Episode 110: Metal Gear Solid

Retro Spectives

It feels like Metal Gear Solid barely needs an introduction. First released in 1998 for the playstation, it launched Hideo Kojima into the western spotlight and has been credited as a foundational game in the stealth genre. It combined a cinematic presentation with a larger than life cast of villains that somehow never broke through how seriously the game seemed to take itself. There was an attention to detail here that blew people’s minds upon release, not only in the level of interactivity but also the many easter eggs and secrets scattered throughout the game.

But for all its critical acclaim, and its renowned legacy, is Metal Gear Solid still a fun game to play today? Every single entry in the series innovated in a big way, and Metal Gear Solid was the first 3D title to come out. Were pundits at the time just wowed by what was essentially a glorified tech demo, or is Metal Gear Solid still a worthy title to play to this day?

On this episode we discuss:

Stealth

Metal Gear Solid is credited for the revitalisation and popularization of the stealth genre. But just how good is the stealth gameplay here really? Is it as good as the later games in the series, and how does it hold up in comparison to its contemporaries like Thief?

Story

The Metal Gear Solid series is famous for its batshit insane storytelling, wacky villains and twists and turns. How well does the first game execute on its story, and how does it use cutscenes and codec calls to reveal character’s personalities and philosophies?

Action

Metal Gear Solid isn’t just a stealth game, and features a heavy dose of action particularly towards the end of the game. How well realised are the action setpieces compared to the stealth?

We answer these questions and many more on the 110th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Metal Gear Solid OST: Maki Kirioka, Kazuki Muraoka, Togo Project

Which Metal Gear game is your favourite? Are the original Metal Gear 1 and 2 worth playing today? Do you prefer to play the game with or without the radar? Come let us know what you think, and recommend us games to play on our community discord server!

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