MovieChat Forums > Metal Gear Solid (1998) Discussion > Playing the 1st again on PS3.

Playing the 1st again on PS3.

posted 14 years ago by The_Shortail_Rises
17 replies | jump to latest

I am probably one of the very few who has a PS3 that is backwards compatible with all Playstation games. But I bought the "3-Pack Metal Gear Solid collectors edition" which features Metal Gear Solid 1 - 3.

I've started playing the first one again and I am still amazed at how all of the other Metal Gear Solids that have followed this one, could never quite surpass it. Metal Gear Solid 3 came very, very close but the first one still has something the other ones don't: and that is a sense of "Cinema and mystery" that I have not seen anywhere else, including the movie industry.

When watching and playing MGS 2 & 4 it is almost like Hideo wrote them with an attitude of trying very hard to retire Snake. That is certainly true for the 4th one. But even in the 2nd one, when he has Raiden as the main character for the second half of the game, which is way longer than the first half. It's as if he was trying to retire Snake by having Raiden step in as the new hero, not just for MGS2, but for all future MGS games. But then the public lashed-out at him, and I don't blame them. I, for one, expected a story and game that would compliment MGS1, not try to make viewers forget it or seem as though it will soon become insignificant because of a new hero emerging.

Here are a few things that make Metal Gear Solid 1 legendary and also what the other games could not seem to surpass:

1)the Codec - this device and the way that it was applied to MGS1, is what makes this game great. Only MGS3 can compare to how the codec was used in this game.

2) Soliton Radar - Despite the soliton radar being used in MGS2, it was actually better applied in MGS1. And of course, 3 & 4 don't really use a soliton radar quite like how it is used here in MGS1.

3) the Double-Crossing - All of the other games had elements of double-crossing in them, but none can compare to MGS1. Naomi seeking vengeance on behalf of Big Boss and Grey Fox, and the Colonel lying to Snake about why the DARPA chief and President Baker had a sudden heart-attack, Fox-Die, Liquid pretending to be Master Miller, Meryl being Campbell's daughter and not his niece, Grey Fox, etc... And all of it was very breathable.

4) Hardly any gadgets - the only real gadget in this game that needs to be used consistently is the Soliton Radar. It can also be argued that the Codec is a gadget too, but to me it's more like a super advanced version of a radio transmitter. Whether you consider one or both to be a gadget, the fact still remains tha MGS1 hardly uses any gadgets which is what makes this game so great to me. And because of that the application of stealth is a whole lot better here.

5) Sticking to the basics - this game stuck to the basics of covert espionage action better than the rest. The other games, including my beloved MGS3 relied just a little more on devices. Actually, this is hardly true for MGS3 because the soliton radar was missing from it, making the stealth experience more realistic. But MGS1 still surpasses MGS3 just a little when it comes to stealth, even without the CQC.

The first game shall always be irreplaceable to me in the Metal Gear Solid series.

"WHERE'S BENNETT!?" (A question for the upcoming "Expendables")

[–] lilbit318 14 years ago

I definately agree MGS was & is the best game in the series ... And I also have a backwards compatible PS3 but I actually usually still play them on my PS2 and PS and I still play all of the MGS games often ... I even still play all of them on the portable systems & GC. :)

PS. But I'm NOT planning on getting MGS Rising :(

[–] The_Shortail_Rises 14 years ago

I am not planning on getting Metal Gear Solid Rising either. However, I may buy another Gamecube so that I can buy the Twin Snakes again. The Twin Snakes is actually a better version of MGS1. I just wish that they had allowed Mei Ling and Naomi to keep their accents.

"WHERE'S BENNETT!?" (A question for the upcoming "Expendables")

[–] lilbit318 14 years ago

Wow! You actually prefer Twin Snakes too? ... I like TS better basically because of the graphics ... once I moved to the PS2, it was harder to go back to PS games due to the graphics but I do make an exception occasionally for MGS. :) ... but I do most of the time play through TS when I'm doing my MGS series play-thru which I do several times a year, ... take my time playing through them all. :) ... but you did surprize me because it seems like most fans prefer MGS over TS.

[–] The_Shortail_Rises 14 years ago

Yup! I definitely prefer the Twin Snakes because of the graphics above all else. But there is also the ability to get the tranquilizer gun and to not have any kills throughout the entire game. It is very hard to do that in Metal Gear Solid for Playstation. But on Twin Snakes each boss gets both a health meter and tranquilizer meter so that you can defeat them either with the SOCOM or tranquilizer. Being able to beat a game like Metal Gear Solid without having actually killed anyone is what sets the Metal Gear series apart from others.

First-person shooting is another reason why I like Twin Snakes. Sure, you can still do first-person shooting with the stinger, but who would want to unless your fighting Rex? I was surprised to find that in the Playstation version, I could take out cameras with the stinger in first-person, but I still prefer camera shooting in the Twin Snakes. You get the ability to take out cameras without making a lot of noise with the SOCOM a la silencer! Plus, if you are ever hiding under the tanks in the tank hanger and the guard walks by, you can always tranquilize him with the tranquilizer gun without having to worry about someone hearing the gun go off.

Hanging from the rails and jumping over them is the last best addition to this game.

I just wish that Mei Ling and Naomi could have kept their accents in Twin Snakes and in MGS4.

And last but not least, I wish that the piece of music entitled "Enclosure" could have made it to the Twin Snakes soundtrack. That music alone gives Metal Gear Solid the mood that it deserves, especially during Naomi's confession before she is arrested. But ah well, at least they brought "Enclosure" back for Metal Gear Solid 4 for Snakes iPod and the sequence with Naomi after you fight Vamp at Shadow Moses.

"WHERE'S BENNETT!?" (A question for the upcoming "Expendables")

[–] An_Invisible_Dog 14 years ago

The Twin Snake's get's a lot on unjustified negativity. It's a good game, but it's not better than MGS1, imo. Atmospherically it just can't compare, the music, the voice overs, the cut scenes are all better on the original and they are more important than graphics imo.

[–] lilbit318 14 years ago

I agree those other parts of the game are important ... music, acting, cutscenes, etc ... and... MGS TS does have some cutscenes where I think they went a little overboard ... but graphics are important for me because if I don't like what I'm looking at while I'm playing, I can't play the game. MGS is probably an exception for me because I so love the series & its not as bad as some ... but ... for example, I tried playing Silent Hill on PS a while back & it was like "I can't play this game, its awful to look at" & I turned it off. lol.

[–] The_Shortail_Rises 14 years ago

I agree with Jonathan about how the story and voiceovers are more important than the graphics. In my opinion that is why no other Metal Gear Solid can compare to the first one, except MAYBE Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence.

But IMO the only real difference between the Twin Snakes and the original are the accents of Naomi & Mei Ling, and of course the piece of music that I mentioned earlier: "Enclosure" being missing from the Twin Snakes.

I can live through "Enclosure" not being there, mostly because I can always turn on my iPod and let it play while I am enjoying the game. But other than that discrepancy, I rather found the music for the Twin Snakes rather good. Especially the music that plays in the very beginning when Snake is taking off his scuba gear and Liquid is heading up on the elevator.

As far as the accents go, I can suffer through there loss too because both actresses give a great performance even with their character's accent gone.

And to me, that's it. I find everything else to be a good transfer from PS1 to Gamecube and somewhat better for Metal Gear Solid 1.

I am about to order another Gamecube in a few months from the Internet just so I can buy the Twin Snakes again, as a matter of fact.

"WHERE'S BENNETT!?" (A question for the upcoming "Expendables")

[–] marbanasin 14 years ago

Funny that this turned into a discussion about twin snakes vs MGS. I was gonna come post how I just played through MGS for the first time in a couple years and it still holds up despite the graphics. The game is still incredibly fun and the story very engaging. I love it. 12 years old and still as fun as when it came out, not a claim too many games can make.

Can't keep me off this escalator!

[–] Sleazy_E 14 years ago

The radar sucks. It makes the game waaaaaay to easy. Defeating Vulcan Raven without the radar is one heck of a ride.

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[–] matthew-manhorn 14 years ago

TBH, I find the potraits in MGS' codec a lot better due to the artwork. The 3d portraits in MGS2 (haven't played MGS3 yet so I dunno) seem to lack personalities / expressions.

[–] EpsilonX 13 years ago

the radar may make the game easier, but I feel like it adds to the MGS atmosphere, especially when you're in jail.

And I think that people who prefer twin snakes to the original are people who prefer the plot and etc of the first one but the gameplay (or rather, the controls) of the second one. I think adding the first person shooting and the hanging over rails and tranq gun changes the experience. Being able to hide under something and just put everybody to sleep and then move to the next area isn't as fun to me as trying to find your way through the area. Yes, I do have VR missions and yes I do enjoy it.

[–] AbesOddysee 13 years ago

i too downloaded mgs from psn and was amazed how fun it still is after all these years.
and im not going to get mg rising either, raiden sux!

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] chasing_dogmas 13 years ago

I agree, the first one is the best imo. It has this atmosphere to it that the others lacked and were unable to capture. They just couldn't recreate or surpass that post-Cold War and Japanese Anime fusion of a setting that is Shadow Moses. It has such a desolate feeling to it, especially with the music. MGS1's music was one of its best aspects and I think people often overlook it.

I agree that MGS1 also had the best characters... although I haven't played MGS3 in a very long time.

[–] The_Shortail_Rises 13 years ago

Thanks for the comments, everyone. I hear that Konami is re-making MGS2, MGS3, and MGS: Peacewalker in HD for the PS3 that will come out this November. It is a shame that they are not re-making MGS1 in HD, too.

"Metroid: Other M" is the best game (PERIOD)!

[–] chasing_dogmas 13 years ago

Apparently MGS1 is getting a full remake again (like Twin Snakes) on PS3 to take advantage of hardware this gen.

Personally, having just played through MGS1 and seeing it still rocks, I really don't think it's necessary. An HD MGS1 would have been just fine in my book.

[–] 13 years ago

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