The Twin Snakes ['Cube] - no love!?

[TheMissingLink]

As I trek though the entire Metal Gear catalog, I had a decision to make.  Either play the original PSX version of MGS or play the updated MGS2-esque remake for the Gamecube, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes.  I ultimately chose the Twin Snakes and I'm currently floored by the game.

Where's the love?  What a great, great, great game!  

Silicon Knights did a flawless job taking the original and putting it in the MGS2-gameplay-world.  I even prefer the GameCube controller over the PS2 one!  And I seem to be enjoying this one more so than Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.  The story is (somewhat) easier to follow and the boss battles have been insane.  I had read about the Psycho Mantis battle, but it was pretty intense being involved in it (and totally forgetting what to do!).  Sniper Wolf is a pretty awesome character and Snake's relationship with Meryl is really interesting.

As to how far I am...

Spoiler for Hiden:

I just took down Sniper Wolf in the snowy field - which was actually quite an emotional death scene.

I, unfortunately, have to go out of town for the next week, and it's killing me, because I want to finish this one!

So, what do the MGS (PSX) purists think of the transition?  Anyone else here dig The Twin Snakes?  I'm about 99.9% sure if you hated MGS2 (and how it played) you'd hate this one, but I could be wrong...

[semiconscious]

i played it last year (right after snake eater) & really enjoyed it...

obviously, it didn't have the 'holy crap!' impact of playing the original mgs for the first time (how could it?), it was easier, &, tho i was okay with them, some people were put off by a few of the over-the-top cutscenes...

[Destructor]

I loved it. Easily one of the best games on the Gamecube overall as well. Fantastic upgraded soundtrack, some great voice acting, and lots of fun gameplay.

Best of all, I loved the cinema scenes. I still have somewhere on my HD a 10 to 15 minute movie containing nothing but the cinema scenes scripted very well together. Great way to show off the game to others, and listen to the orchastrated main theme.

[Dafones]

Reaaaaaally? I've always wanted to get into the MGS series, but found MGS2 on the PS2 terribly boring. Maybe I'll give this one a rent.

I always love these random game threads (though my wallet doesn't). Thanks for the heads up!

[ChaoZ]

Reaaaaaally? I've always wanted to get into the MGS series, but found MGS2 on the PS2 terribly boring. Maybe I'll give this one a rent.

I always love these random game threads (though my wallet doesn't). Thanks for the heads up!

Toys R Us had Twin Snakes for $10. Buy, don't rent.

[Dafones]

Oooo, good to know. Future Shop didn't have it listed on its website, neither did EB. Now I've just gotta find the nearest Toys R Us.

Uh, I think it can wait for January.

[Kevin Grey]

I love TTS since I love all things Metal Gear but it was a bit of a disappointment to me- primarily in visuals.  Its a very nice looking game but really suffers in comparison to MGS2, with notably worse looking character models (Meryl's hair, ugh) and envirnonmental effects.  I also think the action scenes are a bit too over the top, though they are fun.

[Farscry]

I liked most of the upgrades from MGS to MGS:Twin Snakes, but I felt that the senseless anime-izing of the cutscenes really detracted from the story and presentation.

Spoiler for Hiden:

I mean, come on, LEAPING off of incoming missiles to jump up and attack a helicopter?  MGS took enough of a leap of imagination at times, but Twin Snakes just turns the whole thing into a nightmare of ludicrosity with moments like that!  I loved MGS to death, played it multiple times.  I think that the gameplay improvements, graphical overhaul, and some of the changes in Twin Snakes are an improvement, but the cheesy anime moments just really made me groan badly.

[lex]

I played the game through once and thought it was pretty good...but I wasn't much of a sneaker.....I wish they did more than just a superficial upgrade though....and update the codec conversations, man that was long...

I agree with farscry though, some of the cutscences were just way too over the top, but they were fun to watch.  Espeically the ones with the cyborg ninja, those were awesome.

I haven't really had the desire to play through it again though.  I think on gametrailers.com theres a 50 meg video of most of the cutscenes in case you don't have the game or don't care to play through it.

[Farscry]

Oh yes, the ninja scenes were definitely awesome, and the infamous hallway scene was worth the upgrade.  

[TheMissingLink]

I used to think the whole MGS series was over the top and a little, "yeaaaah..."  But I've really gotten into it.  That missle part was really cool, imo.

The character models do seem a little worse.  But the control-scheme!!  I really enjoy using that GameCube controller.  I can't wait to get home, finish that one, and move onto Snake Eater.

[Andrew Mallon]

Wha? I really enjoyed the Twin Snakes, but the control scheme was hands-down the worst aspect of the game. I mean it's OK, given the limitations of the GC controller, but I was constantly wishing that I was playing it on the Xbox or PS2.

[Kevin Grey]

The worst was having to press Start+B to access the codec (which really should only be a single button press).

[TheMissingLink]

Z button = First-person view

Love the analog stick on the 'Cube controller.

Only one "trigger" on each side...I could deal with Start+A for codec.  I actually enjoyed it.

Which MGS has the best boss fights?  I'm pretty sure Snake Eater is king, but this one has a few really good ones.  I want to play through the original on PSX to experience that as well, eventually.  

[Kevin Grey]

Snake Eater has the best boss fights with TTS/MGS1 after it.  The initial boss fights in Snake Eater are merely "good" but from The End on its pretty much a string of absolute classic boss fights.

And Snake Eater has, bar none, the most spectacular finale I've ever experienced in a game.

[Harpua3]

Bastards!!! Now I look at my cube and think I could come up with 10 buck... Heh. I LOVED MGS on the Playstation, but I disliked and never finished MGS2 on the Xbox...No fun. So, maybe I should grab this. Anyone care to comment? If I don`t already ahve it by the time I post back...

[TheMissingLink]

I don't think you'd like The Twin Snakes if you didn't enjoy MGS2.  It's essentially the very same system that's used in both games.  Then again, it's only 10 bucks, and something just CLICKED with me with MGS2, so it may click with you!

[Kevin Grey]

I don't think you'd like The Twin Snakes if you didn't enjoy MGS2.  It's essentially the very same system that's used in both games.  Then again, it's only 10 bucks, and something just CLICKED with me with MGS2, so it may click with you!

I'd disagree.  Most people who disliked MGS2 (but liked MGS1) disliked the story, characters, and cutscenes.  TTS is a good bet for someone who wants to enjoy the improved gameplay of MGS2 while playing in the MGS1 environment.  If that sounds like what you want, Harpua3, then go for it.

[Harpua3]

I picked it up and wow. I`m loving it. I`m great (well good) at stealth games but not at this :o , at least at first. So far it`s really fun, and it`s a great trip down memory lane.  At my toy r us it was $20.00  :x , but still it was worth it. Especially since my cube hasn`t been really busy. I`m going to go play right now. Good recommendation so far as I`m assumimg it`s only going to get better.

[Turtle]

I'm someone who didn't like MGS2's story, but liked most of the new gameplay elements.

I liked quite a few of the MGS2 characters too, but I felt that many were underutilized (which is odd for an MG game) and some characters that should have returned from MGS1 weren't present for some odd reason.

[Canuck]

The problem that I have with MG twin snakes is that for some reason it doesnt have Mei Ling in that version!  She was such a cutie! (I have a girlfriend, honest.)

[Kevin Grey]

The problem that I have with MG twin snakes is that for some reason it doesnt have Mei Ling in that version!  She was such a cutie! (I have a girlfriend, honest.)

Huh?  Mei Ling is in TTS (with a new voice actress however).

[TheMissingLink]

Mei Ling is indeed in TTS.

Completed it tonight!!  Man, that ending sequence took a little longer than I had expected (sitting here at 3am), but it was great.  I didn't like it as much as I liked the ending of MGS2, but it was quite a story throughout.

I liked the story a bit better than MGS2, the cutscenes were more memorable; and it really just seemed to play better than MGS2, imo.  I don't know what it is, but it just felt more natural playing this one.  Maybe it's just all this MGS that I've been playing, but this one was more fun to play and experience.

I am loving these Metal Gear Solid games!

[Kevin Grey]

Congratulations!  Your threads on TTS and MGS2 have inspired me to replay MGS3 (best in the series) and I'm currently about 40% of the way through it.

Can't remember if you've played any of MGS3 before but a couple of important tips:

1) Unlike MGS1&2, you can't sneak up on someone using analog control.  MGS3 uses a new technique, called stalking, using the D-Pad to sneak up on someone.  Snake is completely silent when he does this but it does drain his stamina.

2) Read through all of the tips and hints in the Special menu screen.  Success (and fun) in MGS3 hinges on complete understanding of all of the moves available, particularly the CQC techniques.  

3) If you screw up and want to restart an area you don't have to wait for the enemy to kill you like the previous games.  Just take your fake death pill to get to the Continue Screen immediately.  

MGS3 can be quite jarring coming if you play it immediately after the other games since the removal of the radar and much larger areas really forces you to use a different playstyle.  

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on MGS3!

[Kevin Grey]

Oh yeah, did you save Meryl?

[TheMissingLink]

ENDING SPOILER!

Spoiler for Hiden:

I did end up saving Meryl, which I found to be a little sappy.  I went and read on GameFaqs that if I were to submit during torture, I'd end up saving Octacon and Meryl would end up dying.  Wish I got that ending, to tell you the truth.

I enjoyed playing the game more than MGS2 - so I want to go through the original sometime.  That's after MGS3, of course

And BTW, I have an 8-hour savegame in MGS3 dating back over half a year, but I'm going to start completely over and bump up the difficulty level.

[Kevin Grey]

Spoiler for Hiden:

Hm, everytime I've played the game I've always saved her.  Never could bring myself not to.  I did find the "saving" much easier on the Cube than on the PS1 original where I had to use a spoon to make it happen.  

FWIW, I'm pretty sure Meryl's back in MGS4 so I think you did the "correct" ending.

And definitely a good idea on restarting MGS3.  *So many* fantastic things to discover from a gameplay perspective in that game that I won't spoil.  The array of options at your disposal in each area is almost humbling.  Really makes it the most rewarding of all of the games to replay.