Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater [E3 2004]

Snake looks prettier and more Jaded in the next installment to the Metal Gear Solid Series.

Amidst the deafeningly loud cacophony of the show, a hands-on demo was available on the show floor for this year?s E3. The demo featured the familiar jungle environment that people have seen in the trailers and screenshots, showing the strides made in gameplay complexity as well as graphics.

The core gameplay retains the same feel as MGS 2?there?s a top-down 3D perspective, and a first-person perspective for looking around and aiming. The number of actions that Snake can do have increased?in addition to crouching, crawling, punching, grabbing, and hanging, Snake can now climb trees, perform somersault dodges, and ?eat snakes. Not called Snake Eater for nothing, Solid Snake has to survive the harsh jungle environment by subsisting on the wildlife fauna (crocs) and flora (tropical fruits), which you can aim and shoot down from trees. It didn?t impact gameplay on the demo, so it?s unknown how the feature will pan out. Snake can now climb some trees, (subtly intertwined by bright green vines), and walk on the branches, enabling him to pounce an oblivious opponent below.

As in the other installments, if enemies spot you, they will radio for backup, forcing you to wait through the Alert and Evasion timer. Enemy AI appears more intelligent, working together in groups, and crawling away when in trouble. Enemies don?t simply stay in one place and shoot, shifting positions and edging closer to Snake for a better shot.

Using foliage as cover is another essential feature, with a percentage gauge in the upper right corner indicating how concealed you are. The percentage changes according to your camouflage gear set-up, how low you are, as well as the lighting.

Weapons featured in the demo are the standard affair?shot gun, pistols, tranquilizer guns, sniper rifle, M16 assault rifle, and a combat knife. Though the shotgun is anything but stealthy, it?s satisfying to see an enemy getting blown away at point blank range, smashing into another enemy and making him fall over as well.

The story is advanced by cut scenes rendered in the 3D, as well as the radiophone call conversations you have with your commanding officer and comfortably distant comrades. The text-driven conversations in the demo were a bit long, potentially interrupting the pace of the action. The plot seems to follow a similar formula to past installments?some powerful villain is about to get his hands on an even more powerful weapon, and you?re sent in to clean up the dirty work. Regardless, the cinematic direction and sophisticated storytelling promise an engrossing storyline that fans have grown to love.

Graphics have seen a noticeable improvement, but doesn?t drop jaws?often times it is hard to differentiate foliage, enemies, and trees because of the resolution and texture detail. Lighting however is impressive, with leaves overhanging from trees silhouetting against Snake as he traverses through the dense forest. In contrast to many games where they stick a few trees and grass and call it a jungle, the environment is dense, with various foliage adding a sense of immersion and realism. Tall grass bending as you move through is an impressive touch as well.

Sequels are a dime-a-dozen these days, but with a lucrative franchise and high caliber production, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater will be a sure success.

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