|
Double the fun
The Twin Snakes has been criticized by many in the last two weeks as not offering a lot to the table and not being the remake that everyone had been expecting. I think that most of them have been missing the point. Twin Snakes didn't need to improve on anything. It was so close to perfection that only one or two fundamental things needed to be improved on. This end result is a more polished and refined version. Twin Snakes is the remake that you really would hope for. While not a perfect game, it does improve upon the original. People that expect this game to be the almighty god might be disappointed, but what are you going to do?
The story, as I have indicated many times, is the best video game story ever written. It is a statement that I do not shy away from even now. Twin Snakes makes a few minor adjustments to the script and some of them are a wash. It wouldn't have mattered either way. The basic script hasn't been altered in any way and it continues to hold the test of time after nearly sixty-five months. The alterations to the ending are a slight improvement because it does provide a little smoother transition into the sequel, Sons of Liberty. It gives us a stronger idea of what we'll be heading into and it gives us some stronger indications of how to play it out. Otherwise, nothing has changed. Twin Snakes, with its dark themes of redemption, humanity, hatred, brotherhood, and betrayal, is the king of all the video game stories. It ranks above games like FFIII and FFVII, and that is no easy feat. Kojima has always been a master storyteller.
Graphically, the game has been given a much-needed polish and the game's movies have more of a Matrix-esque feel. It does seem appropriate and Silicon Knights uses the technology at their disposal to their fullest advantage. As far as gameplay goes, the game is inferior to Sons of Liberty, but I believe that is the point. It does work well with the timeframe. 1 is less than 2 and 2 is less than 3. Makes sense, doesn't it? Nonetheless, the details and the effects are about on par with Sons of Liberty and it is a real visual feast for one and all to see.
The controls take a little getting used to, but they are easy to learn and they don't require too much for the gamer. The only minor complaint I have with the controls is pausing. Hitting start and the A button seems to be a little much and it does cause a little bit of friction if you want to get out of a tight jam. Otherwise, everything has been improved. Moving around is very easy and the physics are solid. FPS mode is very easy to use and hit detection is very sharp, resulting in very few cheap blows. MGS is easy to learn in the control departments.
Game design hasn't changed much. There are a couple of minor alterations (the removal of ladders in the underground maintenance base is greatly appreciated). Otherwise, Silicon Knights and Konami kept everything the same and that is the way that it should be. The game design has been hurt a little by the FPS aim, but the rise in intelligence for the enemy A.I. balances that out enough.
The sound is a slight mixed bag. Some of the voice-overs have been improved while others are a down-grade. The upgrades include Colonel Campbell, Sniper Wolf, the DARPA Chief, and the Armstech President. The downgrades include Naomi and Mei Ling. The washes go to Snake, Campbell, and Liquid. The sound effects are much better thanks to the Dolby technology, and the music is a little weaker. I liked the Celtic music, but the boss battle music is good and they haven't changed the opening and closing themes, which are appropriate codas to the game.
Overall, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes was a joy to play. I loved the original and I wanted to see if Silicon Knights, who produced the brilliant but under-appreciated Eternal Darkness, could meet up to Kojima's vision. It was something that they were able to do. They made the game much smoother in the gameplay department, the PS-X version's biggest weakness, and they have managed to bring the game the way it was originally envisioned. Maybe it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that you would expect from a remake in the extras department, but did Twin Snakes need it? No, of course not. -- Chris Vavra, PGNx Media
---- Mar 22, 2004
|
