(It's neat to be able to take on Ocelet Unit whenever you want, though.) But things pick up considerably with the inclusion of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, near-perfect, even enhanced ports of the two MSX computer games that launched the series, complete with fresh English translations. Monkey is the same old, Secret Theater is merely amusing, and the new boss-based time attack called Duel Mode isn't anything special. With the New Disc two of the set is titled "Persistence," perhaps because it's persistently nifty. Still, the game is good enough to transcend such complaints, even if it's fun to imagine just how amazing it'd be if those were addressed in the same manner as the old camera. Also, a lot of essential functions are only available via accessing pokey sub-screens, which are kind of a drag to access every time Snake needs medical attention or a camo change. The controls make very unorthodox use of the PS2 controller - standard for the series, but that doesn't mean they're good. And despite the vastly improved camera, the interface is still complex and cumbersome. A lot of the dialogue is truly cringe-inducing, especially the optional stuff. That said, it still has a few niggling points that drag it down a bit. Snake Eater is a detail-freak's dream come true. Kojima and his team seem to have thought of every possible detail, incorporating dozens upon dozens of amusing and awesome little tricks into the beautiful, immensely detailed environments. The MGS series is often criticized for valuing long-winded exposition over gameplay, so it may come as a surprise just how fun and deep the gameplay can be. Importantly, the game is still as fun as ever, and maybe a bit more so thanks to the fixed camera. This allows you to get your stealth on with a lot less hassle and pretty much obsoletes the original version of Snake Eater. Being able to freely rotate the view around Snake is a huge boon to the gameplay, obviating the need to pause every five seconds to flip into the cumbersome first-person view. One thing does, though, and it's a biggy: that new camera is a godsend. There's a new camouflage or 20, but they don't affect the game very much. The plot and dialogue remain the same, as do the gameplay situations and maps. I say "mildly" because not a lot has changed. As this is essentially a polished re-release, Subsistence's first point of interest is a mildly updated version of the excellent jungle-storming adventure we know as Snake Eater. Kojima's serpentine supper has never looked more appetizing. And it doesn't stop there, also seeing fit to add a bunch of fun new features and bonuses that culminate in full-fledged online play. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence takes care of that nasty camera, completely nullifying our number one complaint. Now, maybe 18 months later, the ultimate version of MGS3 is upon us. In fact, the only grade-A problem was a bum camera system. The third Metal Gear Solid adventure proved quite a departure from the increasingly bizarre MGS2: Sons of Liberty, but the changes were entirely for the better. I dunno about you, but I certainly enjoy me some snake eatin'.
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