Metal Gear Solid: SNAAAAAAAAAAKE!?!?
[ Company: Konami | Year: 1998 | Grade: B+ ]
Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation)
It's the fifteenth day in our month-long trek through the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! Are you one of those people who have been emailing me demanding longer end cinemas? If so, then I have a doozy of a cut scene for you. Overly dramatic, long winded and full of anti-war messaging; it can only be one thing: Metal Gear Solid for the PlayStation. Find out why this game deserves to be on our list of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!
Previously On Metal Gear Solid:
Welcome to Shadow Moses, a super-secret nuclear weapon disposal site in Alaska. You play Solid Snake, the famed soldier who comes out of retirement to battle a group of next-generation soldiers that just took over the facility and are threatening to destroy the world. All they're looking for are the ashes of Big Boss, the antagonist of the first two Metal Gear games on the MSX (and NES). We have to do something or else FOXHOUND will unleash the terrifying Metal Gear REX, a giant mech that will toss nuclear missiles at the United States. Needless to say, things just got serious.
From there things get weird. Snake is able to find the hostages he's tasked with rescuing, but terrible things keep happening to them. First we meet up with the DARPA chief, only to have him die of a sudden heart attack. Then we discover Meryl, who later gets shot. And finally we find the ArmsTech President, but not before running to a gun-wielding psychopath. But wait, that is suddenly interrupted by a mysterious cyborg ninja. Then we learn about Vulcan Raven, Liquid Snake, the "Les Enfants Terribles" project and ... well, it's probably better you go and play the story for yourself. I'll be here all day trying to explain how everything fits together.
How It Ended:
After dealing with the Metal Gear REX, the tank-happy Vulcan Raven and Revolver Ocelot, Snake goes toe-to-toe with his toughest foe yet:
It may not come with the original Metal Gear Solid, but that shouldn't keep you from buying this HD collection!
Liquid Snake. After defeating Snake's twin brother (don't ask), he and Meryl make a heroic escape with the help of a jeep. Unfortunately getting out isn't as easy as getting in. Out of nowhere comes Liquid Snake, dead set on crashing your jeep and killing the only two survivors. He almost gets away with it, but at the last second Snake's bro (seriously, don't ask) dies of the FoxDie virus. The two are saved ... but for how long?
From there we get an extended conversation with Colonel Roy Campbell, who explains that the nuclear strike has been called off and officially declares Snake killed in action (to keep
Raiden will return next year in Metal Gear Rising ... maybe!
the U.S. government off his back). After that we are treated to a lengthy discussion about finding one's self through science and how you can't take the human element out of scientific advances. Meryl and Snake are able to escape, vowing to turn over a new leaf and live a truly productive life. If only it was that simple.
How It Should Have Ended:
I say keep all of the footage found here in the ending, there's some quality content there. But this time around Hideo Kojima should edit in all of the content left on the cutting room floor. Use the clips that tie all of the story elements together, thus leaving the player with a satisfying finale. Don't leave all of the most important information out of the final product; let us in on what the hell is going on. Oh, and just as Meryl and Snake leave on their snowmobile, our hero takes off his mask and reveals that he's been Raiden this whole itme. Suck it, fanboys!
