I think Splinter Cell is a great game. I don't really compare the two because they are very, very different ("sneak around in the dark" theme not withstanding). Splinter Cell is how I would expect a sneaky game to be done, whereas Metal Gear Solid takes the genre and has a field day with it, practically creating its own. Metal Gear Solid is kinda like the pro wrestling of spy games in that it's so ridiculously over-the-top and unrealistic, but at the same time, you can get great enjoyment out of it if you suspend disbelief and just accept the game's world on its own terms (on that note, the fact that Sam Fisher runs around with GLOWING LIGHTS ON HIS HEAD will always bug me a little).
Metal Gear Solid's biggest problem, aside from the 10 Minutes Of Gameplay For Every 30 Minutes Of Cutscene, is the need to rely on the radar. Like I said, unless you've memorized the game or press 1st-person every two seconds, the camera usually gives you a bulls
hit view that looks spiffy, but lets you see about 4 feet in front of you; particularly, I hate it when your character has to run "towards" the camera, giving you a great view of where you've been, but not where you're actually
going.
In the original Metal Gear games, as well as, to an extent, Metal Gear Solid for GBC (aka Ghost Babel), you don't need to stare at a radar. In fact, the original games didn't even have one, to my recollection. Sure the bird's-eye-view isn't very cinematic, but it suited the gameplay very well. If I have to sit around and play a game to kill time for an hour, I'd rather play the GBC MGS instead of the PS2 version. If I played the PS2, I'd end up spending most of that time pressing Triangle to skip conversations, and Start to skip cutscenes
I'm hard on MGS2, but as it stands, the game was, as a whole, a great experience. Raiden can die a million deaths at the hands of a rabid Mormon, but at least he got less annoying as the game progressed. I actually found the convoluted story entertaining, as I'm a big pro wrestling fan and therefore used to random, stupid plot swerves that are thrown in simply because no one would be expecting them
. I think it's great that Kojima decided to have a field day with the plot. I wouldn't want every game's plot to be that far-fetched, but it was nice to get a break from traditional (read: sensible) storytelling.
On that note, an Anemone or Clematis plant's juice can cause a rash. When pruning them, it's a good idea to wear gloves.
at the moment i think its too unrefined.. you shouldnt be able to change uniforms and apply camo face paint on the fly..... but still, very interesting concept.
