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MGS: Snake Eater 3D (£9.95 @Zavvi)

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And the ending had me welling up too - certainly one of the best I've ever seen.

 

Indeed. I shed a tear or two during the final cutscenes. Simply an awesome game.

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IGN Impressions

 

http://uk.ds.ign.com/articles/121/1217163p1.html

 

Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater Impresses

 

Now MGS 3 is making its way to the Nintendo 3DS - and the product of this somewhat surprising pairing is truly a spectacle to behold.

 

Momentarily putting aside the advancements the 3DS version brings to the table, the game itself still holds up amazingly well. A faithful remake of the Subsistence edition of MGS 3, the game looks as good to better as it did in its original version. The stealth segments that the franchise is known for are still among the best out there, and the Close Quarters Combat system remains a welcome innovation. This system, for those who missed the original, allows players to combine combat techniques to differing results. You can sneak past an enemy, use them as a human shield or perform a choke and strangle combo on them for information or until they fall unconscious - the choice is yours, and the freedom is fantastic.

 

The health system monitors injuries over Snake's entire body, which then must be dealt with on an individual basis (break your arm and you'll have to find a way to patch it up, for instance). This, paired with the stamina system that is always depleting (forcing you to constantly be on the lookout for food to sustain yourself), only further add to the experience.

 

But there was little worry about the caliber of the game itself - the big question at hand is how the 3D version stacks up and what it adds to the mix. The answer? Incredibly well, and more than you'd think. Konami went all out for this one, using every bit of the 4 GB cartridge to faithfully reproduce this experience for a handheld. The visuals look as good to better than they did on the PlayStation 2 - which is quite impressive when you consider the fact that what you're seeing is actually being rendered twice in order to display in 3D.

 

As for the 3D effect, this game offers one of the most impressive uses of it I've yet seen in a game. Screenshots simply don't so MGS 3D justice - you'll have to see it on the system to truly appreciate how amazing it really looks. The 3D really brings the jungle to life - the added depth makes everything that much more vibrant and beautiful, and lends to the feeling that you, yourself, are really crawling through that place. The light shining through the trees, the textures, it all pops on the 3DS screen, showing off how powerful this unassuming system really is. People and objects also stand out more thanks to the added depth, which makes finding people, objects and food that much easier.

 

The controls feel great - except, naturally, for the glaring lack of a second analog stick. Instead, aiming and camera control are mapped to the face buttons. It's more than passable, and the fact that you're able to adjust the sensitivity to your liking helps quite a bit. I have not had the chance to test the game out with the Circle Pad Pro (the 3DS attachment releasing on February 7 that adds a second circle pad to the right side of the system), but even if you opt to not get that strange device you'll still be able to play MGS 3D just fine. Though a second analog without the need of a peripheral would be ideal, once you sink into the game (and your right hand learns to stop reaching for that other stick), it's smooth sailing, and you'll hardly think twice about it.

 

One of the more impressive changes to the 3D edition actually comes care of the system's dual screens. As you would expect, inventory, weapon selection, menus, etcetera are all much easier and quicker to access - no more wasting time fussing through the menu screen. But the best part is that the HUD is now completely clear. Rather than being cluttered with various icons and bars, you can now appreciate the gorgeous visuals displayed on the top screen better than ever, greatly heightening the cinematic experience, which is crucial to this particular game.

 

Those are a few of the impressions I've walked away with based on my time with a preview build of Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater. So far it looks to be nearly identical in terms of content to its source material, which is certainly not a bad thing. The experience as a whole, however, is strengthened by the system it's on, which makes for a more streamlined experience that comes alive thanks to the 3D presentation.

 

MGS 3 is chronologically the first game in the series, so it's a great place to jump in for people who are new to the series, and this version only helps lower the barrier with its more accessible controls and menus. If what I've seen so far is any indication of the game's quality, it should prove an incredible addition to the 3DS library. February 21 can't come soon enough.

Edited by Retro_Link

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Not impressed by the demo at all, didn't even bother finishing it. It seemed whenever I shot people (sometimes be in directly in the face), nothing would happen. The lack of gyro controls for aiming is also a massive disappointment. I don't know, maybe RE:R has spoiled me. The frame rate is also horrible.

 

Maybe I just suck at MGS. I'll give it another try later.

Edited by or else you will DIE

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Download complete!

 

Right, let's check this out even though I can say with 99.9% accuracy that I won't be getting it.

 

Not impressed by the demo at all, didn't even bother finishing it. It seemed whenever I shot people (sometimes be in directly in the face), nothing would happen. The lack of gyro controls for aiming is also a massive disappointment. I don't know, maybe RE:R has spoiled me. The frame rate is also horrible.

 

Maybe I just suck at MGS. I'll give it another try later.

 

Since you use a tranqualiser gun, only shots to the head are instant take downs. Shots anywhere else can take a while to have any effect.... so maybe they weren't quite headshots.

 

The framerate is highly suspect but they it was back on the PS2. Unfortunately, it was a lot easier to swallow such things back then. Still, when your title screen is iffy, you know you've got problems.

 

Seemed a lot of aliasing going on with or without the 3D effect. Notice how going into first person mode with crouched turned off the 3D effect when in grass. That messed with my eyes a little. Also, how come you can only look in first person mode when you have your gun readied - pretty sure it never used to be like that.

 

I wasn't a fan of the controls in general. I played through the original MGS3 before they added the new fangled camera control in Subsistance and never had a problem with it. I liked having the actions on the face buttons. But here, with all the actions mapped to the D-Pad, it just feels awkward - is that how the PSP games work? I'm guessing the CPP reverts the controls to something resembling the original and would be an absolute blessing for it.

 

The camera itself felt too zoomed in, even when as far out as possible. Has the game been resized or just cropped to fit the smaller screen? I found it difficult to make much in the way of things out too - I'm sure that's even less fun in the night time/tunnel sections.

 

So yeah, I think I've just found that other 0.1%.

Edited by Captain Falcon
Automerged Doublepost

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Just tried the demo...

Unfortunately Konami have made no attempt whatsoever to implement any kind of automatic camera system, so you're forced to continuously adjust your view using the 4 face buttons if you don't have a CPP. :shakehead

Was it really too much trouble even to include a way to quickly centre the camera behind Snake?... Really, Konami? :blank:

Same issue with aiming too... locked to the face buttons. :indeed:

Why not use similar controls to Revelations, or at least include an option to customise? ::shrug:

 

So yeah, I'm quite disappointed. It's a shame too, as everything else seems pretty good.

Will play through the demo a few more times anyway, see if I can adjust to the non-CPP controls, if not though I doubt I'll be picking this up. :hmm:

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It looked and played horribly for me. Those 'improved' textures on the 3DS version can only be seen during cut scenes, during gameplay it all looks like a mess. The low resolution of the screen and the little contrast in the game makes it difficult to tell which shade of brown is different from the other and the game is choppy as fuck. Even playing in 2D mode doesn't help the frame rate too much.

 

Although it's not a direct port considering the features they've implemented, it was bound to hit performance issues for the 3DS and unfortunately, too many performance issues for my liking. I've always chosen performance over graphics so I'll be skipping this and probably pick up the HD collection on 360 or Vita if that turns out well.

Edited by Debug Mode

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Need to read this edge review as wanna know if new build is much better then this demo.

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Was it really too much trouble even to include a way to quickly centre the camera behind Snake?
Was messing with the options earlier, and it turns out you can kind of do this, if you set aiming to follow character view. But it's a bit too instant, so it can actually leave you slightly disoriented. :heh: Even so, I prefer at least having some way to fix the camera behind Snake without using the face buttons.

 

I must admit, things went quite a bit better control-wise on my second play of the demo. It's still nowhere near as good as it could have been, but perhaps it will be possible to adjust.

 

Another thing I noticed, is that when using 1st person view for aiming, the game removes the 3D effect! Really weird. :blank: I wonder if this is an intentional choice by the developers (can't think why though) or a glitch of some sort. :confused:

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The game does turn of 3D during certain points so it doesn't ghost if your using the giro or whatever.

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Another thing I noticed, is that when using 1st person view for aiming, the game removes the 3D effect! Really weird. :blank: I wonder if this is an intentional choice by the developers (can't think why though) or a glitch of some sort. :confused:

 

Is that not something to do with Snake only have the use of one eye and therefore only sees things in 2D.. or is he not wearing the eye patch yet? ::shrug:

 

I haven't tried the demo yet but I will before I sleep..

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Am I the only one who enjoyed it? Thought it was good. I'm not the biggest fan of metal gear games but thought this was okay. The camera controls annoyed me slightly, does the CPP work on the demo? Never tried.

 

Hasn't made me want to buy it though. I'll wait til it's dirt cheap.

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My opinions on this are mixed. It seemed cool and I played quite a bit, up to the room with the door.

 

PROBLEMS

 

1) No quick camera centre.

 

2) Controls for aiming are dreadful. I hadn't decided whether to get the CCP, having just ordered RE:R, but it would seem it's basically essential for this game.

 

3) Colour/contrast. oh my god it's pure awful, making it much harder to make stuff out. That hornet's nest? I had to almost walk up to it, and even then it may as well had been an apple. ThinGs definitely improve in 3D, but y'know when it ghosts/goes black when you so much as nudge the 3DS out of place? that happening gives me headache. That's not really the game's fault though.

 

4) The screen view itself. You never get a proper view. It feels like when watching an old 4:3 TV show and you decide to crop it to fill the screen. IT FEELS ZOOMED IN WITH THE SIDES/TOP/BOTTOM (VIEW) CUT OFF.

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Is that not something to do with Snake only have the use of one eye and therefore only sees things in 2D.. or is he not wearing the eye patch yet? ::shrug:

 

I haven't tried the demo yet but I will before I sleep..

Isn't it a different Snake? From what I read somewhere this Naked Snake becomes the Big Boss you go against as Solid Snake [?]

Just tried the demo...

Unfortunately Konami have made no attempt whatsoever to implement any kind of automatic camera system, so you're forced to continuously adjust your view using the 4 face buttons if you don't have a CPP. :shakehead

Was it really too much trouble even to include a way to quickly centre the camera behind Snake?... Really, Konami? :blank:

Same issue with aiming too... locked to the face buttons. :indeed:

Why not use similar controls to Revelations, or at least include an option to customise? ::shrug:

I agree completely. What made it even more annoying was that when you climbed up the bridge when you're hanging from the side, it automatically has you facing down.

 

And the foliage is sparse as fuck, I was expecting dense grassy areas I could hide in. Instead I see various blades of grass I would able to see a mouse in at a long distance.

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Tried the demo, not impressed. For those wondering, yes the CPPro does improve the experience immensely (without hesitation, I'd say that it's the intended way to play), but the technical issues really drag the game down immensely. The frame rate is piss poor (20FPS average, single digits in cutscenes) and the draw distance for the grass is pathetic (it's more like a poorly trimmed garden than a jungle :laughing: ). After playing the Naked Sample and Resident Evil Revelations, it's just pathetic. As for the 3D, outside of the intro cutscene (that gun turning shot!), it isn't really very impressive. There's some clever usage in certain places (turning off 3D when aiming in 1st person, since Snake aims with one eye and turning it off at the bridge when the gyro is used), but it feels jarring to have it suddenly disappear. Would've been better if it just kept 3D on until you. know. what. happens to Snake and he gets his eye patch.

 

Also, while the CPPro does massively improve the controls, for some bizzare reason, the FPS aiming is very slippery and I find myself overshooting the target frequently. It's not the CPP's fault (camera controls are perfectly responsive and are just as good as the PS2 Subsistence original), it's just the way the game has been programmed. Crouch walking is much appreciated though (as are the CQC d-pad options with CPPro); the touch screen menu is a bit of a mess though, why the hell does everything require 2 clicks?! and why is the survival viewer still on a separate screen (complete with the same annoying loading pause as the PS2 version). Complete missed opportunity.

 

Even if these issues weren't present, this would be a tough sell. No online play and no extra features, outside of (fairly mediocre) 3D, in the face of the HD collection (or my already owned PS2 copy) makes for poor value. The technical and control issues make it a definate no buy though.

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I'd just like to point out that Snake has both eyes at the start of the game and doesn't acquire the eye patch until a fair bit in.

 

And at said point, when you enter first person mode, part of the screen is blanked out to show the reduced vision. I'd understand if they chose to turn off the 3D at that point but to do so at the start of the game is silly.

 

I wonder if it's to do with maintaining the framerate.

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I'd just like to point out that Snake has both eyes at the start of the game and doesn't acquire the eye patch until a fair bit in.

 

And at said point, when you enter first person mode, part of the screen is blanked out to show the reduced vision. I'd understand if they chose to turn off the 3D at that point but to do so at the start of the game is silly.

 

I wonder if it's to do with maintaining the framerate.

 

Probably because most soldiers aim with one eye closed in real life. Whenever I aim in real life (no, not for shooting! For throwing stuff ;) ) I always close one eye because it's easier to aim that way.

 

In OoT 3D and Revelations (1st person mode) I often find myself closing one eye when aiming, purely by instinct.

 

They probably wanted to replicate that ingame (it can't be for technical reasons because the 2D mode just blends the two S3D images to do super sampling anti aliasing. Framerate is exactly the same in either mode) IMO that's a bad idea because most people won't understand why this is being done. They would make a much stronger point if they left it until Snake gets his eyepatch (hell, why not make the eyepatch an unlockable item once you finish the game? That would be cool!)

Edited by Dcubed

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Probably because most soldiers aim with one eye closed in real life. Whenever I aim in real life (no, not for shooting! For throwing stuff ;) ) I always close one eye because it's easier to aim that way.

 

In OoT 3D and Revelations (1st person mode) I often find myself closing one eye when aiming, purely by instinct.

 

They probably wanted to replicate that ingame (it can't be for technical reasons because the 2D mode just blends the two S3D images to do super sampling anti aliasing. Framerate is exactly the same in either mode) IMO that's a bad idea because most people won't understand why this is being done. They would make a much stronger point if they left it until Snake gets his eyepatch (hell, why not make the eyepatch an unlockable item once you finish the game? That would be cool!)

 

I'm not sure how well it would have worked, but if they really wanted to be clever with it, instead of adjusting the view for both eyes to the a full screen 2D view, why didn't they just send the view to the right eye as blank and so you could only see with your left. At least then, you eyes wouldn't be shifting focus back and forth and it would brilliantly mimic the patch scenario.

 

The only guns I've ever used have been Paint ball and BB based but in either case, I never found myself closing an eye. I'll cock my head slightly and maybe squint with one but never fully close it.

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