|
|
Metal GearMetal Gear is a series of stealth-based games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The series stars legendary soldier Solid Snake, an elite military operative repeatedly facing off against the latest incarnation of the superweapon "Metal Gear," a massive, nuclear-equipped walking battle tank. The games take place in the near future and focus on stealth and finesse rather than brute-force combat. You start out with few or no weapons at all. On the highest difficulty settings of some games in the series, being seen by an enemy even once is enough to bring certain defeat. Through the course of the game, Solid Snake gathers equipment and weapons to help accomplish his mission objectives, and gathers information by rescuing captives. Metal Gear's purported purpose within the games is to allow a nuclear strike at any location with no advance warning and no clues as to who made the attack (unlike the obvious launch of an ICBM). In principle, this would allow a hostile nation to use nuclear weapons with no fear of nuclear retaliation. While this could be performed adequately with a nuclear submarine, two of the games make a case for the nuclear weapons system. Metal Gear 2's manual claims it expands the operating area of such a strike to include the land. Metal Gear Solid's proposal is more robust, with Metal Gear REX able to perform an uninterceptable strike which cannot be detected until the weapon hits its target.
Metal Gear seriesThe series consists of the following titles in its official canon:
Since the series' rebirth with Metal Gear Solid, there have also been various "special edition" products, with additions, improvements, or brand new content:
Three non-canonical titles have also been released:
Hideo Kojima has been quoted as saying the NES/Famicom port of Metal Gear was changed quite a bit from the original MSX version. It was made without his direction and he, himself, finds the game to be rather challenging. Snake's Revenge was the non-canonical 1990 sequel to Metal Gear on the NES (also made into a licensed handheld game), released a few months before the canonical Metal Gear 2 exclusively in the western market (despite being developed by a Japanese team). It was not created by (or with the knowledge of) any of the original Metal Gear staff and is not considered to be part of the official storyline. Metal Gear: Ghost Babel, for the Game Boy Color, is an "alternative sequel" to the original Metal Gear, taking the plot in a different direction than Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake and Metal Gear Solid. Additionally, Metal Gear Solid, the most popular game in the series, has been remade in an unusual collaboration as Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (2004), a GameCube exclusive. This featured fully rerecorded voices, and all-new cutscenes, directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, best known for the Japanese cult action film, Versus . The Famicom version of the first Metal Gear has also been ported to the GameCube as part of a Japan-only bundle of The Twin Snakes. In 2004, mobile phone ports of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 were released in Japan; they feature new game modes and items. Metal Gear Solid 4 is currently in development, with the tagline "No Place to Hide". It is to be produced by Ken-ichiro Imaizumi with Hideo Kojima taking an executive producer role. The director has been announced as "Alan Smithee", suggesting that the true director will be announced later.
CharactersFOXHOUNDKnown Operatives: Big Boss, Gray Fox (aka Frank Jaeger & Ninja), Roy Campbell (replaced Big Boss), Naomi Hunter (chief of medical staff, and in charge of gene therapy), McDonnel Benedict "Master" Miller (instructor), Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, Revolver Ocelot (aka Shalashaska aka Adamska aka ADAM - double-agent, secretly employed by other forces), Sniper Wolf, Vulcan Raven, Psycho Mantis and Decoy Octopus. Pseudo-Operatives: AI Roy Campbell (an AI reproduction of Col. Campbell by supercomputer GW) and Raiden (aka Jack - believes he is FOXHOUND, but is actually being manipulated by The Patriots and the AI Campbell). Dead CellKnown Operatives: Commander Reginald Jackson, Fortune (Helena Dolph-Jackson), Vamp and Fatman. They are later under the command of Solidus Snake (former President George Sears). Two other members were killed six months prior to the events of the Plant Chapter of Metal Gear Solid 2: Old Boy and China Man Black ChamberKnown Operatives: Black Art Viper, Marionette Owl, Slasher Hawk and Pyro Bison. Note these characters are from one of the non-canonical games therefore have no relation to the main storyline. Cobra unitKnown Operatives: The Boss, The Sorrow, The Pain, The Fear, The Fury (Metal Gear Solid 3), and The End (character). Gurlukovich MercenariesKnown Operatives: Col. Sergei Gurlukovich and Olga Gurlukovich. Other operatives were named after contest winners, by Konami. CiviliansKenneth Baker (ArmsTech Inc.), Hal "Otacon" Emmerich (Metal Gear REX designer), Emma "E.E." Emmerich (Arsenal Gear "GW" designer), Dr. Pettrovich Madnar (TX-55 Metal Gear and Metal Gear D inventor), Ellen Pettrovich (doctor's daughter), Rosemary (Raiden's girlfriend & data analyst), Peter Stillman (former NYPD bomb expert), Yosef Norden (animal expert) and Dr. Kio Marv (OILIX inventor). Foreign agentsJennifer (Outer Heaven Resistance), Kyle Schneider (Outer Heaven Resistance) and Diane (Outer Heaven Resistance), Johnny Sasaki (Mercenary - survived Shadow Moses AND Big Shell with only an injured pride and diarrhea), Johnny (Soviet Soldier - father of Johnny Sasaki, see him except in 1964 during MGS3). Misc. U.S. Government agentsDonald Anderson (DARPA, Chief of Operations), Nastasha Romanenko (DIA, nuclear weapons specialist), Mei Ling (ROTC, communications expert), Jim Houseman (former Secretary of Defense), Meryl Silverburgh (Army, Force XXI), Col. Scott Dolph (Marines), James Johnson (U.S. President), Holly White (CIA / Zanzibarland expert), Natasha Markova, George Kessler and Col. Richard Ames (DIA). ACUA Troops(Metal Gear Ac!d) This soldiers are the product of a secret experiment developed somewhere in Africa. They are also know as "Human Weapons" for they have no feelings or mercy. These soldiers become controlled by the Neoteny (No. 16) after ingesting a considerable amount of ACUA. Only those who are not "Name-Knowers" can be controlled by the Neoteny. Storylines
Metal GearIn 1995, 200km north of Galzburg, the South African nation of Outer Heaven is held by a mysterious mercenary. Word had gotten out to the western world that deep within the Outer Heaven stronghold, that a weapon of mass destruction was being constructed. Government officials orders the high-tech Special Forces squad, Foxhound, to infiltrate the fortress, access the situation and neutralize the threat. Known as operation "Intrude N313," Foxhound operative Gray Fox infiltrated the Outer Heaven stronghold. Days later, contact with Gray Fox is lost. His last transmission reads "METAL GEAR..." Another operative, the rookie Solid Snake, is ordered by Fox Hound leader Big Boss to find the missing operative Gray Fox, and carry out his mission. Upon infiltrating Outer Heaven, Snake discovers the advanced nuclear weapon system Metal Gear, and learns from its imprisoned creator how to destroy it. Snake succeeds after a series of gruelling battles with the mercenary forces which defend Outer Heaven and the sophisticated electronic defenses surrounding Metal Gear itself. It is then that he meets the man who rules Outer Heaven; Foxhound's own commander, Big Boss. Big Boss activates the destruct sequence for the fortress, but is defeated by Snake, who escapes as the base crumbles behind him. Metal Gear 2: Solid SnakeBy 1999, the Cold War had thawed, and nuclear disarmament by the major world powers promised a bright beginning to the 21st century. Despite this, all was not well in the world. A series of shocks to the oil market spurred the development of new high-tech energy sources, including Fusion power. However, most vehicles still relied on oil for power. A breakthrough solution is presented in Prague by Czech scientist, Dr. Kio Marv; a type of algae which can produce petroleum-grade hydrocarbons. However, between there and the United States, he is kidnapped by forces belonging to the heavily fortified nation of "Zanzibar Land". Solid Snake is sent in to rescue the scientist; he discovers that the nation's leaders plan to hold the world hostage through both the oil supply (now tied inexorably to Dr. Marv's research) and nuclear weapons (through a new form of Metal Gear). The man in the seat of power in Zanzibar Land is none other than Big Boss, and his newest lieutenant is Snake's old comrade Gray Fox. While Snake succeeds in destroying Metal Gear and bringing down Big Boss, he finds the blood of his best friend on his hands. Upon completing the mission, Snake leaves the military and dissapears into Alaska. Metal Gear SolidIn the early 21st century Solid Snake is called out of retirement by his old commanding officer Roy Campbell and given a new mission. Apparently, Next Generation Special Forces Unit FOXHOUND was conducting a training exercise on Shadow Moses Island in Alaska’s Fox Archipelago when the unit suddenly revolted against the U.S. government. Their demands include the remains of the legendary mercenary Big Boss and they threaten a nuclear strike within 24 hours if their demands are not met. Snake is given two objectives first, to infiltrate the nuclear weapons disposal facility and rescue DARPA Chief Donald Anderson and the President of ArmsTech, Kenneth Baker. Secondly, he must stop the terrorists from launching a nuclear strike. Solid Snake takes out most of FOXHOUND in battle, while the Decoy Octopus, Baker and Liquid Snake die from a specially engineered assassination virus called FOXDIE (Solid Snake was the carrier of the virus). Snake is also told about his origins as a Genetic son of Big Boss and Genetic Twin of Liquid Snake. Revolver Ocelot, Solid Snake and Dr Hal Emmerich are the only recorded survivors of the incident. The Metal Gear in this game is named Metal Gear REX, and resembles a dinosaur in some respects. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LibertyMetal Gear Solid 2 opens on the George Washington Bridge in New York City. Solid Snake is investigating the development of a new Metal Gear being transported for testing by the Marines following the proliferation of REX's blueprints. The mission rapidly turns sour, the tanker is sunk by Shalashaska and Snake apparently is killed. The player finds himself in control of Raiden, operating under Fox-Hound to rescue the President and other hostages from the "Big Shell" facility off the shorline of New York. It is revealed that the Big Shell is merely a cover for "Arsenal Gear", a mobile underwater fortress defended by a fleet of amphibious mecha (production variants of Metal Gear RAY), which is being secretly built as part of a conspiracy by the Illuminati-like "Patriots". It is largely unarmed. Instead, it carries a supercomputer called "GW" which is designed to monitor, block, and tamper with Internet communications, in order to further the totalitarian agenda of the "Patriots". Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake EaterSet in 1964 at the height of the Cold War, this game follows Naked Snake- the man who will become Big Boss- into the Soviet jungle to recover a scientist who has been working on a new type of tank that can fire a nuclear missile. It is heavily influenced by the style of James Bond movies, from the plentiful love interests to the classic visual style of the opening credits. The Plot of Snake Eater provides closure to the series (some trailers called it the last in the "Metal Gear Solid trilogy"), resolving many hanging plot points raised in earlier titles. For example, the role of The Patriots in the story arc, raised in MGS2, and the transformation of Big Boss from hero to renegade with the creation of Outer Heaven, which underpins the first two titles, are explained. There are several references to actual events in the series' past, as well as a very detailed background on Ocelot's role in the whole 'Solid' series. External linksOfficial
Unofficial
|
|
The contents of this article are licensed from Wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. How to see transparent copy
|
BiologyDaily.com 2005. Legal info Privacy |