Thankfully, I was worrying needlessly. Metal Gear Solid is the best game I've played this year on any gaming format. For those who haven t been following the build up to Metal Gear 's first 32-bit outing, let me explain the concept behind the game. The player takes on the role of Solid Snake, a ninja spy who must infiltrate an enemy base. Rather than blasting your way through the base, Metal Gear Solid forces the player to take a much more strategic approach.
Snake has to hide in shadows, creep up on guards, avoid security cameras and so on.
There's still plenty of action to be had, with some particularly nasty 'boss' characters, but the gameplay is very much dependent on tactical thinking. It's this original approach which has made the release of Metal Gear so deeply desired by gamers around the world. The action is usually viewed from an elevated camera angle, but some scenes move to a Resident Evil -style of fixed camera. The player can switch to a first-person perspective at the touch of a button. Snake is also equipped with a high-tech pair of binoculars which he can use to zoom in on the surrounding terrain.