THE GOOD:- Online mode
- The original Metal Gear 1&2 games are back
- Improved camera
- Theater mode
- New camos and face paints
- New mini games
- And more!
THE BAD:
- Nothing!
SUMMARY:
All of the core gameplay of the single-player mode has been preserved. So why should play it again? Because new things have been added to make the experience even better than it was the first time around. For instance, one of the biggest additions is the new, controllable camera. You're not restricted to a top-down view. By pushing on the analog stick you can bring the camera down to an eye-level, third-person perspective and move it around from there. It not only brings you face-to-face with Snake, but it brings you in closer to the action. It's also nice to be able to switch back to the isometric view to give you a better view of your surroundings and see where enemies may be hiding.
MGS 3 chronicles the origin of the MGS series. It's here we see Big Boss discuss the overview of the missions with an eager and younger Snake who is a highly-trained special operative of the military sent out to Russia to investigate an organization involved in manufacturing dangerous nuclear weapons. Snake acts a little different than he does in earlier games but you can tell that he's learning and growing.
There are tons of cutscenes - literally hours of them. These are important to establish not only the storyline but to immerse you in the world of MGS which is uniquely intense and alternately peculiar with its sense of humor. The characters are very well developed and while there may be the odd hackneyed dialog exchange, watching these numerous scenes is extremely entertaining, not to mention that you are listening for clues and any other information that will help you with upcoming missions. All of these cutscenes have been combined on one separate disk and presented as a Metal Gear Solid 3 movie. It's available on the Limited Edition version of the game which is ten bucks more than the standard game which is value priced at thirty bucks. If you don't decide it's worth it, since all of the cutscenes are still included in the standard version anyway, you can look forward to being entertained by the hilarious parodies of the serious cutscenes in the Secret Theater mode which you will be able to unlock. These re-mixed scenes poke fun at the serious tone of the storyline but instead of appearing like a separate comedy entity like MAD TV doing a lampoon, it all seems like an organic outgrowth of the MGS universe.
The missions include stealth, shooting and puzzle-solving, all of which is extremely well embedded into the gameplay with the right amount of depth. In other words, there are no tile sliding puzzles. Nothing in this game feels tacked on. There is such good variety in the mission, weapons, moves and gadgets that you'll never be in danger of getting bored. And that's just the single-player mode.
The online modes take MGS in a new direction. It goes beyond the standard frag fests by incorporating many of the moves, weapons and gadgets from the single-player mode. It even includes the manual camera in third-person perspective. You can hide in cardboard boxes or with the aid of camouflage outfits, hide in the bush or grass and try to pick off enemies with your sniper rifle.
There are five modes online which allow you to play as any of three organizations. To once again illustrate the game's sense of humor you will have to "capture the frog" in the Capture mode in which each team attempts to keep the frog in their possession the longest. In the Rescue mode, one team defends a rubber ducky while the other team tries to snatch it from them.
Up to eight players can be accommodated online. It's easy to register online and the lobby offers features such as a buddy list for those you want to play with again and a blacklist for those that you don't. Getting into quick-play games is a snap and there are different levels for players of varying skills, so beginners will be very well taken care of. The games run smooth with no lag and displays the same quality graphics and animations that made the 2004 version an instant classic.
Graphics= 5.0
Excellent high resolution graphics, even when the areas are dark. The new camera angles affords us an unprecedented look at the all of the environments. Best graphics for a PS2 game.
Control= 5.0
Incredibly responsive commands from the control system. Lot of weapons, moves and gadgets to explore and exploit.
Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting= 5.0
The voiceacting is good and the cutscenes are so well produced they are available in the Limited Edition package as a three-and-a-half hour movie.
Replay Value= 5.0
It's the online mode that rocks this game. It bring the MGS series to a whole other level.
Overall= 5.0
If you are a fan of the MGS series then this game is definitely a must buy and even if you have Snake Eater this game is worth getting and it's not as expensive as Snake Eater was. It's only $30. 
If you're a fan of Action/shooting games then again it's a must buy but if you're not too sure rent it first and find out for yourselves! Best PS2 game ever!
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