Recommendations - Metal Gear Solid

Once in a while I'll write this short column on the things I recommend to you. Well, mostly they'll be stories or games. But anyways, today's edition is on Metal Gear Solid series.

To those who are non-gamers, MGS is a Playstation 1-2-3 (and dating back to old-gen consoles) game revolving around the concept of stealth and espionage. Most games (well, most from the Western developers anyways) deal with you being the hero and just rushing in ala Rambo and kill everyone you see. Well, this Japanese game instead introduces the concept of 'don't kill if you don't have to'.

Anyways, I won't bother with the technicalities of the game and such. What I find mostly fascinating is Kojima Sensei's ability to flesh out a story and portray it in a game as if it were a movie. The storyline is just brilliant. The whole series is actually about purpose, liberty and what you fight for, and your belief in what you fight for.

For example, The Boss - the strongest fighter in history (it's a she) - has always been loyal to the US government, carrying out Her missions with pride and honour. Suddenly, she turns rogue and joins a mad group during the Cold War era. With nuclear threats and hostages, our eminent Hero - Naked Snake (who would later on become Big Boss, the other antagonist in the series..or not) rushes in and saves the day, killing his beloved mentor and friend - The Boss.

What he doesn't know is that The Boss's defection was orchestrated by the US, and she willingly did it, to save her country (plot analysis, please read metal gear wikia or any guide our there). She was 'Loyal to the end'. Big Boss, who having realised this, was outraged by the world's treatment of soldiers - merely expendable assets. He would later on found Outer Heaven and control Zanzibar Land, with his one and only ideal - his mentor's ideal.

MGS thus also revolves around POVs, perceptions, loyalty, purpose, and the reasons why you fight for something. As I discussed previously, who's really evil and who's really good?

If you fight for something, and you believe in it, then fight it with pride.