The sport’s main setting of Huge Shell additionally obtained some criticism for being a bit much less open and fascinating to discover than the previous recreation’s setting of Shadow Moses Island. Whereas it is a extra substantial and affordable remark, Huge Shell challenges even probably the most adept Metallic Gear gamers in a singular method, from its outside fight drones to the way in which Raiden has to navigate pipes and cables precariously strewn over the ocean. Anybody anticipating Metallic Gear Strong 2 to be a retread of the primary recreation, proper right down to its protagonist and setting, in fact are going to be dissatisfied till they understand it is a fully recent expertise.
Raiden, the Underrated Hero
Even with the shock of the protagonist swap having lengthy since subsided, reception of Raiden as a personality total stays blended, notably in distinction to Strong Snake. Snake is a gruff old-school spec ops commando within the custom of the numerous ‘80s motion heroes that impressed Hideo Kojima. Comparatively, Raiden is depicted as extra of a bishōnen determine, full with a slimmer and younger look, as properly flowing blonde hair.
This tonal whiplash, in fact, is reasonably the purpose, particularly when Raiden and Snake are working side-by-side within the closing moments of the sport. The sport virtually winks on the participant outright in how a lot they’ve made Raiden eye sweet with a sequence the place the character performs acrobatics whereas buck nude. Kojima went the exact opposite method with Raiden in Metallic Gear Strong 4: Weapons of the Patriots, turning him right into a cyborg.
The inclusion of Raiden additionally presents a heightened unpredictability to the sport and the destiny of its protagonist. No Time to Die however, we anticipate characters like James Bond or Spider-Man to stroll away in a single piece, even within the face of probably the most harrowing challenges. By presumably killing off Strong Snake within the prologue and thrusting the unfamiliar Raiden in gamers’ palms, Kojima indicators that something goes and nobody is secure in Metallic Gear Strong 2.
Teasing the Future Realpolitik
Lastly, and that is one thing that Metallic Gear Strong 2 has gotten acknowledged for lots however nonetheless completely must be talked about, however the sport’s story is extremely prescient for a title launched in 2001. The sport posits that the Data Age will ultimately bombard the general public with trivial and inaccurate data, slowing societal progress and make figuring out the reality a tougher proposition, one thing that eerily strikes near residence as of late. This deconstruction of the reality and systemic thoughts management additionally includes political echo chambers, one thing Metallic Gear Strong 2 alludes to years earlier than the launch of Fb and Twitter.
Different much less politically minded themes embrace the sport’s use of digital actuality, the unchecked rise of synthetic intelligence, and continues the concepts of genetic engineering from the earlier entry. Revisiting Metallic Gear Strong 2, it seems like Kojima had a window 15-20 years into the longer term and constructed a salient story round his tactical espionage motion saga.
