Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake -MSX- 9

October 20, 2024

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake is the second installment in the famous stealth espionage franchise, and it released in 1990 for the MSX console line, exclusively in Japan. I first played it on emulation in the early 2000’s, and I just played through it again this week on the Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection for PlayStation 3.

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake is an excellent sequel that surpasses the original Metal Gear in every way. The storytelling and presentation are greatly enhanced in this entry, immersing you from the get-go with an awesome intro cinematic to set the stage. You return as Solid Snake, now on a mission to infiltrate the terrorist headquarters in the nation of Zanzibar, three years after the events in the first Metal Gear game. Snake is tasked to rescue Dr Kio Marv, who has been kidnapped after developing a microbe that will replace the world’s oil supply.

Metal Gear 2 boasts an intricate plot with plenty of twists and turns, and well written dialogue to flesh out the characters. Many of the supporting cast returns from the previous game, and their history together shapes much of the drama that unfolds. Snake’s persona is developed much further, as he actually speaks this time around. You also team up with several other memorable characters, including your commanding officer Roy Campbell, and the game’s two love interests, Holly White and Gustava Heffner.

The gameplay is also far advanced from the first Metal Gear, with smart enemies that can hear your footsteps or if you knock on walls. The new radar map shows where the guard soldiers are, and they no longer automatically respawn every time you walk back and forth between rooms. There are also more clever ways to hide now, with Snake’s new ability to duck and crawl under tables and into ducts. It was also really fun to solve the puzzles by calling your team for clues over codec, and getting hints from the children running around Zanzibar.

It’s a shame we never received Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake in the United States until series compilations were released many years later. This really was one of the best games of its generation. The tight plot, cool atmosphere, and creative gameplay made this one stand out ahead of the pack. I rate Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake a 9 out of ten.