In honor of Ground Zeroes fairly recent drop onto the general public, I thought it would be best to reflect upon the whole series and see what mechanics have made it the extraordinary block buster hit we all know today. Many of the mechanics we know and love in the modern MGS series are rooted in a little portable game named Metal Gear Solid or (Metal Gear: Ghost Babel in Asia) released in 2000 for the Game Boy Color platform.
“Tactical Espionage Action?”
What the heck does that mean? Well to put it simply, it’s an awesome sounding phrase that signifies using your mind over your gun, the ability to creep into a base without being detected by goons. Tactical espionage action represents all the wickedly cool things made possible in the stealth genre, something MGS on Game Boy Color did very well.
This Game Boy Color title is an insane example of a port done very, very well.
There are no liberties taken for this port to function, EVERYTHING is preserved so exact in comparison with its PlayStation brother its astonishing.
The fluid movement with Solid Snake, the radar enabler, even the codec all exemplify the great features that have been seamlessly transferred from console into a puny cartridge.
The Plot is Truly Remarkable
This heart pounding tale has grizzled veteran Solid Snake being pulled out of his retirement in Alaska to investigate a compound that was formerly the infamous Outer Heaven.
Conspiracies, twists, all of the awesome characteristics from the Metal Gear series are all present here, and they have never been so spot on and noteworthy.
Gameplay is Intuitive and Rewarding
You will spend the majority of your time maneuvering through dim-witted guards and chatting with government agents, two tasks fascinating in their own right. There is a wide array of gadgets at your disposal, ID cards, and submachine guns galore – for those interested in a more ‘direct’ approach.
All around brilliant animations and mechanics make this gem a blast to take in all the way through.
Jam Packed with Stuff
The fun doesn’t stop after the credits role as VR missions are beautifully realized in the 2D plane. Challenging additions that prolong the game, these are welcome features that cease to grow old. There is also a link cable mode that interestingly pits two different players in further shenanigans, but come on, who still owns all those peripherals?
This, ladies and gentlemen, is not only an exceptional GBC title, but one of the most finely crafted games to ever grace any screen.
Everything is on point with its franchise; not above the average, but furthering the quality of the series to new heights.
If you are an aficionado of the Metal Gear universe and this somehow went under your radar, play this underated masterpiece immediately, it still holds up tremendously well.
