Managed to pick up MGS2 on Friday but have only managed about an hours play so far. First impressions to me are much more of the same really. Which isn't a bad thing!!

MGS 1 is probably the only video game I have completed beggining to end. And this only took me about 10 days of playing about 2 hours a day. This prompted me to comment to the sales guy that I would be back on Monday for a part ex having completed the game. WRONG!!! This game appears to be MASSIVE. There's about 8 difficulty modes to play it in, each with it's own challenges.

Graphically, it's everything we were told it was going to be. Snake moves effortlessly around the Tanker in the early levels and ther are some nice touches such as water on the goggles in first person mode, footprints on the floor when you walk accross a dry part, and Snake allergy to the contents of a fire extinguisher.

My 13 year old commented on the sound during gameplay, whuch is a feat on it's own (he thought JP3 in dts was "ok"!!), and the opening sequence is cinematic heaven in all it's 5.1 glory.

If you have a PS2, you must have this game. After all, is this not what you brought the consul for in the first palce?

[Lex]

I pre-prdered mine from Play.com... AND I AM STILL WAITING!!! COME ON PLAY!!

Will give you my thoughts when it comes - hopefully tomorrow! Until then I'll keep playing Wipeout Fusion - Great game!

Wipeout Fusion is the game that's stopping me from playing MGS 24/7.

I had my preorderded from Play but picked one up from GAMESTATION for £37.99. Only £3 more than Play and no wait.

[Lex]

Aha! Another Wipeout fanatic!

Its great isn't it?! Although now that I have progressed through a lot of it and unlocked most of the superweapons it is bl**dy hard!

How are you supposed to win when you get Quaked four times in a row!?! Grrr!

[Lex]

I am still waiting for my copy of MGS2 to arrive - to make it worse I just got an email from HMV advertising a special edition version with a ltd cheat/gamesave laden memory card!

Bugger!!

[Oblivion]

Just some advise so no one does what I did

When starting the game say you have completed the last game and your not keen on action.

I said I hadn't completed the last game (well I hadnt) and ended up on the big shell as raiden sitting there going wheres Snake!

Paul

[dts borg]

The long wait for MGS2 was worth It..........
Im hooked 100%
This is a really a well thought about game & well worth my £35..

Just wish the whole game was in 5. 1 Dolby Digital or even better DTS.

A classic 10/10

im fed up of ordering games from play as they never arrive on time went to computer exchange and actually got the game delivered on the friday morning. also they have some amazingly low priced games, got zone of the enders with an untouched metal gear demo for 8 quid.

[chic]

i got mine from tesco.com for £28 delivered on the day of the release due to a pricing error & a vat free promotion well chuffed

[ashearer]

Does anyone else think they have over done it with the cut scenes? The Solid Snake section on the ship was excellent but I am now playing as Raiden and so far it has been 90% cut scenes. I am hoping it is scene setting and I get more action as it goes on.

Still a great game though.

[Lex]

Yeah I agree. I just put the controller down in the end and sat back and put my feet up!

I have to say I got really confused (there's a surprise) when *spoiler* Snake's story just suddenly ended. I wondered what the hell was going on! I had seen this new story start earlier when I selected the 'I have not completed the original game' option... I thought it was some sort of joke - what with them changing Snake's name and all!!
So I guess the whole Snake/Tanker story was meant simply as a sort of prologue for those who had played the original!?

Anyway, I cannot believe how good it looks - I was starting to think that I had made a mistake in buying a PS2 (instead of XBOX), but this game has reaffirmed my faith in Sony - I hope there's more great games to come for the PS2.


IMHO best games for the PS2 so far:

Metal Gear Solid 2
Wipeout Fusion
Grand Theft Auto 3
Gran Turismo 3
Devil May Cry
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
SSX Tricky
Ico

Any more I am missing?


Lex.

[ashearer]

If you are a footy fan then ISS Pro Evolution Soccer is a must. Other than that I am pretty much with you. My most played games are probably GTA III and SSX Tricky.

I don't think you have made a mistake getting a PS2 although the XBox is awesome. It'll come down in price in the not too distant future and there will be plenty of PS2 games to keep you busy until then.

[Luc]

Eveyone HAS to buy PES. It's the only game i've ever played that is still being played 5 months later with the same excitement that it evoked the first time i played it. Something new happens every time you play, and (in two player espesh) it's like crack most of the time, 3 hours play isn't enough!

I will be totally honest here and say that, at the moment, MGS 2 is ONE OF THE WORST GAMES I HAVE EVER PLAYED!!

I completed the tanker section which was awesome. Tring to get past those marines to take the photo's was the best part of any game I have ever played. I found myself sweating.

However, 6 hours into the game, the interest has dissapeared completly. The game appears to be made up of 15 minute cut scenes, 5 minute codec messages and 3 minutes of actual gameplay. Then the cycle starts all over again. i though I was doing something wrong so I went out and brought the official guide. 13 quid down the drain.

someone please tell me that this game gets better or you may well find my PS2 in the "classifieds" section to raise money for an X Box.


Bri

[Confucius]

Yep, seems to be all 'cut scenes & codec'.

Syphon Filter may not be as graphically accomplished as MG, and only available as a PS1 type game, but at least one gets the feeling one is actually playing it rather than watching a third rate movie.

Still, I'll try and finish it, but theres no repeat value in it for me sadly - should get £30 on e-bay I 'spose.

[Lex]

I'm still not that far into the game... I have just 'frozen' the bomb under the harrier. Are you guys saying that this ratio of game play to FMV (10/90) continues throughout the whole game? I figured it was just at the begining!

I agree with Confucius about the third rate movie comment - it is all very well having lots of FMV, but the script has to be up to the job! - "No not 'nerd', node!" - was that meant to be funny!?!

On the other hand, the game play I think is absolutley fantastic - the movement, fx etc are some of the best ever - although I will say that trying to shoot somebody in first person mode is quite difficult (but that is a flaw in console gaming in general, ie no mouse!).

I also agree with army bloke about the 'Marine's speech' level on the tanker, the thought of sneeking around all those heavily armed soldiers was nerve wracking!

I was also surprised at the Vampire/Magic/Fantasy elements introduced into the game. I had always though of MGS as serious realism. Not sure how this will develop....

So in summary I cannot decide whether I love this game or not yet!! - I certainly don't hate it, it is too good quality for that...

[Confucius]

Decided to take mine back to the shop tomorrow. Can't stand anymore interminable, pointless, contrived, boring, 'sit there and wait for it to get to the next 30 seconds of gameplay' cut scenes & codec.

I've not finished it yet, but life's too short for this $%(&.

A miserable 1/10 (I'm feeling generous)

[ashearer]

It's interesting because Play magazine gave it about 80% and there was uproar (mainly from people who had only played the demo). I think they got their review spot on.

With the first game I couldn't wait to get to the next section. Since I have been playing as Raiden I am finding it a little tedious. I will complete it at some point but Halo has taken over my life for now.

Mine's going back also - if they will accept it. If not will put it in loot or whatever. I also brought the official guide. Mug last time I'm brought by hype.

At least now we know why only the first level or intro was ever seen prior to release - it's the only bit worth playing.

Will probably buy Ico in it's place. That was rated 91% by Play magazine. I think I will be buying that magazine a lot more.

[Oblivion]

First things first MGS2 is a visual treat - Amazing and stunning cut scenes - concidering they use the in game engine, it really shows that the PS2 hardware can do wonders as was promised.

As a game though im not so sure - bearing in mind that MGS2 is suposed to be a blend of film and game blured into one experiance as it were, im yet to be convinced it was worth my £44.99

Completed in under 19 hours on the first attempt - watching all cut scenes and listening to all the codec chat which when removed totals 10 hours game play at a guess

The taker chapter is just the demo plus take some photos of metal gear and took approx 2 hours and is nothing but a prelude to the actuall game itself

The Big shell which makes up the game is nothing more than a load of boss fights split up by cut scenes and some running about. As for solid snake??? The box cover should have read "Metal Gear Solid - Sons Of Liberty - Featuring Solid Snake"

The story is so full of twists - Its seems that Hideo Kojima had so many ideas that he decided to include them all. And because of this the plot frequently reaches levels of sheer absurdity.

Towards the end I ened up putting my controller down make a cup of tea sat back down ant the cut scene / codec chat was still going on - and total a mind numbing 50mins. How do I know this? Am I that sad that I timed it I hear you ask No Because I save Befor and afetr the cut scene and 50mins was added on.

And the ending!!! After such huge time spent force feeding the story to you during the game, in MHO it was just woefully inept.

Plus I kept saying to myself "Imust have done something wrong, there must be anther route though the game but it seems that isn't the case, and because of this think its not worth the money.

My last words - Wait until it come out on the Platinum Range


Paul

[Confucius]

Lost receipt so had to take back to EB (I was in a hurry to rid myself of this 'game') and exchanged it for a S/H GTA3. Bought SF3 too.

Mines gone too for - - would you believe GTA3!! Had the receipt for mine though so got a new one plus a free magazine!

What is SP3 by the way?

Just so glad to be rid of MGS2 and I apolagise to anyone who may have brought it on the strength of my report on the first level. Come to think of it, no I don't apologise 'cos that's why I brought it in the first place!!

Right then, what shall I nick next?

[Confucius]

sorry,

Syphon Filter 3

It's a PS1, or should that be PSX now, game so graphically not as accomplished as MG2, but at least one gets to play instead of just watch!

I thought it was meant to be an "F", but one does not want to upset the driver.

[Confucius]

:o

Oops!

I think I might just go back and edit that!

[azzo]

Come on guys (and gals) If anyone can tolerate the cut scenes on MGS2 then they simple have too much time on their hands. The stories do not convert well to a Western public and if I wanted a good story then I would have read a good book. This game should be avoided unless your really like endless, frustating cut scenes. How can the magazines rate this game when it is 10% action and the rest bad story telling.

[Lex]

I can understand people's frustration with the length of some of the cut scenes, but I do not think it is as bad as some people are making out.
Yes there is a lot of talking, but there is also a lot of game in there too. And IMHO it is a great game - the visuals are excellent, as is the playability.
There are some dodgy script moments (Show me a game with a great script?), and the chat between Raedon and his girlfriend is rubbish, but it is easy enough to skip!

I would say that this game is not as good as it could have been, but it is still better than most games out there!


Lex *bracing himself for the onslaught of people disagreeing*

[azzo]

My point about dodgy scripts is why bother with them in a game, they do not add to the experience or set the scene, they are just annoying. When you select 'Bring on the action' at the begining of the game, thats what you expect, action, not mindless script. Now the problem is you have to listen to some of it because it is needed in the game. The game would have been better if you could turn off all the crap and just have the essential monologue.

[museumsteve]

I loved it, and I was never a fan of the first game.

ive had my copy for about two months now.

and it is a excellent game, defantly a must for all ps2 owners .

the lifespan on it is pretty **** but the game game is great and well worth playing again