Metal Gear
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Metal Gear is a series of stealth-based games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The series stars legendary soldier Solid Snake, an elite military operative repeatedly facing off against the latest incarnation of the superweapon "Metal Gear," a massive, nuclear-equipped walking battle tank.
The games take place in the near future and focus on stealth and finesse rather than brute-force combat. You start out with few or no weapons at all. On the highest difficulty settings of some games in the series, being seen by an enemy even once is enough to bring certain defeat. Through the course of the game, Solid Snake gathers equipment and weapons to help accomplish his mission objectives, and gathers information by rescuing captives.
Metal Gear's purported purpose within the games is to allow a nuclear strike at any location with no advance warning and no clues as to who made the attack (unlike the obvious launch of an ICBM). In principle, this would allow a hostile nation to use nuclear weapons with no fear of nuclear retaliation. While this could be performed adequately with a nuclear submarine, two of the games make a case for the nuclear weapons system. Metal Gear 2's manual claims it expands the operating area of such a strike to include the land. Metal Gear Solid's proposal is more robust, with Metal Gear REX able to perform an uninterceptable strike which cannot be detected until the weapon hits its target.
Metal Gear series
The series consists of the following titles in its official canon:
- Metal Gear (MSX2/Famicom/NES/C64/PC, 1987)
- Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX2, 1990)
- Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation/PC, 1998)
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PlayStation 2, 2001)
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PlayStation 2, 2004)
Since the release of Metal Gear Solid, there have also been various "special edition" products, with additions, improvements, or brand new content. In Japan, the initial versions of the Metal Gear Solid titles usually feature the original Japanese voice acting, while the updated versions (Integral, Substance) contain the English dubbing from the North American version in their place. An exception was made for Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (a remake of the original Metal Gear Solid), in which the game initially released in Japan with English voiceovers only (no Japanese voiceovers were recorded for the game). The updated versions are:
- Metal Gear Solid: Integral (PlayStation/PC, 1999)
- Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions (PlayStation, 1999)
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (Xbox/PlayStation 2/PC, 2002)
- The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2 (PlayStation 2, 2002)
- Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GameCube, 2004)
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PlayStation 2, 2006)
A series of Metal Gear games were also made for portable platforms, set outside the main continuity.
- Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (Game Boy Color, 2000)
- Metal Gear Acid (PlayStation Portable, 2004)
- Metal Gear Acid 2 (PlayStation Portable, 2005)
A non-canonical sequel was also made:
Hideo Kojima has been quoted as saying the NES/Famicom port of Metal Gear was changed quite a bit from the original MSX version. It was made without his direction and he, himself, finds the game to be rather challenging.
Snake's Revenge was the non-canonical 1990 sequel to Metal Gear on the NES (also made into a licensed handheld game), released a few months before the canonical Metal Gear 2 exclusively in the western market (despite being developed by a Japanese team). It was not created by (or with the knowledge of) any of the original Metal Gear staff and is not considered to be part of the official storyline.
Metal Gear: Ghost Babel, for the Game Boy Color, is a side-story, set outside of the main Metal Gear continuity. While it does not officially follow any of the previously released Metal Gear titles, it's based very closely on the original Metal Gear and can be considered as an alternate sequel, taking the plot into a different direction than Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake and Metal Gear Solid.
Additionally, Metal Gear Solid has been remade in a Konami/Silicon Knights coproduction titled Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (2004), a GameCube exclusive. This featured fully redubbed English voices, and all-new cutscenes, directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, best known for the Japanese cult action film, Versus. The Famicom version of the first Metal Gear has also been ported to the GameCube as part of a Japanese bundle of The Twin Snakes. In 2004, mobile phone ports of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 were released in Japan; they feature new game modes and items. Ports of these two games will also be included in MGS3: Subsistence.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is currently in development, with the tagline "No Place to Hide". It is to be produced by Ken-ichiro Imaizumi with Hideo Kojima reprising his role as director along with co-director Shuyo Murata. Currently promoted with the tagline "no place to hide", the game features the return of several characters from Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.
Characters
FOXHOUND
Known Operatives: Big Boss, Gray Fox (aka Frank Jaeger & Ninja), Roy Campbell (replaced Big Boss), George Kessler, Naomi Hunter (chief of medical staff, and in charge of gene therapy), McDonnel Benedict "Master" Miller (instructor), Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, Revolver Ocelot (aka Shalashaska aka Adamska aka ADAM - double-agent, secretly employed by other forces), Sniper Wolf, Vulcan Raven, Psycho Mantis and Decoy Octopus.
Pseudo-Operatives: AI Roy Campbell (an AI reproduction of Col. Campbell by supercomputer GW) and Raiden (aka Jack - believes he is FOXHOUND, but is actually being manipulated by The Patriots and the AI Campbell).
Dead Cell
Known Operatives: Commander Reginald Jackson, Fortune (Helena Dolph-Jackson), Vamp and Fatman. They are later under the command of Solidus Snake (former President George Sears). Two other members were killed six months prior to the events of the Plant Chapter of Metal Gear Solid 2: Old Boy and China Man
Outer Heaven
Known Operatives (mercenary force): Shotgunner (former Spetznaz operative), Machine Gun Kid (former SAS operative), Fire Trooper (former GSG9 operative), "Arnold" (TX-11 cyberoid units), Coward Duck (former terrorist leader).
Zanzibar Land
Known Operatives (mercenary force): Black Color (high-tech ninjas, formerly from NASA special forces), Running Man (former terrorist leader), Red Blaster (former Spetznaz), Ultra Box (former members of UDT, GSG9 and SAS), Predator (former "Reccies" operative) and Night Sight (former "Whispers" operative).
Black Chamber
Known Operatives: Black Art Viper, Marionette Owl, Slasher Hawk and Pyro Bison. Note these characters are from one of the non-canonical games therefore have no relation to the main storyline.
Cobra unit
Known Operatives: The Boss, The Sorrow, The Pain, The Fear, The Fury, and The End.
Gurlukovich Mercenaries
Known Operatives: Col. Sergei Gurlukovich and Olga Gurlukovich. Other operatives were named after contest winners, by Konami.
Civilians
Kenneth Baker (ArmsTech Inc.), Hal Emmerich (Metal Gear REX designer), Emma "E.E." Emmerich (Arsenal Gear "GW" designer), Dr. Drago Petrovich Madnar (TX-55 Metal Gear and Metal Gear D inventor), Elen Madnar (Petrovich's daughter), Rosemary (Raiden's girlfriend & data analyst), Peter Stillman (former NYPD bomb expert), Yosef Norden (animal expert) and Dr. Kio Marv (OILIX inventor).
Foreign agents
Jennifer (Outer Heaven Resistance), Kyle Schneider (Outer Heaven Resistance) and Diane (Outer Heaven Resistance), Johnny Sasaki (Mercenary - survived Shadow Moses AND Big Shell with only an injured pride and diarrhea), Johnny (Soviet Soldier - father of Johnny Sasaki, see him in 1964 during MGS3), Natasha Markova (former StB agent, assigned to protect Dr. Marv).
Misc. U.S. Government agents
Donald Anderson (DARPA, Chief of Operations), Nastasha Romanenko (DIA, nuclear weapons specialist), Mei Ling (ROTC, communications expert), Jim Houseman (former Secretary of Defense), Meryl Silverburgh (Next-Generation Special Forces), Col. Scott Dolph (Marines), James Johnson (U.S. President), Holly White (CIA / Journalist), and Col. Richard Ames (DIA).
ACUA Troops
(Metal Gear Ac!d) These soldiers are products of a secret experiment developed somewhere in Africa. They are also know as "Human Weapons," as they have no feelings or mercy. These soldiers become controlled by the Neoteny (No. 16) after ingesting a considerable amount of ACUA. Only those who are "Name-Knowers" can be controlled by the Neoteny.
Storylines
Metal Gear
In 1995, 200km north of Galzburg, the South African nation of Outer Heaven is held by a mysterious mercenary. Word had gotten out to the western world that deep within the Outer Heaven stronghold, that a weapon of mass destruction was being constructed. Government officials orders the high-tech Special Forces squad, Foxhound, to infiltrate the fortress, access the situation and neutralize the threat. Known as operation "Intrude N313," Foxhound operative Gray Fox infiltrated the Outer Heaven stronghold. Days later, contact with Gray Fox is lost. His last transmission reads "METAL GEAR..."
Another operative, the rookie Solid Snake, is ordered by Fox Hound leader Big Boss to find the missing operative Gray Fox, and carry out his mission. Upon infiltrating Outer Heaven, Snake discovers the advanced nuclear weapon system Metal Gear, and learns from its imprisoned creator how to destroy it. Snake succeeds after a series of gruelling battles with the mercenary forces which defend Outer Heaven and the sophisticated electronic defenses surrounding Metal Gear itself. It is then that he meets the man who rules Outer Heaven; Foxhound's own commander, Big Boss. Big Boss activates the destruct sequence for the fortress, but is defeated by Snake, who escapes as the base crumbles behind him.
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
By 1999, the Cold War had thawed, and nuclear disarmament by the major world powers promised a bright beginning to the 21st century. 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. A breakthrough solution is presented in Prague by Czech scientist, Dr. Kio Marv; a type of algae which can produce petroleum-grade hydrocarbons. However, between there and the United States, he is kidnapped by forces belonging to the heavily fortified nation of "Zanzibar Land".
Solid Snake is sent in to rescue the scientist; he discovers that the nation's leaders plan to hold the world hostage through both the oil supply (now tied inexorably to Dr. Marv's research) and nuclear weapons (through a new form of Metal Gear). The man in the seat of power in Zanzibar Land is none other than Big Boss, and his newest lieutenant is Snake's old comrade Gray Fox. While Snake succeeds in destroying Metal Gear and bringing down Big Boss, he finds the blood of his best friend on his hands. Upon completing the mission, Snake leaves the military and dissapears into Alaska.
Metal Gear Solid (Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes)
In February 2005 Solid Snake is called out of retirement by his old commanding officer Roy Campbell and given a new mission. Apparently, Next Generation Special Forces Unit FOXHOUND was conducting a training exercise on Shadow Moses Island in Alaska’s Fox Archipelago when the unit suddenly revolted against the U.S. government. Their demands include the remains of the legendary mercenary Big Boss and they threaten a nuclear strike within 24 hours if their demands are not met. Snake is given two objectives first, to infiltrate the nuclear weapons disposal facility and rescue DARPA Chief Donald Anderson and the President of ArmsTech, Kenneth Baker. Secondly, he must stop the terrorists from launching a nuclear strike.
Solid Snake takes out most of FOXHOUND in battle, while Decoy Octopus, Baker and Liquid Snake die from a specially engineered assassination virus called FOXDIE (Solid Snake was the carrier of the virus). Snake is also told about his origins as a Genetic son of Big Boss and Genetic Twin of Liquid Snake. Revolver Ocelot, Solid Snake and Dr Hal Emmerich are the only recorded survivors of the incident.
The Metal Gear in this game is named Metal Gear REX, and resembles a dinosaur in some respects.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2 opens on the George Washington Bridge in New York City. Solid Snake is investigating the development of a new Metal Gear being transported for testing by the Marines following the proliferation of REX's blueprints. The mission rapidly turns sour, the tanker is sunk by Shalashaska and Snake apparently is killed.
The player finds himself in control of Raiden, operating under Fox-Hound to rescue the President and other hostages from the "Big Shell" facility off the shorline of New York. It is revealed that the Big Shell is merely a cover for "Arsenal Gear", a mobile underwater fortress defended by a fleet of amphibious mecha (production variants of Metal Gear RAY), which is being secretly built as part of a conspiracy by the Illuminati-like "Patriots". It is largely unarmed. Instead, it carries a supercomputer called "GW" which is designed to monitor, block, and tamper with Internet communications, in order to further the totalitarian agenda of the "Patriots".
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Set in 1964 at the height of the Cold War, this game follows Naked Snake - the man who will become Big Boss - into the Soviet jungle to recover a scientist who has been working on a new type of tank that can fire a nuclear missile. It is heavily influenced by the style of James Bond movies, from the plentiful love interests to the classic visual style of the opening credits.
The plot of Snake Eater provides closure to the series (some trailers called it the last in the "Metal Gear Solid trilogy"), resolving many hanging plot points raised in earlier titles. For example, the role of The Patriots in the story arc, raised in MGS2, and the transformation of Big Boss from hero to renegade with the creation of Outer Heaven, which underpins the first two titles, are explained. There are several references to actual events in the series' past, as well as a very detailed background on Ocelot's role in the whole Solid series.
External links
Official
- Official Metal Gear Solid Series Site (http://www.metalgearsolid.com)
- Konami Entertainment (http://www.konami.jp)
- Kojima Productions (http://www.konami.jp/gs/kojima_pro/)
- Metal Gear Solid (Japanese) (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/metalgear)
- Metal Gear Solid: Integral (Japanese) (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/integral)
- Metal Gear Solid (PC version) (http://www.mgspc.com)
- Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/ghostbabel/)
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs2/)
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs2_sub/)
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (PC version) (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs2pc/)
- Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs_tts/)
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs3/)
- Metal Gear Acid (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mga)
Unofficial
- The Other Side: Legacy of Solid Snake (http://theotherside.gamingsource.net/) - Contains a lot of MGS media.
- The Snake Soup (http://www.thesnakesoup.com/) - Contains amusing articles and are fairly up-to-date on news.
- Metal Gear Version Images (http://junkerhq.net/kojima.html) - A detailed site with a lot of info on all of Hideo Kojima's work.
- Metal Gear Source (http://www.metalgearsource.com/) - A slowly building media site, with ever-increasing content. Has the largest active Metal Gear community.
- Yoji Shinkawa Fan page (http://www.yojishinkawa.com/) - Has a lot of useful information on Metal Gear art work.
- MGSForums.com (http://s3.invisionfree.com/mgsforums) - A fairly big Metal Gear Solid discussion forum.
- Metal Gear Solid: TUS (http://www.metalgearsolid.org/) - A page to get the latest MGS news, also has a fairly large community.
- Metal Gear.Net (http://www.metal-gear.net/) - An old site with a mostly inactive community.de:Metal_Gear
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