As a character, he’s anything like Solid Snake, the gruff, self-assured action-movie hero one expects in a game like this. While the first hour or so of the game stars Solid Snake, as one would expect, the true star of the game is Raiden.
One of the most notable ways Kojima did this was through a bait-and-switch of the protagonist. As an adult, I still find that fascinating, perhaps more so now, especially having directly completed its predecessor. As a sequel, the narrative subverts most preconceived notions of what to expect, and I think high school John really got a kick out of that. I originally played it a couple of years after its release and recall thinking the world of it then. Like our recent playthrough of Metal Gear Solid, this wasn’t my first experience with this game. Stealthily eliminating foes was the way to go. It’s a game I admire and disdain at the same time, and I’ll try my best to detail some of the major reasons why. This is a game that’s often touted as the first postmodern video game, and while I’m too much of a dullard to fully comprehend this statement, the way my own opinion has been split in so many ways is indicative of its provocative nature. It’s left me awestricken in many ways, some good and some bad.
Generally, I try and write about a game within a few days of completing it but this game wound up provoking so many mixed emotions for me. It’s been about a month since Jeff and I completed Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Well, like I’ve done with many other games this year, I can finally mark it complete. Despite my inability to get very far, it’s remained on my to-do list ever since, especially considering its heralded status as a first-person shooter. Every now and then, as the years passed, I’d revisit the game, start a new save file, and proceed down the same path. At some point, struggling to overcome the odds, I burned out.
Gordon Freeman and did my best to escape Black Mesa. I had never heard of the game before but upon seeing the acclaim advertised on the big box Game of the Year Edition, I decided I needed to know about it.įollowing an awkward period acquainting myself with mouse and keyboard controls, I assumed the role of Dr. Around this time – middle school – I had a burgeoning interest in video games, just as my enthusiasm for soccer waned. It was one of the first video games I owned for a computer and I can still recall, quite vividly, when my mom bought it for me at a garage sale. Half-Life is a game I’ve probably started a half-dozen times, yet never completed.