Metal Gear Solid Review | Melodrama, Soliton Radar, Foxhound Battles

Stealth Boom Boom | A Stealth Video Games Podcast

A quarter of a century ago, we got some real stealthy classics – some of which have already been covered on this very podcast. Today we're looking at the game from that year that introduced many to the fact that video games can also be a lot like movies. We're going back to 1998 to take a look at the third game in one of the genre's most beloved (and maligned) series. We're talking Metal Gear Solid.

On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we talk about how director / producer / writer Hideo Kojima, who wanted to make films from a young age, broke into the games industry. We also discuss some of the very explosive, '90s ways this game was marketed. We chat about pre-launch press coverage too, which includes some Resident Evil and Lego mentions, a research trip to see a SWAT team, and some chat on the influence of Yoji Shinkawa.

In our review, you'll hear some chat on the excellent Soliton Radar (and why it needs to be excellent, because the game has a fixed camera), fading footprints in the snow, chaff grenades, hiding in cardboard boxes, disappearing enemies, F.R.E.E. (full reactive eyes entertainment), Benny Hill, floopy-doop weapons, mostly great boss fights, Psycho Mantis reading your mind, that opening hour, how anti-war this war game is, Meryl's codec number on the back of case, the briefing tapes, the Yakuza / Like A Dragon games, some of the most verbose and melodramatic people ever, "press the select button," and the alert noise.

After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Metal Gear Solid is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.

For those that would like to play along at home, we'll be reviewing Outlast on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.

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