| VGLN.com
Gamecube >> Reviews
>> article
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
by Jolex Del Pilar
Sunday, April 18 2004
Konami's action thriller finally reaches the Gamecube, and it does it in style.
 |
|
|
Title:
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
|
Platform:
Gamecube
|
Publisher:
Konami |
Developer:
Konami |
#
of Players: 1 |
Genre:
Action
|
Origin:
Japan
|
Expected
Release:
March 2004 |
Grapevine:
A solid remake of two games you may have played a few years ago. |
Two years ago, Metal Gear Solid II arrived on the PS2 to much fanfair. While many agree it wasn't nearly as captivating as the original, especially with the addition of girly man Raiden, it still featured the same gameplay that made the first game a classic and financially was a huge success. A year later in 2002, Xbox gamers got their chance to take their role as Solid Snake with the arrival of Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance. Finally, nearly 3 years after the release of MGS II, Gamecube gamers now have their opportunity to experience Hideo Kojima's rich, and thrilling Metal Gear universe.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes isn't a fully fledged sequel as many believed would be the case when the game was originally announced at last year's E3. Instead, it's a remake of sorts that combines the first Metal Gear Solid, and MGS II into one game, of course with fancy extras thrown in for good measure.
One major change from previous version of the series is in the A.I of the enemy guards. This time around they seem just a bit sharper than your average video game guard. On the PS2, and Xbox versions, the guards were basically 3D dummies that I used to practice my marksmanship on, either by tranquilizer dart, or assault rifle. On the Gamecube, the viciousness of the guards is downright admirable. They have larger fields of vision, and greater hearing. Once they do spot you, chaos usually ensues. It usually starts off with you diving for the closest hiding spot while guards with riot shields and pistols hunt you down mercilessly. While the increased difficulty certainly changes the game's pace, it also leads to some bouts of frustration as the levels have remained essentially the same. This means that although the guards can see and hear better, the hiding spots are still spaced out as if the guards were still dumb bullet bags, as in the PS2 version. This makes for a lot of careful crawling, and mad dashing, which some gamers may or may not enjoy depending on taste.
Another major change to the game is in the cut scenes that featured majorly in Sons of Liberty. This time around, they are much cooler. It seems like someone at Konami watched The Matrix, a few John Woo movies, and then decided to go ahead and integrate his state of mind into the cinematics of The Twin Snakes. Gun battles, "I know kung fu" fights, and other hijinks break out during the cinematics. While these are certainly cool, some may miss the more laid back, suspenseful style of the original Sons of Liberty. Snake himself has lost some of that laid back style in the way his character is represented. In one scene, Snake seems borderline deranged during a gun battle, totally going against the sly, laid back, demeanor established during the previous two games. Still, the new "action" oriented cut scenes are sure to please more people than they disappoint.
Solid Snake is about to open a can of whup-ass on Liquid Snake in this scene.
Once you get passed the cinematic additions, and the increased killing power of the A.I guards, The Twin Snakes seems at least on the surface, like something most people have played already. Sure, there are extras like different unlockable costumes, characters, items, and even media (though no VR missions disappointingly), but is this enough to draw in players who own a PS2 and have basically played these games a few years ago? It depends. Hardcore fans will love the new way in which the story unveils itself with the new cinematics. Also, those who don't have working original Playstation systems (present company included), The Twin Snakes is a great opportunity to go through the original Metal Gear Solid with better visuals and faster load times.
The Twin Snakes still features the calculating gameplay that the original two games featured, and to this day, with the exception of the awesome Splinter Cell: Pandora Tommorow, the series remains tops in its respective genre of action/stealth/thriller. If you have only owned a Gamecube (you should probably get some therapy), then buying Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is a no-brainer, as the two games included in the set have basically redefined the action genre of gaming in the past 3 years.
No matter how you break it down, The Twin Snakes is a "solid" package that includes two slightly improved versions of excellent games that you might or might not have played a few years ago. Pick it up if you feel the urge to experience Kojima's universe one last time before Snake Eater is released.
--- Jolex Del Pilar
|
