PS2 New Games

METAL GEAR SOLID 3: Snake Eater
A game like this is an investment - not only with its retail price, but also in time, patience and immersion into the military espionage realm of the Metal Gear Solid series. This game sees the genesis of the Fox Unit's top operative Jack, better known as Snake (who, unfortunately more often than not gets a poor tough guy voice-over by David Hayter). The protracted, very involved and information brimming intro sees Snake parachuting into Russia in 1964, to rescue a rocket scientist (Nikolai Sokolov) and save the world from a disastrous new weapon. Sokolov defected over the Berlin Wall but was traded back to Russia to solve the Cuban Missile Crisis. The back story includes authentic newsreel footage. While it is a covert solo mission, you meet your back-up team and is in constant radio contact (on different frequencies) - they include in the gunship Major Zero (codename Major Tom) and Jane Doe the Para-Medic, and transmitting from a sub-marine, The Boss (Snake's old female mentor who disappeared five years before). Taking a HALO parachute jump into the jungle, your only weapon in a tranquilizer gun (with a suppressor deteriorating as you use it) and a knife. You have to hunt for food and collect weapons as you progress with your mission. Your backpack also contains binoculars, a fake death capsule to fool the enemy (plus a revival cap in your tooth), binoculars, sonar and a motion detector that can lose its battery power. Stealth is paramount and you have a camouflage percentage indicator as you leopard crawl, crouch, sneak, climb trees and when inevitable, engage in close quarters combat. As a cold order follower of those in charge, you can guide Snake as you choose, but still towards the results required by the powers that be - hoping it's for the good of mankind. The detail is nice and the fluid gameplay engrossing. You also get to access a Snake vs Monkey game where you're up against those helmet wearing crazy monkeys from Ape Escape (!). You can also refer to your saved photo album, camouflage download or the bonus of the special camouflage disc. See below for the soundtrack review.

6 / B
- PB

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