The dreaded reverse wheelbarrow!

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is the brand new re-issue of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, which was released in 2004 to critical acclaim. This new version improves upon an already excellent game as well as adding online capabilities and new game modes. Throw in a reduced price and you are getting some serious value for your dollar.

For those not familiar with the series, it is a stealth-based espionage game with a bent for cinematic presentation and an emphasis on plot and character development. For the most part players control the gruff speaking and mullet-sporting spy known as Snake (aka Solid Snake), as he proceeds through his covert missions and takes out the bad guys (mostly Russians in this case). Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is no different from the previous entries in the series, complete with all the sneaking around, cool spy gadgets, multitude of weapons, and of course the convoluted, betrayal filled plotline. Yet in this instance, the story is a prequel and thus is set in the late 1960’s, before the events of all the previous games. This earlier setting allows for some unique plot twists and foreshadowing as players get to experience the much younger versions of various characters and elements they have come to know in the earlier games. But as involved as the plot is, it’s the visuals of the game that really take center stage.

Quite simply, everything looks great in MSG3: Subsistence. Character models, lighting effects and especially the gorgeous, outdoor environments all show the high level of production and quality that the series has come to be known for. Plus all of this appealing imagery has been coupled with some unique and inventive character designs that help create a complete and cohesive package.

Now at this point you may be asking why they would re-release a game that already sold quite a few copies and was well received by game critics and players alike (as the saying goes, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it”)? Well in this case, while nothing was really broken, they did change something that has a profound effect on the overall gameplay and allows for the inclusion of various online multiplayer modes: camera control. In all previous incarnations of the Metal Gear Solid series for both the Playstation 1 and 2, as well as the original version of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the camera angles were always in fixed positions that the player couldn’t change. While playing one could only see what the camera allowed you to, unless you switched to a first-person view- yet this was a little cumbersome and could at times become rather frustrating. In Subsistence, the camera can now be controlled with the right analogue stick, which makes a world of difference and changes the overall game experience for the better. Being able to quickly and easily see your character’s immediate surroundings allows for a much more fluid and smooth style of play, especially in a stealth game where knowing where one is in relation to the enemy is of paramount importance. Furthermore, the improved camera control facilitates the addition of various multi-player modes that prove to be the real draw for this re-issue.

There are several multiplayer modes in Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence. Deathmatch is pretty much the standard fare one would expect from a game involving guns, hand grenades, knives and the like: essentially a free-for-all, chaotic, shoot anything that moves affair. A related mode, Team Deathmatch tends to incorporate a little more strategy and be slightly less trigger happy, but is still more focused on reflexes and reaction time than thinking ahead. It is with the other game modes, (sneaking missions, capture missions, and rescue missions) that the online gameplay really shines, as there is more emphasis on teamwork and using the cool espionage skills that are prevalent in the single player game. Sneaking involves one player taking the role of Snake as he tries to obtain a microfilm canister and reach an exit point, while the other players attempt to thwart him. Capture missions entail two teams attempting to retain possession of a small, frog doll (known as the GA-KO), with the team managing to keep the GA-KO for the longest amount of time winning the round. Lastly, the Rescue missions feature the GA-KO yet again as it is held by one team and must be rescued and taken to the exit point by the other. This last mode tends to offer a most strategic style of play, since when one dies, they are out of the game until the next match, thus providing a real incentive to survive and play intelligently.

As if the inclusion of improved camera control and several multiplayer modes weren’t enough, MSG: Subsistence also includes a number of other game modes and cool extras to add further value to this title. Metal Gear and Metal Gear: Solid were originally released for the MSX game system in Japan over a decade ago (these are different from the similarly named NES titles we are familiar with in North America), but have now been translated and added in their entirety to the re-release. While these games are obviously not in the same league as their much newer, several-generations-ahead counterparts, they still prove to be enjoyable and are a real blast for the Metal Gear fanatic. But that’s not all. There is also the inclusion of a duel mode, where one can replay the various and thoroughly entertaining boss battles from the single player game, and with a points system set up to gauge how well you did. Also included is the silly, yet surprisingly fun Snake vs. Monkey mini game which although featured in the original version of MGS: Snake Eater, now has added levels (more monkeys!). This game mode is fairly straight forward, with the player trying to stun and then capture a set number of monkeys per level, but is a refreshing change of pace from the somewhat serious matters of international espionage. Yet another extra that has been added to the package is a theatre mode where one can view any of the numerous and lengthy cut scenes from the game, plus a number of additional “secret” videos that parody and make fun of the Metal Gear world.

All in all, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is a great package that is sure to please fans of the series as well as newcomers alike. With some of the highest production values seen in any game and more extras than you can shake a silenced tranquilizer gun at (all of which are on top of an amazing and improved single player game) result in a title that is easy to recommend and enjoy.