Summary
In many ways, 1998 was as much of a banner year for gaming as 2023 has been. While several series made their initial transition to 3D with great success, the year also saw the launch of some high-profile sequels and the beginning of several enduring franchises that are celebrating 25th anniversaries this year. One game that fits into all of these categories isMetal Gear Solid. Not only is Hideo Kojima’s PS1 masterpiece the first 3D game in theMetal Gearseries, it was also the long-awaited sequel toMetal Gear 2: Solid Snakeand the genesis of theMetal Gear Solidfranchise. 25 years later, it still stands as one of the watershed releases on Sony’s first console.
Part ofMetal Gear Solid’s enduring legacy rests on the ways that Kojima deftly embraces cinematic storytelling in the medium of video games, subsequently causing a massive paradigm shift in the way video game stories were told following its release. A crucial component of its success in this area rests on the game’s ability to sidestep one of the more common pitfalls in the action genre, that of ludonarrative dissonance. In ensuring that the non-interactive andinteractive elements ofMetal Gear Solidon PS1both remain true to the thematic elements of its story, Kojima helped to craft a game that still serves as an exemplar within the medium.
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The Meaning of “Ludonarrative Dissonance” and How Metal Gear Solid Avoids It
It’s part of the natural order that people grow old and experience life, becoming more mature in the process. This phenomenon also includes gamers, and as a result it stands to reason that the games they play should not be immune to the march of time. Beginning with titles likethe originalMetal Gear Solid, games began to emulate more and more cinematic qualities in their storytelling, leading to a massive change in the way narratives were presented in the medium. Unfortunately, the results didn’t always speak to an understanding of coherency between gameplay and story, leading to the effect known as ludonarrative dissonance.
Defined as when the interactive elements of a game fail to match with the messages and themes of its storytelling, the term ludonarrative dissonance was coined by game designer Clint Hockingin response toBioShock. Since then, one of the more common titles referenced when discussing the effect isUncharted. Nathan Drake presents as an affable everyman hero in the game’s cutscenes, only to then eliminate hired guns in cold blood during gameplay.Metal Gear Solidskillfully blends a story about the horrors of war and dangers of nuclear proliferation with gameplay that rewards players for avoiding conflict, thereby avoiding falling prey to ludonarrative dissonance.
Metal Gear Solid’s Narrative is Still Poignant After 25 Years
For all the ways that theMetal Gear Solidlore goes completely off the railsbeginning withMetal Gear Solid 2, the original’s story is surprisingly grounded and mature for a game of its era. The entire concept for theMetal Gearfranchise arose from Kojima wanting to experiment with an action game that rewarded players for avoiding conflict rather than rushing headlong into danger with unlimited ammunition. With the power of the PlayStation, he was finally able to both hone the series' stealth-action formula to perfection while also leveraging technology to tell a cinematic and well-acted narrative.
A quarter-century later,Metal Gear Solidis more than just an excellent PS1 classic. It serves as an example of how to craft interactive storytelling that remains consistent across all of its elements and mechanics, all while telling a story that is somehow still relevant within the geopolitical realities of the 21st century.Hideo Kojimais one of gaming’s premier auteurs, and that his first game in one of the medium’s most thought-provoking franchises is just as rewarding to play today as it was in 1998 is testament to how video games are capable of things not possible in any other medium.
Metal Gear Solidreleased in 1998 for PC and PlayStation 1.
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