A.K.A...that same game featured in my current profile pic these past few months - DUH.

Love is a word that gets thrown around a lot. Kids say it to their parents, parents to their kids, lovers to each other, and then gamers to their games. Loving a game... a franchise, a game character - a genius whose life has revolved around the design of one such series that I can emphasize so much for, even if it seems that others don't feel the same way about. Now that's love. When you know that you have some kind of special connection with someone or something else, and you feel that he, she, or it is the one made for you. I love the Metal Gear series from the bottom of my heart. Come 'ere and let me give you a big wet one... well, maybe later when no one's watching. This love isn't of sexual attraction, though. It's of a genuine admiration for true brilliance. That's the kind of love that I like to profess for my most impressionable, desirable, enjoyable gaming experiences all of the time. At last! The moment of moments has come to fruition. Hideo Kojima's latest artistic enigma, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, is finally here.

Stealth-action, the very definition of the term, was established none more evidently than when Metal Gear Solid arrived on the PlayStation in 1998. Even if Metal Gear Solid wasn't the original "Metal Gear" game, true stealth in the sense that it came about when Metal Gear Solid's Hollywood-like production values were brought into the limelight hadn't actually been perceived as fundamentally as they were in the 1998 sequel, and arguably the originator of the stealth genre itself. Fast forward to 2001, and Metal Gear Solid's follow-up, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, again proved to shape the status of Konami's biggest blockbuster ever built. With plenty of surprises found on this PlayStation 2 flagship title, some were pleased with Hideo Kojima's move to rid the game of its titular character Solid Snake in preference of a newer, never-before-seen Raiden. However, many more fans it seemed were uneasy with the change. They didn't like not being the battle-hardened tough guy. I, on the other hand, was one who stuck with Hideo's vision of a newborn hero. I loved the facet that he had employed for which made the game truly an experience unlike any other. What it comes down to now three years later is that this is the third "pre" episode cased in jungle warfare, before we've even come to know of the legendary soldier named Solid Snake.

Turn back the clock. Think of a different time, of a different place decades before the advent of Metal Gear. There was such a time, and there was such a place. And that time and that place was a Russian jungle in the year of 1964. In comes Snake. Parachuting into the sweltering green of the jungle. Out to find one man, one scientist named Sokolov. Once in the hands of the U.S., Sokolov has been traded back to the Russian enemy in return that they retreat so as to prevent a full scale nuclear war that has these two sides at the crossroads of. When it's discovered that Sokolov's secret project that would spur from his captivity in Russia's hands actually is a new form of nuclear weapon, they send in Snake, the one man who can get the job done. But, there's more to this story than simply extracting one defective scientist. There's a lot more....

Everyone knows that you can't change the past. But, when there is no prior history to begin with, you have every right to invent one. A prequel in every sense of the word, Konami's Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater takes the series to a new setting with a wholly redesigned stealth system in mind for its third epic chapter of the Metal Gear Solid saga. Because the initial Metal Gear Solid title began in a period not too far off from now, you can imagine that in the year 1964, technology wasn't as evolutionary as it is in today's makings. With this working logic, the series' revered father, Hideo Kojima, got to thinking that his original model for stealth could use a facelift. How Konami has altered the method that so many fans of the series have gotten attached to over the years, now comes as a shock. There is no longer any such map to display enemy positions and their field of view. Previous installments in the series had players paying attention to a radar that would highlight dots and triangles representing enemy's positions, and which direction it was that they were looking in. We're no longer in the future; we're in the past now where such a guide as that is no longer an option (technologically). But, in ridding the game of its traditional system of knowing where an enemy was at all times, Konami now offers a brand-new element of stealth: something that renews the originality of the series all together.

Camouflage. It's an environmental ability that various creatures use to protect themselves from danger. Chameleons are generally the first most recognizable type of animal to put forth such tactics, as their skin change colors to blend with whatever material that they're touching. Stick bugs can look like sticks. Even spiders have the advantage of darkness on their side. Snakes are slithery buggers sure, but generally these land and water-based reptiles don't have any unique properties that indistinguishably mask themselves from immediate harm. Not unless they're THE Snake, of course. Introducing interchangeable cover-ups as Metal Gear Solid 3's innovative new way to not be seen by the enemy, I think Konami's right on the money this time. Konami has now scrapped its aged interior level design techniques in favor of pitting Snake against a forestry region. Where the former two entries had you worming your way through large enemy bases with fewer portions based outdoors, Metal Gear Solid 3 brings on the trees, the tall grass, and some pitch-black cavern passages to channel through. Instead of ducking under cameras and flipping guards off of railings, it's now slinking in the grass and slapping on a desert fatigue to become one with nature and look like it does for Snake. By disguising Snake in variable costumes, it's possible to literally trick an enemy into thinking that you're part of a red brick wall by putting on a matching red outfit that reflects its pattern. This survival technique works in conjunction with a percentage meter that is now seen at the top right-hand meter of the screen where the map once was, tallying between different numbers on a 100% scale when adjusting between camo patterns or otherwise. For example, the red pattern may work well when pressed up against the red wall... but take it off, put on a black or a brown outfit in its stead, and Snake will begin to stick out like a gray alien space craft that's just crash landed into the White House. Numbers determined on the scale are indicated also by how you're positioned - whether you're standing up or laying flat in a bed of grass. Naturally, the idea is to choose the right colors with the right environmental placements, stick closely, and don't screw up.

Just as you'd imagine, Metal Gear Solid 3's basis of stealth is more difficult without the support of a mapped radar. But, that's only if you're truly committed to the art of sneaking. If you are, it's going to be tough to go uncharted only because you can't always know when and where an enemy is at all times like you could in the other games. Paired with the game's usage of overhead camera and optional first-person views, Snake can employ three radar systems that distinctly detect either moving humans for one, animals for another, or a vibrator that fires up when enemy presences are around. Although, each of these tools is obviously outdated. In the case of the human radar you'll have to wait for a rotating wave to pick up on any movement. On the animal tracker, for another thing, you have to press down on 'L3' to scope the pinned positions of life forms in a single wave (in which, you'll only receive dotted data for every time that 'L3' is pushed down). Battery life is consumed from these and other contraptions as well, making each contraptation useless after a while. Fact is, it's not a big deal really since coming in contact with the enemy isn't the end of the world. For those stealth-a-holics who want to experience the game dressed in flawless incognito, Metal Gear Solid 3's method for doing that is a lot more trickier than before. As for everyone else, there is still so many ways to go about completing the game. That's what's always so amazing about the Metal Gear Solid franchise, though: its open-endedness. You can literally play the game running and gunning from one jungle scenario to another, or you can take things slowly. If you're like me, you're a tranq-a-holic. Like Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty before it, Snake is equipped with a tranquilizer gun to take down enemies easier than having to deal with getting from point A to point B unnoticed. Still applying appropriate camouflage where needed, as Snake I find that a manageable route is to sneakily approach guards from tall grass, the shadows, or somewhere where my outfit sheds me from the enemy's vision. Putting guards to sleep and then knifing them to death (heh, heh, heh), it's just one way that you can tackle the dividing sectors that connect the game's route to the finish.

Opposite of that, there is other ways to live by the book. After all, Konami doesn't classify this as a "Tactical Espionage Action" game for nothing. Finding the sniper rifle will give players the ability to kill from a distance. Finding the shotgun or the assault rifle will allow for more firepower in a shootout. There is stun grenades, and also flame grenades. Snake can even hop into the back of a group of antiaircraft guns at one point to shoot down helicopters if you don't feel like whipping out the RPG launcher. But as any veteran of the franchise will know, if you don't put a lid on the noise, consequences will ensue. In each fraction of the game's interconnected spaces (which the jungle cohesively pieces from one outdoors location to another, and to another, and then through indoor territories, too), there is usually an average of two to three men patrolling in most of these parts, sometimes even more. Head out into a visible range or start target practice with a loud weapon, and the enemy's going to want to call in additional support units like ones that carry armored shields. The only way to get rid of them is either to kill them all, or to secure a hiding spot. If you manage to elude the enemy by knocking them out, stunning them, putting them to sleep, or terminating them, any remaining members of the gang will stay on an alert schedule until Snake is found. Place yourself in a locker, under a box, or in some other out-of-the-way location where others won't recognize Snake (such as ducking in a patch of tall grass, or slipping under a tank or the like), and the countdown where enemies are alerted to your presence will gradually decrease.

Fighting tons of guys can be fun, but there's also the cost of both life and ammo to worry about. Ammo, as always, can be found either lying around or taken after Snake drags and drops the body of a guard for a little bit. Life, on the other hand, is replenished with another new feature of the Metal Gear Solid 3 experience: stamina. A stamina bar now appears under Snake's health bar, taking into account the focus of energies that he's capable of outputting. More stamina means that Snake's life will return on its own and at a quicker rate, the more stamina that he has. Affecting the stamina is a number of elements. Swimming underwater, for example, decreases stamina rapidly. Low levels of oxygen in a mountain region will push it down, too. Stripping Snake of his shirt can chill his body, and in effect drain him of his power. Some bosses will even have an effect on his stability at times, as they can weaken him in their own ways of war. And it's with this continuance of depletion that Snake must do something that you'd never think was possible in a Metal Gear Solid game before... Snake must learn how to hunt for food. No longer does selecting a ration pack from the item list constitute health gain. Now Snake's got to find and capture all kinds of living creatures in order to survive. Crocodiles, birds, frogs, mushrooms, snakes, rats, bats, fish, and even flying squirrels and mountain goats will each become suspect to Snake's rumbling tummy. I mean that in a literal sense, too; Snake's stomach will actually growl whenever his stamina is low. Enemies will catch on and attack. Precision aiming will become more difficult to handle, as will the speed in which Snake can run away from his attackers. Keep a close eye on the stamina bar, and you'll keep Snake alive.

About the meats that Snake will eat... what you'll soon realize is that not all tasty treats are so satisfying. In fact, some animal meats are down right poisonous. Through the magic of stamina building, Snake will find some animals to be acceptable while others aren't. The ones that please Snake's appetite are the ones that will aid him more. Other creatures may provide him with very little recovery or disrupt his stomach with food poisoning. That's where Konami's newly appointed surgical station comes in. Through the Start menu of the game, players can enter into a variety of options - from choosing Snake's camo, to selecting the items that he can carry with him into battle (multiple items aren't linked to one chain of similar tools anymore), and finally curing Snake's health status. When Snake gets poisoned from chowing down on rotten grub, he can cure himself here. When Snake is shot and bleeding, cut, burned, or even has his bones broken, the cure viewer fixes Snake right up. This treatment section of the game especially comes in handy for times when you're fighting a boss (who implement all kinds of status ailments), to getting up close and personal with enemy offenders. The interesting thing about that, is that engaging enemies head on now is probably the most fun that it's ever been. This comes with Snake's mastery skill of CQC (Close Quarters Combat). Getting a hold of enemy patrols by pressing the 'circle' button will give to Snake different options for taking charge of any situation. Snake can now punch and kick guards, throw them to the ground, slit their throat, use them as a human shield whilst also firing a weapon, or even interrogate them to find out facts about the area. Although it's a little tricky to get used to CQC fighting (as the maneuver really depends on the strength and direction that you're holding down on the left analog stick), it's an extremely fun feature to mess around with if you're ever in the mood for getting a little messy.

New time; new setting: much more to see. Metal Gear Solid 3, in its makeover from the usual indoorsy spots, tackles new heights for graphics that you didn't know were possible on the PlayStation 2. Konami has proven itself before by mastering the graphical possibilities of the system. Now they're pushing the limits of the console even further by putting Snake in a jungle setting so unbelievably good that you can believe it's real good. But, that's not saying that Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is leagues ahead of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. In terms of quality contrast, they appear almost as the same game. Snake Eater just puts itself to more practical use by establishing larger and more detailed environments. Replacing the tanker and plant facility from before, Snake is taken to his "true habitat" in the jungle. Where rainy weather, crocodile mud holes, and climbable trees thrive, there is patches of tall grass and leafed areas (each piece being individually animated) to take cover in. Dank cavernous paths and lush green forest closures (with heavenly daylight glow peering through the trees) surround Snake at times, while being submerged in mucky swamp trails (and reflective liquid at that) will slow down his speed elsewhere. Animals of the wild graze upon these locales in good measure, too; rats in the sewers, crabs in the caves, fish in the river, birds and bees in the trees, snakes in the grass, etc. Elsewhere, spacious enemy compounds are present to explore, adding to each reachable venue that gives size and depth to the richly distinguishable atmospheres that Metal Gear Solid 3 strives to create.

Molded into these enterable sources are once again refined character semblances that are divine any way that you take it. Snake in particular is above all else. Able to interact with his surroundings, you'll find Snake dipping in such substances as water and intake the wondrous first-person view of underwater shadows of crocs or sparkling droplet effects when surfacing to the top. Sinking in mud will dirty Snake as he wades through it. Getting shot and stabbed by enemies will even give to this handsome warrior blood stains seeping through his camo threads. Speaking of which, the camos of the game can alter the demeanor of Snake in an instant. From black-faced and bodied to wearing a certain blonde-haired fellow's mask with green soldier wear, Snake can mix and match body and face types; each one being wrinkled, shaded, and convincingly conceived to make Snake stand out formidable amidst the game's bevy of beautiful backdrops. Weaving through fights, armed or unarmed, rolling, crawling, punching, kicking, and blasting his way to victory, Snake's motions and the effects that follow draws many inspirational sights in many ways. Snake can tumble forward to foil guards that were once standing, and now knocked to their backside. Snake can grab a hold of an enemy body to slide his knife quickly and deliciously across their neck. Snake can even wield numerous weapons with exemplary results. Shotgun and RPG blasts blow enemies to kingdom come (in explosive flying backwards animations). Snipe guards from afar, and fill them with holes to watch the blood splattering effect, or aim for the arms and legs and examine their limbs tremble from the hurt of it all. Possibly to an even greater effect is the use of fire in the game. Snake can either toss combustive grenades at enemies and watch them dance around and die with some of the most miraculous pyrotechnics to come about in gaming (outward bursts, exquisite texturing, snippets of flame stuck to bodies and all), or ignite the party with gas canisters and char enemy bodies extra black and crispy. Enriched with illuminating superiority in all of its visual efforts, through A-plussed achievements in game and in movie dramas (which are enormously gorgeous, by the way), Metal Gear Solid 3 does more than set the standards - it founds them.

Over the radio and through the woods, to cite the sounds that we know. Snake knows the way to tangle and strangle his enemies with deadly blows. Into this jungle, there is a load of authenticity to be found in the way of living as the legend, Snake. Birds will chirp from tree tops and flock when stomping through grassy spots. Snakes will rustle through plants just the same, and reacting with a standing and a hissing if Snake gets too close. Enemy guard dogs will bark, and bats will squeak and flutter around if Snake stirs any volumetric trouble. Acting as Snake, though, you'll receive heightening and factual noises. Kneeling down and crawling, Snake's body shifts and slides against the roughened surface of the ground beneath him. Tapping a wall when pressed up against it or getting knifed in the chest produce auras that you'd expect, like the sound of a blade piercing through a melon. The same can be said about any of the instruments that Snake has to work with. Tinier hand guns submit smaller capsulated noises, whereas the big ones, like the flickering of the assault rifles or the boastful burst from the shotgun, never fail to meet the capacity for which these items are reflective of in life.

For the second Metal Gear Solid in a row, it was a first in game history when a major movie recording artist accepted the task of originating a dramatic and supremely brilliant score for use in a video game. A second chance has come for that man, Harry Gregson-Williams (whose work is notable for past blockbusters, like Armageddon and Enemy of the State), and Harry has taken it. In its electronically-recorded stature, the soundtrack of Metal Gear Solid 3 should be known that it's of a completely different flavor from Harry's work in the second game. This is most evident when hearing the game's main theme reminiscent of those oddly styled tracks played before every James Bond movie. Sung with powerful female lyrics, the style is likable, but in my opinion not as captivating as the epic productions introduced in the opening of the second game. Aside from that point of view, music also flares up in the intensity of battles (while sneaking moments is without any), giving off a jungle-like tune that adds an extra spark needed in the game. Of course, the most irresistible moments in any Metal Gear Solid lie in the key work of its story values. Better than paying $8 to see some disappointing trash at the theaters, you can just pay $50 instead to stay at home and get much better thrills and spills with deep insight and intellectual ingenuity (naturally, buttloads of over-the-top action-oriented moments, too) that is all served with speaking roles from the best in the biz. David Hayter, the lovable gruff-voice of Solid Snake, returns to his position in the third of games to relive the legend. Through radio conversations with important faces like the British-speaking Major Zero and his lovely movie-loving assistant, Para-Medic, to guards communicating with the base, to the emotionally gripping sequences of the story arcs, Metal Gear Solid 3 feeds off of an entire power house of outstanding vocal talents that you'll remember ages down the road.

Before the year even began, I knew that Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater would be the best game that I'd ever play in 2004. When I was at E3 in the Konami booth, I reiterated that statement to Konami's face. Here we are at the end of 2004, and I'll say it again: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is 2004's Game of the Year! No one can take that title from you now, my friend. My love. My own. My preeeecious. Thinking about how Hideo Kojima's latest of greats compares not just to the rest of the year, but to his other Metal Gear Solid creations as well, I concluded that this time Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater isn't the greatest game in his arsenal. I love your game Hideo, but this decision spawns from the little things that you've neglected. It's the little things that count sometimes, and here they lack in background for the game's composition of easier-than-usual boss battles (I don't want to spoil them, but just know that many of the boss characters are not as interesting as in the other Solids, without a deeper lining of integral plot points), as well as its omittance for dog tag-collecting (there is hidden frog statues that you can search for and shoot to receive a special prize; however, ripping dog tags off of guards was definitely cooler). Is Metal Gear Solid 3 the best game of the year? Yes. Is Metal Gear Solid 3 the best in its series? No. Metal Gear Solid 3 proves itself in redefining the nature of stealth in all of its camo-switching and animal-hunting rituals. Minus a few disappointing (but still forgivable) aspects, Metal Gear Solid 3: Sake Eater comes out on top of the heap this year, while the game still has a ways to go if it wants to challenge the rest of its legacy.