Metal Gear Solidwas released in 1998, and became the genesis for stealth action when it was popularized for the majority of the Western world. However, theMetal Gearseries truly began over a decade beforehand on Japanese home computers, becoming the codifier that inspired stealth-based games as they exist today.
Metal GearandMetal Gear 2: Solid Snakewere released in 1987 and 1990 respectively,created by Hideo Kojima to kickstart the franchise. Despite being overshadowed by the more popular games that followed, the original 8-bit era ofMetal Gearcontains great moments and concepts that still garner praise to this day.
10Fourth Wall Breaks
One such asset toMetal Gear’s memorability is its use of fourth wall breaks that call attention to the player’s existence. Perhaps the most iconic example isPsycho Mantis reading the memory cardinMGS1, but the MSX originals also made use of this irreverent trope. Along with direct references to player controls via the Codec system, Snake witnesses the first of many fourth wall breaks designed to unnerve players.
Big Boss serves as Solid Snake’s mission control to guide him through Outer Heaven, but eventually the former will send certain messages telling Snake (and the player) to make bad decisions like going into a trapped room or a delivery truck. The most shocking message, however, comes when Big Boss tells Solid Snake to turn off the console, citing “the mission is a failure!” This may not seem particularly alarming to modern gamers, but in 1987, breaking the fourth wall in a game was almost unheard of.
9The Rank System Forces Gamers To Play Like a Hero
One feature that didn’t continue in the 3DMetal Geargames was the Class/Rank system that awarded stars procedurally as Snake progresses through the mission. This was a useful staple of computer games at the time to grant bonuses, such as increased inventory and new weapons. However, killing even one hostage that Snake is supposed to rescue permanently drops Snake’s class rank, making the game unwinnable.
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Metal Gearhas presented anti-nuclear messagessince the start, often through Snake’s exploration of how much he considers himself a hero. The player can choose to kill hostages, but since this is something Snake would never do, the game punishes the player for doing it. Kojima used this generic feature to influence player actions as well as introduce themes of morality.
8The Unofficial Metal Gear Sequel
Snake’s Revengeisa forgottenMetal Geargamethanks to its canon discontinuity and lack of input from Kojima. Originally designed as an NES spinoff,Snake’s Revengehas been criticized despite retroactive praise from Kojima himself. At the time, Kojima was unaware that an unofficial sequel was in development, which prompted his creation of an official follow-up game.
Thankfully,Metal Gear 2: Solid Snakewas a vast improvement overSnake’s Revenge. In a sense, fans should be grateful forSnake’s Revengeas it led to the stealth action genre being adapted and improved for future generations.
7Metal Gear 2’s Stealth Camouflage Concept
One concept brought intoMetal Gear 2was an optional camouflage item dubbed the Stealth Mat. This special item helped players evade guards by selecting a bit of the terrain and letting Snake crawl underneath it. Its inclusion could be considered gimmicky from a modern perspective, but wacky stealth items ended up becoming a regular feature for the series.
This concept was born from a programming glitch which accidentally left parts of the floor covering Snake’s body, but its inclusion was a necessary part of the series development. Since the start of the franchise,Hideo Kojima has endeavored to push boundaries. The Stealth Mat was discontinued in later entries, but its design was eventually updated for the portable Stealth Camo item, which appears in every subsequentMetal Geargame.
6Prone Crawling
To use items like the Stealth Mat, Snake’s moveset was improved betweenMetal Gear 1and2. Part of the difficulty with the first game was an inability to move stealthily, butMetal Gear 2introduce the ability to crawl on the ground. The map was redesigned to accommodate this update, introducing vents and crawl spaces.
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Each new entry in theMetal Gearseries implemented new technology conceptssuch as OctoCamo and nanomachines, but prone crawling was the start of stealth gameplay evolving into a new gaming genre. This simple yet significant change emphasized the “stealth” aspect ofMetal Gearmore than the action.
5Trailblazing Evasion Mode AI
The Evasion Mode addition inMetal Gear 2may seem quite tame in comparison to modern game AI. Still, Kojima’s attempts at emulating enemy movement and “thought” were cast as a significant improvement overMetal Gear 1. While not in alert, enemies would break their patrol pattern to actively seek out Snake, which was an impressive use of limited hardware and AI at the time.
Evasion Mode exists as a middle ground between being spotted and being hidden, heightening tension and forcing players to think about how to use stealth. The 4-stage alert system started inMetal Gear 2, going from Alert to Evasion, then Caution, then no alert.LaterMetal Geargames expanded on Evasion Mode, but these improvements were based on the original implementation.
4Hidden Vision Cone Designs
Metal Gear 1’s initial attempts at stealth were literally limited in scope. Enemy sight consisted of an unerring straight line in front of them, making for a laughably unrealistic experience.Metal Gear 2: Solid Snakeupdated the enemy AIwith a system that better emulated human vision. Along with audio cues, vision cones were implemented into live enemy patrol routes.
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This also introduced the Solition Radar, a visual depiction of the surrounding environment that updated live with enemy placement. It would take untilMetal Gear Solid’s tactical espionage settingfor the recognizable red and blue cone shapes to be added, but this classic HUD display inMetal Gear 2helped shape the franchise’s future designs.
3Metal Gear’s Solid Characterization
Metal Gear’s infamously long cutscenes were done under Kojima’s supervision to break up long gaming sessions. But sincethe longestMetal Gearcutscenes total 71 minutes, much criticism has been received from players. However, this tradition originated long before any FMV renders or voice acting were implemented.
Metal Gear 2pioneered the series' use of long cutscenes, but also presented a powerful story along the way. Characters such as Gray Fox, Big Boss, and Gustava Heffner (AKA Natasha Marcova) all get the chance to deliver powerful monologues. Here, Kojima’s writing was given a chance to shine, becoming the eventual springboard forMGS1’s iconic story.
2Hardware Limitations Created Metal Gear
Hideo Kojima wasn’t even the first person at Konami to begin work onMetal Gear. The game was initially planned to rival American action games likeContra, but the MSX computer hardware meant having lots of complex enemies on screen at the same time would break it. This led to Kojima’s idea for a game where the player would avoid enemies instead of confronting them, and thusthe concept of a non-violentMetal Gearwas born.
Konami originally didn’t like the concept, with one executive anecdotally stating: “Hiding from enemies? That’s not a game!” Kojima persevered with the concept, however. Since stealth-based games have emerged into their own eminently popular genre with multiple franchises, it’s safe to say that Kojima made the best decision.
1Metal Gear’s Iconic Exclamation Mark Origins
Perhaps the most recognizable symbol ofMetal Gearis the red exclamation mark that appears over enemies' heads once Snake is spotted, plus the unforgettable audio accompaniment. Its first appearance was inMetal Gear 1, appearing as a single exclamation mark to alert enemies on screen. Occasionally, two exclamation marks would appear, signaling respawning enemies coming from off-screen.
The exclamation mark offered a clear indicator that players had been spotted, but subsequent games have still kept it as the alert symbol. Improved game rendering technology means that such an icon was redundant. Kojima even consideredremoving it entirely forMetal Gear Solid 4and using facial detection instead, but eventually tradition won out.Metal Gear’s trademark alert symbol has since appeared in Easter eggs and other forms of media, solidifying its memetic status in pop culture.
The current state ofMetal Gear’s legacy is often shrouded by controversy, but its humble origins paved the way for a franchise that lasted 28 years. Many other titles have attempted toemulateMetal Gear’s brand of stealth, but the pre-Solidgames show that the series has been full of great ideas since the beginning.
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