(This review is completely spoilers-free)
The XXI century has been a period of profound changes. A new world has been shaped to the new technologies. In 100 years, millenary traditions, ethical and human values, our whole conception of existence has changed. This unrestrainable process continues in the new century. As a result, our way to think of the future has changed. Someone is excited, many are lost, others don’t care. The speed and the power of the new technologies can transform our life in a second. But is there a way to find a true meaning that lies behind the chaos? And what will we pass on to future generations? What will we hand on to them of our thoughts and emotions, of our soul?

The story of Metal Gear Solid 2 is more complex than the one in the preceding episode. Better, the story of the new game follows the events of the preceding episode and unveils new details on the characters, transforming the whole series into a labyrinthine tale. The same characters are now seen from a different angle – once again the story is narrated, but from a different point of view, under a different light. And here comes the incredible talent of Kojima. Then, while in the preceding episodes there were basically two groups – Snake and the terrorists – this time there are more groups and they each have their own reasons and desires. Evil and good are each other confused and sometimes they become the same thing.

After all, the story of the first episode followed the structure of every epic tale. An hero, the mission he has to accomplish, an evil rival (Liquid Snake). But Kojima changed the rules from the inside. Solid and Liquid both were pawns in the hands of someone other - someone whose presence was revealed only at the very end of the game. With Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty, Kojima’s project comes (nearly) full circle. In Metal Gear Solid, Grey Fox said to Snake these words:

“We’re not tools in the hands of the government or anyone else. Fighting was the only thing I was good at, but at least I always fought for what I believed in…”
But in what does Snake believe? For what does it make a sense to fight? Throughout the game new questions arise, new heroes, new shadows, in a continuous series of surprises for the player. Destiny and free will, responsibility towards next generations and the need to exist. Also thanks to its story, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty is a masterpiece.

Gameplay : 10.0

What makes this series unique is also the innovative gameplay structure. From the 8-bits episodes to Sons Of Liberty, the principle has always been the same. Instead of the classic adventure game based on direct battles, Kojima and the developers wanted a more realistic experience. Metal Gear is first of all “Tactical Espionage Action”. The hero is just a man, and he must avoid direct battles when possible. Most of the time the player has to use intelligence and sniping techniques to success in not being spotted. The main character is much more vulnerable to the enemies’ hits than in any other adventure game.

The same principle is behind Sons Of Liberty, but the gameplay of this new episode is much deeper than the one of its predecessor. While Metal Gear Solid for Psx was the first episode of the series to feature 3D environments completely rendered in real time, the Artificial Intelligence of the enemies worked partially on 2 dimensions. To make an example, enemies on a higher place were not able to spot Solid Snake walking underneath. In this episode, not only they can spot you, but they can also open fire on you and call their comrades revealing your exact position. In a few seconds, you’ll be surrounded by skilled soldiers and it will be difficult to survive. In fact, while in the preceding episode was rather simple to escape your pursuers, this time you’ll need to find as fast as possible a place to hide – and it must be a really good place, or they’ll find you. The soldiers will hunt you in small groups of three-four men, with complex and ever changing strategies. Usually a soldier guides the others and communicate with them through voice orders or gestures. Then, soldiers are equipped with different weapons and armours and their role changes accordingly. Anyhow, if a guard spot you, you still have more than a possibility to prevent him from calling for support: you can shoot at his radio, you can kill him, you can send him to sleep with a shoot of your modified M9 at his head. An incredible freedom is given to the player in Metal Gear Solid 2. There are nearly unlimited possibilities to escape certain situations – if it’s likely then probably you can do it.

This is made possible in different ways. First of all, the graphic engine renders in real time 3d environments in which you can interact with nearly every object you could need to use. Then, Metal Gear Solid 2 has simply the best control system to ever grace a gaming console. There is a series of basic, intermediate and advanced actions. In the manual or in the in-game tutorials you’ll find a detailed list of all of these moves. Overall there are more than 30 different actions and many of them are new to the series. For example you can now jump over a handrail and hang to avoid an enemy (press the triangle button), you can take hostages, hold up an enemy, hide yourself or a soldier’s body into a locker and much more. In Metal Gear Solid 2 you can shot in first person view, while in the preceding episode this mode was used just to take a look at the surroundings. The first person view is fundamental when you need to aim with care at an object or at a part of the enemy’s body. In fact, sometimes enemies will use special protections and you’ll need to shoot at their head or at their knees to get rid of them. You can also shoot at steam pipes or fire extinguishers to distract them.

Just like in the previous episodes, you’ll find loads of weapons and special objects during the game. You’ll have the possibility to use a USP handgun, Socom, Fa-Mas rifle, Hand grenades, Chaff and Stun grenades, a Russian assault rifle, a Sniper Rifle, C4, Claymore mines and a few more that if revealed would spoil the game. The other objects are just as exciting as in the preceding episode. Zoom and Thermal Googles (I love these ones!!!), digital camera, heartbeat sensor, cigarettes are just a few of them. Also, many of these objects can be used in more than a way. I’ll make an example. You’ll find a coolant to make good use of C4. Anyhow, this coolant can be also used to wake up a sleeping soldier.

But why would you need to wake up a soldier? To get his dog tag, for example! In fact if you hold up a soldier and point your gun at his head or at his crotch he will tremble as a leaf and give it up to you. Most of the soldiers have a dog tag that contains the name of those that won Konami’s contest “Your name in MGS 2”.

This game is so complex and refined that I could keep on writing of its gameplay for pages. But you’ll find out the rest by yourself. In order to not spoil the game then, I didn’t reveal a few important details. For the same reason, I suggest not to read the manual: there are many spoilers that you shouldn’t know before playing the game. After all, there are many useful tutorial lesson that will help you mastering the controls and the Codec is another way to ask help when you need it. Just like in the preceding episode, pressing the select button you’ll open your codec. You can choose a frequency and speak with the person you need in that moment.

Well, there is a last thing I can say. At present, there is no game on any platform that plays like Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty. Perfect.

Graphics : 10.0

The development of the graphic engine of Metal Gear Solid 2 was completed months and months ago but this game is definitely the best looking title of all times. I don’t know exactly how many months the developers worked together to create all the incredibly detailed environments in the two major areas where Sons Of Liberty takes place. From the very beginning, this game is amazing. The ship deck, the rain falling in heavy sheets, the light effects – all is so life-real and flawless that you just can’t believe you are looking at a scene rendered in real time. You can keep on visiting the same room and you’ll always notice new details, and this adds a lot of replay value to the game. You can shoot at most of the things you see in the environments, and sometimes this will also help you to escape dangerous situations.

The terrific special effects give life to the environments. Light sources cast shadows in real time (and this affect the gameplay, since a guard can spot you looking at your shadow and vice versa ), liquid squirts out of broken bottles just like it would happen in real life, steam and smoke are just amazing and the massively used water effects are the most incredible ever seen in a videogame.

The characters look marvellous. They are built with an elevated number of polygons and highly detailed textures. Not only Snake but also all the other characters look like prerendered models. Hair, eyes, skin, muscles, weapons – all is so real, sharp, refined. But the animations are what gives life to these models. Just to make an example, all the characters breathe. When you put a soldier to sleep with your tranquilizer gun, you can look at him sleeping. His chest slowly moves and his eyes are peacefully closed. If you shoot at him while he is sleeping, he will stop to breathe, his eyes will open, deprived of any sign of life, and you’ll feel guilty for what you have done. Really, I killed a sleeping guard only once.

Like in the previous episode, the cutscenes featured in this game are rendered in real time. For this reason, the transition between in-game moments and these scenes is unnoticeable. Every cutscene will surprise you, first for the wide range of expressions of each character, then for the perfect direction. Together with the dialogues via Codec, the cutscenes carry on magnificently the story of Sons Of Liberty.

Yoji Shinkawa has designed all the characters and all the mechanical models present in the game, and the result is gorgeous. There is no need to say that Solid Snake, with his “mature” look, is an unusual hero in the world of videogames. The image of this lone man standing under the rain, his sad and thoughtful eyes looking at the dark sky, is symbol of a new era, and not only in the world of videogames.

Sound : 10.0

Harry Gregson-Williams, the Hollywood composer, is the artist behind the soundtrack of the game. The result of his work is, first of all, a wonderful rearranged version of the main theme of Metal Gear Solid, the song that you could hear in the final part of all the trailers of this new episode. The work done by Gregson-Williams is really fundamental to give this game its extraordinary epic strength and to accompany the most important moments in the story. The in-game music varies from calm sounds to exciting fast-paced rhythms accordingly to the situation you are facing.

Sound effects are perfect, and they can surprise even if you are playing on a small Tv without a groundbreaking sound system. The voice acting of the American version is once again flawless. The actors from the preceding episode are back, and David Hayter gives his profound voice to Solid Snake. Dialogues are believable and realistic, written with skill, and you’ll not easily forget the lines of the most tense moments.

Once again, Kojima has chosen the talented Rika Muranaka for the ending theme of Sons Of Liberty. The song, called “Tomorrow is yet to come”, is a wonderful melodic piece that speaks of love, loneliness and future.

Overall, these sounds are mixed together with art. In any moment, visuals and sounds work together to create an experience you’ll never forget.

Replay Value : 10.0

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty is longer than the preceding episode. You’ll need at least 15 hours to beat it the first time, and this is good for an adventure game. Then, you’ll play this game again and again, trying to find out all the hidden secrets that the development team scattered everywhere. This game is so rich in every aspect – the story, the gameplay, the graphics, the sounds - that you’ll simply need to play it again.

Overall Score ( not an average ) : 10.0

This game was completely worth the long gruelling wait. There is a soul that moves behind all the events of Sons Of Liberty, there is the dream of a whole development team that worked hard for years to create this masterpiece. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty is a fantasy come true.

Hideo Kojima, Yoji Shinkawa and all the extraordinary artists at KCEJ have realized something that goes beyond the realm of videogames. The epic journey of Solid Snake and of the heroes of this series assumes a universal value with Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty. Universality – only Art has the means to deal with it.

This game is a good reason to get a Playstation 2 instead of an X-Box or a Gamecube. Don’t miss it.

- Harry (18 Nov, 2001)