One of the strongest stories in a video game back by the best online mode on the PS2.
The new camera is the best thing to happen to the MGS series since well MGS on the PSX. Say goodbye to fixed camera angles, you now have complete control over the camera so you can look at the situation however you want. The camera is similar to most 3d platformers where you have control of the camera. One analog stick moves your character and the other controls the camera.
The camera changes the gameplay in MGS all together but not for the bad. MGS has actually improved because of this new camera. This is the way MGS3:Snake Eater was supposed to be played. This camera lets you see what’s way in head of you and lets you look behind you. You aren’t stuck at a 3d perspective. You can now locate your enemies more quickly, or locate an escape route much faster.
If for some reason you would don’t like the new camera, you can always switch back to the old camera by clicking the R3 button.
Other than the new camera, the story says the same. With the new camera though many MGS3:Snake Eater fans will want to play through MGS3 with this new camera, just because it is such a different experience.
This new camera really shows off the games graphics. And the graphics are simply amazing for a Playstation 2 title. This is a rare gem on the PS2 in terms of graphics. There is very little slowdown and when there is, you wont even notice it. Everything looks simply amazing. The bushes and grass moves when you walk though it, leaves fall from trees, and the particle effects are much more vivid and noticeable, making gun battles more intense, if that is how you like to play.
The gameplay is much different now as well, it is much easier to hide from enemies than it previously was. If you like to have large shootouts instead of the stealth approach, the camera is much friendlier, and even if you accidentally get caught you can fight yourself out of most situations with much more ease than before.
MGS3 puts you in the shoes of Solid Snake. It is in the 1960's and tensions between America and the Soviet Union are higher than ever before. After trying to rescue a Russian scientist, all hell breaks loose and it is up to you to save the world. I will not give anything else away, the story line is so rich, deep, and well voice acted that it made me cry at the end.
The game is mostly about stealth. Your main goal is to get from point A to point B without being seen by the enemy. In MGS3 you are placed in a jungle environment for a good chunk of time. You will have to hide in bushes and in tree trunks in order to be stealthy. There is a new camouflage system that lets you choose what outfit and face paint to wear to best blend you with the environments. In this version of MGS3 there are even more outfits to unlock than the previous version.
Now it is mostly about stealth, but there are some excellent action sequences as well. Boss battles are very fast paced and exciting. They break up the stealthy gameplay very nicely.
Because the gameplay is mostly about stealth, sound is extremely important. The sound in MGS3 is very well done. The environments all sound unique and rich and the guns all sound different.
MGS3:Subsistance adds a new mode of play, an online mode. Yes MGS finally now online, and it is the single best online mode for the PS2 yet.
MGS3:Subsistance has an 8 player online mode in a number of modes. The most popular is the Team Deathmatch and the Deathmatch. In the Deathmatch you can pick your weapon load out and then go be thrown into battle. When in battle it is exactly like the single player. No crosshairs or side strafing, no jumping. You even have to shoot just like in the single player mode.
Now you would think this would suck, but it really works out well. The maps are made for 8 players and the severs are pretty smooth. The gameplay is fast and furious. Battles are quick and deadly, and if you are not working as a team you are dead. The online mode takes full advantage of this new camera.
There are many different maps and all of them are very well put together and thought out. They are all rendered beautifully in the graphics engine. You can use a stealth approach to the online mode as well. This can be extremely exciting if you are sitting in your little cardboard box waiting for you enemy to come by and you can hear ever footstep of your enemy as he approaches only for him to get caught up in a huge shoot out right in front of you. Yeah it gets intense.
The best part about the online mode is how fast everything moves. Finding a sever is easy and loading the maps takes just seconds. You can log in and get into a game within 2 minutes, and compared to Socom that is fast.
As well as the online mode there are several other bonuses that you can explore. There is the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear Solid Snake from the MSX game console. It is where it all began. Also you can go back and watch any of the cut scenes from the game.
Overall this is a must get for any fan of MGS, or any online PS2 gamer. Also it is great for anybody trying out the MGS series for the first time. The online mode is a great addition to one of the best stories in gaming.