While the many plots over the years have involved politics, terrorism, gene manipulation, and science fiction; we have never really been shown the origin of Solid Snake. We have been given snippets of information about his past and history with characters such as The Boss, but a lot of it is like smoke in mirrors. Heck even in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Kojima thrust a "pantywaist" known as Raiden upon us and piled on yet more mystery regarding who Snake really is. It wouldn't be until three years after MGS2 that we'd step into the combat boots of our favorite hero once again.

The tale in MGS3 takes us back roughly four decades to a point two years after the Cuban missile crisis. Kennedy was assassinated in the past November and the Russians are cooking up something that will put an end to the cold war. It's up to CIA Agent Snake (or Jack) to go deep into enemy territory and rescue a scientist named Sokolov from the KGB. The only problem is that Snake is betrayed by The Boss who has defected to the GRU with plans on stealing the Shagohod which is a tank capable of launching nuclear missiles. Snake's mission then changes to a little seek and destroy as he hunts down Boss and her cohorts plus he has to disable Shagohad along the way.

Of course a lot of this may be old hat for those of you out there that have already played the game. This review isn't for the original MGS3 but instead it's for the "Substance" edition of the game. This remake follows the tradition of MGS2: Substance by offering fans a much heartier version of the mission than they previously experience. The story is essentially the same but some new additions like the original Japanese Metal Gear 1 and 2, online play, third-person camera control, and new camouflage to tinker with. If you happen to have waited for this particular release before diving into MGS3 then you'll also be pleased with the $30 price tag.

Gameplay:

The basic Metal Gear Solid gameplay is still here in MGS3 and completely intact though there are a few adjustments. The biggest element in the MGS series is easily stealth. You are equipped with radar that shows you enemy positions and often have to be calculative in your movements. If you are spotted it's not game over, but you will have to either subdue your enemies or hide until their alertness level diminishes. The twist with MGS3 is that instead of being in an industrial setting with ventilation shafts to crawl through and crates to hide behind, you're in the jungle. That means you have to put on camouflage, crawl through the brush, climb trees, and adapt yourself to the environment. It's definitely a different dynamic than we have been used to even though at the core it's roughly the same.

The ironic part is that a lot of MGS3 feels more aimed at an action experience instead of a stealthy one. The radar is still there but it operates a little differently now. Instead of showing you the enemy and their field of vision you just see a blip representing your prey. This means that you have to make visual contact with your foe before being able to determine your best course of action. In the original version of MGS3 this was made more difficult thanks to a somewhat fixed camera, but the nice thing about Substance is that it tosses in a freely controlled camera. It makes things much more user friendly and helps bring the stealth element back into the picture a little more.

If you do manage to get up close and personal with an enemy soldier you have a few options available to you. You can punch or kick the guy into submission, grab him and interrogate him, slice his through, or use him as a human shield. The new options for close quarter combat (CQC) are definitely much more versatile in this title than in past ones.

Hypothetically though, let's say that a guard spots you no matter how sneaky you are and starts shooting at you before you can grab him; what do you do? Well, first of all you'll want to take him out before his friends come along or else you'll have to take them out too. Second of all it's very likely that you're going to take damage regardless of how the fight goes. When this happens in MGS3 you can't actually rely on rations to automatically heal Snake because they just aren't available. Instead you'll have to scour the jungle in search of animals to kill and eat like snakes and alligator. I bet they didn't teach you that in your Boy Scout troop.

By collecting and eating various animal meats you'll help raise Snake's stamina. With more stamina his wounds heal faster and you'll be back in business in no time. For the more dangerous injuries though like a broken arm or something that makes you bleed buckets of blood you'll have to break out the first aid kit. Luckily there's more than just a band-aid and some Tylenol in there. You're supplied with some splints, sutures, bandages, disinfectant, and ointment to repair yourself with. Just like a Timex watch Snake can take a licking and keep on ticking, though to be fair it's ridiculous the amount of damage this guy can take.

You'll definitely need to keep that first aid kit handy when it comes to several of the boss fights that you'll find yourself in in MGS3. It's kind of funny considering that earlier Metal Gear games strayed away from the stereotypical boss battles. Kojima has reinvented the way that bosses are implemented into the gameplay and plot experience. Characters like Ocelot and Boss have been staples throughout the series, but newcomers like The End, The Fear, and The Pain are definitely no pushovers. Once again the bar of quality has been raised for other action games to adhere to thanks to Kojima and Konami.

The single player experience will last you roughly thirty hours or so depending how you play. If you just rush through the game without trying to be stealthy at all then you'll probably get to the fantastic ending much quicker. I advise that you take your time though since this is a game that is definitely meant to be savored. Once you're done with the main game though that's when you should check out the supplemental features on the second disc.

The premier extra feature on the second disc is the inclusion of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. These are the first two Metal Gear games that were released in Japan but they have been ported over for this version with a new English translation. A Duel Mode has also been included which lets you square off against the various boss fights from MGS3. Since these were arguably the pinnacle moments of the single player experience it's definitely worth it again to go back and see what you can do.

There is a Secret Theater mode with some funny clips from the Konami website including a spoof trailer featuring Raiden. On the subject of being goofy, Snake vs. Monkey makes its return and features more flea-picking espionage. It's a fun diversion but nowhere near as substantial as the Metal Gear Online mode that's featured here. There is a wealth of modes from Capture the Frog (Flag) to a Deathmatch and even a Stealth mode tossed into the mix. A great amount of options and statistics are presented to you and the experience is pretty meaty in the end. The implementation was fair and I didn't really encounter any bumps on the road as far as lag is concerned.

Graphics:

Few game franchise deliver an experience like Metal Gear does. Over the years the series has constantly raised the bar to a point where you wouldn't think that they could top it with the next game; but they do. MGS3 is without a doubt one of the best looking games on the PlayStation 2 and it's one of the most cinematic experiences that you'll ever come across.

The character models are all impeccably designed with some insane attention to detail. They animate realistically and feel "solid" thanks to fantastic hit detection and reaction. Snake's environment is equally impressive with lifelike foliage and superb textures and lighting. The animals in the game seem a little too stiff compared to the achievements in the other categories, but even by comparison they look great. I can't say enough about MGS3's visual prowess.

Audio:

Just as rich as the graphics are, the audio is absolutely enthralling when you get right down to it. The soundtrack by Harry Gregson-Williams (Chronicles of Narnia and Kingdom of Heaven) is amazing as always with some truly epic sounding scores. The voice acting is on another level as well thanks to remarkable performances by David Hayter and the rest of the crew. There are a few voices that carry a little cheese-factor with them, but overall I have absolutely no complaints. Sound effects are generally familiar though the ambiance of the jungle is certainly a welcome addition.

Conclusion:

Overall Metal Gear Solid 3: Substance is an incredible experience. The single player game is arguably the best in the franchise and it's even better now thanks to the free-form camera movement system. The supplemental material is great as well with some truly unique offerings for Solid Snake fans. While you're waiting for Metal Gear Solid 4 for the PlayStation 3 you definitely need to take this version for a spin. It's a game that quite simply deserves to be in every PS2 collection.