Retro Reviews: Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

After a poorly received “sequel” to Konami’s hit MSX title Metal Gear, the franchise was given back to the man who came up with the concept in the first place: Hideo Kojima. So on July 19th 1990, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake was released on the MSX2 in Japan, although it wouldn’t see an official European release until it was made downloadable onto mobile phones in 2004.

What Kojima produced was a revolutionary title that far surpassed the quality of the original groundbreaking Metal Gear. But what was excellent in 1990 is seventeen years older today – and this shows in Metal Gear 2. The story follows FOXHOUND operative Solid Snake, brought out of retirement by the unit’s new commander Roy Campbell. His mission is to infiltrate a military installation known as Zanzibar Land and rescue a kidnapped scientist who has produced a new bacterium to create oil.

The gameplay was heavily updated from the original Metal Gear, the most noticeable being the enemy AI who could not patrol a wider area, hear and investigate out of place noises and had a 45 degree field of vision. The inclusion of a crawling mode and radar gave the player more places to hide (such as air ducts) and allowed planning based on enemy patrol routes. The bad news is that for those who have played later titles, MG2 is an extreme step backwards. Determining height is often a problem, so whilst the player may think he is safely hidden behind a wall, the guard will still spot him because he is not crouching. Enemies also tend to know exactly where Snake is – once they have spotted him, it doesn’t matter if he runs away and hides in a vent, enemies will hone in with unfair efficiency. No game that is this basic should be this challenging to play. Unforgiving from the word go; Metal Gear 2 is a harsh title with no real reward from playing.

The visuals are decent for their time, but are so basic that they’re unable to portray any real sense of emotion which distances the player from what is a strong story. Graphically Metal Gear 2 has aged poorly and better shading to give a better impression of scale would have worked wonders.

Sound effects are simple beeps of varying pitches but they’re not so poor they grind on the players nerves. The music on the other hand lacks identity, obviously repeats itself and is far too upbeat for a “stealth” game. Many players will be reaching for the mute button as the soundtrack offers little variation and sets entirely the wrong mood.

In conclusion, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake is a game to be showed respect for the classics it inspired, and for those persistent enough fans of Metal Gear Solid it is worth a play just for a deeper understanding of the story. But this is a game that has fallen down trying to stand the test of time. Created in an era where video games where still very much in their infancy, seventeen years is simply too much to ask.

Overall: 5/10