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Friday 8 February, 2008
3rd GameLog: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Game of Choice)
2nd Log
Gameplay
The second time around, the game just got more interesting. It's really the story that gets you addicted. I have noticed that cut scenes have decreased in comparison to the beginning of the game. When I first started the game, the first 10-15 minutes of the game was a giant cut scene. This time around, I got to face more enemies and really explore the full potentials of the gameplay. I did notice that the camera angles can be irritating sometimes and you really can't see around the corners much. One big improvement from the other Metal Gear's in the series is the camera angles. Before MGS3, all the camera angles were fixed and that made it really difficult to see around some corners. In this game, the camera follows Snake so it makes much easier for you to navigate and see all the things.
I also got to fight the first boss and it was a really interesting fight. The Pain is an enemy who uses bees to attack you. He uses the bees as grenades to throw at you. Apparently he can control them and his whole body is covered with them. One really interesting aspect of the game is how to keep Snake alive. In the game, you are given a stamina bar that decreases constantly throughout the game. The only way to revive your stamina is to hunt for food and eat them. When your stamina gets too low, Snake's hand starts shaking whenever he shoots and runs much slower. This aspect of the game made it very realistic and brought a new awareness to the game. It requires you to explore all the environments and get all the things the game has to offer.
The AI in this game is quite good and all of the enemies don't just go down with one hit. Avoiding the enemy as much as possible has become more important than it was in the beginning. You also have to watch out for the dangers in the environment. There are poisonous snakes and other creatures that can bite Snake and kill him if he is not treated with the proper medication. Close Quarters Combat (CQC) is a great and intuitive aspect of the game. If Snake is unarmed, he has many techniques to knock the enemy unconscious or possibly kill them. It's really realistic and something that the military would use in real life.
Game Design
MGS4 was superb when it came to environment detail. As you keep playing, you can see that a lot of time went into creating the right textures, shading, and colors when designing the jungle. This was very key in giving the game a 1960s look and feel. Since there was a strong emphasis on camouflage, the jungle provided the best environment for you to take advantage of that aspect of the game. The jungle is also very varied. You don't just keep running into trees and busher. You will go through rivers, waterfalls, cliffs, dry land, etc. The environment is probably one of the biggest barriers that you have to overcome. The music also fits in perfectly with the the environment and all the sounds are on cue.
I also love the implementation of the injuries section. If Snake receives an injury, the player has to find the injury and treat it. You are given bandages, splints, medication, and other equipment necessary for you to repair your injury. If the injuries are not treated, Snakes stamina starts to decrease rapidly and when his stamina bar depletes completely, then his life bar starts to decrease. Each injury has a unique consequence and each injury is treated differently. Also you are not given an infinite amount of supplies so learning from your mistakes is very key. This was a very new intuitive idea that I have not seen in any other game. Some games earlier might have had it but it was not as detailed as in MGS4.
The main aspect of the game that keeps the player interested is again the intense storyline. The developers did a great job in giving the cut scenes as much depth as possible and accurately depicting the Cold War era. I really like when the cut scenes are action oriented because they are created beautifully and have elements of The Matrix combined with Mission Impossible. In the end, this is a beautifully created game that really resembles it's predecessors but has new intuitive elements that take it up a further notch.
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