A Collection of geekery. Featuring vintage and retro reviews of anime, video games, manga and figures. With a smattering of personal collection updates and miscellaneous geekery to keep things interesting.
In previous Shop Spotlight's we've featured the G1 my little Ponies and the G2 My little Ponies so it's time to G3's got some love.
As a long time pony fan I was at first a little miffed about the G3 ponies, they took a lot of names from the G1s and recycled them while totally changing to look of the ponies themselves. I didn't like their changed their proportions and a various other tiny perceived infractions against the classic ponies I've loves since childhood. However before long I started seeing ones that were too cute to ignore and I've gotten more and more smitten with them and have quite a collection that's growing all the time, so naturally they're something we'd carry in the shop.
G3 Ponies are generally split into two parts. The original G3's which
were based on the original G1 molds and were made for 6 years from
2003-2009. The "New Look" or G3.5 ponies which started being produced in
early 2009 and went until the introduction of Friendship is Magic. The
G3.5 looked radically different with large heads, large eyes and small
bodies. We primarily carry the older style G3 ponies and currently have a fairly large selection of them.
Misty Blue. Misty Blue really reminds me of an older Pony. Her pretty blue and white color scheme and simple cutie mark are classic and elegant.I think she's honestly look at home not only in collection of ponies but even in a china cabinet with other dainty little things. This Particular Misty Blue is in great shape and is $4.
Hidden Treasure. The pegasus ponies in G3 have cute little stylized wings instead of feather style wings. When I first saw one I was delighted because they look so similar to CLAMP wings (the ones widely used in Card Captor Sakura and subsequently in their logos). As you'd expect with a pegasus pony, they're designs are a little more fanciful and well, magical looking than the earth ponies. Hidden treasure has a sparkly blaze down her nose, glittery hair and 3D jewled cutie mark. She's in great shape and could be making your collection more magical for $7.
Sweetie Belle Variant. Sweetie Belle was one the most popular G3 Ponies and by far the most popular unicorn. This is the name up the leg variant of sweetie belle sometimes called a 25th anniversary variant because it was released in the same year as the anniversary and had an anniversary sticker on the original packaging. She's looks fabulous on display, though her hooves have some wear. $5 is a great deal on this hard to find pony.
Sweetberry Plush. Sometimes you just want to hug your ponies and for that we have this cute yarn haired Sweetberry. She's got a super soft coat and really nice details on her embroidered cutie mark and eyes. She's in fabulous shape and ready to by cuddled by you for just $6.
We've got loads of G3 Ponies in stock so if you don't see what you're looking for spotlighted come check out the site. If G3s aren't you things we've got lots of Ponies in stock from G1 & G2 as well, we're sure to have something for almost any Pony Lover.
Sometimes when you want to test your mettle as a gamer nothing but the most hardcore intense experience will give you the adrenaline rush you're looking for. So if you've walked out of Black Mesa without a scratch, tea-bagged an army of Master Chiefs, and sent every Nazi and Nazi zombie straight back to hell, this list is for you. We've compiled a list of the 10 most extreme games ever to ever hit gaming, they'll chew you up and spit you out, leaving you crying for your mommy.
10. Katamari Damacy (PS2): Katamari puts the
ultimate power of the gods in your hands, you create the very cosmos!
You're tasked with taking your studded sphere of mayhem onto the earth
rolling over everything in your path and crushing it into a sick twisted
melange of debris, broken dreams, and lost souls. The Prince lets
nothing stand in the way of his gruesome tasks, not the humans begging for their
lives or the animals crying out in pain. Once you've collected enough of
the detritus of earth, your grim collection is callously tossed into
the sky. This macabre mass becomes the next burning star or wandering planet, with no
regard for the victims are still visibly struggling to break free. Worse
still, even if the prince fails in his duties, our hapless earth
dwellers are given no respite, as the unimaginably evil so-called "King
of All Cosmos" shoots them into meaningless star dust before
sending you back out on your grisly collection quest until you get the
job right.
These poor bastards never had a chance.
9. Tetris Attack(SNES): Terrifying
stars, ass-whoopin' hearts, extreme rhombi, you name it, this killer's
got it. Using your Panel Annihilation Device, you swap those bastards
back and forth until you force three together, the resulting explosion
so devastating, bits of star and heart guts fly almost right off the
screen. If that weren't enough to have you on your knees, begging your
God for mercy, blocks with grimacing faces slam down on top of your stack. These titans imposing their dark will on your helpless panels following devastating combo
attacks from your terrifying opponents ranging from hideous, earless dogs to one very
pissed off butterfly. Only the toughest SOB's in the world will come out
of this game in one piece.
It's like Lucky Charms on steroids.
8. Pac-Man 2 (Genesis/SNES): Pac-Man returns in this vicious sequel to the brutal
original, and he's kicking more ass than ever before. The game starts off with
infiltrating a rotting farm to rip the milk right out of a cow, and our
little yellow badass continues the debauchery from there. He scales a gigantic
mountain of death and braving ungodly horrifying ghosts in an attempt to
pick a wildflower for little Suzy. As you press on into the dark and
dirty streets Pac-Man will do the most intense skateboarding you'll see
outside of the X Games, Find the sweetest electric guitar in Pac-land,
and the most thrilling death-defying Arial acrobatics we've seen on hang
glider since Pilot Wings. And that's only the beginning, the carnage
only grows from there! The game culminates in a show down at the most
horrifying place on earth, the gum factory! You've got to hit the ground
running in this thriller that could arguably be called one of the most
suspenseful games of all time.
Pac-Man is ready to lay the smack down.
7. Animal Crossing(Gamecube): Nintendo is well known
for its profanity-laced and gory
games, but Animal Crossing just may be the definitive title of the
company's commitment to badassary. You're new in town and get taken for a
ride by local "businessman" Tom Nook, instantly finding yourself deeply in debt
and forced into doing Tom's business. From making "deliveries", to
posting "messages" in the town square, to doing a little "planting",
you're in deep. But even after you've freed yourself from Nook's debt you're
still scouring the town and sometimes even shaking down it's residents
for goodies you sell to Tom Nook for top-bell. If you don't play
by the rules, you'll find yourself visited by the town's "enforcer", Resetti, who doesn't merely threaten to break your legs, he threatens to
erase your whole life. You'll find
yourself doing anything to make those sweet sacks of jinglers and
ultimately survive, be it pulling rusted cans from the river, being a
courier for your animal clients or using the mail in ways you never
thought possible, your adrenaline is always pumping in this thrilling
title where it's just you against one bad, nasty town.
Tom Nook's not running a freakin' charity here
6. Mario is Missing(SNES): A quest around the
world turns into a quest into hell
for Luigi as he tries to track down his brother Mario who's gone missing
under mysterious circumstances. Luigi finds himself face to face with the sleazy chicks and big studs roaming the mean streets of Paris, Rome, and
Beijing. They're been watching and they're waiting for him. They're
primed and ready to pounce, educating your sorry ass on any number of
horrifying ancient artifacts before turning you back out onto the mean
streets. Surviving these encounters is only the first step, so you'd
better hope those facts were beat into you because only a grueling quiz
will allow you to continue your search. If you fail you've got to
restlessly hit the streets again until you "learned your lesson".
History isn't here to repeat itself, this time it's just here to kick
your ass.
Luigi has to separate the double talk and code words from the truth.
5. Mario Paint: Painting. Animation. Music
Composing. Flyswatting. Arguably four of the most hardcore activities
ever conceived by our sick ancestors collide in a fiery explosion of
utter chaos with a Marioesque twist. Using pens, spray cans, flood
filling and even more devastating tools, the player splatters a image on
the screen with such reckless abandon, it's a wonder how they manage to
stay upright. The truly insane will take it to the next level,
stringing together their unholy imagery, using what can only be described
as the blackest of magic, to make it MOVE before their very eyes! If they get
through the animation alive, it's time to put some music together, using cats, tugboats,
baby heads and even more diabolical objects to concoct a frenetic
cacophony that stretches the very limits of extreme. The perverse
technology utilized in this maddening title allows you to take that
painted image, take that animation, take that song you created and put
it all together in one messy, dripping, hanging-off-the-bone
collaboration of utter chaos that's certain to destroy the senses of
even the most hardened gamers. And you haven't even gotten to the game
where you swat bugs, yet.
Mario Paint? More like MARIO PAIN!
4. Barbie's Vacation Adventure(SNES/Genesis): One would
think a game about a super model would deal with the horrors of eating
disorders, drug addictions or sleazy industry insiders. But the early
Barbie games eschew those stereotypes and bring you even more edgy fare.
From Navigating the twisted world of Barbie's dreams in Barbie on the
NES, to watching American's first badass woman claw her way to the top
of the Fashion World, in Barbie's Super Model. None of the titles are for
the feint of heart, but for the true badasses among us, Barbie's vacation
adventures kicks things up a notch. This title opts for an expose of what happens
when a super model is left alone in the backwaters of America. From the
unsettling Deliverance-esque setting of the Iowa county fair where
Barbie is watched silently by unseen farmers as she's forced to run
after a loose pig in order to gain admittance to their "carnival games" where she must win the freedom to move on. To her terrifying experiences
in the dark and menacing woods of Wyoming where she's attacked by
wildlife tossed into a powerful rushing stream, left cold, wet and frightened. When Barbie manages to escape back to her California Mansion the Nightmare
deepens when she's faced with a clearly demon-possessed Ken who speaks only
in riddles, and enters and exits rooms in ways that can only be
attributed to dark powers. Once she's bested Ken's mind games, you're rewarded with a series of
unexplained still shots leaving you with a myriad unanswered questions, but too scared to draw your own conclusions.
I bet I can make ya squeal like a piggy
3. Reel Fishing (PS1): The unbridled INTENSITY of brooks, ponds, and the big
daddy of all fresh-water angling - THE LAKE can be matched only by the
extreme monsters that live in these intense environments, THE FISH!! In
Reel fishing, these swimming demons didn't care who you are or where
you came from. If you come to their water with a pansy stick and weak
thread, you'll lose your bait, your hook, and your dignity. The
Char are sinister, the bass are brutal, and the cutthroat trout are just
plain bad. At times you can't tell if you're fishing or fighting in a
prison riot. All of this mayhem is set to a KILLER soundtrack that will
kick your sorry ass even harder than the bitterling!
The true face of evil
2. Seasame Street 1-2-3: Ernie's Magic Shapes and Asro Grover (NES):This cartridge gives you a double shot of power
with 2 hardcore games stuffed into one package. Think you know a square
when you see it? Think circles are something to sneeze at? Well tough guy,
Grand Wizard Ernie's got a few trapezoids for your punk ass, and if
you're not careful this manic magician's gonna stick 'em right where the
sun don't shine. And whatever left of you certainly won't have a
chance in hell of crafting that train. So if triangles have a way of
making a wuss out of you, perhaps you should try your luck with with the
numbers, courtesy of Spaceman Grover. Astro Grover is like a
mathematical punch to the face. Counting little green men might seem
easy enough for you, but try developing a ghetto city-block with the
power of math alone. You'd better have your head screwed on right,
because if you fail to count 7, let me tell you buddy, your luck's run
out. That moon over the city does not tolerate failure and not even NASA
can save you from a run in with the Lunar Lunatic.
YOU GONNA GET IT!
1. Flower (PS3): Only a Hardcore system like
the PS3 could bring you the most hardcore game the world has ever seen.
In flower you control one of the most destructive forces on earth, the
wind. Flower is for hardcore gamers only, so it doesn't mess around
giving you a bunch of needless instructions or text to read. You pull yourself up by the
bootstraps and forge your own way through the game's harsh environment
as you learn to harness the deadly power of nature. You start by using
your power of the gales to tear apart every flower ripping off their petals and leading them on a death march through desolate fields, past terrifying
turbines and culminating in ripping through a decrepit cityscape.
Flower's intelligent soundtrack changes tone and intensity with every
heart-pounding, anxiety inducing move you make, adding a layer of extreme
intensity like nothing you've experienced before. You might think you're
a gamer but no amount of experience PvP sniping, Zombie Killing, alien
dismembering or street hustling can prepare you for Flower.
Make those whirling blades of death dance!
So this April 1st challenge yourself to earn your gamer cred by playing one of the above games and go down in history as one of gaming's hardcore legends.
In a previous Shop Spotlight we talked about how much we love vintage My Little Ponies and featured the classic G1 one My Little Ponies so we thought this time we should spotlight the G2.
G2 Ponies are a lot different than both the classic G1 and the G4 that are being produced today. These design changes made them the least popular Ponies and they were only produced for 2 years in most markets. While G2 aren't my favorites either I still think they still have their charm for any pony lover and we have a some cuties in stock right now.
Ivy. Is one of the magic motion ponies and her front leg moves when your turn her head. Both of her eye jewels are intact and she's got a clean body and silky shiny hair. I love her swirly leafy cutie mark. For $4.50 she can grace your collection.
Morning Glory. With her light pink body, light purple hair and flower cluster cutie mark Morning Glory seems to be a little more similar to her G1 counterparts. She's got a unique post too, that back hoof probably couldn't bend like that unless it was broken. But hey that's why MLP ponies are fantasy creatures right? This particular Morning Glory is in great shape other than some cowlicky bangs. Just $6 and she cane be the newest part of your hard.
Berry Brite. She is pretty aptly named given her ultra bright body and neon yellow hair paired with her dark purple cute mark. Speaking of her cutie mark, grapes are berries, but most of us don't think of them under the berry heading. I'd have gone with a strawberry, or maybe blueberry design. Or instead called her Grapely Cute or something equally as silly. Whatever you call her she's a cutie. You can bring a bit of brightness (or is that briteness?) into your life for $4.50.
We also have a full set of small beanie G2 Ponies right now. They don't particularly resemble their source ponies, but they're still pretty cute. Sky Skimmer here is one of my personal favorites, I think her color scheme and cutie mark came out especially great in plushie form. For $6 she can make your collection cuter.
That's it for this Spotlight. We've got a lots more G2 Ponies on site, so if you don't see something you like here you might find it there. Similarly we have lots of other ponies and pony related goodies and are always adding more.
Sailor Moon was mass merchandized pretty much as soon as it came out and has continued to be merchandized worldwide. Meaning there is literally a world of Sailor products out there. Which of course means that there are lots of weird and not so weird official products that aren't often found in collections. While we normally focus on rare and weird (if not completely insane in some cases), we occasionally bring you something that's just seen infrequently, but not too crazy. That's the case with the Italian Sailor Beauty Set:
This honestly is a little girl sized toy vanity packaged with a Sailor Moon doll. The vanity seems to have nothing to do with Sailor moon at all. The hearts and bows are sort of senshi-ish if you squint, and you have something in your eye, AND you look at it with all the hopefulness you can muster. At worst it's lazy half integration at best it's still way better than when they try to make something Sailor Moon related like the North American Vanity. It's also worth noting that the earrings have nothing to do with
Sailor Moon either. No character I'm aware of wears anything that even
looks remotely similar. Once again, lazy integration. The only part of
this set that is related to Sailor Moon is the Sailor Moon doll and she
looks pretty much like your standard Giochi Preziosi issue Sailor Moon
Doll. Admittedly though we haven't actually taken it out of
the box(a rare move for us) to inspect it so it could have some weird variation we're
presently unaware of, but it seems unlikely.
We honestly probably wouldn't have a bought this for the collection if we realized at the time it was a girl sized vanity rather than a doll sized one. The doll one would have been a lot more fun as our little photoshoot proves, but regardless, we've got it now and enjoy it for it's randomness. Overall it's not a crazy item considering the target market. It probably could have done with better integration, how much cuter would a vanity with little Luna heads or Comic Hearts instead of generic hearts be? But it's an a passable item certainly not the worst item we've come across or own. It's very uncommon and we haven't seen another in collection though we saw one listed on ebay without earrings so it was probably issued at least twice. It may have been popular in Italy, but it seem pretty rare in the rest of the world.
Like so many other items in our collection we're not sure exactly sure why Sailor Moon got stuck endorsing a little girl's pink and blue vanity but we're glad she did so we can enjoy it.
Welcome to another Shop Spotlight, where we feature some of the fun collectibles available at www.avaneshop.com. Hopefully you'll find the next piece for your collection or a great gift for a friend.
Today we're going to focus on items which aren't really well known or well collected in the west, Doujin Binsen. Often times the same circles and fan artists who make full doujinshi also make specialty stationery with unique art. This stationery is produced in very small quantities and sold at conventions like Comiket. Since they're made in such small batches, with most designs you're likely to only see them once, making them a unique collectible. Much like pencil boards, while they can be used for their intended purpose (usually one side or section has lines for writing) most people collect them in presentation books, effectively making your own one of a kind art book.
We carry a variety of Binsen based on popular anime, manga and games. Most we have as only a single sheet for collectors but with a few we have multiple sheets available if you want to send your closest friends a note on some unique Sailor Moon stationery.
Here's a few of our favorite designs:
Final Fantasy Sephiroth by Dark Ocean. This is a gorgeous design of one of the most beloved villains in the history of the Final Fantasy Franchise. This is a single sided long sheet and frankly would be terrible for writing a letter. It is however pretty fabulous for looking at if you're Sephiroth fan. We only have this single sheet, and for $4 Sephiroth can be making your collection a little sexier.
Pokemon Binsen by 200l Spring and Esorogoto. This is a double sided sheet with a full color side and a side with a few Pokemon and blank space for writing. This one has a particularly adorable umbreon and pikachu. Amusingly, Onyx at the top looks as though he's photo bombing. Most amusingly though is probably the misspelling of "PocketMonstars" A very unique $4 piece for your Pokemon collection.
Howl's Moving Castle Binsen by what seems to be a combination of 4 circles/artists. Really great illustration of several incarnations of Howl on the display side and on the other side there's a few lines for writing and a super cute Sophie. Unlike most of our binsen we have several sheets of this design, but it's still sold by sheet $2 each.
Sailor Moon Binsen by Azuma Higashino. We have a couple of different Sailor Moon designs but this one is our favorite. This is double sided, the display side has Uranus and Neptune and back side was a few writing lines and a cute image of Usagi and Rei. This has a nice monochromatic color scheme, green on the Uranus and Neptune, red for the Usagi and Rei side. We have a couple of sheets $4 each.
Xenosaga Binsen by Dark Ocean. This is a single sheet design so the back is blank. Really pretty full color art on this sheet, some bending on the corners, but otherwise a beautiful unique collectible. Only one sheet available for $3.
We have a wide variety stationery available on the site more doujin sheets in a variety of styles as well as some more conventional sets and a few Furoku sets. Plenty of pretty paper for collecting or writing. There is sure to be something perfect for your collection.
10. The Fantastic Adventures of Dizzy (NES version) - Mine & Graveyard
The
Fantastic adventures of dizzy is about an adventuring anthropomorphic
egg, which is an insane concept, but not really scary. Most of the music
in the game is the sort of thing you'd expect from a 3rd party
adventure game on the NES upbeat, bouncy, repetitive and a little annoying. This track however manages to have a distinct creepy feeling, when you go into this area where this track plays, the normally happy-go-lucky and ever-smiling dizzy looks sad and concerned. It does suffer from a really cliched creepy sound, but it's still pretty effective for an 8-bit era game.
9. Doom(PC)- Suspense
Doom's tracks are mostly a mix of
hard rock inspired compositions to get you pumped for killing hordes
of invading hell-spawn. There are a few however that are meant to impart
a sense despair, dread and distress. Suspense is one of the creepiest
in the purest musical sense. It's a piece that wouldn't sound out of
place in a classic Hollywood thriller. It starts with anxiety inducing
pure strings and slowly layers in low ominous bass and a baleful
melody. Suspense fills you with a sense of unease as you explore the
dark demon infested halls of the Phobos Lab.
In
the Chaos that is the Mansion in the first Resident Evil the safe rooms
are havens. No zombies, a typewriter, all your extra items, which makes
this creepy little tune all the more upsetting. It sounds like an old
dusty music box that's slowed with age, with an ethereal dark undercurrent. It's on the surface childlike and innocent but makes you uneasy sort of like the twins in The Shining. It leaves you
wondering what might be lurking in your safety. (Please note that the
Director's Cut Dual Shock safe room music is entirely different from
the original cut safe room music)
Shop Spotlight is a new feature that will highlight a mix of old and new items currently in stock at www.avaneshop.com it's a great way to find a hidden treasure you might have missed in your searches, or spot a great gift.
For our inaugural shop spotlight post I'm focusing on a section that's near and dear to our hearts, Vintage My Little Ponies. Growing up a little girl in the 80's it was almost impossible not have a My Little Pony or 2 (or several dozen for some of us.) My childhood ponies (most of which I still have!) inspired a lifelong love of the cute little pastel ponies. So it's only natural that they're a large section in our shop.
My little Pony has been changed several times over the years. MLP collectors refer to these different periods as G1, G2, G3, and G4. G4 is the most recent iteration with a reboot as Friendship is Magic, which unless you've been hiding under a rock you know is wildly popular. We focus on the vintage stuff at Avane so we usually only go up through G3 and in this entry in particular we're going to focus on G1 Ponies. So if you're looking for Twilight Sparkle, you won't find her here. However, you will find Applejack but she looked a lot different 30 years ago.
Whether because of childhood nostalgia or because I just like how cute and chubby they are, the G1 Ponies (produced 1982-1992 in the US) are by far my favorites. Unfortunately I have this problem where whenever we get new ones in I want to keep them all, which means we have fewer of these than the other generations but we do have a few great ones right now.
Applejack. This is a GORGEOUS early Applejack in fabulous condition. I always thought applejack was one of the cutest ponies from her simple color scheme to her little face freckles. She's 100% Adorable.
I already have a perfect applejack in my collection but I still want to keep this one, they could be adorable twins! Ahem... Please save me from myself by picking up this one for only $13.
Baby Blossom. G1 babies are by far the cutest. This is the smaller cuter version of one of the original adults, blossom. Unlike adult blossom baby blossom has freckles on her nose and a few less flowers in her cutie mark. This particular Baby blossom has been well loved over the last 28 years, so she's got some rubs and is missing her tail. She's still cute as is or would make a perfect base for a custom pony. Whatever you do with her, at only $2.25 she's a great purchase.
Lickety Split. Lickety Split seemed like the pony everyone had, I don't think I knew anyone who had ponies who didn't have her. Being common doesn't make her any less great though. This particular pony is in good shape considering her age, but her hair color has faded to pale pink with age. Personally I think it looks good on her so I think it's a hardly a detractor. For Just $6.50 she can be part of your Pony herd.
Cotton Candy. Cotton Candy was one of the originals, first released in 1982. This Cotton Candy is a later reissue so she has the concave hooves. She's got a few rubs but she's otherwise in great shape for being almost 30. For just $8 this classic cutie can be yours.
Dream Castle Spike the Dragon Cel. If you really want something unique for your G1 collection what could be better than a one of a kind hand painted cel used in the commercial for the dream castle? This one is of Spike the dragon (the unicorns are a color copy and NOT part of the cel) who only appears for a few seconds on screen. Traditional animation is all done by hand so no two productions cels are exactly the same. For $35 you can have a great pony collectible and a piece of television history.
We've got more of those vintage lovelies in our shop and are frequently adding more so come if something in this post didn't strike your fancy we might have something that does on the site. If G1 ponies aren't your taste we also have G2 and G3 ponies as well. Check out all our ponies and pony related goodies, we're sure to have something you'll love.
It seems almost redundant to make Metal Gear Solid the subject of any further reviews, as it is one of the most popular games ever to have come out on the Sony Playstation (though, we took the screenshots off the PC version). But when you love something as much as we love Metal Gear, you'll look for just about any excuse to talk about it. Metal Gear Solid could arguably be regarded as the title which definitively established the idea of a video game being a cinematic experience, with its captivating cut scenes, impeccable voice acting and stunning visuals for the time period. A game that commanded your undivided attention and commitment to see your mission through to the very end, Metal Gear Solid spawned several, no-less enchanting sequels and easily cemented its legacy as one of the greatest video games of all time.
Introduction
For those of you who missed on the original title of the "Solid" era, the following words and images will do all that they can to assure you that Metal Gear Solid, without a shadow of a doubt, is a must play. For those of you already well versed in the rich offerings of this exceptional creation, grab a pack of cigs, get cozy in your cardboard box and prepare to be reminded of just why this game left an unshakable impression on you and millions of others.
The story of Metal Gear Solid, as briefed to you, is that a group of terrorists lead by the disgraced unit of elite warriors known as FOX-HOUND are threatening the world with a new type of nuclear warhead and have taken over a nuclear warhead storage facility, commandeering several hostages. Although not initially disclosed, it goes without saying that the terrorists also have another new weapon of mass destruction - Metal Gear. Playing as Solid Snake, your mission is to infiltrate the terrorists' base and stop the nuclear threat by any means necessary. As your mission unfolds, plot twists and new revelations transform this story from a simple "good guys vs. bad guys" plot to a very much gripping tale of deception, corruption, and the passion and sacrifice that goes with being a haunted mercenary.
Metal Gear Solid appears to play like a common 3rd-person action game, but unlike games which basically involve the player running out into the open, guns ablazin', MGS gives you the twist of Tactical Espionage Action promised to you on the game case. It is focused on sneaking and stealth, the majority of the game based on remaining out of sight and avoiding conflicts as much as possible. However, there is no shortage of gun fights and action via some unforseen situations and boss fights.
Presentation
First, let's discuss the game's visuals and audio. The thing that should be mentioned straight away is that while the game looked just fine for 1998 standards, the graphics have not stood the test of time well. Character sprites suffer from virtually no facial details, shadows in place of eyes, and immobile mouths. Speech is accented with the comical bobbing of heads as well as the gesturing of limbs. Speaking of limbs, those aren't particularly beautiful either. In fact, most of the characters and game sprites are a series of polygons, like just about any other 3D renderings of the time. Now that's not to say that Metal Gear Solid is the worst example of that, after all the characters at least have fingers on those cubical hands (we're looking at you, Final Fantasy VII). But it's not all bad, these graphics allowed you to use your imagination, something today's kids know nothing about. With his delightful accent and long blonde hair, it seems like a safe assumption that Liquid Snake is indeed sexy, and there are no pesky facial details to debunk that for you, unlike that meddling Gamecube remake.
Environmental graphics are a little better, probably because they spend most of their time stationary or otherwise too far away to see in close detail. Still, many of the "decorations" on the walls and floors are flat graphics meant to look three-dimensional from a distance, and things such as illuminated computer screens are nothing more than brighter colors which don't adhere to the shading effects. In short, graphically speaking this is a PS1 game that never once tries to convince you that it's not.
However one credit that must be given to Metal Gear Solid is the draw distance. You can pretty such see everything from any distance which can't be said for many games of the time. And in a game such as this where knowing the position of your enemies is everything, being able to see from long distances is paramount. Also the explosions, while existing as the same recycled circular fire graphic at varying sizes and quantity, look alright for what they're representing, especially when used in a group. Yes they're very pixelated in their own right upon a closer look but in some ways I still prefer them to the "upgraded" explosion graphic in Metal Gear Solid 2, which essentially looked like you detonated an ash tray.
There's nothing much to complain about with regard to audio, however. The sounds are clear and varied depending on the given situation. Running along metal indeed sounds like running along metal, explosions sound appropriate although admittedly could perhaps use more than one sound effect depending on what particular thing is going boom. I'm not going to discuss each and every sound, so just trust that they're all fine.
The bigger audio story here is the music. The music in Metal Gear Solid sets the theme nicely and feels very "spyish." I'm convinced that if you were to go to the fridge and get a snack with the sneaking music of playing, you'd tiptoe the whole way there and back. It's not too repetive nor obnoxiously present, but you definitely know when it's gone. When things get serious, such as during a chase, the music switches to a reoccuring dramatic piece utilizing chorus and strings sound effects which heightens your sense of urgency. During a boss fight this same theme is remixed to a more dramatic and percussion-heavy version, making sure you know that the ante has been upped significantly. Other themes which play in various instances include a generically sad piano tune to go along either with a sad story or imminent death, and a song entitled "The Best Is Yet To Come", a slow, methodical arrangement with an old-world sound to it (and what I believe are Gaelic lyrics) which seems a bit out of place, yet perfect for the moments it accentuates. The song's longest playtime happens during the ending credits, and it makes you think that it would somehow put this whole crazy journey into perspective if only you could understand the words.
Controls are responsive and relatively easy to use. You're able you run, crawl, wall hug and strafe along walls in order to remain stealthy. For the most part you won't be dealing with too many wasted movement or unintentional actions. A definite down point however is that Snake doesn't climb, dive, or even just jump. You can also look in first-person view but unfortunately, the ability to shoot while in first person was not yet adopted until Metal Gear Solid 2, and it's one of those things you wonder how you ever lived without. Snake will thankfully lock onto enemies if you hold the shoot button, at least salvaging some accuracy. If you're unarmed, you have the option to attack enemies with a 2-punch and kick combo, flip enemies onto their back or put them in a choke hold.The control for flipping is similar to the control for choking so expect a few accidental and annoying flips here and there. Guards occasionally spot you while being attacked which is also very irritating.
Metal Gear Solid revolutionized the concept of a stealth mission, and what makes the main gameplay interesting is that your goal is to stay out of trouble and avoid conflict as much as you can. Rather than rushing a group of enemies and opening fire, you're trying to sneak, crawl, or strafe around them, fighting only when absolutely necessary. This style of gameplay will definitely better suit players who fancy themselves a thinker and a strategist rather than a power player. Now, the guards in Metal Gear Solid aren't especially intelligent, despite what Dr. Naomi wants you to think, so after sustaining an attack, they'll rise to their feet and, assuming they don't see you, just say "huh?" and then go about their business, not even informing their buddies that something went wrong. They will respond to sound, such as gunfire, knocking on walls or running through puddles, and they also follow any footprints you leave behind, so it's not to say that enemy AI is too easy or boring. Unlike later games, the guards in Metal Gear Solid respond strictly to their rather small field of vision, so either they see you, or they don't. They don't say, see you just outside of their field of vision and get mildly suspicious like in MGS2.
You collect all kinds of items in the game that perform different functions depending on the situation. Gadgets such as thermal/night vision goggles or the mine detector further the concept of the "secret agent" theme, as does the ability to hide in a cardboard box which frankly, rarely works out but is at least amusing until it goes awry. You have standard weapons such as a pistol and assault rifle, while weapons such as remote controlled missiles and land mines are used for more specified situations that turn up throughout the game. Eventually your inventory fills up nicely and you can enjoy figuring out which item is right for the given situation, which keeps the game from getting too stale. It's true that for the most part, you won't need much more than a pistol in non-boss scenarios but...you know, I know there's no real reason that I MUST attach a C4 plastic explosive to an oblivious enemy sentry, but I just appreciate the fact that I can. Unfortunately the game won't allow you to collect ammo for weapons you don't have inevitably begging the question "Gee snake, don't you think we might pick that up eventually?" For me personally, possibly the game's biggest detractor is the fact that you have to equip the key card to open every locked door. It may sound trivial but I've seen oh, too many game over screens as a result of forgetting to equip my life-replenishing rations because I had to equip that stupid key a moment prior. It's sort of like first person shooting in that when Metal Gear 2 made it so that the key didn't have to be equipped in order to open locked doors, you wondered how you ever lived without that.
Metal Gear Solid plays in a straight-through format as opposed to stage-based play. Nearly every area can be revisited at any time. However, the game is sort of broken up into "chapters" depending on the current mission. Each of these chapters is highlighted by a boss fight and a lengthy cut scene. The cut scenes are possibly what puts Metal Gear Solid and all of its sequels above most of the other action games on the play-field. They are exceptionally well written and the voice actors bring a truly believable energy to their parts, almost making you forget that the story happening on your television screen isn't real. The cut scenes utilize both in-game graphics as well as live-action video from various sources, depicting launching missiles, DNA labs, and war zones. However, none of the characters appear in the live action shots, so don't worry, no cheesy cosplayers of Solid Snake or worse here. As stated earlier, these can be lengthy so if you're the kind of person who shoots first and thinks later, you might get tired of sitting through them. Thankfully, you can skip most of them if you wish.
If you get lost or something you're supposed to do isn't immediately apparent, you can use the Codec to call a member of your support team. It seems basic but the Codec ends up being one of the most interesting plot devices of the game. The Codec screen is simplistic in design but offers a unique opportunity to enjoy animated concept art as opposed to 3D renderings, allowing for more detailed faces and subtle expression changes between the characters. Occasionally, the calls will come to you, some of them being mandatory, others allowing you to choose whether or not to take them. Codec calls can also drag on a bit especially when the characters lose sight of the original point - it's somewhere in between the Codec calls and the cut scenes where you realize that every single character in Metal Gear Solid is apparently a philosophy major on top of being a trained killer.
Ultimately, as you progress through the game, the experience gains more and more momentum with monumental boss encounters which put your battling skills to the true test. Every boss requires you to reinvent your strategy as no two battles are the same, even in cases where the enemy is a repeat from before. Boss battles can be anything from a simple (but challenging) gun fight, to a contest of man versus machine, pitting you against tanks, helicopters and oh, so much more where you must perfect the art of tossing grenades or firing missiles. Add in a sniper duel, a straight up fist fight, and a battle with a telekenetic psychopath and it is immediately clear that every boss fight has a truly unique feel to it.
In most cases, the AI won't insult your intelligence with repetitive, ritualistic attacks, although it can happen on occasion, mostly with Psycho Mantis. Still, even if you replay the game on the same difficulty level, no battle will happen the same way twice, and your enemy will generally take the best opportunity to hit you with the best available attack, making these boss fights appropriately feel like just that, a fight which both sides truly want to win.
All things considered, the size of the play area of the game is rather small. There are three main areas in which the gameplay for Metal Gear Solid takes place, and for the first two-thirds of the game, you'll be travelling back and forth between the first two for one reason or another which can get a little tiring around the third time across that canyon. The actual gameplay time is not very long, but it does vary depending on your skill and how much you mess around. If you're new to the game but a quick learner you can expect it to take you around seven or eight hours to complete. More skilled players could probably beat MGS in as little as two hours assuming you don't bother with any auxilary items or codec messages. The game earns replay value points for its four difficulty levels, mutiple endings, unlockables, and differing cutscenes, conversations, and gameplay dependent on the routes you take, the methods you use, and the skills you demonstrate.
Conclusion
We're using this review as the inaugural usage of our rating scale and out of a 5 Cephalopoint scale Metal Gear earn a solid 4.9 Corneilius Rating. With most of its minor detractors being a direct result of the time period, there is very little preventing this game from existing as a perfected example of PS1 gaming at its finest.
4.9 We round to the nearest half Corneilius
Trying to keep these past several paragraphs in proper review format rather that just writing a love letter to the game proved nearly impossible, as Metal Gear Solid is one of gaming's greatest accompishments. Although there are small errors, and although there are updated sequels and even a Gamecube remake, it is absolutely essential you first play the PS1 original, the way it was originally meant to be seen and heard. Metal Gear Solid is a profound gaming experience and one of the greatest titles of all time.
I think I find real world references to Silent Hill a little more often than your average person. I don't know if it's because I'm a poorly reformed goth kid or because everything has the potential to scare the crap out of me given the right lighting conditions and personal mindset. Either way I come to you with another random discovery that makes me think fondly of the quiet little resort town on the shores of Toluca Lake.
Today our little gem comes from the vintage ads community over at Livejournal. They're currently running a lovely little contest devoted to self improvement which is why this one surfaced recently. It's supposedly a device for keeping your spine young, but to me it just looks like concept art for a Silent Hill monster.
I admit just about anything old and medical could have some silent hill connotations. I've certainly never been able to look at a wheelchair the same way again, but this is an especially nefarious looking contraption. I'm pretty sure no amount of "keen relish" would get me to climb into something that looks like that looks at best like a bondage apparatus gone wrong and at worst like a torture device straight from the mind of the devil himself. Just image a dark rusty hallway of those things spinning. It's enough to make your skin crawl.
So there's just a bit of horror for your day. You're welcome.
