The Official Metal Gear Thread

[craigdbfan]

Still thinking about Sons of Liberty and noticed something strikingly familiar. Its probably just an odd coincidence but the events of The Big Shell are very similar to Deepwater Horizon (BP Oil Spill).

While in SOL it was a giant cargo ship that was the false flag to start the building of the Big Shell to manufacture the Metal Gear Ray while the BP Oil "accident" was an oil refinery that apparently went array due to structural problems.

Both areas were blocked off not only to the public but any self employed/independent marine biologist, scientist, etc that wanted to examine the area themselves and only government/and company approved scientist were able to examine the area.

While the Big Shell was the form of coverup the Patriots had, with BP they tried holding in the oil at first with a giant dome which completely sealed off the area visibly. On top of that both situations were criticized heavily by the public because both were handled poorly. Which in SOL was completely on purpose to allocate time to build Metal Gear Ray.

Coast Guard/FBI/FEMA/CIA/and other anonymous agencies were regulars at the site of the refinery whereas in SOL the Patriots through manipulating several different factions of the US branches of military/government along with tricking rogue military groups to keep their agenda of Metal Gear Ray secret.

Odd coincidence but honestly the parallels that Hideo Kojima has drawn with actual events is flat out creepy (SOL was released in 2001 while BP Oil accident happened this year). Then again a man who is able to decipher IMO the basic truths of evil and corruption within men in such an expert fashion probably has foreshadowing senses that is rarely seen.

 

[Ajendo]

See, Craig you hit the nail on the head. Kojima is a genius. He can be a bit annoying at times but the guy knows how to tell a compelling story and from the very beginning he's managed to infuse factual, hypothetical, philosophical and historical themes and ideas to construct a basic, plausible story only to be amplified by fantastical elements, which at times include conspiracies too that lend itself useful for the sake of the overall gaming experience.

When someone puts that level of research and detail into a project, it gives such a project (the game) an almost timeless feel because these games when stripped down are essentially occurrences that do happen, have happened or will happen. Plausibility within the realms of an almost grounded and realistic piece of fabrication for the sake of entertainment is executed extremely well.

If one were to say Kojima is well ahead of his time I'd regard that as a gross unfair understatement. When I fist played MGS back in '99 it hijacked my time and attention. When SOL came out, after playing the game I was damn near possessed by what Kojima had created; A mythology so stylised and fantastical in all its glory but at the same time something almost so incredibly real about it too.

 

[craigdbfan]

See, Craig you hit the nail on the head. Kojima is a genius. He can be a bit annoying at times but the guy knows how to tell a compelling story and from the very beginning he's managed to infuse factual, hypothetical, philosophical and historical themes and ideas to construct a basic, plausible story only to be amplified by fantastical elements, which at times include conspiracies too that lend itself useful for the sake of the overall gaming experience.

When someone puts that level of research and detail into a project, it gives such a project (the game) an almost timeless feel because these games when stripped down are essentially occurrences that do happen, have happened or will happen. Plausibility within the realms of an almost grounded and realistic piece of fabrication for the sake of entertainment is executed extremely well.

If one were to say Kojima is well ahead of his time I'd regard that as a gross unfair understatement. When I fist played MGS back in '99 it hijacked my time and attention. When SOL came out, after playing the game I was damn near possessed by what Kojima had created; A mythology so stylised and fantastical in all its glory but at the same time something almost so incredibly real about it too.

Well said.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Hideo Kojima always seems to have his eyes on the perilous endeavors of the major corporations, and world politics, and the things that all go along with them.

His politics, I think, comes through on issues through the storytelling in his games. I know, for example, there was some controversy over where he seemed to predict the Private Military Companies industry could be headed, with Metal Gear Solid 4.

Granted, it was an exaggeration of his own beliefs...but still.

It is pretty crazy when you point out BP Oil Spill and SOL. Btw...does anyone know specifically the year the Big Shell mission takes place? I know the Metal Gear time-line is ahead of itself by a few years. Shadow Moses took place in 2005, I believe. And I think the Tanker incident took place a year or two after Shadow Moses...and I think Big Shell occurred two or three years after the Tanker incident...so wouldn't that have made the cover story used in SOL 2009 or 2010?

 

[Tron Bonne]

MGS2's Tanker was 2007 and the Big Shell was 2009

 

[eternalinferno]

Since we're not getting the real thing, I was thinking of what some of the trophies would be if mgs4 had them, post your own ideas as well people. So here we go:

5 trophies for finishing each act, I'm thinking each one is silver, with maybe act 5 being a gold one
A gold trophy for beating the game, any difficulty
8 trophies for all the boss fights and the set piece in act 1 against all the frogs since there is no real boss fight in act 1, trophies range from bronze to gold
For the completionists out there, a gold trophy for obtaining all the emblems in the game, and a seperate gold for the big boss emblem
A bronze trophy for obtaining all the weapons in the game
A bronze trophy for X amount of times cqc was used
A bronze trophy for tailing the resistance member in act 3 w/o triggering an alert phase and not allowing him to be killed or captured
Perhaps a bronze trophy for using the altair costume and killing someone with the knife while it's equipped
A bronze trophy for triggering all the flashbacks in act 4, I even thought of a name for this trophy lol, nostalgia, or something like that
So that's all I got for now, you guys have any suggestions?

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

That's a nice list. The trophies for each act is a given, and trophies for each boss fight as well I suppose. The trophy for obtaining all emblems and another for the Big Boss Emblem is nice as well.

I don't know if a trophy for going through the entire game without a kill is redundant with the Big Boss Emblem trophy (although, knowing me, to milk the trophies for all they're worth I'd probably do a No-Kills run on normal before doing a Big Boss Emblem run).

I'd probably kick myself for saying it if it happens, but a trophy for making your way through the South American maze to track down Naomi without using your Solid Eye and without being detected would be a nice challenge. Call it 'Ninja Scout' or something, since I'm thinking of the talk Raiden gives Snake before he goes on the hunt.

I'd like a trophy for playing through the game with the Young Snake w/Bandanna face camo. Mainly because that's pretty much how I play through the game now.

I dunno, they could go nuts with it. Is there supposed to be a set limit of the number of trophies, or is there just a number that PS3 games go over or under about?

 

[craigdbfan]

Hideo Kojima always seems to have his eyes on the perilous endeavors of the major corporations, and world politics, and the things that all go along with them.

His politics, I think, comes through on issues through the storytelling in his games. I know, for example, there was some controversy over where he seemed to predict the Private Military Companies industry could be headed, with Metal Gear Solid 4.

Granted, it was an exaggeration of his own beliefs...but still.

It is pretty crazy when you point out BP Oil Spill and SOL. Btw...does anyone know specifically the year the Big Shell mission takes place? I know the Metal Gear time-line is ahead of itself by a few years. Shadow Moses took place in 2005, I believe. And I think the Tanker incident took place a year or two after Shadow Moses...and I think Big Shell occurred two or three years after the Tanker incident...so wouldn't that have made the cover story used in SOL 2009 or 2010?

Another instance in which Kojima seems to hit the nail on the head.

 

[eternalinferno]

That's a nice list. The trophies for each act is a given, and trophies for each boss fight as well I suppose. The trophy for obtaining all emblems and another for the Big Boss Emblem is nice as well.

I don't know if a trophy for going through the entire game without a kill is redundant with the Big Boss Emblem trophy (although, knowing me, to milk the trophies for all they're worth I'd probably do a No-Kills run on normal before doing a Big Boss Emblem run).

I'd probably kick myself for saying it if it happens, but a trophy for making your way through the South American maze to track down Naomi without using your Solid Eye and without being detected would be a nice challenge. Call it 'Ninja Scout' or something, since I'm thinking of the talk Raiden gives Snake before he goes on the hunt.

I'd like a trophy for playing through the game with the Young Snake w/Bandanna face camo. Mainly because that's pretty much how I play through the game now.

I dunno, they could go nuts with it. Is there supposed to be a set limit of the number of trophies, or is there just a number that PS3 games go over or under about?

Actually I think that would be a breeze, I have the route and enemy locations memorized pretty much, and I just mentioned the BBE trophy itself since it is a hard task worthy of its own trophy, I just thought of another trophy, how about one for collecting all the dolls for non-lethally defeating a boss, and the frogs in act 1

Also, I posted this in the rising thread but I'll post it here as well, multiplayer in rising, not sure how I feel about it

http://attackofthefanboy.com/news/metal-gear-solid-rising-multiplayer/

 

[Ajendo]

Another instance in which Kojima seems to hit the nail on the head.

And the whole genome therapy thing also.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I would imagine MGO on Rising would be the same as in MGS4...which is fine with me.

I still enjoy me a few rounds of MGO.

I just hope, for the love of all that is holy, that they rectify the portals into logging on. Having like three different usernames and passwords just to log onto MGO was ****ing ridiculous. It's easy now once I went through the painful headache at first, but still.

 

[craigdbfan]

They also need to make sure it doesn't become a hack/mod fest.

A well kept refined version of MGO would be nice.

 

[Superhero 101]

okay i need some serious help in Peace Walker i can't seem to pass the battle with the Chysalis how do u dodge the missiles?

 

[Electro UK]

okay i need some serious help in Peace Walker i can't seem to pass the battle with the Chysalis how do u dodge the missiles?

Is that the flying one? You need to level your tech team up until you can develop the homing rocket launcher (I forget the name). Dodging the missles is HARD so you gotta focus on getting him down before he gets you.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

God, I really hope they bring Peace Walker to PSN as an arcade game.

I just can't bring myself to buy the PSP. Just...can't.

 

[Benstamania]

Rumors were flying about Kojima remaking it for the PS3 a few months ago. Nothing else has been said since.

I think it's overly stupid that they put it on the PSP to begin with.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I think so too. I love Metal Gear Solid. Trust me, I was laughed at for calling several gamestops and eb game shops looking for 'The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2', until I finally tracked down a copy.

But, I just can't justify the purchase of a PSP for it. Since it's release, I've been dodging details of the game.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I still think the PSP was a good place for PW. I mean, it does suck since I don't have a PSP, but unessential prequels and spin-offs really shouldn't take up the time and budget of the main development team.

 

[Benstamania]

Kojima said PW was MGS5 without the number. That to me, doesn't sound unessential. Besides, MGS3 IMHO is still the best in the series and I'd rather play as Big Boss over any of them.

 

[Electro UK]

Peace Walker is the 2nd best Metal Gear, I say that as a fan since the original Solid. It's got a good story, fantastic gameplay, and ocean deep replayability. 3's the only one that tops it for me.

 

[craigdbfan]

I haven't played Peace Walker but I've heard nothing but praise. Apparently its one of the best Metal Gear games. Many friends who've been playing the series since the NES seem to put PW in their top three.

That must say something about the quality of the game.

 

[eternalinferno]

I'd place peace walker 4th behind mgs4, 3, and 1, easily the best psp game out there.........I was just thinking about how 3 mgs games are in my top 5 of all time, god I love this series

 

[Tron Bonne]

Kojima said PW was MGS5 without the number. That to me, doesn't sound unessential. Besides, MGS3 IMHO is still the best in the series and I'd rather play as Big Boss over any of them.

Yeah, but what people forget in saying that point is that he also said the same thing about Metal Gear Solid: Rising, and similarly, I see no reason for it to be titled as such (or be a console game, frankly, but that bridge is already burned). The difference between MGS3 and PW is that MGS3 actually did set up a lot of plot points and introductions that were fairly essential for MGS4, the ending of the storyline. PW doesn't do that obviously since the story is complete, and there's really nothing we needed to know from that time period. It's pretty much the epitome of an unneeded prequel. For me, MGS5 should be moving the series forward with a new story and direction and not a sidestory, prequel or spinoff. Personally, I'd rather just see the end of the MG franchise as opposed to the creative stagnation of nothing but those things.

Of course, that's got nothing to do with how the quality of the game will turn out. But, honestly, I really don't see all the need to hinder the series and development like that. Of all the series out there to become stuck in creative limbo it would be the greatest shame for MG. Between PW and MGS:R, the former is what I would've preferred to see get the console treatment, but both of them really shouldn't take up that degree of time and budget. At the very least, I can see why the latter was a console game from a technical standpoint, and potentially creating a new direction for the series in the future, though.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Yeah, but what people forget in saying that point is that he also said the same thing about Metal Gear Solid: Rising,

Not really when he flat out said that Rising is being developed by a side team at Konami while the core Metal Gear Solid 4 team worked on Peace Walker. And while not flat out saying it, pretty much said that Rising is Konami's corporate ****e baby.

and similarly, I see no reason for it to be titled as such (or be a console game, frankly, but that bridge is already burned). The difference between MGS3 and PW is that MGS3 actually did set up a lot of plot points and introductions that were fairly essential for MGS4, the ending of the storyline. PW doesn't do that obviously since the story is complete, and there's really nothing we needed to know from that time period. It's pretty much the epitome of an unneeded prequel. For me, MGS5 should be moving the series forward with a new story and direction and not a sidestory, prequel or spinoff. Personally, I'd rather just see the end of the MG franchise as opposed to the creative stagnation of nothing but those things.

While it isn't essential to the story of Metal Gear Solid 4, Peace Walker was essential to the story of Big Boss. Metal Gear Solid is no longer just Solid Snake's story, it also belongs to Big Boss.

It's sorta like how you can say that the Star Wars prequels were unessential ****** movies. But the truth is that they were essential ****** movies for the story of Darth Vader.

Of course, that's got nothing to do with how the quality of the game will turn out. But, honestly, I really don't see all the need to hinder the series and development like that. Of all the series out there to become stuck in creative limbo it would be the greatest shame for MG. Between PW and MGS:R, the former is what I would've preferred to see get the console treatment, but both of them really shouldn't take up that degree of time and budget. At the very least, I can see why the latter was a console game from a technical standpoint, and potentially creating a new direction for the series in the future, though.

But it really isn't stuck in creative limbo. Despite how you may feel about Peace Walker, it really is a great game and not being on a console doesn't hurt it one bit.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Not really when he flat out said that Rising is being developed by a side team at Konami while the core Metal Gear Solid 4 team worked on Peace Walker. And while not flat out saying it, pretty much said that Rising is Konami's corporate ****e baby.

It really doesn't matter, my overall point still stands.

While it isn't essential to the story of Metal Gear Solid 4, Peace Walker was essential to the story of Big Boss. Metal Gear Solid is no longer just Solid Snake's story, it also belongs to Big Boss.

It's sorta like how you can say that the Star Wars prequels were unessential ****** movies. But the truth is that they were essential ****** movies for the story of Darth Vader.

There's obviously this single narrative and story to the storyline of MGS, and it's finished. Exploring the background of a character, even an important character, doesn't necessarily make it essential. If you cut out the story of PW, you really won't be left with any holes in the main narrative. If you cut out MGS3, obviously that's not entirely the case.

SW is, I think, different, since that was conceived as one big story on Lucas' part with tie-ins and such with the new trilogy actually being the beginning. Though, yeah, in a way they are kind of unessential when you think about it, in the context of the way they did the original trilogy.

But it really isn't stuck in creative limbo. Despite how you may feel about Peace Walker, it really is a great game and not being on a console doesn't hurt it one bit.

Well, yeah, but as I said, this really isn't an issue of quality. When all you have are sidegames, spin-offs and prequels to a story that's concluded it's definitely in a creative limbo of no progression.