I’ve come to look at this a bit differently as more time goes on. If anything playing the game through Raiden’s perspective does nothing but increase the mystique and just badassery factor of Solid Snake. The first time you get a glimpse of snake he’s cool guy going up the elevator back towards you, I guess it’s just personally but seeing snake use his USP walking on the struts, taking out the Ciphers without missing a beat. I look at raiden’s presence in that game as a stand in for me working along side the FAMOUS solid snake!
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Conventionally speaking, no, I don’t believe that MGS is well written. Kojima relies way too heavily on exposition and literally shoving his points down our throats. He knows how to create timeless characters and unforgettable moments, but seldom does it feel like he ever does anything of value with his characters, and the moments are always better than the collective whole around those moments.
His dialogue is bloated, repetitive, and incredibly one-sided, which is seldom interesting. And often times, the actual stories fall apart at the seams when you really break them down. All too often, the plot twists do more harm than good. Much like how every game being serialized, I felt, hurt the series and limited Kojima to the point where he had to retcon every game that came before it with each sequel just so he wouldn’t be pigeonholed.
None of that really matters though.
Sniper Wolf had four cutscenes in all of MGS1. I never felt like she earned this big anime-villain death scene, yet it still resonates with people. I thought The Boss’ relationship with Biggie was too one-sided to ever be emotionally engaging, yet people really love the story of MGS3 and regard The Boss as a deeply sympathetic character.
Liquid was an incompetent, ineffective villain whose plans always blew up in his face, and was constantly undermined by everyone around him. Yet, he’s still regarded as one of the best villains in video game history.
And the reason for all of that is really quite simple. This series and its characters stick with you in ways few games do. By all metrics, TLOU, RDR2 and The Witcher 3 were all vastly more well written and well realized than any MGS game could ever hope to be in the writing department. There’s tighter, smarter dialogue with more fleshed out characters whose interactions don’t feel as one-sided, and they’re usually wrapped in more coherent stories.
Yet, for the life of me, I can’t remember a single specific quote from any of those games. I remember the general ideas of characters and moments, but never go out of my way to revisit any of them.
Even the MGS games with writing I actively dislike, I still remember years on. Cold Hotman was the worst MGS villain ever created, and I still remember the cutscenes that featured him and his stupid plans.
Because for as nonsensical as MGS may be and as many mistakes as the writing makes, there’s nothing like MGS. Nothing that’s simultaneously campy yet still has something to say which, even when it veers into total preach-ville, never feels anything less than earnest.
There’s nothing cynical about MGS. It doesn’t feel like it’s catering to anybody. It doesn’t feel like it’s embarrassed by shit it should be embarrassed by, like bikini snipers, ghost arms and guys made out of bees. It’s cartoonish, yet still strikes that balance to where it still feels serious for as schlocky as it is.
I don’t regard any MGS game as well written. I like some stories more than others, but not a single one would be a go-to for how to write. Yet, I respect MGS more than any video game I’ve played because, for as critical as I am of Kojima’s writing skills, his games stick with me in ways no other video game ever will. And in an era when every single creative lead is too spineless to say anything political in fear of turning off shitheads, Kojima, if nothing else, is willing to be critical of things and to lay his points bare in creative ways.
I think the way he goes about it is often insufficient. I would’ve much rather seen MGS4 be a full critique of the military industrial complex and the dangers of being led on by defense contractors than all that bullshit about systems and nanomachines. But I respect him for at least trying to say something, which is more than I can say for most game devs and writers. And that can still often lead to scenarios that are unique or trippy, a la Arsenal Gear and that whole S3 mess.
So, I guess the long short of it is, no, Kojima’s not a good writer, but if his writing is so well regarded, does it even matter? I generally agree with people like Agnes Kaku, who translated MGS2 for western audiences and hated every second of it. But I think the fact that Kojima’s work resonates with so many people is a testament to his creativity and imagination. Because no one could ever accuse any of these games of having generic or dull writing.
And I think, long term, that’s kind of what matters most; simply being memorable, which all of these games are.
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Isn’t that the thing, He’s creative and has a great Imagination, atleast he tries putting messages in his games, they don’t always hit the mark and Koj games rubs alot of folks the wrong way. I’m just happy that at least he tries to do something a bit different. If MGS had the syphon Filter story, none of us would be still talking to each other, you know what i mean?
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I don’t even remember what Syphon Filter’s story was!
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Most people can’t. I remember the gameplay but I wonder if most folks feel the same about the MGS stories lol
Oh shit lol. I had not considered that. I’m certain though there are some people who played them all, and the story has still gone over their heads, and though no fault of their own. It can be a chore to connect all the dots, through retcons and such. It’s a lot of media to take in and most people don’t do it more than once (like the lot of us here have) so it’s understandable.
i dont know anyone in real life who has played the whole metal gear series. we are definitely a hardcore niche. most people my age who game say they have played just mgs1, and then the younger crowd will say mgsv (and then say they didnt like it)
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I’ve just recently run across a guy who just turned 21 that’s completely into the MG series and I was actually super surprised. We actually had real MGS and Kojima discussions. Folks are out there but it’s really niche as you said. then there’s the fools who recognise the codec ringtone, then when you try talking to them about it that’s al they know. its the reason i took it off my phone like 4 years ago. I refuse to have conversation about MGS with NORMIES!
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There’s this Seal dude, I’m talking bushy white guy beard, muscles on his muscles, tanned to the point where I’m amazed he doesn’t have skin cancer from being in the desert overseas, who I always see running across Campbell (not that one). The most hardcore dude I’ve ever seen in the city when I’m working, in short-shorts, those sleeveless workout shirts for guys who wanna have their tits out…and the Rat Patrol vest with the actual MGS4 Foxhound logo on it.
Shit you not, this grizzly bear-man was at a light, he and I chatted for a moment since I always see him and I was really curious and asked him if he was a Metal Gear fan. “Til the day I die, brother.” Said he loved all the games, but that 4 was his favorite because he just loved the theme of old war horses going off on their last ride. Gun to my head, I’d guess he’s probably a few years older than me, but these big muscular guys make it hard to tell. I had more gray hairs than him, but he had way more definition on his face and wrinkles that could’ve easily made him look at least in his early forties.
He didn’t have any real negative opinions about the series. We only talked for a bit, but he said he loved every single game, had fun with them, loved that each one had something to say, and appreciated the message of each game so much that he didn’t care how it was delivered. (And I’m not about to go into my “writer brain” bullshit around a dude who could rip me in half with his pinky alone.)
I’ve come across a fair amount of fans like that. The people in real life that I know who love MGS don’t really have anything bad to say about 'em. And the ones who only played MGS1, like me, were enamored with the experience and memories of that experience more than anything else.
Some things just kinda break past “good and bad,” because the memories are that positive, and most people won’t go outta their way to reevaluate, life being as nutty as it is. I think the reason later MGS games don’t get the same break that MGS1 did is because, by the points of their releases, cinematic games were becoming more and more commonplace, especially by V’s time.
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My ringtone is the codec ring. My alert for texts and such may or may not be the “!” noise.
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Hey man, I’ll likely never NOT have the codec as my ringer. I’ve been using the same audio file for years and years, just transfer it from phone to phone.
I feel personally attacked 
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I think i’m gonna add it back in now tbh. I found my old file from 2012, nostalgia poured through my brain listening to it again, fuck the normies! if i dont want to talk to them i’ll just pretend i dont know what MGS is.
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