So, recently I played through Metal Gear Solid 2 again, specifically the ending of Metal Gear Solid 2. I don't know if anyone has done this in the past couple years, but you really should give it a shot. First of all, the game makes marginally more sense with the context gained in the next two games, specifically regarding the Wiseman's Commitee and the AI version of the patriots. But most importantly, the ending.
Back in 2001 I was kind of agog by the whole "humanity likes dumping a bunch of useless knowledge on the internet. Installing a memetic version of Darwinism for human thought is all well and good, but it seems a bit extreme for the criminal masterplan."
Now in 2010, where I've seen the whole Google censorship issues, I know a bit more about the idea that the internet is so full of truth that it's impossible to find something which is entirely unbias and factual (just look for "facts" on abortion and see how many activist dummy pages you find which are filled with misleading information) and such and suddenly the internet regulation thing becomes a lot more chilling.
Plus the whole surrealism of the final act is kind of tried and true through the years and no longer comes off as the big massive mind screw it once was. Don't get me wrong or anything, I still think Arsenal Gear sailing through the streets of Manhattan and daily office workers kind of ignoring the damage and Snake and Raiden's conversation is silly, and the whole Rose-Raiden thing is ridiculous and the whole "lead in" is even more dumb when you know what happens in 4... but for the sheer theme and subtext of the game, it was actually far ahead of it's time. I am impress.
Has this kind of thing happened to anyone else, where they just jumped on too early and it took a few years to be able to appreciate a masterpiece or something good from a different light?
My big brother bought Hitman 2: Silent Assassin a long time ago... I... didn't like playing it much due to how hard it was at the time. Ideally you have to use disguises and such to get to the target without anyone noticing, take them out without anyone noticing, hide their body if you killed them somewhere the guards patrol regularly without noticing and get to the exit without anyone noticing. Sometimes you have one or two other objectives that the client wants you to fulfill as well. (Like taking some valuables to make it look like a robbery gone bad, for instance.) You can just go through and shoot everyone but sometimes you can't since the target will run if you do. So I just used some cheats I found on the internet and blasted through the game.
Then, later on in life I decided to play it again. It wasn't as hard as the last time since I started planning things ahead of time and using the map feature. (It lets you know where enemies and such are.) So, for instance, lets say I wanted a Guard uniform so I could walk around a restricted area. Before I was nervous and had no idea how to approach the situation so I tried to run behind the guard without him noticing (they get suspicious if they see ANYONE running, for some reason... to the point of shooting you and raising an alert) enter stealth mode... try to catch up with his walking and use the knife. Nine times out of 10 I didn't catch up to them before they turned around to patrol the other way, noticed me and started shooting while raising an alert. Now I notice there's a dumpster I can hide behind that he passes by which gives me a nice shot at his head that would also make a good hiding spot for the body. Now I notice that there's a manhole opening I can crawl out of that's near where that valet takes his piss (killing someone as they use the bathroom is evil, I know, but necessary) and that disguise would let me near the car to set a bomb on it. Now I realize I could probably kill him before he causes a ruckus and alerts the other guards if he does come in here.
I started enjoying it more since I loved thinking up ways to approach different situations and I loved it even more when they WORKED. The game was still pretty nerve-wracking, though. Sometimes, even if you're in disguise Guards will break from their patrol route to follow you. You can't just run away since they're crazy and will shoot you for it. (Hey, maybe I just felt like taking a jog or I heard something suspicious, jeez.) And they'll know it's you if you get too close most of the time. So you just have to kind of keep walking until they lose interest or you cross a corner and can start booking it since you're out of sight.
Writing about this makes me want to play it again, actually. I never did beat Motorcade Interception...
Only thing that really jumped to mind for me was the Resident Evil Remake for the Cube. It was my first Resident Evil and I just couldn't get into it, the tank controls were hindering and I had no idea how I was supposed to proceed, let alone mentioning the fact that the game absolutely TERRIFIED me. I think I got about as far as getting the first key or so and then just quitting.
Then about a year later I picked up Resident Evil 4 for the Wii, played through it and had a blast. I thought it was an awesome game, so then I turned to REmake again to give it another try. I perserved and what I found was that this was my probably my favourite Resident Evil game in the series and everything about it was quite simply perfect, even including the limited controls. I learned to appreciate REmake so much in fact that I lament the direction that the Resident Evil series has took, and whilst I enjoy RE4 and 5 and find them to be great games in their own right, they AREN'T great Resident Evil games.
I want a new Resident Evil game that brings back the puzzles, the atmosphere and the sheer tension that the original games brought forward. Ideally I'd like a Resident Evil 3 remake, because a HD graphics looking destroyed Racoon City would just be amazing. I wouldn't even be bothered if it used the same camera angles as 4&5 did as long as it brought back the sheer fun and thrill that REmake did.
Incredible game.
