Thanks to Alex I got to see Metal Gear Solid. I played a little bit of it when it originally was released in the 90s, but I didn't get far considering I don't like sneaking around. Yeah, I know you don't have to, but if you're not trying to sneak what the fuck is the point? I feel part of my problem with it is I had the experience way after and knew all the legendary parts to it — putting the controller into the second slot for example — which at the time figuring out and doing yourself would've been amazing but now even I, who has never played it, know that trick. Consequently everything I got from this game was the cut scenes since Alex already knew everything.

I think the plot of MGS was solid but could've been executed better. The sad death scenes for the sniper lady and the raven dude aren't sad because you haven't built a connection with them yet. I've only seen them for one scene prior, so to have this emotional talk at the end is just as pointless and boring as when you stabbed a guy in the throat in the first Assassin's Creed. If there had been a better build up, I could sympathize with Otacon's love, but instead it's just feels almost arbitrary. Just like Snake and Meryl. Are you seriously telling me after seeing many comrades die before your eyes, many of whom were definitely women, suddenly you've formed a strong attachment to one woman you've just met less than an hour ago?

I've heard that a good writer shows and not tells, and I think that's what this game suffers from: It tells in a heavy-handed sort of way. Instead of presenting how Snake and Meryl become connected, they magically are just because. Instead of subtlety learning about Liquid's motivations, it's just mentioned in a giant, contradictory speech: That their father chose him but he hates his father, that he's doing certain things because their father wanted them to even though he hates them... My favorite part was at the end with Naomi telling Snake that it doesn't matter how long he has to live, just to live his life well. It was supposed to be deep and inspirational, but in reality it does matter a lot whether he's going to die tomorrow or years from now. I think that's a pretty big deal.

Another part of the problem is I missed Metal Gear 2. I think everyone else did too, and we all suffered for it. Like the problem with Meryl, it's difficult to feel shock and sadness regarding Gray Fox because we never met him before. Although it's still understandable on an intellectual level, I don't feel the same sort passion if I had played the earlier game. All I can see from him is he's a really weird masochist.

I feel if the dialogue and pacing were better, I'd like this game a lot more. A major part of what made this game amazing was, again, the experience of actually playing it, which I missed. Still, I enjoyed watching the whole experience, and really that's all that matters in the end. And I'm looking forward to seeing Alex plow through the next one for me.