Escape from New York: the Game
Metal Gear Solid for the Playstation is as great game as it's made out to be, and I'll stand by that statement no matter where gaming has been since it came out or where it's going now. Made perhaps more memorable if one experienced it when it was originally released MGS at its time presented a complete package of solid gameplay with outstanding visuals and sound that stands the test of time.
Metal Gear Solid is a game with a story, which I won't spoil here, but THERE ARE SPOILERS BELOW. If you're reading this and you've never played MGS and have managed to not have it spoiled, GO PLAY IT IMMEDIATELY. Just know that to get the full story there are some sizable chunks of (optional) cutscenes, as well as tons of (also optional) Codec conversations.
You play as Solid Snake, a retired hero suddenly coerced into service. Members of his old Fox Hound unit took over a nuclear weapons facility in Alaska and a secret new weapons system. Snake's mission is to free two high-level hostages involved in the new weapon's creation and remove the possibility of a nuclear launch at all costs. But Snake learns soon that there are larger players on the board, and he might be a pawn along with the revolt's leader.
Snake has constant contact with several people via Codec, a tiny radio device implanted in his ear that he can inconspicuously listen to and communicate through. These exchanges not only round out the story but also become supportive of gameplay by providing a variety of information ranging from your next objective to information about items and weapons. The story in Metal Gear Solid will take some cool turns, but it stays grounded in compelling characters that evolve throughout the narrative. And it doesn't hurt that all the cutscenes and dialogue are solidly directed and acted, all with the in-game graphics providing a great sensation of "playing an anime," to misquote a friend.
Metal Gear Solid is a simple yet intense game. You literally infiltrate a base and carry out a mission alone over the course of a few hours. You survive by stealth, gathering weapons and items. The Codec calls generally end with the Colonel shouting, "Snake you must go here and do this!" so you generally know your basic objective. But mostly you just have to be patient and study a map before you make a move. Shooting's mostly discouraged, but you'll do plenty of it against the game's awesome boss characters. These characters add to the game's flamboyant supernatural flair, and they will test your gaming skills in increasingly outrageous ways.
The gameplay is essentially an old-school overhead view, but the fully rendered levels allow Snake to view his surroundings in a first person mode or in third person by peeking around corners. So while most of the time you're moving Snake more or less up-down and left-right it's all taking place in fully rendered environments that could turn into 3D battlefields at any time. Gamers familiar with the series' later chapters will find a noticeably absent first-person shooting mode (this was corrected in a rare Japanese-only version I've never played).
Items and weapons are accessed separately via twin shoulder button menus, either of which also pause the game. The array is impressive on both sides, from some creative items (you'll never look at ketchup the same again) to some satisfying weaponry. My personal favorite is obvious: Stinger missiles in 3D!
The game's difficulty does suffer with the passing of time. Even at the hardest difficulty and with the radar turned off, the enemy soldiers have some pretty strict patterns that can patience will conquer quickest. The bosses can be punishing at first, but some repeat playing will reveal their patterns. Even so, Kojima knew the limitations of the hardware and erred on the side of challenge, so the game is finely tuned to being a thrill ride.