Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation)

Metal Gear Solid: Integral is an expanded version of the game released in Japan in 1999. It contains the VR missions disc. The voice acting is in English. It has a new Very Easy difficulty where you start with an infinite ammo MP5. It has an 'alternate round' mode with new enemy patterns, and a new '1P View Mode' after beating the game, which allows the game to be viewed in first person.

Reflections The first area has puddles that reflect the ceiling with perspective (not screenspace reflections, which wouldn't work from a top-down perspective). Nuclear Building B1 has working mirrors in the bathroom, reflecting both Snake and Meryl, as well as in Psycho Mantis' room with the shiny floor. Assumedly they are rendering a whole mirrored scene behind the mirror, I don't see any other way of doing it.

Saving and checkpoints You can only save the last reached checkpoint. The game seems to always checkpoint when you enter a new location or floor, and a few times before boss fights. Getting items or doing other actions after the last checkpoint doesn't get saved, and that progress will also reset on Game Over.

VGCartography has a great selection of maps based on the original PSX geometry data.

Dialogue and characters - First of all, there is way too much dialogue, and although the story is fun, the characters really get on my nerves. The characters are protrayed as if they are in an old James Bond movie, but unlike James Bond movies, they have long drawn-out monologues and dialgoues, making the whole thing feel extra silly.

Stealth Action - It's annoying that it's so difficult to grab enemies. It makes the game less fun, I feel like I should avoid at all cost and use the SOCOM instead.

The radio voice says: RETURN TO YOUR POSITIONS. I always had trouble with hearing this voice line correctly.

I'm back playing this incredible game for the first time since it came out. I'm playing the Japanese ultimate edition of the game: 'Metal Gear Solid: Integral'. I defeated Revolver Ocelot and am now leaving the Tank Hangar.

I defeated Psycho Mantis, met Meryl, went through the Sniper Wolf fight, went to jail, and ran to the top of the Comms Tower.

I defeated the Hind and reached the Snowfield. Running up and down the Comm Tower stairs was really boring and not fun. What was it with games from this era and weirdly long staircase sequences?