{"id":37326,"date":"2023-10-20T14:00:21","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T13:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.xtremeservers.com\/blog\/metal-gear-solid-25th-anniversary-the-evolution-of-the-iconic-stealth-action-series\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T14:00:21","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T13:00:21","slug":"metal-gear-solid-25th-anniversary-the-evolution-of-the-iconic-stealth-action-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.xtremeservers.com\/blog\/metal-gear-solid-25th-anniversary-the-evolution-of-the-iconic-stealth-action-series\/","title":{"rendered":"Metal Gear Solid 25th Anniversary \u2013 The evolution of the iconic stealth-action series"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The release of the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1<\/a> is just around the corner, out October 24. It\u2019s the perfect opportunity for both longtime Metal Gear-heads and new fans alike to dive deep into Metal Gear\u2019s history. Beginning with the early 8-bit foundations of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake up through the PlayStation and PS2 masterpieces Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, players will experience the evolution of tactical stealth gameplay, in-game political intrigue, and complex social themes over time, all in one action-packed package.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at some key main games in the series\u2014including those included in the Master Collection Vol. 1<\/p>\n

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Metal Gear<\/strong>
Release Year: 1987<\/strong>
(Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The original Metal Gear made a huge splash upon its 8-bit Japanese debut in 1987, releasing internationally a few years later. Metal Gear introduced many of the elements that would come to define the series throughout: Foxhound agent Solid Snake, the eponymous Metal Gear, and stealth-focused gameplay. Snake infiltrates several highly-armed complexes in a high-stakes rescue mission, navigating carefully to avoid detection by foes in a top-down view.<\/p>\n

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Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake<\/strong>
Release Year: 1990<\/strong>
(Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Solid Snake embarked on his second mission in 1990, taking him to Zanzibar Land in a rescue-and destroy mission to take down the Metal Gear D super weapon. More advanced enemy behavior was added, such as reacting to noises the player made and a wider field of view to spot Snake, while players were given more movement skills like kneeling and crawling. While Japan was enjoying this game at the start of the 90s, players abroad would need to wait 16 years for an official release.<\/p>\n

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Snake\u2019s Revenge<\/strong>
Release Year: 1990<\/strong>
(Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Instead, players in North America and Europe got this alternative sequel, made in response to the positive reception of Metal Gear. A mass-production facility manufacturing Metal Gears has been taken over by terrorists, and now Snake must lead a three-man Foxhound unit to infiltrate and secure the facility.\u00a0 Alongside the top-down stealth sections and puzzle-solving that made Metal Gear beloved, Snake\u2019s Revenge also features new side-scrolling action sequences\u2013just one unique twist in a game that\u2019s chock-full of story surprises.<\/p>\n

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Metal Gear Solid<\/strong>
Release Year: 1998<\/strong>
(Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1)<\/strong><\/p>\n

After skipping an entire generation, Metal Gear made a surprise return after the better part of a decade on the PlayStation. For many gamers, this was their introduction to the Metal Gear series\u2013and it turned them into fans for life.<\/p>\n

Antagonist Liquid Snake and his crew has hijacked the Alaskan island of Shadow Moses\u2013a secretive weapons complex\u2013and home to\u00a0 the advanced weapon Metal Gear Rex. The legendary agent Solid Snake has been summoned to face down his former teammates at Foxhound.\u00a0 With the aid of Rex\u2019s designer (and recurring Metal Gear series favorite) Otacon, Snake must once again stealthily infiltrate a huge military complex with the fate of the world in the balance.<\/p>\n

Using the 3D technology and the CD storage of the PlayStation, Metal Gear Solid was able to present a stunning\u00a0 experience, expanding tremendously on the original 8-bit gameplay and weaving an intriguing story through robust voice acting and cinematic presentation methods that had been impossible just a decade before. Players were also surprised at unique, creative fourth-wall breaking moments, like Psycho Mantis examining Memory Cards to comment on the games players had enjoyed previously and making players solve a puzzle by looking at the back of the game\u2019s case. Metal Gear Solid is still considered one of the most beloved and influential games of all time by many.<\/p>\n

Fans hungry for more missions to embark as Snake were treated to the challenge and variety of Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions (1999, a.k.a. Special Missions in PAL regions \u2013 also available with Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1). The collection also includes Metal Gear Solid: Integral, originally released in Japan as an expanded edition of the game including extra VR missions, difficulty settings, and more.<\/p>\n

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Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty<\/strong>
Release Year: 2001<\/strong>
(Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Metal Gear Solid 2 was announced for the then-upcoming PlayStation 2, the gaming world was set alight. Millions of Metal Gear fans the world over were eager to get their hands on any and all coverage of the upcoming game, which promised to be a graphical and gameplay experience unlike anything yet seen.<\/p>\n

Little did anyone know that they were going to be shocked by one of the biggest gaming plot twists of all time. While the pre-release material focused on Solid Snake as the main character, it turned out that the majority of the game instead focused on a completely new character, Raiden\u2013a move which inspired a great deal of discussion, but played perfectly into the game\u2019s themes of information manipulation and perceptions of reality.<\/p>\n

MGS2 showcased the PS2\u2019s power to create a murky, mystery-filled world filled with political intrigue and complex themes about information in the digital age. Gameplay-wise, more processing power meant enhanced reactions from enemies, adding more depth to the espionage. Fortunately, new elements like first-person aiming, enemy distractions, and more hiding spots give you plenty of ways to outwit and outrun.<\/p>\n

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Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater<\/strong>
Release Year: 2004<\/strong>
(Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1)<\/strong><\/p>\n

After the intense modern-day drama of MGS2, in 2004 we went back a bit\u2026 way, way back to the height of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union. In a time fraught with global political tension, operative Naked Snake is sent into the heart of Soviet-controlled territory to take down The Boss, a supremely talented agent who has defected\u2026 and Naked Snake\u2019s mother figure.<\/p>\n

Breaking from the mostly-indoors environments of previous Metal Gear games, Snake Eater is set in the jungles of southern Soviet territory. This new setting provided some new ways to approach the series\u2019 trademark stealth gameplay, such as outdoor camouflage gear (including the hilariously effective crocodile cap), but also presented new hazards. Close-range combat was revised and expanded with the new CQC (Close Quarters Combat) system, which would continue to be featured in subsequent installments. A new challenge was keeping track of Snake\u2019s stamina, which would gradually drain in the harsh jungle wilderness and could be affected by severe injuries. (Odds are that if you\u2019ve played Snake Eater, you\u2019ve definitely had to feed Snake something odd<\/em> to keep his stamina up.)<\/p>\n

Snake Eater remains a series favorite to many, and with a remake set to debut in the future, now\u2019s a great time to revisit this riveting survival adventure.<\/p>\n

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Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops<\/strong>
Release Year:<\/strong> 2006<\/strong><\/p>\n

The PSP debut of the Metal Gear Solid series introduced a new style of stealth gameplay to complement the small screen. In the aftermath of Snake Eater, Naked Snake has been accused of treasonous activity and imprisoned. He escapes and sets out to reveal the current rogue leader\u2013but he\u2019ll need to recruit a team of soldiers to do so. What sets Portable Ops apart from other games in the series is its focus on squad-based operations. Players control one character out of a squad of four, each with unique abilities, changing at swap points as necessary to complete missions.<\/p>\n

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Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots<\/strong>
Release Year: 2008<\/strong><\/p>\n

The saga of Solid Snake drew to its end in 2008 as Metal Gear Solid 4 released on PlayStation 3. From the outset, MGS4 was used as a showcase of the PS3\u2019s cutting-edge HD visuals, garnering attention and praise even before the console went on sale.<\/p>\n

Debuting to massive fan expectations, MGS4 fulfilled its promise as\u00a0 a graphical and gameplay powerhouse. Even now, the PS3 original still looks stunning, showcasing a tumultuous world in the throes of large-scale military combat. Elements like the advanced-camouflage OctoCamo and the feature-changing FaceCamo were key showcases for the hardware.<\/p>\n

Switching from the third-person overhead view of previous installments to more traditional action game camera gives players a sense of chaos all around them. Not only do players have to utilize Snake\u2019s stealth and combat skills, but also keep control of his troubled Psyche. A complex and challenging story helps deliver a more than fitting final mission for a gaming icon.<\/p>\n

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