App Trigger
Fansided

PlayStation’s 25th Anniversary: Five best PS1 games of all-time

By Justin O'Riley

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 20: Attendees walk by the Sony PlayStation booth at the 2019 GDC Game Developers Conference on March 20, 2019 in San Francisco, California. The GDC runs through March 22. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 20: Attendees walk by the Sony PlayStation booth at the 2019 GDC Game Developers Conference on March 20, 2019 in San Francisco, California. The GDC runs through March 22. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next

Metal Gear Solid – Konami

Hideo Kojima’s blockbuster, Metal Gear Solid, is perhaps the most influential game in the stealth genre. From Splinter Cell to Hitman, many popular gaming franchises originated because of Metal Gear Solid.

Although technically the third game in the series, the original Metal Gear and its later sequel Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake were both released on the MSX home computer in Japan. The games encouraged the use of stealth through Kojima’s inventive game design by incorporating elements such as security cameras, silenced weapons, and scarce ammo.

Metal Gear Solid raised the stealth gameplay even further through advancements in artificial intelligence, creating programmable enemies that visually and audibly reacted to the player’s actions. The next-generation sequel Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was even officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for being the first stealth video game to feature “collective artificial intelligence.” 

In addition to the trendsetting gameplay, Metal Gear Solid also told an incredibly epic story presented in a “movie-style” fashion complete with stylized cutscenes and believable voice acting (uncommon at the time). This incredible combination created a unique experience that made the game feel like a fully-interactive action film.

Metal Gear Solid wasn’t simply an excellent video game: it completely evolved the entire stealth genre. The storytelling, combined with the game’s cinematic presentation, further immersed players into Solid Snake’s espionage adventure.

Its financial success turned the series into a new lucrative franchise for Konami, as shown by the numerous sequels, spin-offs, and imitators. The game’s overall quality represented the console’s capabilities perhaps better than any other game in the PS1 library. Sony simply wanted a successful title, but Kojima instead gave the company a game-changing masterpiece.

Home/Opinion