Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Emotions are one of the main factors that shape our personality. They have the greatest influence on what we remember - for some time or for the rest of our lives. And they will make you remember MGS3: SE for a long, long time. Why? Because the emotional load carried by the third part of Metal Gear Solid is several times greater than in the case of its predecessors. Can you imagine it? This is why Snake Eater is the most beautiful part of the series and one of the best PS2 games ever. Even despite the fact that at first there are ...

Each pre-premiere trailer made me go to the limit. When I was faced with the opportunity to check the demo version, I shivered and felt this strange feeling in my stomach that always accompanies me before turning on some big title. Unfortunately, after going through the demo version, almost all the enthusiasm that accompanied me while watching the amazingly assembled trailers disappeared somewhere and I felt a huge dissatisfaction. After a few months I got the full version and I was constantly haunted by the feeling of deja vu. "I've seen that in the demo." After half an hour - "I saw it too". It started to be a bit unhappy - “After all, the MGS can't just be good. He must be awesome! " - I thought. After an hour, the first serious fears and a thought appeared - “if Hideo Kojima doesn't surprise me with something in the next twenty minutes, I will probably break down. I waited so long, I believed in this title ... ”. And it happened - Mr. Kojima was fooling me again.

Don't worry - there is no MGS 2: SoL surprise. The problem is that, like most players, I set myself up for the big "Aaaah" right after I put the puck into the console, and the truth is that the actual game doesn't start right away ... A paradox? Yes, that's where the catch is. The first hour and a half is just the prologue of the game - introducing the player to the meanders of the plot, showing the members of The Cobras and finally getting to know the new gameplay system. Believe me - a stone fell from my heart when, after all these pejorative "surprises", the intro of the actual game started like vividly reminiscent of the movies with Jams Bond. This is where the Snake Eater begins. Let me pause a moment at this show. This is by far the best-made intro I've ever seen - the first perfect fusion of cinematic roots with games. It consists of three, as it were, layers - in the foreground there are still names of the artists behind whom the snake skeleton is dragged; in the background we see specific, constantly changing backgrounds and signs; the final plan shows excerpts from all pre-release trailers. The whole thing is complemented by the beautiful vocals of Cynthia Harrell. You haven't seen anything like this before - I assure you. But let's leave the prologue alone.

The Snake Eater scenario is less complicated than in MGS2: SoL . And very good, because it does not bring to mind the Brazilian soap opera but a real, mature spy movie. Certain moments it may seem that they do not push the plot forward, but when we look at them closely, it turns out that they are very important for the whole story. It's pretty twisted, but head-wise and not in the absurd way of the MGS2 . The game was divided into two operations - virtouz mission , i.e. the aforementioned prologue, and Snake Eater . In virtouz mission, Snake is tasked with saving Dr. Sokolov - the chief designer of the first Metal Gear called Shagohod. The scientist asked the United States for help when he realized what Volgion - the main villain - wanted to use Shagohod for. Snake manages to get to Sokolov held by the Russians, however, during the evacuation, things get complicated and a new problem arises. Russia accuses the US of causing a nuclear explosion on its territory and sets an ultimatum before them - if they do not find proof of innocence within a week, the USSR will respond with an attack. I can tell you this much about the plot. What role The Boss played here, what mission he has to perform and who Eva is, you will find out for yourself during the game.

Getting to know the answer to a question already asked (in MGS and MGS2 ) - this is the main task of the storyboard in MGS3 . What prompted Snake to switch sides? What was the man like before the change? What did he have to go through to become Big Boss? Why was he considered the greatest soldier of all time? The way the script - or rather Hideo Kojima - reveals it step by step is amazing. Some moments give such a kick or overwhelm us with their tragedy and pathos that it is beyond our head. You will see for yourself how mature and moving this story is, how beautifully structured and wonderfully finished. I do not know a game that would affect the human psyche in such a strong way (well, maybe except for Silent Hill 2 ).

At first, only Jack and Ocelot are known to us - the rest of the cast is new. Have the designers managed to come up with such charismatic characters as the members of Fox Hound? Characters that had an incredibly strong character and emphasized individuality, yet acted together. I am glad and relieved to say yes. What's more, The Cobras are better designed in my eyes than the whole Fox Hound and Dead Cell put together. The squad includes: The Pain able to control hornets; The Fear - a mutant with an invisible camouflage, able to deform its joints so as to turn its limbs in any direction; The End - a legendary sniper over 100 years old who lives in symbiosis with the forest, and The Fury with a huge flamethrower in his hands (he likes to take advantage of bats). It is headed by Volgin and The Boss. Thunderbolt is Russian by origin, but in his eyes it does not oblige him to anything, which is expressed in one of the scenes ... He is a sadist, torturing people gives him great pleasure comparable only to the relationship with the sadomasochistic Raikov. Devoid of all feelings, he sees only one thing worth living for - power. And a character whose identity I don't think I need to introduce to anyone - young Ocelot. The way Konami showed it exceeded my wildest expectations. Probably no other character in the games has such a barb. Showing off, always tight and ready to attack. Surviving every failure ... He wants to impress Snake at all costs. At times he is mean and clever to the limit, but in this story he has something ... good (?) - at least from my point of view. The moment I cheer on the Serpent just made me laugh to tears. And his characteristic tick when he points at someone with his hands - I don't know what it's about, but Ocelot has something about him that you want to watch him. He still seems to be up to something ... Snake sees it as well ... The Cobras is indeed a professional group, in which there is no place for clowns like Vamp or Fatman, who drastically lower the level of the Dead Cell group in MGS2 , thanks to which they can inspire respect with their face . And that's it!

There is also the question of illustrating the scenario. Before the premiere, I read somewhere that Hideo Kojima was planning something that would change the cutscenes - so that the player would not rely only on passive watching them. Now we know what it is - a view from Snake's eyes (and only in selected fragments). I must admit that I was expecting something more, but that's good too. You can even have a lot of fun with it at times - for example, when the Snake is still staring at Eva's breasts during the first meeting. The cut-outs are of course at the highest level. Editing, music inputs, dialogues, special filters, blurring of objects in the background. Realistic graphics, natural movements of the characters, showing all emotional states thanks to beautifully reproduced facial expressions. You watch it all with bated breath. In this part, too, Hideo Kojima almost alive extracts certain moments from movies such as "The Fugitive" with Harrison Ford, "Predator" or "Star Wars" . There will also be a clearly visible allusion to the Jams Bond films. The number of cutscenes and dialogues has been reduced and should not irritate anyone. However, one thing has not changed - the "Japanese approach". What's with the Ocelot meow? What about cheerfully hip-swinging soldiers? What about Eva's "flying" bike? What about a few dialogues that are so infantile that a smile of pity is involuntarily painted on your face? I can understand a certain irony from Raiden, although it may irritate some people. I could pick on a few more things, but I'll let it go. It is simply a "Japanese approach" that European players cannot understand.

Vietnamese wave - this is how I would briefly describe the period in the industry in which we were flooded with positions whose action is located in the jungle. Conflict: Vietnam, Shell Shock Nam '47, Men of Velor, V: Purple Haze or Far Cry . It's just that the difference between the jungle in MGS3 and the above-mentioned games is that it is not limited only to the place of action, but also has an active influence on the hero's physical condition by giving him: food, shelter and creating all sorts of threats. We are not alone here, my dear, and you really have to be careful not to satisfy the Soviet commandos or end up in the stomach of some hungry animal. Believe me - hard-to-see guards aren't the only problem; Soviet forests are teeming with their own life. You can be attacked when you least expect it. Not all reptiles have satisfied the hunger, not all snakes are poisonous, not everything that can be seen has venom in it, after all, not all soil is "hard". Even such creatures as spiders, scorpions or leeches can damage our health. For example, I was attacked when I was holding an opponent - Jacek's knees buckled and the enemy took advantage of this situation without thinking, raising the alarm. On other occasions I didn't notice a line stretched between the two trunks releasing the trap trigger and a huge spiked log landed on my face. The problem may be ordinary birds, which we will scare from the tall grass, thus disturbing the patrol walking nearby. Similarly to the seemingly not dangerous animals - one bat or one bee will not hurt us, however, when we scare all sleeping bats in the cave or shoot down the hive with a torch, the situation can get quite sad. When breaking through the forest, you have to look carefully at your feet, because some traps are simply not visible at first glance!

The forest itself, in turn, is divided into large sectors separated by short data readings. Does it spoil the climate? No, but it would undoubtedly be better without top-ups (by the way, in the first entries Konami announced that it would be done without reading). Is the freedom big? Not as big as in Far Cry , as we have some barely visible paths surrounded by steep slopes that cannot be reached. Naturally there are areas with flat topography where the strategic approach will not be restricted too much by the relief - something like Hitman maps. The day and night cycle occurs, although it is scripted by in-game events - only rain and fog appear randomly. The territories of the USSR are also wetlands, picturesque rivers and lakes, grottos sparkling in the darkness carved by water, desert mountains with vultures lurking over carrion and base camps, protected by stationary plots.

To survive in a pristine environment, certain rules must be followed. At the beginning, it would be good to adapt as best as possible to the surrounding environment. And here Snake Eater shows real claws. Playing with camouflage is something video games have not seen before. The definition of stealth has been updated again. Here is one of the three innovative solutions in the third part of MGS - camouflage. The rules are simple - in the upper right corner there is our visibility indicator. For example, if it is - 10%, it means that on the TV screen we will see the inscription "Snake is dead" in a moment. To reduce the risk of being noticed, you should choose the right camo and move as silently as possible. The larger the indicator, the more difficult Jack will be of course to spot. There are a dozen or so types of camouflage in the game, although most of the time we will only use the six basic ones (the others work only in strictly selected places). The position in which Saladin is is also very important - when we start running, drawing attention to ourselves is a matter of a few seconds. The best results (95%) can be achieved by blending in with the environment, i.e. by freezing. The most effective way to move is, of course, crawling - slow, very slow, but then we are the least exposed to danger. Well, more than once I did not withstand such a pace of movement and I got up to run a bit, for which the hero was immediately punished by a barrage of AK-47 bullets piercing his body.

If we want to get someone from behind, we will not do without using the lurking option. Is it hard without a radar? Yes, even despite the fact that we have sonar and two other devices that are to facilitate targeting the enemy (on the Extreme level, we can only count on our eyesight - and that's it!). It is not enough for the guard to turn his back on us, because he is usually immediately supported by his partner who is walking nearby. Oh yes, sneaking in MGS 3 teaches patience - I assure you. Forget about actions straight from MGS 2 - quickly run up to the escort, break your neck and run to the nearest corner. Here, everything must be perfectly timed and you will observe the area for several minutes before you decide to act. Therefore, each successful silent finish of the opponent brings great satisfaction, due to the time we had to put into it. But what does it feel like when Snake freezes motionless, melting into the bark of a tree, waiting for a victim. How does it feel when someone passes by and does not see us. Just the essence of stealth.

However, if we do not learn patience, we will be at risk of serious injury. Here is the second innovative solution in Snake Eater - the wound healing and healing system. Fractures, sprains, cuts, burns, stab wounds and gunshot wounds - all types of damage affect the hero's physical condition. We can check and dress them at any time by entering the main menu and selecting the "Cure" option (X-ray of the skeletal system is also present). But that's not all, because at any moment our hero can feel venom in his blood, or a piercing stomach pain. Jack's anomalies can be removed by applying a syringe with serum or by giving him appropriate tablets. You can also get rid of poisoning by simply vomiting in the world. External damage is a bigger problem, because we have to use a few medications to eliminate them, and the commando also needs a certain amount of time to regenerate energy. Burning leeches with a cigar is quite a specific method of treatment, isn't it? First aid measures are hidden from us by nature, although you can go the easy way and blow a few first aid kits from enemy bases.

For wounds to heal well and energy to increase, we must be in full strength. And we will be in full strength when we do not feel hungry. Food is the basis of survival in the forest. We can eat almost everything - from fruit and mushrooms to vertebrates, arachnids, crustaceans, reptiles (the most common), birds and mammals. First, however, you should hunt down a potential prey. Depending on how big the animal is, after slaughtering it will turn into a food ration that Jack will be able to take in his backpack. If the meat of the slaughtered animal is kept for too long, mold will appear on it. Yes, you can eat expired food, but you will have to take into account the consequences. It should also be remembered that not all food tastes good, as Snake informs us about. As a general rule, the more Jack tastes something, the faster he satisfies his hunger. In addition to live food, we also find traditional food rations that will not be exposed to the factor of the passing time, but there are very few of them. And don't forget that not everything is edible - what will you do when the hero falls to the ground and falls asleep after eating a certain "cake"? The forest hides more than it seems at first ...

Satiety means strength, and strength means the ability to act. Snake finally has a combat system worthy of the rank of a commando for special tasks. Close Quartet Combat was created to quickly incapacitate the opponent. An unexpected kick in the knees, bringing the opponent to the ground floor and putting the knife to the throat - the caught culprit is unable to do anything, but the Snake can force him to inform by putting the blade to his eyes (!), Flip him over on his stomach, demanding to put his hands behind his neck, forcefully throw it on the ground, stunning it, or finally ruthlessly cut through the carotid artery, from which blood spurts like a fountain. Some actions are really not humane, but this is the Cold War. Fractures, dislocated joints, twisted necks, severed veins - these are the effects of the CQC combat system. Several months of motion capture sessions made all the movements smooth and persuasive, and the punches show the strength and momentum of the hit.

Snake Eater has something that other titles do not have ... A real naturalness that is built by very specific moments, strongly influencing our subconsciousness. Moments when we do not have to focus our attention on any threats, calmly wandering ahead, feeling comforted after some exhausting action. This feeling accompanied me as I walked in the damp recesses of the cave, when I lit the darkness with a torch, when I waded waist-deep in the river holding a machine gun in my hands, scaring the wildly rising birds, or when Snake awoke from a nightmare admiring the beauty of the forest. In addition, these extraordinary battles ... There is currently no game on the market that has better fights with bosses than MSG 3. It is beyond mind how the gentlemen from KCEJ played with some of the actions. Opponents authentically test our skills. The confrontation with The End has made history as one of the most unusual duels in video games. The feelings released during this fight are simply indescribable. A huge forest territory, and among it two people who track each other. On my first try, I thought it was practically impossible to get to The End - "such a terrain! He can be five meters away from me and I won't notice him! ” And yet it worked - after three hours spent in front of TV. Do you feel here? I fought the boss for three hours! But it's still nothing - when I was playing the game for the second time (pos. Extreme) I ignored this opponent, thinking “I know a way to deal with him. What can he do to me? "And then in an instant my hair stood on end and I felt great respect as my over 100 year old grandfather fell behind me. I lost. I was left without a word. But the rematch was sweet. In an instant I felt proud when The End ran over me. right next to Snake without noticing him thanks to perfect camouflage. I gained an advantage that he had no idea about - his trail. The other bosses also make a great impression - The Sorrow will remind you of a few things in a truly Silent style ... The Pain will send a swarm of furious hornets at you, The Fear will make you disgust with its face, and The Fury will warm the atmosphere. in the end, the last fight will make your legs soften and your eyes glazed in. Each boss fight is an amazing experience due to the circumstances in which we will fight clean - beautiful landscapes, unconventional attacks and huge, I repeat, huge spectacular. But this is not the end of changes and surprises. Do not think that the fight with Shagohog will be the same as with Rex or Rays in MGS and MGS 2 - you will rub your eyes with amazement. Or an action in the woods where Snake gives orders with his hands (not to make noise - what a climate!) To a certain person. There are some other equally exciting situations, but let me finish this topic. Traditionally, the game is stuffed to the brim with all kinds of flavors and ideas that make gameplay crazy. Take, for example, this information extortion from security guards - some of them know very interesting radio frequencies. This is definitely better than collecting dog tags from the previous parts.

When it comes to visuals, MGS 3 leaves no illusions whatsoever, taking its place in the forefront of the most beautiful PS2 games. Views such as the riverbed at sunset (Jack will come face to face with ... here too), or the fight with The Fear leave us breathless in front of the TV. The amount of detail is huge, and the effects of the likes of moisture on the rocks in the cave make you wonder if it really counts the old PS2. The forests are flawlessly reproduced - lush vegetation, full of smaller and larger creatures; high grass bends under the hero's weight, gently shaking clusters of ferns, dew, mud, various species of trees, etc. The cut-outs drive ruthlessly throughout the competition.

Manipulation of all kinds of filters further emphasized the naturalism of the graphics. As Snake walks through the woods, a shadow moves over his body and dirt spills from under his feet. The sun's rays break through the branches of trees, sometimes it rains and fogs, and during an explosion, you can see a hail of sparks. When a vulture starts pecking at a dead soldier, you can see it tearing off pieces of flesh. During a sharp exchange of fire, leaves fly, tree bark breaks, and the soil splashes in all directions under the influence of shells settling in it. The characters are modeled perfectly, which you will clearly see without taking your eyes off Eva. And the sound. Flawless when it comes to sounds coming from the forest and all military equipment. Professionally selected when it comes to dubbing. Beautiful in terms of vocals and music - it's largely what makes the scenes so moving. A wonderful piece on the flute while the alarm is on, stimulating the input of the music while jumping from the plane, overwhelming music during the characters' discussions - there is nothing better on the market today. Dolby Digital Pro Logic II - do I need to add anything more?

I must admit that the new MGS charmed me. It does not mean, however, that I do not see its flaws - quite the opposite. The more I like something, the more sensitive I am to any shortcomings. Therefore, it is difficult to disagree with the opinion that in some aspects "Snake Eater" is a very debatable item. Because it serves us innovation, but on the other hand you can sense a certain caution of Kojima. The third MGS is completely different (in my eyes better) than its predecessors, but it contains their accretions. And one of them is undoubtedly the sound of getting food rations, ammunition and moving in the menu (hoot, hoot, hoot, bang, tick - it's like a Pegasus console!) And the camera, which is madly irritating at times, not to say frustrating. Why is there no ordinary TPP view? Has Konami completely forgotten this disadvantage that was already present in the previous parts? Theoretically, most of the time the camera works moderately well, but "good" is not enough not to note it as one of the drawbacks. The second thing is the patterns Snake Eater falls into. I would not like to give here any specific examples, so as not to reveal too much - the more that you will certainly catch these places - there are few of them, but they are - and this is another downside of the game (the button I care about the fact that MGS4 will probably explain why it was like this, not otherwise). For this strongly promoted survival. Oh yeah, it's a new system in video games, incredibly playable, but I've always associated the word "survival" with something really hard to get through, here? This experience is too easy! The only question is why. Did the creators have such guidelines from the "top" to make the game relatively accessible to everyone? I don't think so, because such a title is an advertisement in itself. Snakes bite in a split second, and here? You can run on them without stress, knife in hand and stab them like defenseless pigs. The venom in Snake's blood reflects only on the rhythmically falling energy bar, which can be stopped at any time (this is a total inflection - the venom can kill in a few seconds) by taking a dose of serum. No sense. Or when the hero breaks his leg - all you have to do is go to the menu and eliminate the injury so that Jack will stop feeling pain in a few seconds, not to mention limping. You can eat the poisoned food as much as you can, then take a pill and everything is fine. So the lack of consequences proportional to Snake's injuries is a serious shortcoming. You can also blame the amount of "pure sneaking" - this should be more! The strangest thing, however, is that Mr. Kojima is aware of the mistakes he made in the production of MGS 2: SoL, which is reflected, among others, in in the self-ironic scene of the jaw dropping out of the mouth The End. It all resembles a completely new painting that is oppressed by the old frames.

How many games, movies and books are there after graduating which we feel genuine sadness? It is a pity that this story is over ... How many games, movies and books for which you would sacrifice almost "everything" to become part of their story? Little, much? I don't know the answer to this question, but I know one thing - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater will find a place among them. By showing an ending that you will remember for the rest of your life. An ending that will ruin your emotions ... Pathos will overwhelm you to the ground, squeezing a sparkling tear that will run down your fossilized face. I am a player for such moments, for such moments I have waited, I am waiting and I will still wait. I am proud of my passion, which in this way rewards me. Thank you Konami for having such a story ...

Paweł "turi" Turalski

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Note: The game review is based on the NTSC version. As soon as we receive the European version, we will describe any additions and differences.