Product ReviewsMetal Gear Solid 2: Substance (Microsoft Xbox, 2002)

Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance

In this sequel to Metal Gear Solid, you resume the role of Solid Snake, commando & spy, out to stop a new Metal Gear weapon from falling into the wrong hands The action is more intense than ever, as you must infiltrate their compound and stop the high-tech terrorists from using Metal Gear Ray to destroy a major city The guards are smarter this time, but you have new moves and new equipment to take them out Stealth is the name of the game -- the less you shoot or blow things up, the better When you do shoot, you do it in a first-person perspective that's so real it's staggering Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance is the PS2 espionage action game Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty with new playable characters, new VR missions, and a few twists. More than 350 new and moderately interesting VR missions fill in some of the gaps in the original game's story. There are also five separate "Snake Stories" that act as new missions. These take place apart from the main story, making them feel less like an expansion to the sprawling events in Sons of Liberty and more like an unconnected romp designed to pad the original game. Unfortunately, the "Snake Stories" lack the thrill, tension, and exposition that made Sons of Liberty so special.
The "substance" is nothing more or less than a collection of disconnected additions to the core game Sons of Liberty, which remains unchanged from its original release: you play as Solid Snake in stealthy espionage/assault missions, infiltrating the lairs of bad guys to take down nuclear-powered bipedal creations called Metal Gears. Snake has all kinds of tricks up his sleeves: high tech weapons, the ability to sneak around undetected--he can even flip over the side of a railing to hide (a "Grip Meter" counts down, increasing the tension and making you pray the enemy walks away). Both a boon and a detriment to the game is its reliance on cinematic scenes to further the convoluted plot. They're well-rendered and professionally done, but you'll seemingly find yourself spending more time watching the game than playing it.
Substance is worthwhile for anyone who doesn't already own Sons of Liberty. That goes double for Xbox and GameCube fans, because the game looks much better on those consoles than it did on PS2. For those who've already played the original, this reissue just doesn't add enough, pardon me, substance, to merit purchasing it again. --Bob AndrewsRead full review...

Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance for Xbox?

I just purchased this video game from another seller, and I'm very satisfied with the gameplay. Everything, including gameplay, is the same as the PS2 version. There are also new features to the Xbox version. To mention a few, there are the Snake Tales and over 300 VR missions. Although the game is for the Xbox, it cannot be played on the Xbox 360, maybe because the software of the game is too old, but there are probably other ways to play it on the 360 than just updating the software of the 360 console itself. The reason I purchased this game is because all the Metal Gear Solid games are entertaining even when the gamer plays it more than once.Read full review...

Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (Xbox)

First off, it should be noted that while the game carries the word Substance instead of the words Sons of Liberty, the sequel’s story is still similar to the PS2 original version. The story begins with Solid Snake, an operative working for a new group called Philanthropy, sneaking into a tanker ship only to witness the tanker being overtaken by an army of well-equip Russian rogue troops--their mission is to locate the Metal Gear prototype. The other half of the story puts you in the not-so-loved Raiden’s boots as he is sent to an offshore plant to rescue the President of the U.S. from a highly unusual group of terrorists calling themselves the Sons of Liberty. The story, while confusing at times, isn’t bad at all.

Control-wise, gamers will find that Xbox default controller scheme to be disorienting the first time you play. The left trigger, for example, is used to go into first person view and this makes things just a tad complicated if you want to shoot a gun in this view. Fortunately, the other actions are easy to carry out such as hanging from a guardrail or dragging a dead or unconscious foe and stuffing him into an open locker. You can even hold-up a character by going into first person view and pointing your gun at their back.

Loaded with interesting characters, the Sons of Liberty game is the game’s main mode of playing the game while the extras in this game are like playing another game altogether. Missions offer VR training situations like those seen in the PSOne’s MGS: VR Missions. There are Sneaking, Weapon, First Person View, and Variety. There is also alternate missions that includes Bomb Disposal, Eliminate, Hold Up and Photograph mode. Each mode has a series of levels that gets harder to complete. And the best part is that you start off using Snake and Raiden and end up unlocking new characters.

And if Raiden proves to be too annoying for some gamers, they can always try out the Snake Tales option, which features five stories with Snake as the main character. You’ll visit several stages from the original game and play in areas you’ve played through as Raiden.

One of the most stunningly gorgeous-looking games when it came out for the PS2, this version’s graphics is still in top form and actually a lot sharper. The character models during the game look simply amazing and the level of detail will not fail to astonish. When Solid Snake whips his head to peek around the corner, his bandana moves along with him. You can even see the drops of water that fall of his body if he was out in the rain way too long. And while you spend the majority of the game in an indoor setting, the tanker and offshore plant are impressive.

Joining the wonderful graphics is a dynamic score by composer Harry Gregson-Williams this is both intense and sweeping. The game’s music plays a big role in making the game and cut scenes more nerve-wracking and exciting. There are also some richly detailed sound effects here that goes beyond just the authentic sounds of gunfire. At one point on the outside strut of oil tanker, you’ll hear the howl of the wind mixed in with unseen taping of something striking metal and the caws of seagulls. While all of this is great, noting comes close to the great voice acting and dialogue found in this game.

MGS2 is tactical stealth action at its most gratifying and if you are a fan of the series, this is the definitive version to own.Read full review...

Fills In Most Of The Gaps In MGS4

I bought this game mostly out of curiosity. After playing 'MGS4: Guns of the Patriots' 5 times on my PS3 I decided to explore the world of 'Metal Gear' even more. I didn't want to go back all the way to 'MGS1' due to the fact that the graphics & game play are really "old school" but I wanted to go back far enough that I was able to understand some things that came up in 'MGS4'.
THINGS LIKE: Who's Raiden? Who/ what is Vamp? What's the story of Emma, Otacon's sister? What's the story behind Sunny & how did Jack (Raiden) save her? Who was Solidus? Where'd Metal Gear Ray come from? Fortunately all these things & more were answered for me as I played 'MGS2'.
Over all I'm giving this game a 4 out of 5 only because it's not as much fun to play over & over again as MGS4 was. The graphics are top notch for an original X Box game & the story (like always) was movie grade!Read full review...

good remake with vr missions

One of the most anticipated titles in PlayStation2 history absolutely lives up to the hype. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is the follow-up to one of the most captivating and intelligent adventures on the original PlayStation. Solid Snake, everyone's favorite mullet-sporting supersoldier, is back, along with many other familiar faces and voices. While its predecessor was lauded for telling a complex story, this sequel has even more fascinating twists and turns. Also, like Metal Gear Solid, MGS2 takes console-game storytelling to an entirely new level with stunning in-game movies, great graphics, and game mechanics that let you find your own solutions to challenges. The game's twisting and at times bizarre plot will undoubtedly keep some gamers perplexed.
Konami has replaced the moronic enemies from the first MGS with more cerebral and capable foes; this causes an even greater emphasis on stealth than the original. The controls have been refined and Snake's repertoire of moves has grown, significantly deepening the gameplay. This is, technically and stylistically, one of the best-looking PS2 games on the market. The sound is also topnotch, with a fabulous score and outstanding voice acting. What makes this game such a standout, however, is how all of these sight, sound, and story elements combine to immerse the player into an entertainment form somewhere between movie and game. It will be years before Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is surpassed. This is interactive entertainment at its finest.Read full review...

Follows the spirit of the original perfectly

Up until the very last part of the game, this game feels amazingly like MGS1. The developers maintained the original feel with amazing accuracy, while adding much more.

First, the gameplay. It preserves the stealth feel of much of the original, while adding many new aspects to it. If you can't risk shooting an enemy to draw attention, you can sneak up behind them and pull out your gun. Your character will order the enemy to freeze and you can snap their neck or tranquilize them. More importantly, the AI is greatly improved adding a lot of new aspects to the game. Some soldiers radio status reports, so if you kill one of them reinforcements will be sent to check why the report was late. Other parts have soldiers rotating, and if one doesn't find the soldier he's to replace, he'll call in backup to search. If they find the enemy tranquilized, they'll assume they fell asleep on the job and return to a normal status, if they can't find him, they'll raise to a cautionary status. If they find a dead body, you better run!

The unique scenarios of the original are also back. Escorting other characters, providing cover fire with a sniper rifle, finding and defusing bombs. It also includes the fun and unexpected boss battles that have been rare since the end of the 16-bit days.

The story keeps the same intrigue of the original for most the game, until the very end when it takes a postmodern explosion, which some story fans like myself will delight in, and while others are less fond of such stories, it is a small part of the game and shouldn't spoil the game as a whole. The game keeps the original's sense of humor, and fascinatingly blows gaping holes in the 4th wall without making the story any less serious. The original game is referred to as VR training (You are told you guide the Nikita missile from a camera mounted on its head, so it will be first person, not an overhead view like VR training.)

In all, I can only praise this games faithfulness to its amazing prequel. If you liked MGS1, you will like this.Read full review...

Nice game love it

This game was my favorite when it first came out for xbox, it still one of my favorites

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: truevalue23

Great Addition to a Fantastic Game

This gives many, MANY more hours of fun to the already great second installment in the MGS series - VR missions that allow you to master techniques later used in the game, unlockable content... absolutely great game!

Only complaint is that Microsoft has NOT yet made this backwards compatible for the XBox 360 - What's the hold up?!

I would definitely recommend this gameRead full review...

Looks as pictured

It's looks as good as the pictures, also it works beautifully well and the disc is very clean and scratch free...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: secondchancegaming

One of the best!

This is truly one of the best video games around. Eight years old and it STILL hold it's own. The gameplay and story are integrated so perfectly. Most modern games can't hold a stick to this classic. Not to mention besides the main campaign, it includes side missions and dozens of VR missions to keep you occupied for weeks! Recommended to anyone who wants a truly innovative gaming experience they will never forget.Read full review...