There are very few franchises that are as well known and respectable, while being completely unique, asMetal Gear Solid. From the looks of it, things like hiding in cardboard boxes and using seemingly nonsensical ways to defeat the toughest bosses is something that should greatly hinder the mass appeal of such games. However, Kojima’s masterful execution has guaranteed otherwise time and time again.
In addition to being a massive commercial success, it’s hard not to acknowledge the influence that the series has had on stealth games. While the Konami-Kojima split may have dampened the possibility of future games, parts ofMetal Gear Solid’s exceptional design lives on.
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Creating the Tactical Espionage Action
Stealth games were nothing new in 1998, prior to Konami’sMetal Gear Solid. However, most of such titles were obscure in nature, complex, and didn’t give out the fantasy of being a sneaking spy in the most dangerous settings around the world.Metal Gear Solidlaid the foundationsof what would become the pillars for future stealth game design.
One of the biggest innovations ofMetal Gear Solidlies in its radar. The radar was a handy tool that showed the position of all the enemies within the area, opening up a bunch of tactical options. The enemies, on the other hand, were as predictable as they were smart. This allowed players to come up with strategies that definitively worked which alleviated most of the issues that plagued earlier stealth games. On messing up, players always have the chance of hiding somewhere and waiting out on the alarm timer to get things to normal. This added tothe dynamic nature ofMetal Gear Solid, something that was almost alien within games prior to its release.
Influence on Series And Reiterating Innovation
While 1998 became a monumental year for stealth games, with titles likeThief: The Dark ProjectandTenchu: Stealth Assassinshitting store shelves, many developers were fixated on combating the then-seemingly unparalleled success ofMetal Gear Solid. Ubisoft’sSplinter Cellseries and many others were all inspired by Kojima’s work.
However,Metal Gear Solidwouldn’t cease to inspire and innovate. Each entry in the critically acclaimed franchise added something to the experience, with the biggest leap undoubtedly being the latest entry in the franchise,Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Despiteconcerning development history and cut content,Metal Gear Solid 5managed to garner near-perfect reviews and great sales.
Metal Gear Solid 5’s biggest merit lies in successfully transitioning its stealth design principles into an open-world sandbox. There’s a plethora of strategies and tools that players can employ, and the reactive world always encouraged players to mix things up. Many open-world games still look toMetal Gear Solid 5for inspiration, particularly to the player agency that the game offered. Whilethe Konami-Kojima divorce has ultimately damaged theMetal Gear Solidfranchise, its legacy lives on in unexpected ways. Here’s hoping that an exponentially betterMetal Gear Solid 6graces fans someday.
Metal Gear Solid Remake Collectionis rumored to be in development.
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