23| Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence

Released: December 22nd, 2005

Definitive Version: Playstation 3; Also on: Xbox 360, PSV, 3DS, PS2

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is undisputedly the best Metal Gear game. In my mind no other Metal Gear game comes close to it. The reason for this is because it perfectly encases everything a Metal Gear game is supposed to be. It has very well designed levels that are made exclusively for sneaking around enemies and leaves a lot in the way for experimentation. It contains a string of unique and exhilarating boss fights. And it has an engaging story that just reeks of 1980s B-Movie action. It is the definitive Metal Gear experience.

Unfortunately, I did not feel this way the first time I played it. This was solely due to the fact that the initial version of the game, Snake Eater, had one humongous problem with it. You couldn't see anything. The entire game was played via overhead. Now this doesn't sound too bad as this was how Metal Gear had been traditionally played since the series inception. However, being that Metal Gear Solid 3 takes place in the outdoors, it meant that the player had too transverse through a lot of open spaces and few corridors. This meant that it was very difficult to pinpoint or even see enemies. To add insult to injury the traditional radar screen was gone in favor of more obscure methods. This certainly makes sense in the context of the setting, as of course the 1960s would lack the technology that would be available in the 1990s and 2000s. However, it didn't change the fact that the gameplay didn't accommodate the new changes in level design.

In 2005, the game was re-released as Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence which added multiplayer, the two original Metal Gear games, and a slew of other modes. However, the most exciting addition to most was the fact that the game now had a third person perspective for the camera. Now I was hesitant toward this at first, as the game wasn't designed with that perspective in mind. Things rarely work out when things are shoed in after the game is complete. After playing the game a second time with the new camera, I simply fell in love. One simple change managed to completely fix virtually everything wrong with the title.  Enemies can now be seen, as well as the layout of the area. What's interesting about this change is that it didn't make the game too easy. This is due to the ways the maps are designed led to few times where the player can get a clear shot of where everything is. Luckily this is when Metal Gear becomes Metal Gear as the player can then just huddle along a wall and use the tools they have to scan the area. It just wasn't the gameplay though, the graphics of the game seemed much better as they could now be appreciated as the textures became much more visible. In short, I went from disliking the game to loving it.

Metal Gear Solid 3 was an abrupt change from what fans were used to in the series. For starters the game took place during the 1960s. Keep in mind that up until that point the series had always taken place in the not so distant future. So technology was always a bit ahead of the curve from what we were used to. From remote controlled missiles to nanomachines, Metal Gear's futuristic setting was part of its appeal, and it was part of the gameplay. However, this game took players forty years into the past. Not only did this change the setting astronomically, but it also changed the gameplay as well. All the high tech gadgets the series used since the first entry were gone. All that was given to the player are simply guns, bullets, and not much more. To make up for this, Kojima Productions managed to really fine tune gunplay in the game and give the player a wide variety of guns to choose from. Not only that, but they also created the close quarters combat system, abbreviated as "CQC" in the game. Basically the CQC system relies on the player doing brief takedown attacks on their enemies, knocking them down and dizzying them in just a few moves. The game also gives the player a knife to wield which often results in a lot of slit throats.

It just wasn't the time period that led the game to be unique, but the location as well. The game takes place in the exotic jungles of the Soviet Union! As a result, there be tons of trees, swamps, and wildlife scattered about. Survival in the wild is a big part of the game, the protagonist often becomes hungry and needs to eat. As a result, the player needs to hunt for food. This includes animals like crabs, snakes, alligators, and pretty much anything you can see walking around. However, the player needs to be careful as some creatures are poisonous. Camouflage also plays a huge part in the game. Being that the jungle has so many different textures, it leads to a lot of different camo outfits to use depending on the situation. Wearing the right outfit is the difference between being able to walk right past enemies, and not even being able to crawl toward them dozens of feet away.

Despite all of these changes, the game is still Metal Gear through and through. As stated before, the maps are wonderfully designed and lead themselves to a lot of experimentation. Whether your playstyle consists of sneaking past enemies, or taking them head on, Metal Gear Solid 3 satisfies. The jungle is a perfect setting that leads to experimentation with all of the different cover options, camos to choose from, and wildlife to exploit. The facilities in the game are just as well designed with tons of rooms and floors to play with. This is the type of game where you will be screwing around with the map for hours before you even want to progress to the next cutscene.

At the end of the day however, a Metal Gear game isn't a Metal Gear game without the batshit story. And boy does Metal Gear Solid 3 have one. It starts off with the player playing as a spy who is codenamed "Snake", or "Naked Snake" to be more precise. His job is to retrieve a scientist who has been kidnapped by the Soviets. Soon everything goes haywire as one of the Soviet agents does a false flag attack triggering a Cuban Missile Crisis style situation with the United States. What's worse is that apparently the Soviet's are constructing a super high tech weapon capable of mass destruction. As a result, Naked Snake is sent out to do a secret covert mission. Admittedly it isn't the best story in the series, but it is still very entertaining and has the perfect balance of batshit and grounded storytelling. The story also introduces a lot of unique characters who often translate to fascinating boss fights such as a rocket man with a flame thrower, a centenarian sniper, and an electrified body builder to name a few. But the character that I feel really steals the show is a young Ocelot. It was a bit strange seeing him so young in the game as in the previous two games he was an old man. Yet in this game is nothing but a kid with a huge ego. Nevertheless, he is very entertaining to watch.

I can't close this entry without mentioning the game's online multiplayer mode. Perhaps it could be because it was one of my first multiplayer online games ever, but the original Metal Gear Online was fantastic. Sure it was riddled with bugs and cheaters, but when it was played correctly it was a blast. It was very interesting in playing an online shooter that wasn't quite in first or third person perspective. There were a multitude of modes but most people stuck with team deathmatch with occasionally spy vs soldiers on the side. Yes, spy vs soldiers was pretty much one player playing as Snake whose goal was to sneak around while it was everyone else’s job to find him. It was pretty enjoyable, but I mostly stuck with team deathmatch. Apparently it has been revitalized for online private server play, but it is only for the emulated version.

No matter how you slice it, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is a fantastic game. It certainly isn't perfect as constantly changing the camo can get annoying and the frequently changing maps breaks immersion. However, all in all it is still a high quality game and represents the peak of the series. I feel that after this game the franchise began to fall off. Metal Gear Solid 4 was a huge disappointment as it couldn't decide what it wanted to be. The PSP games were just awful. And Metal Gear Solid V was literally unfinished and took the approach of playing a TV show rather than a movie (if that makes sense). Metal Gear Solid 3 was the last "traditional" Metal Gear in my eyes, and it really shows. I just wish Kojima the best on his recent endeavor.