (Price) [Y/N] [/b] [/h1] [h1] [/h1] $20 is a good price point for such a legendary classic game. The historical low price of $10 though is probably the highest I’d be willing to pay for this. You can find my curator page here: https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Synik_GR

Holds up extremely well; the worst part about it is the lack of modern controls like Metal Gear Solid Δ. Still highly recommended.

Dentro de los MGS para mi este tiene la mejor infiltracion ya que es todo en 2 bases enemigas con unas mejores increibles respecto al primer MGS. En historia si bien uno cuando lo jugo en su momento no tenia mucha idea de lo que estaba pasando, lo valoras mucho mas luego de terminar el MGS4 ya con todo el rompecabezas armado. Es increible que este juego saliese el 2002 y tuve el gusto de pasarlo muchas veces de niño aunque lo hiciese sin mucho contexto. Ya no se hacen juegos asi donde puedas interactuar tanto con el juego, el detalle en cada objeto, los niveles de dificultad que cambian por completo el gameplay y no como ahora que solo es agregarle hp al enemigo. Sin uno de los mejores juegos de su generacion junto a su secuela y base fundamental para lo que seria, para mi el mejor juego de la saga, el MGS4.

I think I'll avoid spoilers for this one since it is such a great story that everyone deserves to experience it for the first time blindly. On other side, it's an extremely solid (pun intended)game which improves everything that first game does. The stealth in this game is improved upon way more with stuff like First-person aiming, non-fatal kills and whatnot. I think non-fatal kills are the biggest. I think the biggest win for this game is how it improves upon enemy behaviour. Enemies now react even fiercer to knocks. They started to have comm system, so being detected means you're ♥♥♥♥♥♥ essentially. Not just that, after every detection, security tightens which means that there are now actual consequences for failing and you can't just change room to avoid detection or some stuff. As a matter of fact, enemies react to your shadows too. Game feels far more smoother to play, though I had issues with slow motion in some section which made it a bit of the pain. Being able to dodge roll and also hang was also fun stuff. Bosses also had far more unique traits which made the game fun. I loved this game and it is definitely one of my favourite games of all time. The game also had disguise system (wearing enemy disguise even after said story section results in slower detection). I think many people were harsh to this game because of change in protag otherwise this would've been flagged as the best MGS game. Though, I'll point it out that the bosses are fun and game over screen acting as a stat screen is a huge bonus. Absolute cinema of the game. Though I didn't like the escort section in the game or how janky swimming felt. Now, it's time to hop on MGS3.