Summary
Metal Gear Solidgames evolve and change in radical ways between sequels, yet they always maintain a core identity. Even though they were made for the PS2 generation, the differences betweenMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LibertyandMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eaterare huge. It begs the question, which game is better?
Below are arguments presented for why bothMetal Gear Solidgames could be considered superior. In the end, only one will be crowned victor. Regardless of which one takes the crown, they are both fantastic games that hold up so well after so many years and multiple console generations.
9The Better Story
Metal Gear Solid 2
WhileMetal Gear Solid 3feels more like a conventional spy thriller using the setting to tell a tale connected to the Cold War,Metal Gear Solid 2is a stern warning about the digital world to come. In the 20-plus years since its release, one can see how correctly the ending predicted the future.
Even without diving into the game’s more cerebral themes, the basic plot of an agent thwarting a terrorist attack in Manhattan is compelling enough to keep gamers intrigued until things get weird.
8Best Boss Fights
Metal Gear Solid 3
EveryMetal Geargame isrenowned for its creative boss fights, butMetal Gear Solid 3takes the cake for how little battles revolve around gimmicks or puzzle mechanics. They all feel like genuine fights between two soldiers.
They are also all filled with little secrets and tricks, fromshooting hornet nests to distract Ocelotto killing The End by waiting eight days or speeding up the internal clock by the same time. It is clear tons of care and attention went into each fight to make them feel fresh on multiple playthroughs.
7Cultural Relevance
For anyone who was not there, it is hard to describe how revolutionaryMetal Gear Solid 2was on all levels, from its marketing straight through its release thanks to its subversive nature regarding the iconic protagonist of Solid Snake.
The idea of hiding the main protagonist until players got their hands on the game and the level of interaction with the environment were all innovative, especially for console gamers.Metal Gear Solid 2stands on its own, but reading about how it was received at the time can make one appreciate it so much more.
6Superior Gameplay
Metal Gear Solid 3’sareas are so much more open compared to its predecessor andthe original Snakehas more tools at his disposal to get through areas. One can use camouflage to slowly crawl through enemy spaces while they are close by, or they can use the environment to distract guards.
Metal Gear Solid 2has some of this as well, but it’s mostly a question of making guards look the other way to run through the room quickly. The sequel makes gamers think harder about how to approach any situation.
5More Interesting Characters
Every character inMetal Gear Solid 2feels important and has a part in the overall plot besides simply being the villain of the moment. Olga Gurlukovich, despite being the first boss, shows up periodically up until the game’s final act. Vamp shows up early in the game long before his boss fights and eventually becomes a vital character to the overall lore.
Even if the boss fights are better inMetal Gear Solid 3, that game’s Cobra Unit feels underutilized and the characters generally just show up to be boss fights without the playerlearning about their actual characters.
4Easier For Newcomers
Even though it is the third-numbered game in the franchise (and fifth in the main series),Metal Gear Solid 3is mostly a self-contained story. It takes place decades before all prior games and uses mostly new characters. Players control the character who would become Big Boss, and it’s the best entry point for players who are unfamiliar withMetal Gear Solid.
The open-ended gameplay also makes it more accessible for more types of players. While most would recommend starting withMetal Gear Solid,Metal Gear Solid 3is a great introduction for those who are not invested in the whole franchise due to it being the starting point for the timeline of events.
3Bonus Content
For anybody playing any particular re-release or the newMaster Collection,Metal Gear Solid 2offers significantly more bonus content than its successor. Packed in with it arehundreds of VR missionswhere players control several different characters through varying degrees of difficulty.
Metal Gear Solid 3generally just offers the main game. Even the Snake Vs. Monkey minigame is absent from later HD versions. Doing everything will ultimately take longer inMetal Gear Solid 2, if for whoever that may concern.
When compared to all three of the main titles,Metal Gear Solid 3feels like it’s missing the most. EvenMetal Gear Solid, originally released on the PlayStation, has VR missions.Metal Gear Onlinewas once a part ofMetal Gear Solid 3: Subsistencebut servers have long since closed down, and they were not brought back for this release.
2Original Soundtrack
Both games were composed by Harry Gregson Williams, famous for movie soundtracks likeThe Rock. It is surprising because they both sound unique.Metal Gear Solid 2uses more electronic elements and more energetic drum parts.Metal Gear Solid 3is more orchestral and feels more melodic, reminiscent of great movie scores from the 1960s, perhaps a purposeful move to feel like the time period in which it is set.
One can hum the themes fromMetal Gear Solid 3, while some ofMetal Gear Solid 2’stunes sound more appropriate for a rave. They both work in their respective titles, but one couldlisten toMetal Gear Solid 3’ssoundtrackeven outside of the game, especially with the iconicSnake Eatertheme.
1Metal Gear Solid 2 vs. Metal Gear Solid 3 – The Winner
Even ifMetal Gear Solid 2caused a bigger splash at the time of its release due to the jaw-dropping technical leap in both visuals and gameplay,Metal Gear Solid 3holds up just a bit better thanks to the variety of opportunities in its gameplay scenarios. There aremore weapons, accessories, and techniquesat the player’s disposal.
The story smartly utilizes the 1960s setting and the music perfectly compliments the spy-thriller vibe. If someone only ever played oneMetal Gear Solidgame and ignored the rest of the franchise, it should beMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
