- Introduction
It's been a long time coming. We've been patiently awaiting the launch of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater since time first dawned, or at least since the release of Sons of Liberty, anyway. That said, Snake Eater is finally approaching. Of course we'll all be able to play the game on November 17, but there is still so much to learn before that happens. Learning is fun, so let's do it!
In an attempt to inform, we here at IGN have decided to create and publish the ultimate preview of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. This preview, separated into distinct categories, is easily navigable and very comprehensive. In it we will detail known weapons and items, main characters, sub-bosses, the environment, general gameplay mechanics, specifics on camouflage and eating, and even the mysterious storyline. Snake...? Snake!?!?!
Yes, we are truly dealing with a convoluted mess of official details, speculations, observations, and rumors, but we've managed to organize everything into lists and we even did our own fact checking. Please, know that all our data comes from hands-on time, videos, interviews, and other assorted media and articles we've published. We don't normally make stuff up, at least not where Metal Gear is concerned. Any guesswork you see is simply because that's all we had to go on. Even then, when you do see us hypothesizing, please understand that we're trying our best given what we have to work off.
Our problem is that Metal Gear is wacky. It's hard to understand after briefly experiencing its subject matter, a little difficult to make sense of after thoroughly playing through all the titles, and nearly impossible to decipher when you're provided with the materials that purposefully make little sense. Hopefully we'll put the details together...sensibly so that you can enjoy the Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Overload.
- Story
What's the Story
One of the most talked about elements of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is its mysterious and controversial storyline. We say controversial because the true identity of this particular version of Snake has not yet been substantiated. Never called "Solid Snake" specifically by any character (including himself) as of press time, the MGS3 version of our hero has only ever been referred to as "Jack, Naked Snake, John Doe," or just plain "Snake" in all of the official materials related to the plot.
The most popular theory is that the MGS3 Snake is in all actuality, Big Boss -- who first appeared in the original Metal Gear nearly two decades ago as the surprise mastermind behind the African takeover that jumpstarted the series in the first place. The reason that Big Boss's involvement was a surprise, of course, is because it was Big Boss who was the commander of Snake's elite covert ops unit Foxhound and the man who had sent Snake into Africa in the first place. After his treachery was revealed, Big Boss and Solid Snake became bitter enemies. Based on what we know, the idea that Big Boss is the same man who is known as "Snake" in Snake Eater is an acceptable theory; especially when one considers that Solid is a sort of genetic replica of Big Boss and that this version of Snake loses an eye at some point during the adventure -- which is also one of Big Boss' trademarks. Is it enough to prove that both men are one in the same? No. But does it provide further evidence of just who this character really could be, definitely.
As for the backbone of the plot itself, it's set in the Cold War's infancy during the 1960s (1964 to be exact) and makes a dramatic shift from its gray and whitish futuristic atmosphere of Metal Gear Solid and Sons of Liberty to the sweaty confines of a sweltering enemy jungle. Sent on a mission that's referred to as both "Operation Snake Eater" and "Virtuous Mission," (it's speculated that the game is actually made up of two different missions), Naked Snake is charged with rescuing a defecting Russian scientist named Sokolov who is being held against his will. A popular theory around the net is that the Metal Gear prototype creator Dr. Petrovich Madnar and Sokolov are actually one in the same -- as Madnar is the name that Sokolov took after being successfully rescued in this game (maybe?). Another possibility is that Sokolov could me Madnar's father or some other type of older relative. Of course, that's just a theory up to this point and hasn't been proven or confirmed by Konami representatives at all. But since a machine like the Metal Gear probably wasn't made by just one man it's also possible to theorize that Petrovich is still working for the Russians when his comrade, Sokolov, wants to defect. Either way it works, but series director Hideo Kojima has said that Snake Eater would create some inconsistencies, so anything is possible.
The series creator Hideo Kojima is keeping more specific elements of the storyline tightly under wraps and Konami has been extremely supportive in keeping them a secret for him. We do know, however, that the plot revolves around an ongoing arms race between several super power countries and that Sokolov is in the middle of it. He's being used to create the first Metal Gear prototype, Shagohod. The Metal Gear project is obviously a lot older than what was first believed, and obtaining information about it is Snake's secondary mission objective.
- Characters
Metal Gear has always featured an eclectic cast of characters. While we haven't been able to really learn much about what's going on behind these new and old ones presented in Snake Eater, but we do know a few things about them -- a few things we can all share and talk about.
First, it's pretty clear that Snake Eater is going for the same absurdly distinct kinds of characters we found in Solid, rather than Sons of Liberty. It's also pretty clear that many of these characters have been intentionally revealed with deliberately conflicting pieces of information. The Boss, for instance, appears to have a love of Snake's, be an American patriot, a traitor, and the leader of the elite Cobra Unit all at the same time. That's a hell of a woman.
All the major characters revealed thus far have similarly confusing back-stories or no back-stories at all. Regardless, they're all easily likened to MGS mainstays from the past: Eva looks like your typical Meryl, Major Tom is Campbell, Para-Medic is like a combination of Mei Ling and Dr. Naomi Hunter, The Boss could very well be "my own agenda" Liquid Snake, and Revolver Ocelot is...well, Revolver Ocelot.
We still have no idea whether the story will be as convoluted and outlandish as Sons of Liberty's, nor do we know exactly what the ratio of lengthy talking head scenes to actual gameplay will be (pretty high from what we've seen, heard, and played), but the characters do at least promise less Raiden and more of what had us all so taken by the series in the first place (and no, we're not talking about the cover boy on the original Metal Gear and Snake's Revenge that looked something like Michael Biehn from Terminator and Aliens).
Snake
Since the life of Solid Snake probably doesn't travel sideways through time, this bulkier, more ruthless Snake of the 60s is probably none other than Big Boss -- the Metal Gear series' genetic material donating father figure and first villain. According to The Boss, Big Boss Snake's real name is Jack. At least that's what she and Para-Medic refer to him as, despite him insisting that he's actually John Doe and should be referred to as Snake. His voice is still done by series staple David Hayter, so even if his name is Jack, his codename is Naked Snake, and his identity is Big Boss, he'll still feel like the broody Solid we've come to love.
The Boss
She looks about forty, wears a Solid-style headband or a white combat suit of some sort, and is the leader of the Cobra Unit, or at least was their leader during World War II. According to what we know now, The Boss was at one point considered to be America's top soldier until she opted to turn red and donate a couple of nuclear warheads to the soviet cause. Still, she claims to be resolute and steadfast in her ways, which are apparently not patriotic or treacherous. She's also purportedly the only love of Snake's meaningless life, making the fact that she breaks his arm at some point during Snake Eater a little suspicious. But then Snake knows exactly how many hours it's been since he last spoke with her and seems a little obsessive, so anything is possible. It should be noted that Snake Eater begins with her on the good side, supposedly nestled in a submarine patrolling the arctic. Later on, she's brawling in Russia. Two missions maybe?
Revolver Ocelot
The pistol spinning madman who debuted in Solid and played a larger role than any gamer originally imagined, is back. In Snake Eater, Ocelot starts as a handsome and primped officer named...Ocelot. He only appears to adopt his Revolver moniker and style following an encounter with Snake. After getting his ass kicked by the original Snake, Ocelot realizes revolvers would better suit his unique fighting style (because Snake told him so). We expect Snake Eater to really explain the whys and hows of Revolver Ocelot. Seeing more of his origin story and his relationships with these characters should help explain some of Solid and Sons of Liberty.
Colonel Volgin
Volgin appears to be one of the central villains in the game, or perhaps the villain. Colonel Volgin is a beast of a man who stands tall and happens to be charged with some form of deadly electricity. Volgin also boasts incredible strength, which he uses to pummel Snake and crush the genitals of another soldier. He's also not very nice, and speaks with one of those typically gruff accents. But, is this obvious bully really the mastermind of Snake Eater's trouble? Traditionally, the Metal Gear series has always kept the slyest, double-crossing villains secret until the end where they'd become the true villains. Such a preposterously brutish, Vader-like enemy could very well be just another piece of muscle to power some unknown brain. We wouldn't be surprised if The Boss or some unknown party turned out to be the big cheese.
Sokolov
Sokolov is a Russian scientist who wishes to defect to the relative safety of the United States. Snake's mission is to save him. But why? According to Sokolov, he's tired of being used, tired of working to create a weapon that sways the balance of power on this Earth, tired of working on the Metal Gear (hopefully with Dr. Petrovich, otherwise there will be some incongruity). There's also some kind of history between Sokolov and the Major in charge of Snake's mission. We don't know exactly what that is, but the Major tells Snake to apologize for taking so long.
Para-Medic
Otherwise known as the "red radio girl in the plane or whatever," Para-Medic is Snake's liaison to all things medicine. She'll also serve as counselor and dispenser of useless information. She is a cute redhead and promises Snake that she'll divulge her true identity if and when he returns from this mission alive. She's the character you're probably going to wish would develop some kind of life threatening laryngitis before the game ends because she's constantly forcing you to stop and press select.
Eva
Eva's some kind of soldier who likes to show her boobies off by wearing a black bikini (or possibly black panties) in the middle of a Russian forest. Look at my cleavage! Now die! She's an enigma that drives motorcycles. Other than that and her crazy-mean cleavage boasting appearance, we don't know much about her. But, it's not hard to tell from released media that she'll likely fulfill the role of Meryl and be the tough but always endangered female lead / potential love interest, which could create a triangle of fireworks when we throw The Boss into the picture.
Major Tom
No, that's not his real name. But, the rugged, grey, and stately Major in charge of Operation Snake Eater or Virtuous Mission (whatever it winds up being) is Snake's boss. He rides aboard a gunship directing Snake to his next objectives, fulfilling the same role as Campbell. His eye is scarred, but he does get to sit with Para-Medic far above the jungle, so life isn't all bad. Plus, Major Tom can be credited with starting the Snake namesake heritage, referring to our protagonist by the codename of Naked Snake (because he goes in naked or without any gear or support). Thankfully, there is no full frontal nudity present in Snake Eater.
- Villains
The big and the bad. The villains of Metal Gear have always given the series its charm. It's about taking that long and spooky elevator ride down to Vulcan Raven, or yanking the controller out of port one to finish off Psycho Mantis, or cackling even more manically than Big Boss after you defeat him in the bowels of Zanzabaar. It's about looking up at Ray and thinking "I'm totally effed."
In addition to being charming, Metal Gear's villains have always given the series a bit of conventional gaming mechanics that lighten up an otherwise overtly serious, involving adventure. They're about solving patterns by using specific weapons and items. And, they always exhibit their own specific traits, strengths, and weaknesses. They're individuals.
More often than not, the minor villains of Metal Gear are indifferent about the fight around them, reluctant killing machines, or just schmucks who seem lazily predisposed to be wicked. Given the state of the Cobra Unit, we sense some similar behavioral patterns. If not, it's likely these bosses will take on a Hollywood-ified Special Forces-like form. Heck, they practically look like G.I. Joe villains, which may explain why they're called the Cobra Unit.
How they'll appear has been the easiest and hardest part of this preview. We don't know exactly what it will take to defeat them, nor do we know exactly what they're good for, but we can see that the sniper dude uses a sniper rifle and owns a parrot, the jet pack dude will probably fly around, the blood crying man is like some kind of psychic jerk or maybe someone a little like Batman's Scarecrow. Of course, the dude with all the bees will throw bees at you.
And then there's the Metal Gear itself, which rolls over things and shoots missiles. In a way, Metal Gear: Shagohod looks a little more like a tank that players eventually face in the bonus level of Crisis Zone than a Metal Gear. Since we've only ever seen Snake spot Shagohod from afar, it's hard to really judge in-game scale, despite the specs we have that indicate it's roughly 22 meters long, 8 meters high, and weighs nearly 150 tons. However it plays out, the battle is guaranteed to be dramatic.
The Fury
The Fury is a mystery. We know very little about him (or her), other than that he appears to be the leader of the briefly seen jetpack squadron and perhaps comes equipped with a flamethrower, though it's evident that he is different from the fire-guy that briefly appeared during E3 2004 and chased snake through some trenches.
The End
We know absolutely nothing about The End other than that he's an old bald man, uses a sniper rifle, and has some kind of parrot that lives on his shoulder. So maybe he has the animal connection just like Sniper Wolf did in MGS: Solid? And, maybe Otacon will have the hots for him, too. It could happen. We could see it happening, anyway. Sure, Otacon hasn't been born yet, but it could still happen.
The Pain
This Cobra commando (har) appears menacing in his bright orange vest and stylish ski mask. Normally Snake wouldn't think twice about cracking his neck and then dishing out fashion tips, but Pain can control swarms of bees, and perhaps other creatures. This means he might be a little harder to take down. Let's just hope he keeps the sappy speeches to a minimum. "Life is unending pain, Snake. Do you know the habits of the average Russian bee? They are always in Pain, Snake. It's like the ancient warrior Mao Feng always said, 'Bees are painful creatures.' I will teach you pain for I am in bee-pain, Snake."
The Fear
Fear boasts one of those useful frog tongues that can grapple with people, wrap things up, and help a man swing from trees. Fear also appears to be the consummate hunter, preferring to use his extensive knowledge of arrows and the bush to fight, as opposed to simply holding down the trigger on some heavy weapon. His freakish arms and silent techniques seem to augment his bizarre demeanor. He's like some kind of monkey-frog. Perhaps he too is edible.
The Sorrow
He cries blood, smiles like a lunatic, and says things like, "I am the Sorrow." So he could be Psycho Mantis. He does have a pistol, but his images appear to show him almost floating. There's real no way to tell what The Sorrow is about. Though it's pretty clear that he's very, very sad and sorrowful.
Metal Gear: Shagohod
We don't know if this particular Metal Gear is named Shagohod, like Rex and Ray, or if Shagohod is actually the designation of the machine type in some foreign language. It's probably the former because Sokolov clearly refers to the weapon as "The Metal Gear." If it were The Shagohod, you'd expect him to say so. That being said, it's probably Metal Gear: Shagohod.
From what we've seen, Shagohod is a one-man mobile nuclear missile launcher / combination armored assault mecha. It was developed in 1961 and carries on it four heavy machine gun modules, six surface to air missile launchers, one nuclear missile launcher, and two massive drills that extend from forward mounted arms. These could be used to brace the Gear when it fires its missiles. Shagohod cruises at 80kph and has a range of nearly 650km. Sokolov describes it as the weapon that could end the cold war. Apparently Volgin wants to use it on his "countrymen."
- Items/Weapons
Weapons & Items
The dude may be going by the name Naked Snake because of his undertaking of this mission without a whole lot of gear, but that doesn't mean that he's never going to have anything to work with. A Metal Gear Solid game without a huge list of overall items and weapons would be like a James Bond movie without 007 sexing up every female who isn't Moneypenny (and even she got some love). It goes against all the cardinal rules of the universe and it just doesn't happen. Understand? There would be rioting in the streets and massive unrest across several dozen totally unimportant message boards. And we just can't have that.
To avoid the chaos and discomfort that would shower the Internet, Konami is making sure to provide plenty of spy-tastic treats to keep the action varied and exciting and all that. For the weapons there will be AK-47s, M16 rifles, Dragunov sniper rifles, shotguns, grenades and some non-guided rocket launchers to make sure that operations can get finished in a timely fashion. We can't have Snake out there fighting with some twigs and setting up a ton of Ewok-type traps in the jungle so there has to be some violence and -- bam! -- firearms.
Of course, the jungle isn't all bullets and explosions and there will be a lot of doodads and whatnots and thing-jabbers that the laymen know as gadgets. In this list of 60s cutting-edge gadgetry we'll be seeing all sorts of gear like active sonar for scoping out enemies, binoculars for the old-fashioned looking at things through lenses, and even a motion detector. The imaging doesn't just stop there since there are also thermal goggles and night vision goggles. To go even further there will even be a microphone for listening in on conversations from far away to get the dirt from the enemy.
But enough about these sweet, yet brief, intros to the gear, let's dig into the complete list, shall we? We shall!
Frag Grenade
When in doubt, frag it out. They noise and alert guards, but cause destruction and kill gavials. The grenade is for rapid pain and vehicle fights.
Knife
Using Square or Circle, players can chop and stab with the knife. It's also possible to kill animals with it, and even plunge it into a soldier's chest and use him as a shield.
M16A1
The Armalite designed AR-15 which became the M16 is a good, sturdy rifle that was a common sight in Vietnam beginning in 1964. In the game, it fires fast and on button depression and release, meaning it's a bit harder to aim.
M37 Shotgun
A 12 gauge shotgun for when you really want to get in close to say how much you care. It's a devastating weapon, but it'll attract more patrols than it will kill. It also has zero range.
M1911A1
The 1911 has been in use since 1912. To this day, special ops and in-the-know agents use it for its unparalleled stopping power. In Metal Gear, it's the default weapon that will be used when the dart gun isn't.
MK-22
A tranquilizer gun that can drop enemies, but not deadly enough to take them out of the game entirely. Patrolling guards will wake up fallen friends, and sometimes it takes more than three hits to bring down an alerted enemy.
Rocket Launcher
They're non-guided since this is the 60's, but they're still the things that make cars go boom. It's likely the rocket launcher will be used to attack jeeps, jetpacks, and even Shagohod itself.
SVD Dragunov
A sniper rifle with different levels of magnification for saying a nice long-distance "hello." The Dragunov is also prone to zoomed in sway, so be steady when you shoot.
Active Sonar
Tap L3 and send out a sonic pulse to get some info on the surrounding areas without having to do any legwork. The pulses beam back approximate locations of enemies.
Alligator Hat
Swim around in the jungle and look reptilian. You can scare guards this way, too. The alligator hat appears to be the equivalent of the infamous Cardboard Box.
AP Sensor
Tuned to give an alert when enemy life comes close, the AP sensor thumps and vibrates the control pad, but doesn't give any visual indication as to where the bad guy could be. It also doesn't use as much energy as Active Sonar.
Scope
Focus, gaze through them and have a look into your future. Or at least the things that are far away. The Binoculars let you see very far, but aren't always useful due to the foliage.
Cigar
Smoke 'em if you got 'em, but they're still a sure ticket to some tasty mouth cancer. Mmm...cancer. We're not sure how useful they'll be with no lasers to spot, but smoking out a bee-hive could be possible.
Microphone
Snoop on enemy conversations and find out all their plans for jungle domination. Also good for poker games. [Ed's note: Why exactly is that?]
Motion Detector
Detects any and all moving objects, but just like the sonar it needs batteries to keep going. The motion detector is also good for spotting moving edibles in the bush.
Night Vision
Yes, indeed, the U.S. Army was using night vision goggles in the 60's and Snake was one of the first soldiers in line for them. Since some of the game takes place at night, these babies should be supremely helpful.
Thermal Goggles
See all the hot stuff in the dark. Ideal for scoping out the enemies in the dark jungle. Yellow and reds indicate heat, but the jungle is pretty cluttered, so using the thermals to scope out snakes and rats and frogs isn't all that helpful.
- Environment
So it would seem Snake is no longer the industrial avenger who infiltrates posh military bases. Now he's just a jungle rat who pushes his way through the thick. It's a heck of a change, but the environment of Snake Eater we've all come to know as the frigid Russian rainforest (for as unlikely as that seems to be) is just one of many locales we can expect in the final game. However, since it's the one we're all most familiar with, it's the one we'll start with.
The Tselinoyarsk region of Russia that we're first introduced to seems like an odd combination of tall grass, heavily wooded areas, sloshing pits of man-eating mud, and some floral overgrowth that would make Tarzan sick. We're not totally familiar with what types of environments Russia offers, and even though this isn't the first type that would come into our minds, we're willing to accept its presence simply because it's different.
Even though Tselinoyarsk offers some military camps, small bases, and ruined villages, it's the swaying grass that really sells it. However, we know that the adventure does not stop there. The brand-new engine being created to handle the lush environments of Tselinoyarsk and the new soft-glowing Martha Stewart-esque models is also capable of complex interiors and even barren landscapes. While we haven't seen much or anything of the following areas, we do know that Snake's adventure will also take him to mountains, caves, rocky hills, a large suspension bridge, barren slopes, snowy plains, and small foothills. Kojima stresses that it doesn't have to be authentic, just fun.
Kojima has also stated that taking the action to the jungle is the ultimate achievement -- where the action was always intended to go (even if it did already go there in two previous Metal Gear games). Still, he insists that we'll see a healthy helping of classic industrial flavored tactical espionage.
Even if we don't go inside a lot, the new environmental additions have us pretty excited. Some missions take place at night. Now, we've known this for some time, but did you know that weather is supposedly going to be dynamic, meaning that it should start and stop raining / snowing mid-mission? Temperature also alters Snake. We know that he can take his shirt off instead of wearing any kind of camouflage, but what benefit this has remains to be seen. We do know what the negative side to go bare-chested is. When wet or cold, Snake gets the sniffles, the shakes, and his stamina lowers, preventing him from doing more aggressive rolls, climbs, and dodges. We're hoping that at some point he finds himself in a harem where he must rip his shirt free so that he can gain stamina, but this will likely not happen.
In all, and despite us knowing precious little about how the security of the interiors of Snake Eater will play out, (without widespread security camera use and laser trip wires and the like), we've still seen plenty of the game's notoriously new environments to have us excited.
- General Gameplay
At the most basic level, Snake Eater controls very much like Sons of Liberty. Still, there have been some changes and additions. The most obvious gameplay related adds are camouflage and eating, which we'll cover in their own dedicated sections. Other than those, it's straight up Metal Gear...in the jungle.
Aside from the foliage that offers an extra dimension of useable stealth to Snake Eater, the jungle also adds some interactive trees and treacherous mud pits and bodies of waters.
Trees are pretty much like ladders. Everything that can be climbed is considerately marked with a specific kind of texture. It's simply a matter of walking up to a textured tree and then hitting action to begin climbing it. All trees we've seen thus far also have limbs on at least one side of them. The limbs are conveniently flat and allow Snake to scurry out to their edges to reach a previously unattainable item or area or to get a good bead on someone (he can also hang from a tree limb and shoot, though we can't fathom why he would when he can just stand on top of it and do the same thing). Limbs also add an extra level of shimmying and surprise drops to the mix.
The other major addition the jungle offers are mud pits and bodies of water. The deep mud makes Snake move awfully slow. Depending on his depth, he may be able to still shoot, however. But, if he trudges around through the mud for too long he'll become absorbed by it, as if it were quicksand. The other kind of not so normal ground that we've seen is water, which houses perils of its own, including leeches that must be shot off and gavials that must be...shot. It's said that Snake will be able to swim and shoot underwater, how this will work given the current control scheme and whether or not you'll be able to do it in certain kinds of mud is still unknown.
Indirectly, the jungle allows Snake to hide enemies he's dispatched by leaving them in the middle of tall grass, cramming them into hollowed logs, or dropping them in mud pits and the river, which probably kills. Finally, despite being set in a jungle the levels direct Snake down paths and through chokepoint, and aren't as approachable as you might think.
Aside from those forested add-ons, the game still plays very much like Sons of Liberty. The Close Quarters Combat system has been touted as a major addition, but in reality, it's more of an aesthetic extension that just translates to extra circle and square attack functions that now allow Snake to quickly slice foes with the knife and pistol whip with the pistol.
Now that the new stalking control has been put in, gameplay takes an even more methodical approach. Snake Eater is about cautiously moving around environments, switching between radar and motion detector types, and using the new right analog stick control to tilt and pan the camera to certain directions so that the way ahead can be scoped out a little.
Eventually Snake comes in contact with an enemy, at which point you'll want to drop to a prone position, adjust your camouflage, and move into the first-person perspective -- drawing your gun and hoping the badguy keeps on keeping on. Grass, oddly enough, forces the game into the first-person, so if you happen to drop and move there, you may find yourself inadvertently staring through reeds.
Even if you're well hid a bad guy can still spot you if he gets too close or you make too much noise. If you do get sighted, the enemies will still go through a very careful and considerate routine. This starts with a question mark that leads to an investigation. If they're sure you're not supposed to be there, it's time to put up a fight. The familiar alert meter will then pop-up. It indicates how much time it'll take for the alert to calm down, what level you're at now, and just how many reinforcements you can expect. To call reinforcements, the AI still has to use its own radio. Shoot that and you're golden.
If the bad guys start pouring forth from the bowels of the forest, you're not going to be able to fend them off with a pistol and a dart gun. We have found that using a combination of melee attacks and actions to grab a human shield and then fire from the first-person perspective is pretty effective, but this is ideally where weapons like the assault rifle and shotgun come into play (the Shotgun is especially deadly).
Other than the above sneaking and shooting and fighting, we can expect Snake Eater to feature some on-rails combat, like a segment where Snake finds himself on a motorcycle, and another where he must man an emplaced cannon and shoot down aerial troops, attack helicopters, and gunships.
So, even though the combat system has been upped 100% (by giving it a second attack button), the game will still be immediately familiar to fans of the series.
- Camouflage
Konami and Hideo Kojima can't stop talking about it. As far they are concerned, camouflage is the biggest and most revolutionary addition to the Metal Gear franchise we're seeing in Snake Eater. But how does it work?
Simply, when you begin the game Snake starts with a very limited assortment of camo patterns. As the game progresses, Snake comes into possession of more varied and specific kinds of camouflage, like the fiery brick pattern and the brown eagle (for eagle stealth). We don't yet know how Snake gets new camouflage, but it'll probably be like another item pickup.
Actually using camouflage is incredibly simple. The switch in clothes is immediate and camo is passive, meaning once you have a specific type of camo pattern on, you don't have to do anything to it to reap the rewards that come from it. The benefits are all stacking percentile bonuses. All stealth in Snake Eater is actually based on percentages.
Previously, Snake was either seen or he wasn't. Now that there's a percentage indicator that governs your ability to keep him hidden, there's always a chance that he may or may not be detected by a passing guard. This meter changes depending on Snake's posture (standing, crouching, lying prone, sitting in a tree, obstructed by a log, backed against a wall, etcetera), the level of light around him (darkness, sunlight, or shade), whether or not he's currently moving, and what kind of background he's currently set against. The camo pattern will either raise or lower the chance of Snake remaining hidden, depending on whether or not it fits the current environment he's in.
It's very easy to come to grips with. Let's say you're crawling through some tall grass and are now hunched up by a log. Your camo rating just went down to 45%, so all you have to do is switch into the inventory screen, browse the camo patterns you have available, and determine which one is more ideally suited for your current position (the game tells you which pattern is better or worse for that exact moment by offering up percentile positives and negatives). Now just equip the new uniform with the press of a button. Boom! That's it. Face paint works the same way, but acts as a complement to the camouflage.
Right now we know of about seven different camo patterns, but we're aware of there also being snow, fire, cheetah, and black striped designs. And, even though we've only played around with one face paint type, there is going to be a skull job in the game, at the very least.
- Eating
And they talk about this, too. If Konami and Kojima aren't touting the new camouflage system, they're definitely boasting the new health and stamina system that revolves around eating. Since Snake was dropped into the war zone without any real gear, he has to forage for his survival. This means eating things, anything(s).
To keep the game simple, Snake doesn't need to worry about drinking water, sleeping, or going to the bathroom, but he does have to chow down. In addition to there being a standard health meter, Snake Eater also offers a new stamina gauge. The stamina gauge determines how good Snake is at healing, purging poison, fighting, shooting, climbing, rolling, running, and doing other extraneous activities. Stamina depletes naturally and if it gets too low Snake will under perform and his stomach will start to rumble, alerting nearby guards to his hungry presence. Eating is the only way to increase stamina. And there is a lot to eat. Right now we know about birds, frogs, scorpions, fish, alligators, mushrooms, bees, vultures, fish, crabs, insects, plants, fruit, and maybe even the apes from Ape Escape.
Every piece of food must be shot or knifed. If you want fruit from a tree, shoot it down and walk over it like any other item. If you'd like to eat some snake, shoot it and walk over it. If you dart an animal it will remain "caged," adding a benefit of freshness to the game so that you don't have to worry about it rotting over time, but you might have to worry about it making noise. When in possession of a darted animal, it's also possible to use it against an enemy, either by tossing it at their face or by coercing them to eat it and possibly poisoning them (or you can just drop a beehive on someone's head). Shooting bullets obviously just kills the stupid animals, which means you'll want to eat it quickly, else that tree frog that once looked so delicious may suddenly become as foul as mom's eggplant meatloaf. Don't worry, you'll know if Snake likes something or not because he'll tell you after eating it. If he doesn't, you can wildly shake the analog stick around to make him vomit, so that he doesn't have to deal with being poisoned.
Once food is obtained and stored in the inventory, it's as easy to eat as herbs in Resident Evil. Just open up the inventory and then the "survival viewer" and you'll see all the known food types you have with their effects listed next to them, provided you know what they do. Just select the nasty forest thing you'd very much like to devour and then press a button. Again, it doesn't seem drinking water of any kind will play a factor in the game, though early on we were told that it would.
Looking for food by crawling through the grass, paying attention to the leaves of trees and skulking through the water is pretty fun, but it remains to be seen if later on the game the food fetch quests will become tedious. Right now, we're loving it.
- Conclusion
And that's all we know about Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. It's a lot. We'll all be able to play the game on November 17, but there is still so much to learn before that happens. Frankly, we're tired of learning.
Our attempt to inform is complete. We at IGN have created and published the ultimate preview of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. That preview, separated into distinct categories, was easily navigable and very comprehensive. In it we detailed weapons and items, main characters, sub-bosses, the environment, general gameplay mechanics, specifics on camouflage and eating, and even the mysterious storyline.
We truly did deal with a convoluted mess of official details, speculations, observations, and rumors, but we managed to organize everything into lists and we even did our own fact checking. Now we're done. Even though the article was pretty enormous and fairly useful, we still haven't even started writing the most important part... What do we think of Snake Eater? Is it good? Is it fun? Are we looking forward to it?
That's a big question that no single person can answer, so that's why the entire IGNPS2 crew came together to provide their feedback. What we wrote isn't intended to be gospel, but we've all played quite a bit of the game and we have a pretty good idea of what we think about it.
Anyway, this text is just filler so the tables right below don't get broken by skyscrapers, so just read-on for the real goods.
Jeremy Says:
I have to admit that the disjointed storyline and lackluster ending of Sons of Liberty left me with a slight apprehension towards Metal Gear Solid 3. And though it seems that the plot devices of Snake Eater may end up going in a similar direction, the good news is that the changes to the gameplay system -- particularly those regarding camouflage and combat -- have me pretty excited about it anyway. There's no doubt in mind that the game is going to be extremely cool when it comes out, but I'm still not sold on the idea that it's going to be one of the best PS2 games ever made like several of our readers are. Even so, I still look forward to being proven wrong.
Ivan Says:
I like the Metal Gear gameplay, but I hate the Sons of Liberty story. If ever there were a more pointless, heavy-handed, and elaborately useless videogame plot, I've not seen it. Still, I have high hopes for Snake Eater. There's a chance Konami will recapture the grace of MGS -- there's a chance the story will play out more like Solid than Sons of Liberty.
Regardless, the gameplay still looks darn good. I just hope I don't have to hit select a million times to hear some pretentious bull crap lecture fall out of the mouths of weak characters I'd rather strangle than listen to. If I can sneak around the jungle, kill Russians, eat snakes, and down helicopters, it's going to be rad.
Ed Says:
I'm looking forward to there being more stealth action games in the world, but I still have some reservations about Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Maybe it's the fact that Snake here is displaying some Tamagotchi-like features with the food thing and all. I don't really want to tell an uber-spy when to poop, and I'm pretty sure I won't have to, but there's something about having to deal with food in a game that is very unappealing.
So far the news has been about the minor features like the food, but also about the camouflage and the close combat, but what I really want to see is the amount of good old-fashioned action that will be in the game. Bring that, and I might be there.
It's been a long time coming. We've been patiently awaiting the launch of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater since time first dawned, or at least since the release of Sons of Liberty, anyway. That said, Snake Eater is finally approaching. Of course we'll all be able to play the game on November 17, but there is still so much to learn before that happens. Learning is fun, so let's do it!
In an attempt to inform, we here at IGN have decided to create and publish the ultimate preview of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. This preview, separated into distinct categories, is easily navigable and very comprehensive. In it we will detail known weapons and items, main characters, sub-bosses, the environment, general gameplay mechanics, specifics on camouflage and eating, and even the mysterious storyline. Snake...? Snake!?!?!
Yes, we are truly dealing with a convoluted mess of official details, speculations, observations, and rumors, but we've managed to organize everything into lists and we even did our own fact checking. Please, know that all our data comes from hands-on time, videos, interviews, and other assorted media and articles we've published. We don't normally make stuff up, at least not where Metal Gear is concerned. Any guesswork you see is simply because that's all we had to go on. Even then, when you do see us hypothesizing, please understand that we're trying our best given what we have to work off.
Our problem is that Metal Gear is wacky. It's hard to understand after briefly experiencing its subject matter, a little difficult to make sense of after thoroughly playing through all the titles, and nearly impossible to decipher when you're provided with the materials that purposefully make little sense. Hopefully we'll put the details together...sensibly so that you can enjoy the Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Overload.
- Story
What's the Story
One of the most talked about elements of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is its mysterious and controversial storyline. We say controversial because the true identity of this particular version of Snake has not yet been substantiated. Never called "Solid Snake" specifically by any character (including himself) as of press time, the MGS3 version of our hero has only ever been referred to as "Jack, Naked Snake, John Doe," or just plain "Snake" in all of the official materials related to the plot.
The most popular theory is that the MGS3 Snake is in all actuality, Big Boss -- who first appeared in the original Metal Gear nearly two decades ago as the surprise mastermind behind the African takeover that jumpstarted the series in the first place. The reason that Big Boss's involvement was a surprise, of course, is because it was Big Boss who was the commander of Snake's elite covert ops unit Foxhound and the man who had sent Snake into Africa in the first place. After his treachery was revealed, Big Boss and Solid Snake became bitter enemies. Based on what we know, the idea that Big Boss is the same man who is known as "Snake" in Snake Eater is an acceptable theory; especially when one considers that Solid is a sort of genetic replica of Big Boss and that this version of Snake loses an eye at some point during the adventure -- which is also one of Big Boss' trademarks. Is it enough to prove that both men are one in the same? No. But does it provide further evidence of just who this character really could be, definitely.
As for the backbone of the plot itself, it's set in the Cold War's infancy during the 1960s (1964 to be exact) and makes a dramatic shift from its gray and whitish futuristic atmosphere of Metal Gear Solid and Sons of Liberty to the sweaty confines of a sweltering enemy jungle. Sent on a mission that's referred to as both "Operation Snake Eater" and "Virtuous Mission," (it's speculated that the game is actually made up of two different missions), Naked Snake is charged with rescuing a defecting Russian scientist named Sokolov who is being held against his will. A popular theory around the net is that the Metal Gear prototype creator Dr. Petrovich Madnar and Sokolov are actually one in the same -- as Madnar is the name that Sokolov took after being successfully rescued in this game (maybe?). Another possibility is that Sokolov could me Madnar's father or some other type of older relative. Of course, that's just a theory up to this point and hasn't been proven or confirmed by Konami representatives at all. But since a machine like the Metal Gear probably wasn't made by just one man it's also possible to theorize that Petrovich is still working for the Russians when his comrade, Sokolov, wants to defect. Either way it works, but series director Hideo Kojima has said that Snake Eater would create some inconsistencies, so anything is possible.
The series creator Hideo Kojima is keeping more specific elements of the storyline tightly under wraps and Konami has been extremely supportive in keeping them a secret for him. We do know, however, that the plot revolves around an ongoing arms race between several super power countries and that Sokolov is in the middle of it. He's being used to create the first Metal Gear prototype, Shagohod. The Metal Gear project is obviously a lot older than what was first believed, and obtaining information about it is Snake's secondary mission objective.
- Characters
Metal Gear has always featured an eclectic cast of characters. While we haven't been able to really learn much about what's going on behind these new and old ones presented in Snake Eater, but we do know a few things about them -- a few things we can all share and talk about.
First, it's pretty clear that Snake Eater is going for the same absurdly distinct kinds of characters we found in Solid, rather than Sons of Liberty. It's also pretty clear that many of these characters have been intentionally revealed with deliberately conflicting pieces of information. The Boss, for instance, appears to have a love of Snake's, be an American patriot, a traitor, and the leader of the elite Cobra Unit all at the same time. That's a hell of a woman.
All the major characters revealed thus far have similarly confusing back-stories or no back-stories at all. Regardless, they're all easily likened to MGS mainstays from the past: Eva looks like your typical Meryl, Major Tom is Campbell, Para-Medic is like a combination of Mei Ling and Dr. Naomi Hunter, The Boss could very well be "my own agenda" Liquid Snake, and Revolver Ocelot is...well, Revolver Ocelot.
We still have no idea whether the story will be as convoluted and outlandish as Sons of Liberty's, nor do we know exactly what the ratio of lengthy talking head scenes to actual gameplay will be (pretty high from what we've seen, heard, and played), but the characters do at least promise less Raiden and more of what had us all so taken by the series in the first place (and no, we're not talking about the cover boy on the original Metal Gear and Snake's Revenge that looked something like Michael Biehn from Terminator and Aliens).
Snake
Since the life of Solid Snake probably doesn't travel sideways through time, this bulkier, more ruthless Snake of the 60s is probably none other than Big Boss -- the Metal Gear series' genetic material donating father figure and first villain. According to The Boss, Big Boss Snake's real name is Jack. At least that's what she and Para-Medic refer to him as, despite him insisting that he's actually John Doe and should be referred to as Snake. His voice is still done by series staple David Hayter, so even if his name is Jack, his codename is Naked Snake, and his identity is Big Boss, he'll still feel like the broody Solid we've come to love.
The Boss
She looks about forty, wears a Solid-style headband or a white combat suit of some sort, and is the leader of the Cobra Unit, or at least was their leader during World War II. According to what we know now, The Boss was at one point considered to be America's top soldier until she opted to turn red and donate a couple of nuclear warheads to the soviet cause. Still, she claims to be resolute and steadfast in her ways, which are apparently not patriotic or treacherous. She's also purportedly the only love of Snake's meaningless life, making the fact that she breaks his arm at some point during Snake Eater a little suspicious. But then Snake knows exactly how many hours it's been since he last spoke with her and seems a little obsessive, so anything is possible. It should be noted that Snake Eater begins with her on the good side, supposedly nestled in a submarine patrolling the arctic. Later on, she's brawling in Russia. Two missions maybe?
Revolver Ocelot
The pistol spinning madman who debuted in Solid and played a larger role than any gamer originally imagined, is back. In Snake Eater, Ocelot starts as a handsome and primped officer named...Ocelot. He only appears to adopt his Revolver moniker and style following an encounter with Snake. After getting his ass kicked by the original Snake, Ocelot realizes revolvers would better suit his unique fighting style (because Snake told him so). We expect Snake Eater to really explain the whys and hows of Revolver Ocelot. Seeing more of his origin story and his relationships with these characters should help explain some of Solid and Sons of Liberty.
Colonel Volgin
Volgin appears to be one of the central villains in the game, or perhaps the villain. Colonel Volgin is a beast of a man who stands tall and happens to be charged with some form of deadly electricity. Volgin also boasts incredible strength, which he uses to pummel Snake and crush the genitals of another soldier. He's also not very nice, and speaks with one of those typically gruff accents. But, is this obvious bully really the mastermind of Snake Eater's trouble? Traditionally, the Metal Gear series has always kept the slyest, double-crossing villains secret until the end where they'd become the true villains. Such a preposterously brutish, Vader-like enemy could very well be just another piece of muscle to power some unknown brain. We wouldn't be surprised if The Boss or some unknown party turned out to be the big cheese.
Sokolov
Sokolov is a Russian scientist who wishes to defect to the relative safety of the United States. Snake's mission is to save him. But why? According to Sokolov, he's tired of being used, tired of working to create a weapon that sways the balance of power on this Earth, tired of working on the Metal Gear (hopefully with Dr. Petrovich, otherwise there will be some incongruity). There's also some kind of history between Sokolov and the Major in charge of Snake's mission. We don't know exactly what that is, but the Major tells Snake to apologize for taking so long.
Para-Medic
Otherwise known as the "red radio girl in the plane or whatever," Para-Medic is Snake's liaison to all things medicine. She'll also serve as counselor and dispenser of useless information. She is a cute redhead and promises Snake that she'll divulge her true identity if and when he returns from this mission alive. She's the character you're probably going to wish would develop some kind of life threatening laryngitis before the game ends because she's constantly forcing you to stop and press select.
Eva
Eva's some kind of soldier who likes to show her boobies off by wearing a black bikini (or possibly black panties) in the middle of a Russian forest. Look at my cleavage! Now die! She's an enigma that drives motorcycles. Other than that and her crazy-mean cleavage boasting appearance, we don't know much about her. But, it's not hard to tell from released media that she'll likely fulfill the role of Meryl and be the tough but always endangered female lead / potential love interest, which could create a triangle of fireworks when we throw The Boss into the picture.
Major Tom
No, that's not his real name. But, the rugged, grey, and stately Major in charge of Operation Snake Eater or Virtuous Mission (whatever it winds up being) is Snake's boss. He rides aboard a gunship directing Snake to his next objectives, fulfilling the same role as Campbell. His eye is scarred, but he does get to sit with Para-Medic far above the jungle, so life isn't all bad. Plus, Major Tom can be credited with starting the Snake namesake heritage, referring to our protagonist by the codename of Naked Snake (because he goes in naked or without any gear or support). Thankfully, there is no full frontal nudity present in Snake Eater.
- Villains
The big and the bad. The villains of Metal Gear have always given the series its charm. It's about taking that long and spooky elevator ride down to Vulcan Raven, or yanking the controller out of port one to finish off Psycho Mantis, or cackling even more manically than Big Boss after you defeat him in the bowels of Zanzabaar. It's about looking up at Ray and thinking "I'm totally effed."
In addition to being charming, Metal Gear's villains have always given the series a bit of conventional gaming mechanics that lighten up an otherwise overtly serious, involving adventure. They're about solving patterns by using specific weapons and items. And, they always exhibit their own specific traits, strengths, and weaknesses. They're individuals.
More often than not, the minor villains of Metal Gear are indifferent about the fight around them, reluctant killing machines, or just schmucks who seem lazily predisposed to be wicked. Given the state of the Cobra Unit, we sense some similar behavioral patterns. If not, it's likely these bosses will take on a Hollywood-ified Special Forces-like form. Heck, they practically look like G.I. Joe villains, which may explain why they're called the Cobra Unit.
How they'll appear has been the easiest and hardest part of this preview. We don't know exactly what it will take to defeat them, nor do we know exactly what they're good for, but we can see that the sniper dude uses a sniper rifle and owns a parrot, the jet pack dude will probably fly around, the blood crying man is like some kind of psychic jerk or maybe someone a little like Batman's Scarecrow. Of course, the dude with all the bees will throw bees at you.
And then there's the Metal Gear itself, which rolls over things and shoots missiles. In a way, Metal Gear: Shagohod looks a little more like a tank that players eventually face in the bonus level of Crisis Zone than a Metal Gear. Since we've only ever seen Snake spot Shagohod from afar, it's hard to really judge in-game scale, despite the specs we have that indicate it's roughly 22 meters long, 8 meters high, and weighs nearly 150 tons. However it plays out, the battle is guaranteed to be dramatic.
The Fury
The Fury is a mystery. We know very little about him (or her), other than that he appears to be the leader of the briefly seen jetpack squadron and perhaps comes equipped with a flamethrower, though it's evident that he is different from the fire-guy that briefly appeared during E3 2004 and chased snake through some trenches.
The End
We know absolutely nothing about The End other than that he's an old bald man, uses a sniper rifle, and has some kind of parrot that lives on his shoulder. So maybe he has the animal connection just like Sniper Wolf did in MGS: Solid? And, maybe Otacon will have the hots for him, too. It could happen. We could see it happening, anyway. Sure, Otacon hasn't been born yet, but it could still happen.
The Pain
This Cobra commando (har) appears menacing in his bright orange vest and stylish ski mask. Normally Snake wouldn't think twice about cracking his neck and then dishing out fashion tips, but Pain can control swarms of bees, and perhaps other creatures. This means he might be a little harder to take down. Let's just hope he keeps the sappy speeches to a minimum. "Life is unending pain, Snake. Do you know the habits of the average Russian bee? They are always in Pain, Snake. It's like the ancient warrior Mao Feng always said, 'Bees are painful creatures.' I will teach you pain for I am in bee-pain, Snake."
The Fear
Fear boasts one of those useful frog tongues that can grapple with people, wrap things up, and help a man swing from trees. Fear also appears to be the consummate hunter, preferring to use his extensive knowledge of arrows and the bush to fight, as opposed to simply holding down the trigger on some heavy weapon. His freakish arms and silent techniques seem to augment his bizarre demeanor. He's like some kind of monkey-frog. Perhaps he too is edible.
The Sorrow
He cries blood, smiles like a lunatic, and says things like, "I am the Sorrow." So he could be Psycho Mantis. He does have a pistol, but his images appear to show him almost floating. There's real no way to tell what The Sorrow is about. Though it's pretty clear that he's very, very sad and sorrowful.
Metal Gear: Shagohod
We don't know if this particular Metal Gear is named Shagohod, like Rex and Ray, or if Shagohod is actually the designation of the machine type in some foreign language. It's probably the former because Sokolov clearly refers to the weapon as "The Metal Gear." If it were The Shagohod, you'd expect him to say so. That being said, it's probably Metal Gear: Shagohod.
From what we've seen, Shagohod is a one-man mobile nuclear missile launcher / combination armored assault mecha. It was developed in 1961 and carries on it four heavy machine gun modules, six surface to air missile launchers, one nuclear missile launcher, and two massive drills that extend from forward mounted arms. These could be used to brace the Gear when it fires its missiles. Shagohod cruises at 80kph and has a range of nearly 650km. Sokolov describes it as the weapon that could end the cold war. Apparently Volgin wants to use it on his "countrymen."
- Items/Weapons
Weapons & Items
The dude may be going by the name Naked Snake because of his undertaking of this mission without a whole lot of gear, but that doesn't mean that he's never going to have anything to work with. A Metal Gear Solid game without a huge list of overall items and weapons would be like a James Bond movie without 007 sexing up every female who isn't Moneypenny (and even she got some love). It goes against all the cardinal rules of the universe and it just doesn't happen. Understand? There would be rioting in the streets and massive unrest across several dozen totally unimportant message boards. And we just can't have that.
To avoid the chaos and discomfort that would shower the Internet, Konami is making sure to provide plenty of spy-tastic treats to keep the action varied and exciting and all that. For the weapons there will be AK-47s, M16 rifles, Dragunov sniper rifles, shotguns, grenades and some non-guided rocket launchers to make sure that operations can get finished in a timely fashion. We can't have Snake out there fighting with some twigs and setting up a ton of Ewok-type traps in the jungle so there has to be some violence and -- bam! -- firearms.
Of course, the jungle isn't all bullets and explosions and there will be a lot of doodads and whatnots and thing-jabbers that the laymen know as gadgets. In this list of 60s cutting-edge gadgetry we'll be seeing all sorts of gear like active sonar for scoping out enemies, binoculars for the old-fashioned looking at things through lenses, and even a motion detector. The imaging doesn't just stop there since there are also thermal goggles and night vision goggles. To go even further there will even be a microphone for listening in on conversations from far away to get the dirt from the enemy.
But enough about these sweet, yet brief, intros to the gear, let's dig into the complete list, shall we? We shall!
Frag Grenade
When in doubt, frag it out. They noise and alert guards, but cause destruction and kill gavials. The grenade is for rapid pain and vehicle fights.
Knife
Using Square or Circle, players can chop and stab with the knife. It's also possible to kill animals with it, and even plunge it into a soldier's chest and use him as a shield.
M16A1
The Armalite designed AR-15 which became the M16 is a good, sturdy rifle that was a common sight in Vietnam beginning in 1964. In the game, it fires fast and on button depression and release, meaning it's a bit harder to aim.
M37 Shotgun
A 12 gauge shotgun for when you really want to get in close to say how much you care. It's a devastating weapon, but it'll attract more patrols than it will kill. It also has zero range.
M1911A1
The 1911 has been in use since 1912. To this day, special ops and in-the-know agents use it for its unparalleled stopping power. In Metal Gear, it's the default weapon that will be used when the dart gun isn't.
MK-22
A tranquilizer gun that can drop enemies, but not deadly enough to take them out of the game entirely. Patrolling guards will wake up fallen friends, and sometimes it takes more than three hits to bring down an alerted enemy.
Rocket Launcher
They're non-guided since this is the 60's, but they're still the things that make cars go boom. It's likely the rocket launcher will be used to attack jeeps, jetpacks, and even Shagohod itself.
SVD Dragunov
A sniper rifle with different levels of magnification for saying a nice long-distance "hello." The Dragunov is also prone to zoomed in sway, so be steady when you shoot.
Active Sonar
Tap L3 and send out a sonic pulse to get some info on the surrounding areas without having to do any legwork. The pulses beam back approximate locations of enemies.
Alligator Hat
Swim around in the jungle and look reptilian. You can scare guards this way, too. The alligator hat appears to be the equivalent of the infamous Cardboard Box.
AP Sensor
Tuned to give an alert when enemy life comes close, the AP sensor thumps and vibrates the control pad, but doesn't give any visual indication as to where the bad guy could be. It also doesn't use as much energy as Active Sonar.
Scope
Focus, gaze through them and have a look into your future. Or at least the things that are far away. The Binoculars let you see very far, but aren't always useful due to the foliage.
Cigar
Smoke 'em if you got 'em, but they're still a sure ticket to some tasty mouth cancer. Mmm...cancer. We're not sure how useful they'll be with no lasers to spot, but smoking out a bee-hive could be possible.
Microphone
Snoop on enemy conversations and find out all their plans for jungle domination. Also good for poker games. [Ed's note: Why exactly is that?]
Motion Detector
Detects any and all moving objects, but just like the sonar it needs batteries to keep going. The motion detector is also good for spotting moving edibles in the bush.
Night Vision
Yes, indeed, the U.S. Army was using night vision goggles in the 60's and Snake was one of the first soldiers in line for them. Since some of the game takes place at night, these babies should be supremely helpful.
Thermal Goggles
See all the hot stuff in the dark. Ideal for scoping out the enemies in the dark jungle. Yellow and reds indicate heat, but the jungle is pretty cluttered, so using the thermals to scope out snakes and rats and frogs isn't all that helpful.
- Environment
So it would seem Snake is no longer the industrial avenger who infiltrates posh military bases. Now he's just a jungle rat who pushes his way through the thick. It's a heck of a change, but the environment of Snake Eater we've all come to know as the frigid Russian rainforest (for as unlikely as that seems to be) is just one of many locales we can expect in the final game. However, since it's the one we're all most familiar with, it's the one we'll start with.
The Tselinoyarsk region of Russia that we're first introduced to seems like an odd combination of tall grass, heavily wooded areas, sloshing pits of man-eating mud, and some floral overgrowth that would make Tarzan sick. We're not totally familiar with what types of environments Russia offers, and even though this isn't the first type that would come into our minds, we're willing to accept its presence simply because it's different.
Even though Tselinoyarsk offers some military camps, small bases, and ruined villages, it's the swaying grass that really sells it. However, we know that the adventure does not stop there. The brand-new engine being created to handle the lush environments of Tselinoyarsk and the new soft-glowing Martha Stewart-esque models is also capable of complex interiors and even barren landscapes. While we haven't seen much or anything of the following areas, we do know that Snake's adventure will also take him to mountains, caves, rocky hills, a large suspension bridge, barren slopes, snowy plains, and small foothills. Kojima stresses that it doesn't have to be authentic, just fun.
Kojima has also stated that taking the action to the jungle is the ultimate achievement -- where the action was always intended to go (even if it did already go there in two previous Metal Gear games). Still, he insists that we'll see a healthy helping of classic industrial flavored tactical espionage.
Even if we don't go inside a lot, the new environmental additions have us pretty excited. Some missions take place at night. Now, we've known this for some time, but did you know that weather is supposedly going to be dynamic, meaning that it should start and stop raining / snowing mid-mission? Temperature also alters Snake. We know that he can take his shirt off instead of wearing any kind of camouflage, but what benefit this has remains to be seen. We do know what the negative side to go bare-chested is. When wet or cold, Snake gets the sniffles, the shakes, and his stamina lowers, preventing him from doing more aggressive rolls, climbs, and dodges. We're hoping that at some point he finds himself in a harem where he must rip his shirt free so that he can gain stamina, but this will likely not happen.
In all, and despite us knowing precious little about how the security of the interiors of Snake Eater will play out, (without widespread security camera use and laser trip wires and the like), we've still seen plenty of the game's notoriously new environments to have us excited.
- General Gameplay
At the most basic level, Snake Eater controls very much like Sons of Liberty. Still, there have been some changes and additions. The most obvious gameplay related adds are camouflage and eating, which we'll cover in their own dedicated sections. Other than those, it's straight up Metal Gear...in the jungle.
Aside from the foliage that offers an extra dimension of useable stealth to Snake Eater, the jungle also adds some interactive trees and treacherous mud pits and bodies of waters.
Trees are pretty much like ladders. Everything that can be climbed is considerately marked with a specific kind of texture. It's simply a matter of walking up to a textured tree and then hitting action to begin climbing it. All trees we've seen thus far also have limbs on at least one side of them. The limbs are conveniently flat and allow Snake to scurry out to their edges to reach a previously unattainable item or area or to get a good bead on someone (he can also hang from a tree limb and shoot, though we can't fathom why he would when he can just stand on top of it and do the same thing). Limbs also add an extra level of shimmying and surprise drops to the mix.
The other major addition the jungle offers are mud pits and bodies of water. The deep mud makes Snake move awfully slow. Depending on his depth, he may be able to still shoot, however. But, if he trudges around through the mud for too long he'll become absorbed by it, as if it were quicksand. The other kind of not so normal ground that we've seen is water, which houses perils of its own, including leeches that must be shot off and gavials that must be...shot. It's said that Snake will be able to swim and shoot underwater, how this will work given the current control scheme and whether or not you'll be able to do it in certain kinds of mud is still unknown.
Indirectly, the jungle allows Snake to hide enemies he's dispatched by leaving them in the middle of tall grass, cramming them into hollowed logs, or dropping them in mud pits and the river, which probably kills. Finally, despite being set in a jungle the levels direct Snake down paths and through chokepoint, and aren't as approachable as you might think.
Aside from those forested add-ons, the game still plays very much like Sons of Liberty. The Close Quarters Combat system has been touted as a major addition, but in reality, it's more of an aesthetic extension that just translates to extra circle and square attack functions that now allow Snake to quickly slice foes with the knife and pistol whip with the pistol.
Now that the new stalking control has been put in, gameplay takes an even more methodical approach. Snake Eater is about cautiously moving around environments, switching between radar and motion detector types, and using the new right analog stick control to tilt and pan the camera to certain directions so that the way ahead can be scoped out a little.
Eventually Snake comes in contact with an enemy, at which point you'll want to drop to a prone position, adjust your camouflage, and move into the first-person perspective -- drawing your gun and hoping the badguy keeps on keeping on. Grass, oddly enough, forces the game into the first-person, so if you happen to drop and move there, you may find yourself inadvertently staring through reeds.
Even if you're well hid a bad guy can still spot you if he gets too close or you make too much noise. If you do get sighted, the enemies will still go through a very careful and considerate routine. This starts with a question mark that leads to an investigation. If they're sure you're not supposed to be there, it's time to put up a fight. The familiar alert meter will then pop-up. It indicates how much time it'll take for the alert to calm down, what level you're at now, and just how many reinforcements you can expect. To call reinforcements, the AI still has to use its own radio. Shoot that and you're golden.
If the bad guys start pouring forth from the bowels of the forest, you're not going to be able to fend them off with a pistol and a dart gun. We have found that using a combination of melee attacks and actions to grab a human shield and then fire from the first-person perspective is pretty effective, but this is ideally where weapons like the assault rifle and shotgun come into play (the Shotgun is especially deadly).
Other than the above sneaking and shooting and fighting, we can expect Snake Eater to feature some on-rails combat, like a segment where Snake finds himself on a motorcycle, and another where he must man an emplaced cannon and shoot down aerial troops, attack helicopters, and gunships.
So, even though the combat system has been upped 100% (by giving it a second attack button), the game will still be immediately familiar to fans of the series.
- Camouflage
Konami and Hideo Kojima can't stop talking about it. As far they are concerned, camouflage is the biggest and most revolutionary addition to the Metal Gear franchise we're seeing in Snake Eater. But how does it work?
Simply, when you begin the game Snake starts with a very limited assortment of camo patterns. As the game progresses, Snake comes into possession of more varied and specific kinds of camouflage, like the fiery brick pattern and the brown eagle (for eagle stealth). We don't yet know how Snake gets new camouflage, but it'll probably be like another item pickup.
Actually using camouflage is incredibly simple. The switch in clothes is immediate and camo is passive, meaning once you have a specific type of camo pattern on, you don't have to do anything to it to reap the rewards that come from it. The benefits are all stacking percentile bonuses. All stealth in Snake Eater is actually based on percentages.
Previously, Snake was either seen or he wasn't. Now that there's a percentage indicator that governs your ability to keep him hidden, there's always a chance that he may or may not be detected by a passing guard. This meter changes depending on Snake's posture (standing, crouching, lying prone, sitting in a tree, obstructed by a log, backed against a wall, etcetera), the level of light around him (darkness, sunlight, or shade), whether or not he's currently moving, and what kind of background he's currently set against. The camo pattern will either raise or lower the chance of Snake remaining hidden, depending on whether or not it fits the current environment he's in.
It's very easy to come to grips with. Let's say you're crawling through some tall grass and are now hunched up by a log. Your camo rating just went down to 45%, so all you have to do is switch into the inventory screen, browse the camo patterns you have available, and determine which one is more ideally suited for your current position (the game tells you which pattern is better or worse for that exact moment by offering up percentile positives and negatives). Now just equip the new uniform with the press of a button. Boom! That's it. Face paint works the same way, but acts as a complement to the camouflage.
Right now we know of about seven different camo patterns, but we're aware of there also being snow, fire, cheetah, and black striped designs. And, even though we've only played around with one face paint type, there is going to be a skull job in the game, at the very least.
- Eating
And they talk about this, too. If Konami and Kojima aren't touting the new camouflage system, they're definitely boasting the new health and stamina system that revolves around eating. Since Snake was dropped into the war zone without any real gear, he has to forage for his survival. This means eating things, anything(s).
To keep the game simple, Snake doesn't need to worry about drinking water, sleeping, or going to the bathroom, but he does have to chow down. In addition to there being a standard health meter, Snake Eater also offers a new stamina gauge. The stamina gauge determines how good Snake is at healing, purging poison, fighting, shooting, climbing, rolling, running, and doing other extraneous activities. Stamina depletes naturally and if it gets too low Snake will under perform and his stomach will start to rumble, alerting nearby guards to his hungry presence. Eating is the only way to increase stamina. And there is a lot to eat. Right now we know about birds, frogs, scorpions, fish, alligators, mushrooms, bees, vultures, fish, crabs, insects, plants, fruit, and maybe even the apes from Ape Escape.
Every piece of food must be shot or knifed. If you want fruit from a tree, shoot it down and walk over it like any other item. If you'd like to eat some snake, shoot it and walk over it. If you dart an animal it will remain "caged," adding a benefit of freshness to the game so that you don't have to worry about it rotting over time, but you might have to worry about it making noise. When in possession of a darted animal, it's also possible to use it against an enemy, either by tossing it at their face or by coercing them to eat it and possibly poisoning them (or you can just drop a beehive on someone's head). Shooting bullets obviously just kills the stupid animals, which means you'll want to eat it quickly, else that tree frog that once looked so delicious may suddenly become as foul as mom's eggplant meatloaf. Don't worry, you'll know if Snake likes something or not because he'll tell you after eating it. If he doesn't, you can wildly shake the analog stick around to make him vomit, so that he doesn't have to deal with being poisoned.
Once food is obtained and stored in the inventory, it's as easy to eat as herbs in Resident Evil. Just open up the inventory and then the "survival viewer" and you'll see all the known food types you have with their effects listed next to them, provided you know what they do. Just select the nasty forest thing you'd very much like to devour and then press a button. Again, it doesn't seem drinking water of any kind will play a factor in the game, though early on we were told that it would.
Looking for food by crawling through the grass, paying attention to the leaves of trees and skulking through the water is pretty fun, but it remains to be seen if later on the game the food fetch quests will become tedious. Right now, we're loving it.
- Conclusion
And that's all we know about Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. It's a lot. We'll all be able to play the game on November 17, but there is still so much to learn before that happens. Frankly, we're tired of learning.
Our attempt to inform is complete. We at IGN have created and published the ultimate preview of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. That preview, separated into distinct categories, was easily navigable and very comprehensive. In it we detailed weapons and items, main characters, sub-bosses, the environment, general gameplay mechanics, specifics on camouflage and eating, and even the mysterious storyline.
We truly did deal with a convoluted mess of official details, speculations, observations, and rumors, but we managed to organize everything into lists and we even did our own fact checking. Now we're done. Even though the article was pretty enormous and fairly useful, we still haven't even started writing the most important part... What do we think of Snake Eater? Is it good? Is it fun? Are we looking forward to it?
That's a big question that no single person can answer, so that's why the entire IGNPS2 crew came together to provide their feedback. What we wrote isn't intended to be gospel, but we've all played quite a bit of the game and we have a pretty good idea of what we think about it.
Anyway, this text is just filler so the tables right below don't get broken by skyscrapers, so just read-on for the real goods.
Jeremy Says:
I have to admit that the disjointed storyline and lackluster ending of Sons of Liberty left me with a slight apprehension towards Metal Gear Solid 3. And though it seems that the plot devices of Snake Eater may end up going in a similar direction, the good news is that the changes to the gameplay system -- particularly those regarding camouflage and combat -- have me pretty excited about it anyway. There's no doubt in mind that the game is going to be extremely cool when it comes out, but I'm still not sold on the idea that it's going to be one of the best PS2 games ever made like several of our readers are. Even so, I still look forward to being proven wrong.
Ivan Says:
I like the Metal Gear gameplay, but I hate the Sons of Liberty story. If ever there were a more pointless, heavy-handed, and elaborately useless videogame plot, I've not seen it. Still, I have high hopes for Snake Eater. There's a chance Konami will recapture the grace of MGS -- there's a chance the story will play out more like Solid than Sons of Liberty.
Regardless, the gameplay still looks darn good. I just hope I don't have to hit select a million times to hear some pretentious bull crap lecture fall out of the mouths of weak characters I'd rather strangle than listen to. If I can sneak around the jungle, kill Russians, eat snakes, and down helicopters, it's going to be rad.
Ed Says:
I'm looking forward to there being more stealth action games in the world, but I still have some reservations about Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Maybe it's the fact that Snake here is displaying some Tamagotchi-like features with the food thing and all. I don't really want to tell an uber-spy when to poop, and I'm pretty sure I won't have to, but there's something about having to deal with food in a game that is very unappealing.
So far the news has been about the minor features like the food, but also about the camouflage and the close combat, but what I really want to see is the amount of good old-fashioned action that will be in the game. Bring that, and I might be there.
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