Metal Gear Solid

The Good
Metal Gear Solid was undoubtedly, in my opinion, the best game made for the PlayStation. Every aspect of the game, the story, the action, the character development, was achieved with utter perfection.

The action in this game is incredible. While most of the time you will be attempting to practice "tactical espionage", you will more than likely get caught at some point, and if you're anything like me, half the time it will be on purpose, just because it's so entertaining. Each time it happens, a heart-pounding battle ensues, where you will frantically search for a place to lay low, encountering seemingly endless enemies along the way. And if that's not enough, don't fret, because you will also constantly be confronting the various bosses in the game, each one with their own unique personalities and abilities, and each one completely different than the last. While you are not fighting, though, you will perform tasks such as misdirection, hiding under a box, and many more in order to throw the enemy off your tracks.

Unfortunately, you would expect a game with this caliber of action to be at least slightly lacking in story, a common flaw in action games. But MGS surpasses this stereotype by incorporating a captivating, deep, and suspenseful story that easily matches the quality of the action, if not exceeding it. It starts out as a seemingly unoriginal story but turns into something that is anything but unoriginal. You will feel for every major supporting character in the game just as much as you feel for Snake, and each one is as significantly important to the progress of the game as the next. Plot twists are around every corner, to the point where nothing is as it seems, and nothing is ever predictable. Add outstanding voice actors to each and every one of the characters, and the result is an unforgettable experience.

Along with these two imperative factors, you have varying gameplay that never gets old. You wil never find yourself doing the same thing twice, and I can't stress that enough. Each area is abound with new tasks you must perform, but you never feel as if you're being forced to complete tasks, because they're so flawlessly integrated into the game, and to put it plain and simple, they're actually fun. To help you complete these tasks you will be supplied with countless items that you will find in the course of the game, along with numerous weapons that each serve their own purpose. Never will you find a weapon that isn't useful at some point in the game. And when you do beat the game, don't think you've completed it, because there are two endings. And each ending rewards you with a valuable item that you can use in your next attempt, and they are both very fun to use.

The Bad
There wasn't a time in this game where I wasn't in complete ecstasy. No complaints at all.

The Bottom Line
Metal Gear Solid is, in a sense, perfect. It doesn't lack in any area, but rather excels triumphantly in everything it attempts to achieve.