Gaming Target - PlayStation 2: Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance

Written by Tony Kennetz on April 24, 2003

Full Review: It's the PS2 port of the Xbox game that started as a PS2 exclusive!

For the longest time, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was it. The stealth action game that everyone simply had to own. PS2 owners worldwide made the title a smash hit in the league with the original MGS on the PSone. It has been hailed as the pinnacle of stealth gaming action, a true masterpiece in video game direction, gameplay, and presentation. The amazing experience of it all enraptured many, ending the social lives of others. It was no fluke either. It was on that principle that Konami released Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance. By adding several new elements to the still stellar main event, they hope to entice both MGS veterans and new recruits alike. But is it nothing more than a cheesy rehash or is it worthy of the franchise reputation?

For those who are familiar with the series and its roots (I'm certain there are many of you out there right now), you know the basics to the story Sons of Liberty and Substance will present to you. Players start the game as Solid Snake, the hero of the Metal Gear series. His mission is to infiltrate a Marine Corp boat to obtain photographic evidence of a new version of Metal Gear that is supposedly being held on the ship. To avoid doing to much damage to the outstanding story for new players, I'll say that the job becomes much more complicated in a short period of time and leave it at that.

Marvel at all the gameplay options you found in the original MGS2? Well, you lucky son of a gun, they're all back here in full force. For those who haven't had a chance to taste this greatness, we shall break down the basics of it for you right now.

The beauty of the PS2 control pad is that is the optimum setup for this title. The original was developed with the PlayStation 2 controller in mind, and it shows even more if you have played the Xbox version of Substance. Having it back on the home court is a definite advantage as everything controls as it did in the first version. You'll be able to do everything from hang from ledges, dropping down onto unsuspecting enemies below, cart wheeling through hordes of foes, and more are all back to rock some major terrorist bootay. The control scheme in general is as close to flawless as you'll find on a console game today and really feels that way. However, this is all needless to say, its all been said millions of times before. You're probably wondering why you should invest the twenty dollars overage for this new version, and we have the scoop for you below.

Substance's main selling point is its, well, extra substance compared to the twenty-dollar greatest hits version of Sons of Liberty. These extras really address some of the issues that some gamers had when it came to the original, and we will address how well Konami did to fix the problems and the extras in general now.

The public's cries of foul play we're heard all across the globe when gamers found out that Solid Snake, the series long time hero, wouldn't not play the leading role for very long in MGS2, and that was simply not an understatement. Snake was a playable character in the game for little more than a quarter of the playtime, which was sad, to say the least. That has been fixed in a big way, with the all-new Snake Tales - five stories featuring everyone's favorite stealth master on the Big Shell. These are story driven pieces that resemble, but are not linked to, the Raiden section of the original. These were possibly our favorite extras, but there are some problems to be found. For a Уmini-gameФ that is story driven, the text-based presentation is not going to win over those who expected the game to match the cinematic experience the original was. It manages to get the job done, but it makes for lackluster story telling. The other complaint is not quite as important, or more important depending how you look at things. The Snake Tales take away all radar and the Codec, making things that much more difficult to complete. While this certainly makes the game that much more rewarding, it may make this specific extra just to challenging for novice gamers out there. Its hard to comprehend why the development team wouldn't include an option for radar, but they clearly felt compelled to make this a much more challenging version of the main game.

Konami released an expansion pack of sorts for Metal Gear Solid with VR Missions, and they have done the same type of thing to give Substance some bulk, and it works with much more success this time around. There are four modes in the VR Missions section, which include: Sneaking, Weapon, First Person and Variety. It is a good idea to brush up on any skills you may feel you need the extra practice on, especially before jumping into the Snake Tales. For those who have mastered every weapon and maneuver, the VR missions provide the perfect proofing ground and allow gamers to unlock some slick new extras such as new costumes.

Sneaking: Yes, the idea may be fairly straight forward but simple, but completing all your objectives as you advance is not. All the modes start of simply, but sneaking mode does start off a bit easier than the rest. The difficulty does kick up as the playtime passes, and makes for some interesting times. Warming up here is a good idea if you want to have some good stats for the Konami website contest.

Weapon: Just what the title states, you'll go through different missions using all the weapons you'll encounter in the main Sons of Liberty game, including the HF Blade, Stinger, Nikita, and handguns. Being a good shot is key, because if you miss, you're just handing the enemy a chance to call for backup, sticking you in some pretty bad situations, so make sure you're good here.

First Person: Konami takes its stab at turning Metal Gear Solid into a respectable first person shooter here, and it's almost enough to make me crave a true first person Metal Gear game. The goals in this mode are nothing more than slight modifications of other missions, but they play quite differently thanks to the altered perspective. There are three different control setups here, and its just a foregone conclusion that you're going to find one that fits your tastes quite well.

Variety: A wide array of over the top things to chance and objectives to complete. A lot of these are amazingly unrealistic, but the idea of giant mechs that hold the power to alter the entire world is fairly unrealistic, and that worked pretty well, right? One of the best missions you'll find in this mode is trying to avoid being spotted by giant enemy guards. It was featured on the packaging for those who have seen it, and it wasn't just because it looks really cool.

There are also alternate missions (well over 150 of them) that take place in different places in the original's locales. Although they all play fairly similar to the VR missions, any and all playtime with Snake is worth it to this writer. You're going to quickly find yourself addicted to all the amazing gameplay elements while you fight to attain the number one score. For a gameplay engine that over a year old, to still be able to achieve such a level of playability is excellent.

Skateboarding the Big Shell. What a novel concept it was. What a shame that Konami took their own Evolution Skateboarding engine to power the whole thing. For those who have not played the game, Evolution was a disappointing title in sales and gameplay. That said, its not the worst thing to ever grace the PS2, and watching Snake and Raiden shred anything, specifically the Big Shell, is worth any price. It's a short-lived thrill, but fun while it lasts.

Then there was the boss survival mode. Possibly the most exciting piece of this entire game lies right here. Players will take on a constant stream of Sons of Liberty bosses until they die. The concept has been done before but it's quite possibly the most fun this time, with this game. Make sure you check this feature out.

The graphics engine for the original game was an amazing piece of work. To this day is rivals that of many games that are released for any console. However, it has begun to show its age in a few key areas. Many gamers will notice how bland a lot of the environments look, although it could be argued that this lends to the feeling of the game. The animations are still top of the line and a majority of the cut scenes are still good enough to stand up to today's most potent opposition.

If quality soundtracks and voiceovers are your bag, then you're going to fall in love with MGS2 all over again once you pick this little number up. Featuring the original score by Harry Gregson-Williams and all the voice acting, this is one aspect that seems to get better with age. Although some of the cheesy lines still remain, the quality with which they are delivered is still top-notch work, real quality can be found.