Why You Should Buy the Original Metal Gear Solid over Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

April 3rd, 2008

metal gear solid the twin snakes compare

With the pending release of Metal Gear Solid 4 for the Playstation 3 and the recent release of the 20th Anniversary pack discussion has reignited about which version of Metal Gear Solid should players new to the series pick up. On one hand there is the original PSone classic and on the other hand there is the Gamecube remake; MGS: The Twin Snakes.

It’s a fair question and one that has been met with some confusion. So as a fan of this franchise I wanted to share my thoughts in the hope to level out any confusion. Personally I dislike the Gamecube remake; The Twin Snakes. I feel as though between the conversion from PSone to Gamecube many of the original game’s strongest assets were simply lost in translation. Which is why new players ought to experience the original game in all its low resolution glory. Thats not to say that TTS is a bad game by any means because it’s not, I just feel as though it does not provide the full, 10/10 Metal Gear experience. So to further back this up I want to elaborate on what I feel is wrong with The Twin Snakes.

Lacking the Polish

When developing the original Metal Gear Solid game for the PSone, Kojima and team wanted to make their game the best game on the console. Which is a tough call considering the number of AAA titles on the PSone. This drive ensured that Metal Gear Solid was arguably the most polished game on the system. The story telling, mood setting, stealth action gameplay were all so finely tuned that the original stands as a testament to the team’s effort and a testament to what the PSone is capable of in the right hands.

So when Silicon Knights stepped in to transfer this legendary title onto the Gamecube they had a difficult task ahead of them. Having any developer, let alone a recognized developer like Silicon Knights attempt to remake such a classic would undoubtedly lead in some disappointment. Although, realistically The Twin Snakes really is a faithful port of the original game one thing remains vividly clear as you make your way though the story. The polish and sheer perfection of delivering such a story is just severely lacking. The impact is weakened, effectively losing the game’s strongest assets in translation.
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