Metal Gear

About Metal Gear

Konami released Metal Gear on July 13, 1987 for the MSX2 system before it saw ports to later consoles like the Wii. This title marks the debut of Hideo Kojima and introduced a special forces operative named Solid Snake. The story follows Snake as he infiltrates Outer Heaven, a fortified state in South Africa, to stop a nuclear weapon called Metal Gear. Players control this lone soldier on a solo mission to destroy a bipedal walking tank capable of launching missiles from anywhere. The game defines the stealth genre by prioritizing avoidance over direct firefights while navigating complex bases filled with guards and traps.

Gameplay

You move Snake through multi-story buildings screen by screen, trying to stay out of enemy sight lines. Getting spotted triggers Alert Mode where you must hide or fight your way out. You start unarmed but soon find weapons like a Beretta 92F or M79 grenade launcher scattered around the map. Ammo is scarce so you rely on pickups and careful planning. Sometimes punching a guard yields food or ammo without raising an alarm. The game uses key cards to open specific doors and lets you rescue hostages to improve your rank and health capacity. You also use a transceiver to talk to allies who offer mission updates based on your current location in the base.

What Players Think

Players on PlayPile have given Metal Gear mixed reviews with an IGDB score of 73.8 out of 100 from 139 ratings. The community feels the game is historically significant but notes its age shows in the controls. Average playtime hovers around 4 to 5 hours for a standard run, though completion rates drop off once players hit the harder sections near the end. Review snippets frequently mention the frustration of losing hostages and the difficulty of managing limited supplies without maps. Some users rate the stealth mechanics highly while others complain about the rigid movement system. The prevailing mood is nostalgic respect for the original concept rather than excitement for modern gameplay standards.

PlayPile's Take

Metal Gear is worth playing if you want to understand where the stealth genre started, but do not expect smooth controls or quality of life features found in modern titles. The price varies by platform on older stores, and the MSX2 version offers the most authentic experience with 10 achievements tied to specific milestones like rescuing all hostages. This game suits history buffs and fans of Hideo Kojima more than anyone looking for a polished action shooter today. You will finish it quickly and likely replay only to see if you can beat the final boss without taking damage.

Storyline

Near the end of the 20th century, the West discovers that a weapon of mass destruction is being constructed inside Outer Heaven, a fortified state founded by a "legendary mercenary" 200 km north of Galzburg, South Africa. The special forces unit FOXHOUND sends top agent Gray Fox to infiltrate the fortress, assess the situation and neutralize the threat. FOXHOUND loses contact with Gray Fox a few days later, with his last transmission being "METAL GEAR..." To discover what happened to Gray Fox, FOXHOUND commander Big Boss sends his newest recruit, Solid Snake, into the area in an operation codenamed Intrude N313. Upon insertion into Outer Heaven, Snake makes contact with local resistance members Schneider, Diane, and Jennifer. Using all of his skills and the equipment he procures on site, he manages to rescue Fox. Fox explains that Metal Gear is the codename of a nuclear-equipped bipedal walking tank, which can engage in all forms of combat and launch nuclear weapons from any location. Outer Heaven plans to use Metal Gear to impose itself as the new world superpower. To destroy Metal Gear and topple the Outer Heaven mercenaries, Snake rescues lead Metal Gear engineer Dr. Pettrovich Madnar and his daughter Ellen. The scientist explains how Metal Gear can be destroyed, and Snake takes on Outer Heaven's troops. However, he begins to notice that traps put in his way are too precise, and wonders how information on his activities are being tracked. Big Boss begins to act strangely and eventually tells Snake to abort the mission (breaking the fourth wall by telling the player to turn off the console). Moreover, Schneider is ambushed by hostiles and is presumed dead after losing contact with Snake. Snake penetrates Outer Heaven's main base and takes out Metal Gear before it reaches completion. As he safely escapes the compound's basement, he is confronted by the mercenary leader of Outer Heaven, who turns out to be Big Boss. The corrupt leader reveals that he had been using his connections to steal military intelligence, establish his own mercenary force, and fund his activities. It was his aim to have Outer Heaven become the world's greatest superpower, able to bring even the West to its knees. He had the rookie Snake sent in, hoping to have him captured and feed misinformation to authorities, but had quite obviously underestimated Snake's capabilities. Having lost Metal Gear and much of his force, Big Boss seemingly starts the self-destruct sequence for the compound, and promises he will not die alone; Snake will join him. Snake defeats Big Boss in a last battle and escapes the Outer Heaven compound as it crumbles in flames behind him. After the end credits, a message from Big Boss is displayed saying that he will meet Solid Snake again.