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Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

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Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake cover art
The cover illustration by Yoshiyuki Takani displays Metal Gear D prominently.
Developer(s) Konami
Publisher(s) Konami
Designer(s) Hideo Kojima (director)
Writer(s) Hideo Kojima
Composer(s) Masahiro Ikariko
Mutsuhiko Izumi
Kazuhiko Uehara
Tomoya Tomita
Yuko Kurahashi
Yuji Takenouchi
Tsuyoshi Sekito
Platform(s) MSX2, Mobile phone, PlayStation 2
Release date(s) MSX2
JP July 19, 1990
Mobile phone
JP October 1, 2004
PS2
JP December 22, 2005
NA March 14, 2006
EU October 6, 2006
AUS October 13, 2006
Genre(s) Stealth action
Mode(s) Single-player
Media Cartridge (MSX2), paid download (mobile phone), DVD (PS2)
Input methods Gamepad, keyboard
Prev game (release) Metal Gear
Next game (release) Metal Gear Solid
Prev game (canon) Metal Gear
Next game (canon) Metal Gear Solid

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (メタルギア２ ソリッドスネーク Metaru Gia Tsū Soriddo Sunēku?, commonly abbreviated MG2) is a stealth action game that was written and directed by Hideo Kojima and developed by Konami. It is the fifth game chronologically in the Metal Gear series and the second one released. It was initially released only in Japan for the MSX2 computer on July 20, 1990. The game was re-released 14 years later, as a downloadable game for mobile phones in Japan in 2004. A North American and European release of Metal Gear 2 was released in 2006 as part of Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence along with the original Metal Gear.

Contents

[edit] Gameplay

Metal Gear 2 builds upon the stealth-based gameplay of its predecessor. As in the original Metal Gear, the player's objective is to infiltrate the enemy's stronghold, while avoiding detection from soldiers, cameras, infrared sensors, and other surveillance devices. The biggest change in the game was done to the enemy's behavior. Whereas the guards in the original game could see in straight lines, the guards in Metal Gear 2 can all see in a field of vision of 45 degrees. The guards can also turn their head left or right to see diagonally and move from one screen to another (instead of being stationed in one area). The enemy can also hear any noise made by the player which usually occurs when the player fires a non-silenced firearm, uses an explosive, hits on a wall or walks on certain types of terrain. If the player is discovered by the enemy, then the game will enter in Alert Mode and a counter will be displayed on the upper right side of the screen. When the enemy loses track of the player, the game enters Evasion Mode and the counter will go down. When the counter reaches zero, the game returns to normal.

The player has been given new maneuvers and tools to help them remain undetected and complete the game. For example, the player can now kneel and crawl in addition to walking, allowing to player to avoid making noise, pick up land mines, and hide in tight spaces such as under desks or inside air ducts. A radar with a 3x3 grid on the upper right hand screen shows Snake's current position in the center screen (as a red dot), with enemy soldiers as white dots, allowing the player to determine what's ahead. However, the radar is disabled when the game enters Alert Mode. The radar can also be used with the mine detector equipped to determine the locations of any placed mines or fire stinger missiles on an airbourne target. Many weapons and equipment from the first game are brought over as well as new items such as robotic mice used to distract enemies, a camouflaged mat and three different types of rations with their attributes. The player no longer needs to rescue hostages to increase their rank; instead their life energy and carrying capacity is increased each time they defeat the game's bosses.

The transceiver has been greatly revamped from the first game as well. The messages the player receives are now based on their on current situation and mission objective, rather than the room they're currently in, making them less fixed and more dymanic. The transceiver now displays Snake's face as well as the face of the character he's currently communicating with. The player can also talk to children living in the fortress to gain new information; the player is penalized with a loss of health if they kill a child. The game's areas are more varied than in the first game and a number of puzzles must be fulfilled to complete the game, such as luring a carrier pigeon with a ration, chasing after a female spy to the women's bathroom or deciphering secret Tap Codes to gain vital information such as a new frequency number.

[edit] Plot

Metal Gear series chronology
Snake Eater
Portable Ops
Peace Walker
Metal Gear
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
Metal Gear Solid (The Twin Snakes)
Sons of Liberty
Guns of the Patriots

By 1999, the Cold War had thawed, and it seemed nuclear proliferation would soon be a thing of the past. Despite this, all was not well in the world. A series of shocks to the oil market spurred the development of new high-tech energy sources, including fusion power. However, most vehicles still relied on oil for power. Oil reserves were at a critical low, and the world community was prepared to take drastic measures, either by drilling into sand and shale for more oil, despite the difficulty -- or moving on to renewable fuels.

Such steps proved unnecessary when Czech scientist, Dr. Kio Marv, successfully bio-engineered a new species of algae, OILIX, that could produce petroleum-grade hydrocarbons with little expense and effort. Marv presented the algae to the World Energy Conference in Prague, and was on his way to a demonstration in the United States when he was kidnapped by soldiers from Zanzibar Land. NATO discovers that Zanzibar Land's leaders plan to hold the world hostage by controlling the supply of oil, and some good old-fashioned nuclear brinkmanship, courtesy of a stockpile of nukes.

Solid Snake was brought out of retirement by FOXHOUND's new commander, Roy Campbell, and is sent to Zanzibar Land to rescue Dr. Marv.

For a full summary, see Zanzibar Land Uprising.

[edit] Characters

[edit] FOXHOUND

[edit] Zanzibar Land Mercenaries

[edit] Other characters

[edit] Similarities to Metal Gear Solid

See also: Similarities between games

Many of the gameplay innovations commonly attributed to Metal Gear Solid were in fact introduced by its direct predecessor Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, which was never released outside of Japan until it was packaged with Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence in 2006. In addition, both titles also share many similar plot elements. Some of the gameplay and plot elements in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake that were later used again in its sequel Metal Gear Solid include:

[edit] Plot elements

  • The game opening with a cliff-side open environment before moving inside to a tank-storage room with an elevator.
  • Roy Campbell serving as the main commanding officer to Solid Snake.
  • Master Miller giving advice on improving one's health and professional life.
  • Saving a hostage who appears on radar. In addition, the first hostage of the game is a disguised member of the terrorist faction.
  • Meeting a disguised female contact in a women's washroom.
  • Snake and his female contact (both with the frequency 140.15) effectively becoming romantiacally involved (Holly in Metal Gear 2 and Meryl in Metal Gear Solid).
  • Helpful messages from an anonymous source via the radio claiming to be a fan of Snake, who turns out to be Gray Fox in both cases.
  • An ally from the previous game betrays Snake (Dr. Madnar in Metal Gear 2 and Master Miller in Metal Gear Solid).
  • Snake conceals some truth (concerning Gray Fox in both games), from Fox regarding the death of Gustava (Natasha) at his own hands in MG2 and from Naomi regarding Fox in MGS.
  • A disguised female contact sneaks up on Snake (Holly in Metal Gear 2 and Meryl in Metal Gear Solid).
  • The use of the line "It's not over yet, Snake" stated by Big Boss in MG2, later to be said again by Liquid Snake in MGS.

[edit] Battles

  • The return of a major character from the former game decked out as a ninja (Kyle Schneider in Metal Gear 2 and Gray Fox in Metal Gear Solid) who must be fought in a boss battle.
  • The return of a major character presumed dead in the previous game returns (Big Boss in MG2 and Gray Fox in MGS) and is fought in a boss battle.
  • An ambush by four hidden attackers in an elevator.
  • A fight with a soldier wearing stealth camouflage.
  • A chase up a spiral staircase with soldiers in pursuit.
  • A battle with a Hind D chopper using Stinger missiles.
  • Fighting a piloted Metal Gear (Metal Gear D in MG2 and Metal Gear REX in MGS).
  • After destroying the Metal Gear of the game, then having an unarmed hand-to-hand showdown with the pilot (Gray Fox in MG2 and Liquid Snake in MGS).
  • A one-on-one fight between Solid Snake and Gray Fox in both games.
  • An escape from the enemy base alongside a female accomplice (Holly in MG2 and Meryl in MGS) while being chased by a horde of enemy guards.

[edit] Misc

  • Having to look at the back of the game package to learn an important radio frequency.
  • Having to change the temperature of an object to turn it into a key.
  • Having to heat up frozen rations before eating them.

[edit] Re-released Versions

[edit] Mobile Phone version

On October 1, 2004, Konami released a mobile phone version of Metal Gear 2 in Japan for the i-Mode, EZweb and Vodafone services. This was the first time the game was ported to another platform since its original MSX2 release in 1990. Several changes were made in order to modernize the game:

  • New game modes and items - All the new game modes (Easy Mode, Boss Survival) and items (Infinite Bandana) introduced in the mobile phone version of the original Metal Gear were included in this version as well.
  • Revamped character designs - The character face shots shown during the game's radio mode (as well as the opening intro) were redrawn by Metal Gear Solid character designer Yoji Shinkawa. While the original designs in the MSX2 version resembled actual movie actors and people, the designs in the new version are brought more in line with Shinkawa's designs from the Metal Gear series.
  • Rewritten script - The script was changed to include more kanji characters than the MSX2 version.
  • Name changes - Like the mobile phone version of Metal Gear, some characters' names were changed:
    • Natasha Markova was changed to Gustava Heffner.
    • Yozef Norden was changed to Johan Jacobsen.
    • Petrovich Madnar was given the full name of Drago Pettrovich Madnar, establishing the name "Pettrovich" as the character's patronymic middle name.
    • Black Color was changed to Black Ninja.
    • Ultra Box was changed to the Four Horsemen.
    • Night Sight was changed to Night Fright.
  • Modified items - Some of the items were modified (graphically and functionality) to parallel their usage in the Metal Gear Solid games.
    • The graphical icons for each of the three ration types are now colored differently to tell them apart.
    • Equipping the cigarettes will now drain the player's life bar. Moreover, the graphical icon was changed to no longer resemble a package of Lucky Strikes.
    • Thermal goggles are now available to see through infrared sensors as an alternative to cigarettes.
    • In the MSX2 version, the player could only place six landmines per screen. In the mobile phone version, this was increased to sixteen.
    • The time it takes for Gustava's brooch to change shape was shortened slightly.
    • The time for an egg to hatch was shortened as well.
  • Modified play mechanics - Certain aspects of the gameplay were changed to make the game easier for the player.
    • The tap codes were changed.
    • A mark will appear on the player's feet when making a noise while walking on certain types of terrain.
    • If a hollow wall is punched, a question mark will appear over it.
    • Frequency numbers are now saved under a memory window after dialing them the first time.
    • Campbell's second frequency (which originally could only be learned by checking the rear side of the MSX2 version's packaging) is now given to the player instead.

[edit] PlayStation 2 version

A PlayStation 2 version has been released as a component of Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence. The PS2 version includes all the changes made in the mobile phone release, along with an official English translation for the North American and European releases. The North American version also has an optional Spanish script. This was first time the game was officially released outside Japan.

The PS2 version of the game, much like the original MSX2 version, requires the player to look at the manual in order to solve certain puzzles, such as deciphering Tap Codes or learning a certain frequency number. Because the North American version came with a condensed manual that did not include the information that the game required, Konami posted the solutions to these puzzles in a FAQ page on their official website.

[edit] See also

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