Metal Gear Solid 2 - The Hideo Kojima Experience

My GOG Affiliate Link: af.gog.com/partner/Gmanlives?...
Get 12% off your next SteelSeries order with promo code "GMAN"
Support me on Patreon: tinyurl.com/zd48qvf
Follow me on Twitter: / gmanlives
Outro animation by SGURK: www.artstation.com/sgurk
Outro music by Good Malware: / user-426440426
#hideokojima #metalgearsolid #konami
0:00 Intro & Opening Remarks
02:39 Visuals & Presentation
06:05 Technology
07:42 The Cinematics
11:15 Raiden
14:25 The Story
16:35 First Person Mode
19:18 The Hold Up
22:05 Stealth & Combat Mechanics
26:45 Boss Fights
31:40 The Campaign
37:03 Closing Remarks
38:57 Amazingly Awesome Patrons

[@hyamcacerez2538]

I remember playing this game at 3AM when the Colonel told me to turn off my Playstation and felt a chill go down my spine. Absolute classic.

[@bahamutbbob]

Yeah when you're like 6 hours into your current session and you start wondering if the game is telling you to take a break.

[@Biouke]

@@bahamutbbob Mei Ling or the Colonel did that in the first game iirc, telling you should take a pause when you've played more than 2h straight.

[@solidsnake8008]

"You'll hurt your eyes playing so close to the TV"

[@zacharymoran7596]

As a kid I was only allowed to play for 2 hours a day, and only on weekends. I snuck in an 8 hour session and seriously freaked out when he told me to turn it off….

[@jamesmacdonald3426]

I almost turned my console off 😆 the trippiest part was when it goes into the game over screen but the gameplay continues in the corner, took me a few seconds to realise and be like oh s**t I'm still playing! lol

[@invocalyptic8796]

First time I finished MGS2 as a kid, I went into the ending cutscenes not long before my bed time. I remember begging my parents to let me just finish it, and them both absolutely refusing to believe that a game could possibly have a 40 minute cutscene

[@solidsnake8008]

I guess your parents never played a Kojima game lol

[@TheOneToKeepYouWaiting]

At least it wasn’t MGS4

[@shortyg1018]

@@TheOneToKeepYouWaiting I don't know, the scene where fortune dies and before the final boss fight were LONG AS FUCK lol.

[@Rhapbus1]

@@shortyg1018 mgs4 has a 71 minute cutscene bro

[@zak1872]

@Anthony R frrrrrrr everyone crying about movie games never played MGS4 that shit was insane, but the game was just a masterpiece of its time, sucks that there isn't a remaster out for newer consoles for new fans to witness lol

[@PsyckoDelta]

I remember grinding out the grip level as Raiden so I could just slip past guards by shimmying along rails and ledges.

[@Reoko77]

I award you the title of... *Big Shimmy.*

[@DesertDuc]

I remember grinding out the grip level as Snake so I could just play as Raiden the entirety of the game...

[@jeltoninc.8542]

I’ve really maxed out my own personal grip level, *know what I mean?*

[@sladelius6174]

​@@jeltoninc.8542 😏🤣

[@Dearfox4578]

My man went back to 2002 just to record this gameplay, this man is dedicated to his craft

[@lopiklop]

This ain't an FPS, this is like Fortnite.

[@solidsnake8008]

respect where respect's due.

[@XxgoodbudsxX]

Lol I caught that to

[@Alistair_7609]

@@lopiklop um what?

[@GodOfWarConnoisseur]

Yeah he played it way back in 2001 and after all this time he's playing it again in 2002 🤣

[@MonoSopranos]

This game brings me back. I remember having a second hand copy of MGS2 and it would constantly freeze every hour or so due to disk scratches. Remember the wisdom passed down by gamer gods telling me to rub a banana peal over the scratches, or use toothpaste, or even submit to the disk repair racket run by game retailers and buy a DVD cleaner. It adds to the nostalgia, physically owning a copy of the game and the manual. Good times.

[@ThomasE219]

Nah cars 3 ain’t even that good of a movie

[@flyingpeanut1031]

My dad bought the special edition second hand a few years ago, I remember my disc was so scratched that I couldn't play the tanker section, the 4th wall breaks made my 9 year old ass shit myself

[@ThomasE219]

@@flyingpeanut1031 I am inside your house

[@flyingpeanut1031]

@@ThomasE219 I bet your dad ain't in yours

[@Egurius3]

@@ThomasE219 Who said anything about Cars 3?

[@ram_taka3436]

this game predicted everything, and we all took it for granted.

[@dirpyturtle69]

It didn’t predict anything. All of this was already happening just with less advanced technology. Metal gear solid is a political critique of the military industry complex and has been since the first 3d game. Not even the only one to do so at the time either, all the themes this game touches on were already being discussed at great length in just about every form of media

[@Opasidity]

I didn't. really thought metal gears exists(haven't played solid yet and played it on ps3)

[@RenegadePandaZ]

we didnt listen

[@Hunari]

Nah, Kojima read books and took inspiration from them

[@skylergreenawalt2936]

last codec call with AI Colonel and Rose?

[@Jnensrevenge]

A true masterpiece. My heart beats to Peace Walker but Sons of Liberty is THE most MGS game.

[@Ner0mancer]

When heavens diviiiiiiide

[@godricktheminecrafted3113]

Well yeah, it introduces raiden, the best character in metal gear

[@eno8314]

Nah, mgs3 for me

[@moelester3141]

@@godricktheminecrafted3113 that would be solid snake kid

[@godricktheminecrafted3113]

@@moelester3141 how many metal gears has snake thrown?

[@HerZeL3iDza]

MGS1 was my favorite game ever then MGS2 came out. The seamless switch from third to first person shooting blew my mind back then. The tiny details throughout the game is just incredible. Also back then I couldn't figure out why the game FELT SO SMOOTH. I had no concept of framerate back then other than its either stuttering or smooth. Was only a few years later when I was deep into PC gaming it hit me that MGS2 runs at 60FPS. And it really is astonishing how great the graphics were despite this.

[@swordsman1137]

Yeah MGS2 run full flat 60FPS in full resolution that PS2 can deliver, even in the stormy tanker chapter. That smoothness is the only thing i missed from PS2 version of MGS3.

[@Cr1msnF4dger]

Watching this before my driving lessons really peps up my spirit

[@tonyvaugn]

ay good luck mate

[@SmokePudding]

Good luck!

[@ajsauce2065]

Lol I got my test in an hour😬

[@ModernGamesSuck]

Good luck! My wife just failed hers, wasted 1400 bucks on those lessons.

[@sstoersk]

Remember - breaking is a lie

[@Kobayashi704]

Interesting thing about the ice cubes the time it takes for them to melt would differ depending on how close together they are. Absolutely ridiculous lol

[@ShadowHunter-jb3il]

5:00 sauce?

[@tracykore]

@@ShadowHunter-jb3il horny ahh mf😭😭

[@Rykiz_Vidz]

Only Hideo...

[@RisuTheMan]

**Hideo Kojima taking a massive bong hit** "Yo wouldn't it be fucking dope if we made the ice melt at different rates dependent on where they are?" "Mr. Kojima, this is a PS2-" "Did I fucking stutter?"

[@wertywerrtyson5529]

MGS2 was a masterpiece and in many ways even modern games aren’t up to the standard. The attention to detail is amazing.

[@diogo763]

I never played MGS2 but the from what I had seen the art style always looked “right”, knowing that this came out at the same time as GTA 3 is kinda of insane, the animation and graphic fidelity ,not to mention the attention to detail and all the cutscenes. You have me impressed. I gotta play the og MGS games

[@ajbrown218villa]

MGS2 is the greatest game of all time. You’ll love it

[@Alotofnades]

@@ajbrown218villa 1st ones better.

[@Skankhunt04]

@@Alotofnades how?

[@andrewc2802]

@@Alotofnades each game does its own thing well. I think it's slightly wrong to say one game beats the other because they're all so enjoyable and replayable in their own rights

[@thatitalianlameguy2235]

@@Alotofnades worse voice acting, plot, gameplay and graphics

[@apathtrampledbydeer8446]

The opening scene or the scene were the Russian soldiers infiltrate the ship, together with the coreography and the score, is just perfection. Solidus Akimbo'ing dual P90's long before it was a thing in COD:MW2. Great memories, I miss those times.

[@KingSolidTails]

I main'd akimboing P90s on MW2 with a knife secondary specifically because of this game

[@apathtrampledbydeer8446]

@@KingSolidTails A true person of culture!

[@KazernskyYT]

you could dual p90s in goldeneye 64 lmao

[@ImCaliFresh]

@@KazernskyYT i was just about to say goldeneye did it first. 😂

[@2yoyoyo1Unplugged]

P90 is still my favorite to use in MGS4

[@OsaculnenolajO]

MGS2 will always be one of my favorite games ever released. It came out at a very specific time. The PS2 had just launched. 9/11 had literally just happened. And here was a game partially set in New York, deconstructing the American way of life. Questioning our views of society and our reliance on technology. It was a perfect mix of intention, timing, and secrecy. Kojima and his team truly struck gold with this one.

[@quiggs8361]

No one ever mentions, while reviewing this game, the other slight mechanic in Vamp’s boss fight…. If you use the auto lock-on to aim at him, he will dodge your bullets, because he can like, sense your muscles and where they’re aiming, but if you just free aim and shoot him, you’re muscles (apparently) are less tense, and he can’t sense you, so you can actually shoot him. Out of all my favorite MGS2 review videos, everyone always fails to mention that. Still, awesome video Gman!

[@Jack-ni4ft]

The absolute nostalgia of the alarm being raised and the game over screen with the gun shot continue. Yes snake eater is better but this game showed us how realistic games could get. Special place in our hearts for those who are in our 30's for sure. What a era of gaming it really was!

[@lostandtravellingwhentimes9260]

This is one of the few video games that I'd say truly advanced the medium.

[@HoboKa_AlexShtokalko]

Konami was knocking it out of the friggin' ballpark on the PS2 honestly. From MSGs, Silent Hills, Contras and Castlevanias, the PS2 iterations are some of my favourites of any gen. Too bad the next generation saw them go full derp mode after MSG4.

[@carlosaugusto9821]

@@HoboKa_AlexShtokalko That, the late 90s to early 00s, was a time when most if not all the big companies had a kind of massive influential hit. The amount of talent and mainly artistic inspiration makes it an almost magical period.

[@yaboiflats6986]

This game has better writing, cinematics, and gameplay than games these days

[@ptrcrispy]

The deceptive tactics and eeire fore-shadowing of our future makes MGS2 easily one of the most important, and best games ever released. Also the fact how you question even what is reality and what is not by the time the colonel twist happens near the end is truly genius. The ending & credits scene almost brought me to tears. The game has a TON of details. There's an over an hour video showcasing everything you might have missed in your playthorugh, its a level of detail almost unparalleled especially compared to games released today.

[@MopSpadowski]

Document of MGS2 was such a great source of info back in the day.

[@snailthelostcow63]

The whole "Snake is dead" and Pliskin "looked like" Snake enhance that twist even further

[@solidsnake8008]

@@snailthelostcow63 Snake died 2 years ago.

[@nignamedmutt7270]

I've been playing the game(whole series) at least once a year since 2009(on multiple consoles, various re-releases as well as the original I've probably played each game at least 40 times from start to finish, and I still find new details. Last fall I learned that you can screw with the projectors that the marines look at in the tanker holds at the end of the opening section. You can actually get a joke "game over" if you press it too many times. EVERY PLAYTHROUGH HAS SOMETHING NEW(or that you haven't heard/seen before)

[@Indy_Bendy]

@@nignamedmutt7270 that's true for a buttload of games.

[@SLISKI_JOHNNY]

The alert system should've been kept for later games, it's just perfect. Way better than the "reflex mode" added in MGS5 which makes you feel like riding a bike with side wheels

[@LckD008]

I think Reflex Mode was a good addition because all you really get as an indication of being spotted was the directional lights, where every MGS game before it had radars. Though the MGS2 alert cycle is indeed the best.

[@baileymcmahon7509]

I agree with this. MGS3 would’ve actually made more sense to have that version of the alert system, they’re in the jungle, there’s no way one guard sees me and then suddenly the whole jungle knows.

[@swordsman1137]

@@baileymcmahon7509 well, its still need to radio a reinforcement to come to that sector. But i agree, that it need alert cycle when they try to find you in that sector.

[@mobiusraptor7]

​@@baileymcmahon7509To be fair, if I was the CP and I heard someone yell, "Contact!", followed by gunfire, I'd tell everyone and their granny we're under attack too.

[@jaykelley103]

​@@mobiusraptor7what an unfortunate acronym..

[@divindechild]

The game also had a fantastic re-release with MGS2 Substance. Featuring Snake Tales and actual skateboarding.

[@solidsnake8008]

It sucks the skate boarding mini game didn't make it to the HD collection.

[@swordsman1137]

@@solidsnake8008 iirc, its because Konami cancel the skateboarding game

[@sunsetman22]

Metal Gear Radio?

[@Leispada]

In order to intimidate guards during a hold up, you can actually just switch your gun for something heavier, like an rpg. Scares them into submission too :)

[@RKramer105]

How many games can you say you are STILL finding new stuff out about over 20 years later! :D

[@MexicanSlash9]

*Guard's thoughts- Ahhhh shit this guy is serious. He's got a fucken rpg. My guy please don't do thizzzz

[@foxdie895]

You can also aim at their groin

[@snailthelostcow63]

I mean, if I see someone pulling an rpg out of their asses I'll be scared stiff as well

[@solidsnake8008]

If you hold up a guard that doesn't have any dogtags and your try to make him drop his tags he'll do an eternal shimmy.

[@RagingDrew]

Still my favorite MGS. It was still grounded enough, and Kojima's massive ego didn't start getting in the way at this point. I was one of the 5 people that didn't mind Raiden back in 2001, as Snake was still dope from the outer perspective.

[@dungeonsanddobbers2683]

I remember getting this when it came out, it was my first time playing a MGS game so, naturally, I chose the "I have never played a MGS game" option when starting a new game, which skips the Tanker chapter completely and goes straight to the Big Shell. A friend asked me what the game was like, so I described how it starts off and ended up getting into an argument with him because he was adamant that I was playing the first game. The fact that it went so hard on the Solid Snake Simulation, even though that was a tip-of-the-iceberg theme of the game, just shows what kind of level Kojima and his team were on at that time.

[@abysswalker2115]

Honestly playing the game as a kid and going through arsenal gear was a weird ass experience for me. Most of the fourth wall breaks went over my head since this was my first mgs game. Then suddenly being told that I had to turn off the game and that I was sitting too close to the screen freaked me tf out

[@solidsnake8008]

I heard it's amazing when the stuffed purple worm in flap jaw space with the tuning fork does a raw-blink on hari kari rock, I NEED SCISSORS 61!

[@rocketpunchgo1]

Literally one of the best videogames ever made. And some of its gameplay mechanics and story beats are still years ahead of the medium.

[@lopiklop]

It ain't an FPS, this is like Fortnite.

[@solidsnake8008]

@@lopiklop It ain't an Fortnite, this is like FPS

[@MrSpartan993]

@@lopiklop it’s not like Fortnite

[@thatitalianlameguy2235]

@@lopiklop that shit looks like the battle pass

[@RyanCarbo96]

I remember playing this as a kid and not knowing wtf was going on and slipping on bird sh*t was a blast man good old days

[@lopiklop]

It's not an fps, it's like Fortnite.

[@lopiklop]

It's like final fantasy, anime characters

[@user-ct8dm7ez4r]

@@lopiklop it's like one of my japanese animes.

[@xypaola]

same lmao

[@Biouke]

I remember playing this as a young adult and not knowing wtf was going on and slipping on bird sh*t was a blast man good old days

[@liveac3694]

Not gonna lie I always kinda liked the escort mission with Emma. Untill that point (and to some extent beyond) Raiden had been very whiny and insecure. But when teamed up with Emma he has to step up and be the responsible adult. We get some great character growth in the dialogue between them when Raiden has to encourage Emma to overcome her fears.

[@deadjuice1880]

Agree 110%. I am playing the GoG version atm, and was thinking during the Emma segment, "Wow, Raiden is really likable right now, what an interesting side to his character."

[@jonahhex18]

Huh, that's a really good point. I'll need to play again with that in mind

[@merces47letifer4]

YES. Thank you. Someone who can see past the simplistic complaint of "DiS MisshUn SuX dOoD". It was an excellent bit of storytelling.

[@carlosaugusto9821]

The mechanics were bad imo, but it's probably because the staff weren't able to execute a calling system at that time like in MGS3's escorting part. They must have developed the tech after MGS2.

[@DominoDonaldson]

You can literally “make her” overcome the bug fear, by getting her in a choke and dragging her through the bugs. Lol

[@DTSsince2016]

My favorite in the series: the story, the characters, the weapons, the environment, and the military stuff is awesome!

[@solidsnake8008]

I'm a more recent mgs fan, I picked this game up around 2 years ago at a pawn shop for 7 bucks. The colonel twist, Olag's child and rose being tied to your nanomachines, the ending, the isolated feeling of the big shell, great stealth gameplay, and the fact that people are still finding new things about this game makes all of this an unforgettable experience and makes it one my favorite games ever made.

[@Vollification]

MGS 2 (and PS2 in general) was such a massive leap in technology it was insane.

[@Ostnizdasht206]

The Metal Gear Solid franchise is my favorite videogame franchise of all time. I still remember playing the Pizza Hut demo disc with MGS1 on it like 30 times in a row at my friends house back in 1998. I feel bad for the younger generation, because even if they go back now and play these games, there's no way to replicate how monumental they each were at release.

[@mysteryman703]

i was born in 1998 but i remember when twin snakes came out and i started playing it and i could never get very far cus of how young i was and it was really cool to grow up and start putting the pieces together on how to play the game i ended up beating it for the first time when i was 8 and then i caught up on 2 and 3 and was so hyped for 4 lmao what a disappointment

[@mysteryman703]

i actually vividly remember being like 8 or 9 stuck on mgs 2 and going to daycare to ask my friend who was like 12 what to do and he had a strategy guide so he had all the info and i would take his book and right down the tips in a journal to beat the game lmao

[@robinujames92]

This comment took me back. Just had a trace of the feeling of experiencing mgs1 back then 🔥

[@damon7845]

Had that disc as a kid as well favorite game on there. I believe it had tony Hawk pro skater as well and couldn't figure out the controls at the time.😂

[@jaykelley103]

​@@mysteryman7034 is fire. 5 is even hotter fire.

[@BlackVulcan22]

Your Tenchu clip made me smile. Im pretty sure we had the same gaming trajectory growing up. I still remember the Christmas I got Tenchu, Parasite Eve, and RE: Directors Cut.

[@codymiskelley3533]

Same ^_^

[@PonzooonTheGreat]

The ice cubes you mentioned also had some code attached to them to would change the rate at which they melted depending on how close the cubes were to each other.

[@RedhoodJT]

This was not only the first game I ever played all the way through but the first one I would play repeatedly. MGS 2 was the game that actually got me into playing video games.

[@mysteryman703]

damn same i remember going to school and asking my friends how to get the ak 47 to sneak into the room with the president good times good times

[@solidsnake8008]

@@mysteryman703 I hope you mentioned you were playing Metal Gear Solid lol.

[@solidsnake8008]

This was the first game to make me actually want to replay it and I did... many many times.

[@chibifirestorm]

@@solidsnake8008 this was my first platinum trophy on PS3, took me 85 hours 8 playthroughs, love this game

[@pillowman3740]

For a game from the early 2000s, it’s surprisingly ahead of its time with its themes of censorship

[@insensitive919]

Rare for a console game, maybe. Among PC games, it was a pretty common theme.

[@theblobconsumes4859]

@@insensitive919 Not really, no. Aside from the original Deus Ex. The way MGS2 dealt with its themes and what it explored was unique and in many ways still is.

[@bebopcola4643]

@@insensitive919 name one other besides Deus Ex, which also wasn't that heavy on digital censorship via the internet and was mostly about government conspiracies using false flag events to manipulate populaces and policies.

[@boarpsimson8675]

These things have been understood for a long, long time. Mgs2 was the first time they went mainstream.

[@omensoffate]

@@insensitive919 lol

[@kahvikone]

Sons of Liberty was the game I've ever been extremely hyped for and the game somehow delivered on all of my expectations.

[@TheInfamousIceman]

I love these videos so much. I find your best work are the ones you’re passionate about. Not to mention the long 30 min plus games I’m passionate about as well.. time for a Gman marathon!

[@aFLYER1980]

Remember when this released... It was so far ahead of the competition in graphics & gameplay, it would take years for other devs to catch up. Incredible game, one of the best of all time, even now

[@Bodwaizer]

I still to this time don't know if game jumped the shark (with it's horrible reveals and dialogue) before that MG-RAY fight scene or actually bamboozled player with it's 4D chess storytelling to drive a thematic point home.

[@winstonhermann3244]

Even other great games from 2001 don’t compare

[@krono5el]

Unless you had any other console, then it didnt. but if you only had a ps2 then i could see how people would think that.

[@meursault7030]

To this day, no other game has compared in the same ways as MGS2 excelled. Sure, grahically, even the most basic of current gen games has surassed it, but do any of them have ice that melts in real time? If you shoot a TV does the blackness spread out from where you shot it? Or does it play the exact same animation for every TV no matter where you shoot it?

[@solidsnake8008]

@@meursault7030 All of those tiny details add to the immersion so much.

[@ACBlackJ0ck]

One of my favourite things I've seen in the Theatre Mode: Rose replacing Solidus in the cutscene where he guns down the malfunctioning RAYs

[@djwindkind]

dude, so love your work! the sassy comments, the humor, the expertise, the voice, just love your videos! and also nicely nostalgic! never stop!

[@johnmckay1961]

Both IGN and GameSpot launched in 1996! Anyway, yes incredible game. I was just 12 years old when it came out, and it blew my mind.

[@NinjaxShadowXx]

Yeah I was confused when he said that. I remember reading their PS1 and PS2 game review and arguing with people on gaming forums about games at the time.

[@avo616]

Gamefaqs as well

[@masterofbloopers]

MGS2 is probably my favorite entry in the series. I love Raiden (in every sense of the word), and Solidus is a really underrated villain (R.I.P. John Cygan). I really hope we get full-blown remakes of the first three games someday. Hopefully with a fully 3D camera like what MGS3's PS3 version did. A photo mode would also be nice, especially aboard Arsenal Gear.

[@swordsman1137]

I would love option to play in classic fixed camera and modern free float 3rd person camera tho

[@walnutking92]

Totally down for a remaster, but the fixed camera is integral to gameplay (spotting C4s, secrets, etc etc)

[@carlosaugusto9821]

I'm not sure about totally free camera for MGS1-2, but it's perfectly possible to make a better semi fixed camera for them with modern tech. Actually it was possible since that time. Kojima just chose to use an awful overhead camera view for some strange reason.

[@thepirategamerboy12]

You think you'd ever consider covering some of Kojima's other non-MGS works like Snatcher and Policenauts?

[@Alpha.Phenix]

You guys are here talking about ''Kojima's other non-MGS works'' and I am dissapointedly not hearing Zone of the Enders.

[@thepirategamerboy12]

@@Alpha.Phenix That's one I haven't actually played, I know I should.

[@solidsnake8008]

How dare your forget the timeless masterpiece "Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand

[@calloftheryan3263]

When I think of the concept of “next gen” metal gear solid 2. Will always come to mind. The jump from ps1 to this from gameplay to graphics was such a leap. All the small details. To me, it’s the separation point between the old world of gaming and the present one. Has yet to be another jump like this.

[@mysteryman703]

really? i feel like we had another jump in 2018 when games like god of war and spiderman came out those games looked so much better than anything else out at the time

[@calloftheryan3263]

@@mysteryman703 yeh could probably argue that from a purely graphical stand point. I guess the Jump between mgs1 and and mgs2 was so significant. I feel Spider-Man 2018 could have been made on ps3 just with lower graphic quality.

[@mysteryman703]

@@calloftheryan3263 i agree that mgs 1 to 2 was a bigger leap i don't think we've seen a leap like that since mario 64 n shit

[@lostandtravellingwhentimes9260]

How about resident evil 3 to 4.

[@mysteryman703]

@@lostandtravellingwhentimes9260 thats a good one

[@nmartell1007]

Love that you been covering the Metal Gear Solid games bro, taking me back to when i was a young sonny Jim, being blown away by MGS2 on the PS2

[@nakedinthe90s74]

GOOD ONE BRO

[@jonihasa969]

I literally finished this game for the first time about a few days ago! Nice to see a GmanLives video on this masterpiece! I absolutely loved the game and the ending was mind blowing!

[@andrewsutton1858]

Just started replaying this again! Raiden and snake are both my boys!

[@bobbyhamiltoniii4578]

Breaking the fourth wall scared me as a child. When the colonel says turn off the game I did. Had to wait until the next day to complete this game.

[@JamesScholes]

Wow, that's funny LOL.

[@BPJJohn]

New York's like: "Ah shit, here we go again."

[@lazerkitten1175]

Best game in the series imo. Don’t think anything will ever top the twists they throw at you in the final act.

[@Joey71420]

Mgs 3 is better imo

[@K.G444]

@@Joey71420 ok

[@Rhapbus1]

@@Joey71420 your opinion is wrong

[@danielelia2256]

@@Joey71420 Better no but different style

[@paulwoodford1984]

The story was incoherent in MGS2. A mess that ruined the series. Good game but needlessly complex. The whole liquid arm thing as well was dumb. MGS1 was perfect.

[@skaraotzky9114]

Hoping to see longer reviews like this for the other Metal Gear games but not only limited to them. I enjoy it.

[@Superpicl]

I loved this game so much I made a VHS tape set of an entire playthrough of the Xbox version. I still play it on my PSVita from time to time.

[@MrTyler189]

I've played this game 20 times and never knew you could change the projector during the grunt line up stealth part

[@duaijalqallaf]

Excellent video as always Gman!!

[@AdamB12]

MGS 2 is the best out of the 5. So well put together.

[@DialloMoore503]

Thank you! People say 3 is the best, and it’s okay for them to have that opinion. But 2 was the pinnacle of the series.

[@lintlickers]

@@DialloMoore503 exactly. 2 is one of the best games, if not the best game of all time

[@lintlickers]

@@DialloMoore503 uncharted 3 is up there too

[@DialloMoore503]

@@lintlickers That’s funny! I’m playing U3 and BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY right now. I don’t really like how U3 started off, but it’s getting better as I progress.

[@Maximus20778]

The gameplay in 3 was way better than 2 and so was the story.

[@HateMeCauseIMFat]

Solid Snake is literally a reference to Snake Plissken from "Escape from New York" and since its another Carpenter movie with Kurt Russel in it, the comment about "Big Trouble in Little China" was not that far off.

[@OneEvilPlatypus]

r/whooosh, bro...

[@scottsteiner9851]

excellent editing bro

[@kretschmannjonathan6237]

Excellent video !

[@Dylan-cu4ty]

The ending *Codec* with the A.I., still get chills. This game came out 22 years ago, and look at the world now. It's happening.

[@MKDumas1981]

I hear it's amazing when the famous purple-stuffed worm in flapjaw space, with the tuning fork, does a raw blink in Hara-Kiri rock. I need scissors! 61!

[@theactualTVB]

One of the greatest games. EVER.

[@dietcoke759]

I fully got the gist after about 7 minutes into this video, but you kept going for another 32 minutes in a way that kept me engaged. Absolutely great content

[@blackhawk65589]

I was blown away when my cousin and I played this in '06. I was also amazed when I played the HD collection. My jaw dropped watching this "4k" video. MGS2 might not be my favorite game, but it still looks and feels great today. Cool video

[@BaDAiR647]

I can appreciate the scope, technical achievements, and storytelling of this specific entry. Just from this video.

[@mysteryman703]

One of my fav games of all time truly a masterpiece

[@IamaPERSON]

@@CrazyBrickFan82 at least there’s not a lot of them

[@IamaPERSON]

@@CrazyBrickFan82 good, we can report it for spam, too

[@nicholasobrien2]

A GmanLives MGS 2 video ? I've been waiting for this!!!!

[@eliminoh_p7877]

Played every Metal Gear. Sons of Liberty is still my favorite. Replayed it a couple years ago and my brain exploded realizing the incomprehensible ending I remembered from my childhood suddenly made complete and total sense.

[@AverageBritishNerd1138]

I remember I bought a PS2 specifically to play this game. Had so much fun playing it! Watching you play it - the nostalgia is real! I wish they released all of the MGS games on the PC, as I'd love to play all of them again. And no, I'm not getting a PS5, as I don't even have a TV!

[@shyguy85]

there are mgs1 and 2 ports on pc and you could probably just emulate ps2 mgs3

[@MicroChirp]

They did on GOG

[@markw.loughton6786]

I've always loved this game, I think it's gameplay, the narrative and the chilling prophetic nature of the game cemented it as a bona-fide masterpiece. Great video.

[@bahamutbbob]

Kojima did predict the importance of memes in modern society, yeah.

[@deathninja16]

the a.i conversation at the end is so telling and so chilling that it literally matches with our future. its absolutely nuts how history always repeats itself.

[@VisionStudios1]

Fantastic work Gman!

[@boyblob]

Love this entry. Still holds up. And unlike MGS4, the drawn out cutscenes and codec calls don't bother me at all.

[@SonofSpewy]

I love this game, played it not too long ago and the gameplay still holds up great

[@DreadForce83]

Thank you for this trip down the memory lane. Subbed. Kind regards.

[@ranakin9000]

This might be my favorite review of yours so far

[@Mike_Valley]

There absolutely was "internet culture" and IGN in the early 2000s. IGN has been around since N64 and I remember reading many early PS2 game reviews and discussing them on the IGN message boards. I also remember downloading the first trailer for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. It took forever and the video itself was pretty small but awesome.

[@TheAsianLover]

This is the peak for me I love it to bits, the characters are perfect,The disguise on the original case to only show snake is a dick move but I find it a welcome one since I love Jack as a character.

[@solidsnake8008]

After his arc in MGS4 and MGR:R Jack has become one of my favorite characters in a video game ever.

[@c.jarmstrong3111]

Love your channel!

[@uberboomer8670]

By far the most impactul game ever. The spot on themes, fourth wall/sanity breaking final act, the most crisp gameplay to that point and graphics that are still impressive when u remember they're ps2. What a God damn legend! Also I forgot how fantastic Peter Stillman was!

[@MKDumas1981]

Stillman was voiced by the same actor as the DARPA chief and Gray Fox from the previous game.

[@MidnightPlus1]

Cheers for covering my favourite game of all time, GmanLives, today has been a clusterfuck and this is the perfect way to unwind. Cheers.

[@darran311]

You're right my early 20s was an amazing era in gaming and it was awesome finally being at point working and all where I could just buy games if I wanted them

[@BertsBalls]

You talking about playing the demo for an ungodly amount of time really resonated with my own childhood too. Some way some how I was always able to play the same demo over and over like it was a full game. As well as playing a game over and over and not losing fun whatsoever. Really just a different and such an amazing time for gaming. Wish I could have the same fun playing stuff over and over. Even with my favorite games now I get burnt out from time to time.

[@Comkill117]

The cool thing too about a lot of the smaller details like the object physics and whatnot is that back then they had to add that detail for every little thing manually, instead of a more advanced engine doing a good bit of the work like we have now. It just goes to show how much care went into MGS2, where even the smallest things got as much attention as the main gameplay and story.

[@solidsnake8008]

I think that the attention to detail that goes into the MGS games in general is one of the many reasons why this series is so iconic, it shows that Konami(at the time) and Kojima weren't just trying to put out a game to meet a release date but they were trying to make something that'll be remembered and appreciated and it certainly succeeded.

[@walkerpedersen8653]

I just beat this game for the first time a few weeks ago and it’s now my favorite game

[@Dr_Rwede]

I've played this game from start to finish more that 10 thousand times (I speedran it, I 100% it on PS2, PS3 and PC), I played every VR mission on the Substance edition, I platinumed the game twice, I know the game by heart, I can almost play it with my eyes closed and yet... 20 years after its release, everytime I replay it, I discover something new. This game isn't just a sequel, it's not just a video game, it's a testament and the closest to perfection and fourth-wall breaking you can go. This game is just a simple masterpiece, it's the embodiment of perfection. Everything this game has into it is so well-crafted, so thought beforehand, so deliberately bolted into itself that everything makes sense. Also, I'm very surprised you didn't talk about Peace Walker 2 (some degenerates call it "Vee", I have no idea why, though...). This game was so meta and it went so over the players' heads, they had to redo it way more bluntly in Vee. Which is non only a complete mess, but also way less subtle : Raiden is the player. And this alone make this game way more than just a game, it's so much more. I love this game with all my heart, your video actually gives it justice, although I would have loved a bit more on the '4th wall breaking' side. But I'm being picky. Thank you for your time, mate !

[@mysteryman703]

when i was a kid i played these games dozens of times i love them and i went out and looked really hard for both mgs 2 substance and 3 although the substance version of 2 is much better than the substance version of 3

[@Stinkyremy]

I played this game to death, played the demo, played the OG game, all dogtags, played substance, all dogtags, all gold VR, I have played it loads on the HD collection but not plat it yet because the VR sniping controls on PS3 are crap. I never liked VR or snake tales tbh, I actually preferred the OG version over substance too. For a long time I considered this the game that I spent most time playing. Now that would be MMO games.

[@Dr_Rwede]

@@mysteryman703 VR Missions are the best imho :D

[@KingSolidTails]

I really wish Vee wasn't mission based like Peace Walker, I woulda been a whole lot more interested in playing if that were the case.

[@Leispada]

@@Stinkyremy Gathering all dogtags in this game was such a great challenge. Its like a whole new game within the game

[@bluekangaroo9934]

Alright now you need to do 3. Amazing as always Gman!!!

[@GucciCracka1017]

Ahh yes the one Ive been waiting for you to do for years 🙌🏻 I love this game so fuckin much 💯

[@rhysmyatt5136]

This is the game that made me fall in love with video games. I played the first one to death but this, this was the game that made me truly love games.

[@Valkian24]

It's one of my favourite games of all time, coming from someone who didn't play the first one that much. Played it so many times and still has a lot of things that still hold up as you've mentioned, Gman. Like the first-person mode, interactive elements (destructible environments and moving bodies) and also how the game just swerves you from the Tanker to the Big Shell with the protag swap. Also this game includes one of my all time favourite villains with Vamp. (Also owned the special edition with the behind the scenes doco on the PS2)

[@midshipman8654]

i havent seen many people mention it, and i totally agree, the artstyleo and presentation of mgs2 is a MAJOR aspect of what makes it good.

[@garyphisher7375]

I was born in 69 so was old enough to see computer games begin and progress. MGS on the PS1 was amazing - it was so ahead of its time. When I got MGS 2 on the PS2, I was lucky enough to have made a home cinema - I had a large Projector - and kick ass surround sound. I remember watching the opening scene of Snake jumping off the bridge and my jaw hitting the floor. I never thought it could be as good as the first game - I was so happy when it turned out to be even better. I've never progressed beyond the PS3 - I still have games on it that I've never played. Seems I just got too old for gaming!

[@paulwoodford1984]

But Metal gear solid one is still better overall, with the story, voice acting, bosses and music. 2 is great but the storyline is too incoherent and complicated.

[@temporarilydead3232]

The ice that you can shoot in the bar also melts naturally if you watch it... not sure if that's only in the HD version though

[@JosweaC4L]

So damn happy to see my favorite YT reviewer cover my favorite series. You beautiful bastard

[@VentoliN13]

Absolutely awesome and very fun review of an amazing game! Bravo mang! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@GameMaster136]

I was at a Goodwill recently and snagged a copy of both Sons of Liberty and Substance for $5 each. They also have their manuals so I figured I'd grab for such a great price.

[@SolarisKane]

Splinter Cell series is a masterpiece of a stealth game with some story. MGS series is a masterpiece of storytelling with stealth added (except for 5, that game's story sucked smelly balls after the prologue).

[@Biouke]

Splinter Cell never clicked for me, I was so used to the more open/sandbox stealth of MGS and Tenchu that SC infiltration seemed "on rail" and the story was like a direct to DVD generic action movie. The only one I really enjoyed was Conviction with its co-op mode.

[@SolarisKane]

@@Biouke Did you try Chaos Theory? The pinnacle of stealth, with refined mechanics and so many ways to approach objectives.

[@Biouke]

@@SolarisKane Nope. Played SC1 and 2 and lost interest in the series, I just played Conviction with my flatmate when it got out because the formula had changed a bit and couch co-op was fun. Maybe I'll try Chaos Theory on occasion if it's as good as you're telling me :)

[@SolarisKane]

@@Biouke You definitely should :).

[@Bffgjhyfffgg]

I remember playing the ship level over and over again as a kid. Such an amazing game intro, one of the best.

[@martinantelo7086]

I remember watching the screen caps in magazines in the year 2000, that was the generational leap we don't get anymore. And the game added and polished so much stuff from the first game, it's almost unbelievable

[@caledunsmore]

How a game can be so realistic and completely insane at the same time is Incredible.

[@rustynuts89836]

I think this was the pinnacle of gaming. I remember this game being so good. I was only about 12 at the time but I beat it and earned everything I could possible before trophies were even a thing. I swear I would have had a platinum trophy

[@MyFriendIce]

Great video, actually really mirrors my feelings on the game, it’s my favourite of all time. I probably played it 300 times growing up - I vividly remember thinking that there was no way graphics could get better lmao

[@Road_to_Dawn]

Man, this really makes me wanna play this again. I went through the whole original trilogy for the first time in anticipation of MGS4’s release, and while I’ve picked up MGS2 again now and then, I’ve never gotten around to beating it more than once. It’d be fun to go through the whole thing again and just mess around seeing what all I can manage to do.

[@MPT1983]

MGS2 was that game that really made you feel you were experiencing next gen.