As Solid Snake’s saga slithers to an end, eu.playstation.com takes a look at how his epic journey started, up until the day where the videogame legend passed on his bandana...
No one saw it coming. The way Konami's Metal Gear series steadily sneaked its way into the hearts of videogame fans has become something of a phenomenon, single-handedly revolutionising the stealth action genre with one of the medium's most pervasive characters, Solid Snake.
Before his bandana and beard became visual staples for the Hideo Kojima created hero, Solid Snake was a fresh faced rookie for elite special-forces unit FOXHOUND. Having made his mark on the original 2D action game, Metal Gear, released on the MSX2 system way back in 1987, Snake moved on to a more expansive 1990 sequel in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Again primarily on the MSX2 system, Metal Gear 2 boasted improved stealth mechanics and the recognition of noise that allowed guards to hear you if you fired a non-silenced shot or did other typically boisterous activities.
These titles introduced the idea of non-direct confrontation within the action genre, encouraging sneaking rather than out and out shooting to achieve successful infiltration into target areas. The foundation of what helped make the series so popular was created here (both on a gameplay and visual level such as conversations on Snake's CODEC radio transceiver, the giant mechanical Metal Gear weapons the title is based on, and the iconic exclamation marks that hover over enemies' heads when they spot you), as indeed were the successive storylines that followed not only Solid Snake but other prominent characters in the Metal Gear universe.
As modestly successful as these titles were, it was the rebirth of Metal Gear on PlayStation that truly pushed Konami's mainstay into a global sensation...
"Metal Gear?! It can't be!"
Metal Gear didn't truly re-emerge to a main format until 1998, when PlayStation was graced with Metal Gear Solid, which took the gameplay elements from its predecessors and threw them into a 3D world for the first time. Now a retired solider, Snake adopted a visual form that's become well known, albeit a little more fresh faced than now.
With Kojima's flair for gameplay innovation and imagination given free reign within more complex technology, the designer gave a stronger focus to storytelling that complimented the on-screen action. CODEC conversations play a large part in progressing the plot as well as offering hints on the game, even breaking the fourth wall of narrative and chastising you for not saving your progress often enough, while variation allowed for a wider range of situations which had you resisting torture, engaging in first person perspective firefights and even switching your controller from one port to another during an ingenious boss battle.
Metal Gear Solid was a massive hit, selling over six million units globally, and its influence rippled through the industry creating a surge of similar games. But it was left to the title's sequel before players experienced a perfect blend of stealth, movie style production values and innovation once more.
"Solid Snake! The perfect warrior!"
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty splashed down on PlayStation 2 in 2001, bringing with it improved squad based Artificial Intelligence in enemies, a wider range of moves and weapons, and bombastic presentation that was lauded for its Hollywood style brashness. Most surprising of all was that for much of the game you didn't assume the role of Snake, but a rookie agent of FOXHOUND called Raiden - which dovetailed into the main themes of the story which included an examination of control, free will and reality versus perception.
Not to say the game didn't also have memorable moments of gameplay genius to compliment its socio-political navel gazing. MGS2 was blessed with some sterling set pieces and confrontations just as original as its predecessor, requiring more out-the-box thinking.
Metal Gear Solid 2 outsold its prequel and went on to birth an updated version in the shape of Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, which contained slight changes to the original as well as a batch of additional missions. This was the spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid: Integral, which did the same for Metal Gear Solid on PlayStation.
"Time for the snake to shed his skin."
The 2005 follow-up to Sons of Liberty was Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, acting as a chronological prequel to the entire series. Konami and Kojima again played with expectations, leading some to believe you once again controlled Solid Snake, but in reality you were Naked Snake AKA Big Boss; the genetic template for Solid Snake and Solid's sibling nemeses, Liquid and Solidus (all three being clones of Big Boss). Set in 1964, Snake Eater follows Big Boss' story as a field operative to the newly formed FOX unit, showing some of the events that would lead to an eventual confrontation with protégé Solid Snake come the first Metal Gear game.
The strong elements of stealth, fourth wall breaking satire and extravagant presentation remained, although this time use of camouflage was key to remaining undetected in the open jungle setting, through different uniforms and facepaints. Close combat was made to be even more extensive, and in a novel touch, Snake required sustenance from flora and fauna to survive - with poor hunting and gathering causing problems such as bad aiming and stomach aches. Then there was the amusing cameo appearance by Ape Escape styled monkeys in the Snake vs. Ape mini-game. Don't ask. Just enjoy.
"I'm used to hiding in cardboard boxes."
Like MGS2, Snake Eater was also given an updated, extra-mission rich version in Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, which also featured an online component for up to eight player deathmatches, while PSP also got a piece of the action through Metal Gear Acid and Acid 2 in 2005 and 2006 respectively. These side-story games had a more turn-based strategy and trading card battle slant rather than the stealth action of their predecessors, and multiplayer features.
But it wasn't until 2007 that the main storyline canon left by MGS3 was picked up again, with PSP getting the gift of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, featuring the returning Naked Snake six years after the events of Snake Eater. Konami also brought the game back to its roots by eschewing the trading card strategy angle of Acid and returning to an action styling that resembled the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 titles, albeit with four-unit squad based gameplay.
A wireless multiplayer mode and stand alone expansion pack (Portal Ops Plus, released in 2008) rounded off the PSP Metal Gear experience nicely, with Konami promising more in the range for the future.
"War has changed..."
Which brings us to the here and now. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots signals the first outing for the series on PLAYSTATION 3 and the last outing for our hero, Solid Snake. Suffering from premature aging caused by the cloning process used to create him, Snake's journey ends with Guns of the Patriots, which will be his final canonical Metal Gear game regardless of the series' future.
He promises to go out with a bang, though, as MGS4 offers a wealth of improved elements from all the PlayStation prequels, with the ability to play in first person, use a high-tech camouflage suit to blend in with any surface, take advantage of a revamped close quarters combat system, and partner with a robotic drone for communication and reconnaissance.
Being victim to the ravages of cellular degeneration and age isn't just a visual quirk either, as the gameplay is directly affected with the presence of two new on-screen meters that signal Snake's stress and psyche levels - the former allows Snake temporarily to increase his accuracy and combat efficiency, albeit at the cost of momentary mental crash and physical collapse once the effect wears off. The latter reflects how his mind reacts to the battlefield around him, slowly reducing over time from the intensity of battle and limiting Snake's precision.
Evil is powerful... but courage is Solid
The story of everybody's favourite bandana-wearing stealth operative may well be nearly over, but there are ample iterations of Metal Gear in both its history - and future - to enjoy. And unlike Kojima's legendary protagonist, they're easy to find.
Solid Snake and Metal Gear... we salute you.
MGS4 may be end of Snake, but not the end of series
