I don't hate this review, per se.
But I think that the biggest problem with it is that you spend too much time poo-poohing people whose opinions you hold in contempt anyway, and not enough time addressing more-legitimate concerns about the game, such as the somewhat-clunky controls or the potential to just Colonial Marines this sumbitch and run through levels instead of doing what the designers want. (Namely, stealth action.)
For instance, here
. Yes, many of his concerns boil down to not being a fan of the genre, but newcomers read reviews too. How would you address some of his concerns?
Sorry, no offense or anything, but your particular opinion matters inordinately little to me for reasons that need not be expanded upon here. Obviously, the same applies to whatever opinions you hold in high esteem. Again, nothing personal. Not worth my time, basically.
There just wasn't room for legitimate concerns like gameplay elements that were improved upon in later series, and the generally clunky nature of the constant menu-navigating. It's obviously not as flawless as the review indicates, but when a game is this good, such miniscule drawbacks become immaterial.
Especially compared to other "classics" that suffer from problems like these or worse, it seems unfair to call Snake Eater out for it. Any level-headed criticism may seem far outweighed by the pointless gushing, but like I said, that's a result of the positives outshining the bad. And there's scant room for much of any in-depth commentary when you have only 400 words at your disposal, anyway.
Thanks for your time!
...I agree with you, bro. MGS 2 was an ambitious mess. This game was a straightforward and welcome return to form. What about me has offended you so deeply?
I wasn't "calling this game out on it," or anything like that. But you spent more than half the review re-reviewing MGS 2 instead of reviewing the game you're reviewing. You've already got a review of that game up, a review I happen to like.
And I liked it because it was a genuine review that offered a holistic analysis of the game. If the concerns in question are "legitimate," as you yourself indicate, then you are honor-bound to speak to them.
Mentioning the flaws in a good game is just as important as describing what makes it good, just as giving honest praise to what makes a bad game bad is just as important as explaining why it's bad.
I was trying to be polite. I will continue to try to be polite. This review would be categorically improved if your replaced a single paragraph of how deeply your contempt for vegetarians enhances the flavor of your steak to mention a quick list of the flaws in question before adding what you just did, that one hardly notices them because of how well the good outshines the bad.
Yeah, a bit more brusque there than I intended. My apologies. I just get a bit... defensive... when I feel as if someone's putting down my writing style. I also had a hard time trying to pin down whether it was in any way positive towards it. No offense or nothing but you might want to clarify that a bit more often, especially in my case.
My sincerest thanks for replying in a manner that I certainly didn't give you cause to. I respect and appreciate how you're always trying to help people see things in a different perspective without sacrificing constructive criticism.
In retrospect, it does get really grating reading some salty comment about MGS2 in every goddamn paragraph. I wrote this a pretty long time ago though, just forgot I had it on the back-burner until now. I think I owe it to you, any other readers... hell, even myself, to revise this flawed piece of criticism. Maybe someday.
I wasn't kidding about the earlier gratefulness though. I appreciate any and all enthusiasm about anything I do. So again, thanks for your time!
...I'd be lying if I didn't say it hurt a little. But the apology is well-taken, and much-appreciated.
Thanks. And good luck.
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Kojimasterpiece!
Recipe for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater:
Mix them all together in a well-seasoned military-grade saucepan, heat over fire w/ copies of MGS2 for kindling, and you have... This. Plain and simple. This is the kind of stuff that makes a guy proud to call himself a gamer... that invokes pity, rather than anger, for people who put down this unique medium. People who would deprive themselves of such a superb entertainment experience... oh, I do pity them. Their fucking loss.
For a shining moment in time, Hideo Kojima shakes off whatever neurotic bullshit he was going through during the making of MGS2 and gets back to doing what he does best. MGS3 exemplifies everything that makes Metal Gear Solid so unique. Spine-tingling stealth action, crackling dialogue, awesome boss battles... the latter category of which includes some of the best examples in video game history. But most of all... it handles Kojima's usual balancing act between drama and levity with inimitable grace, though his over-the-top comic book sensibility is thankfully retained.
It's as if Kojima realized, for a moment or two, that his greatest strength lies in writing strong, likeable, deep... intrinsically human characters, rather than heavy-handed political and social commentary. This might cause some who liked MGS2 (they exist, apparently) for these reasons to view it as a step backwards for Kojima, and for that... I can't really blame them. But this is the perfect antidote for those in which MGS2 left a bad taste in their mouths, myself included. In the end, the characters feel, and indeed are, more important than the larger story arc and its implications on the series' timeline. This is part of what makes the narrative of Snake Eater one of the most emotionally resonant ones in the entire medium.
This is Metal Gear condensed to its most base, and indeed, enjoyable strengths. And even better, being the series' chronological starting point, it's probably the best way of letting the divine SUNLIGHT of Metal Gear Solid into your life. Go on... you deserve it.