If somebody told me one year ago that there was actually going to be a Metal Gear Solid game I wouldn't like, I would have laughed and called them crazy.  And yet, here I am, giving this a poor review.  So, what went wrong?  Well, let me go through the game.

First the story.  This is the main thing that's been improved from part 2.  This shows the backstory of series mainstay Solid Snake's genetic father Big Boss, or Naked Snake as he's called here.  It gives us a brief glimpse into his head, and yes, maybe even shows us a bit why he did what he did in the first two Metal Gear games.  It's impossible not to feel sorry for him, to not somewhat sympathize with him.  Kojima did an excellent job on the incredibly character driven story.  So why the cruddy score?  Well, I'm not finished yet.

Next, there's the graphics and the sound.  These two once again are on par with the rest of the series.  The graphics are incredibly detailed and it's hard to not just stare at everything in first person view and marvel.  Likewise, both the soundtrack, including the catchy James Bond-esque theme "Snake Eater" as well as the voice acting, are as good, if not better, than the original.

Finally, here comes the part I have been dreading to write about.  We all know the main aspect of the MGS series has been stealth.  The premise of this version was that it would also include new survival aspects, such as eating wild life to stay healthy.  Unfortunately, just about none of this works.  The stealth has now been completely ruined, as it's now pretty much impossible for Snake to go without being noticed, no matter how stealthily he is.  Even the new camoflauge aspect is a best, as no matter now well you're hidden, even if it's at a full 100%, the guards STILL notice you.  So if you can't even use stealth, then what's the point?  The survival parts don't really do much either.  The eating food thing isn't really needed, as even eating the animals that Snake hates will restore most of his health.  Oh, and I forgot one thing: the pain in the butt cure menu.  Now, throughout both cutscenes and the actual game, when Snake gets hurt you must now take the time to go into the menu and heal his injuries, or as a result he'll take more damage then usual.  This little gameplay addition I feel could have been easily done away with, as it's more annoying than anything else.

I honestly tried to like this game.  I did the very best, from the bottom of my heart, to continue playing, but I'm not even enjoying it enough to continue on with the excellent story.  This is one MGS that even hardcore fans need to stay away from.
If somebody told me one year ago that there was actually going to be a Metal Gear Solid game I wouldn't like, I would have laughed and called them crazy. And yet, here I am, giving this a poor review. So, what went wrong? Well, let me go through the game. First the story. This is the main thing that's been improved from part 2. This shows the backstory of series mainstay Solid Snake's genetic father Big Boss, or Naked Snake as he's called here. It gives us a brief glimpse into his head, and yes, maybe even shows us a bit why he did what he did in the first two Metal Gear games. It's impossible not to feel sorry for him, to not somewhat sympathize with him. Kojima did an excellent job on the incredibly character driven story. So why the cruddy score? Well, I'm not finished yet. Next, there's the graphics and the sound. These two once again are on par with the rest of the series. The graphics are incredibly detailed and it's hard to not just stare at everything in first person view and marvel. Likewise, both the soundtrack, including the catchy James Bond-esque theme "Snake Eater" as well as the voice acting, are as good, if not better, than the original. Finally, here comes the part I have been dreading to write about. We all know the main aspect of the MGS series has been stealth. The premise of this version was that it would also include new survival aspects, such as eating wild life to stay healthy. Unfortunately, just about none of this works. The stealth has now been completely ruined, as it's now pretty much impossible for Snake to go without being noticed, no matter how stealthily he is. Even the new camoflauge aspect is a best, as no matter now well you're hidden, even if it's at a full 100%, the guards STILL notice you. So if you can't even use stealth, then what's the point? The survival parts don't really do much either. The eating food thing isn't really needed, as even eating the animals that Snake hates will restore most of his health. Oh, and I forgot one thing: the pain in the butt cure menu. Now, throughout both cutscenes and the actual game, when Snake gets hurt you must now take the time to go into the menu and heal his injuries, or as a result he'll take more damage then usual. This little gameplay addition I feel could have been easily done away with, as it's more annoying than anything else. I honestly tried to like this game. I did the very best, from the bottom of my heart, to continue playing, but I'm not even enjoying it enough to continue on with the excellent story. This is one MGS that even hardcore fans need to stay away from.