A gorgeus game to be sure, but is it worth it?
To be fair, this is one of the best looking PS2 games I had ever played. With so much attention to detail in making personalized lockers and making most items interactive I was impresses, and this was a big step up from MGS. Also, the game played so smoothly. Despite how fun MGS was, some game mechanics were clunky. Shooting could be a hassal, and some other areas had needed some tweeking. Sons of Liberty fixes those problems. Shooting is smoother, and with the addition of a first person perspective you could be accurate. Also I was extremely impressed with the soundtrack. The orcastral music was impresive and enjoyable.
Yet I am still disappointed in MGS SOL. First and foremost, the replacement of Snake with Raiden as the main protagonist really hurt. Not that Raiden was that bad (he wasn't very cool but hey) but he couldn't match up with Snake. The new bosses were also lame compared to what the Foxhound specialists of MGS were. And the impressive presance of Metal Gear was lost. One an immense and insurmontable foe, Metal Gear is trivialised by having you face three at a time. One of MGS's biggest strenghts was its amazing story. The story is Son's of Liberty was full of holes that were never explained, most of the game was just a big illusion that had been staged and it wasn't nearly as interesting as the story of MGS. That and the lack of gameplay. Skipping all cinemas and all conversations, the game could be beaten in five hours. Come on! This game has made me question playing future MG games. Shame on you Hideo!