Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
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| Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance | |
| Missing image Mgs2sbox.jpg Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance PlayStation 2 cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (West) |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Release date(s) | November 5, 2002 (NA) December 19, 2002 (JP) |
| Genre | Stealth action |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature (M) BBFC: 15 CERO: 15+ |
| Platform(s) | Xbox, PlayStation 2, PC |
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance is a video game that was developed and published by Konami for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and PC and first released in 2002. Directed by Hideo Kojima, it is an updated version of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.
The game's title comes from Substance, a compilation album by Joy Division (which is said to be one of Kojima's favorite bands).
| Contents |
Sons of Liberty (main game)
Substance contains the complete Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty game (known simply as Sons of Liberty within Substance) with most of the additional features from the Japanese and European versions already integrated and made standard across all regions. Changes made since the North American version of the original MGS2 include the addition of Boss Survival and Casting Theater from the Japanese version, as well the European Extreme difficulty setting from the European release. Other changes made in Sons of Liberty include:
- Replacement of FHM posters and magazines due to expired license.
- A silencer for the USP handgun will become availble to the player during the Tanker Chapter if the player has already cleared the game once.
- A few additional cut scenes are added, such as Fatman struggling after being defeated by Raiden, and Raiden crossing the oil fence after Emma is wounded.
- The infrared view of the thermal goggles was changed to properly resemble actual infrared vision.
- The game's difficulty was toned down slightly in some instances. For example, if the player puts the unconscious guards from the beginning of the Plant Chapter into the lockers near the entrance, then they won't regain consciousness.
- The player can now choose between the dog tags available from MGS2 and the new dog tags made specifically for Substance when they begin a new game.
- A grading system (missing from the original North American version) was added.
- Snake and Raiden now wear sunglasses for every second playthrough.
- The Japanese release of Substance replaces the original Japanese voice acting in the main game with the English voiceovers from the North American and European versions, much like Metal Gear Solid: Integral before it.
Missions
MetalGearSolid2-Substance_screenshot2.jpg
The bulk of the new content in Substance is a series of VR Missions in various modes. For example, there is a series of missions based on successful sneaking with or without weaponry (Sneaking Mode), a series of missions for each weapon (Weapon Mode), and the series of missions which use a first-person view. The player initially play as both: Raiden and Snake in these missions (with Snake's missions being harder of the two). Alternate versions of Snake and Raiden are unlocked as the player complete more missions, including Snake in his Iroquois Pliskin disguise and Raiden in the Cyborg Ninja's exoskeleton from Metal Gear Solid.
In addition to the VR Missions, there are also a set of Alternate Missions set in the main game's environments such as Bomb Disposal missions and Hold-Up missions.
Snake Tales
The Snake Tales are a series of non-canonical stories set in the main game's environments (primarily in the Big Shell), where the player control Solid Snake wearing one of various alternate costumes. Due to the low production values of these missions, no voiceovers are featured. Instead, the storyline is narrated through on-screen text during key parts of each mission. There are five Snake Tales in all (A Wrongdoing, Big Shell Evil, Confidential Legacy, Dead Man's Whispers and External Gazer). In one of these missions, Snake confronts Meryl (the heroine of Metal Gear Solid) as the boss in the Tanker stage instead of Olga like in the main game. Some of these missions have more than one possible outcome depending on the player's performance.
Release information
The European PlayStation 2 release also included The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2, and therefore could be considered by some to be the definitive release of Metal Gear Solid 2.
Some copies of the Japanese PlayStation 2 release that were ordered through Konami's Japanese shopping website (Konamistyle) came with an "Ultimate Sorter" that contains placeholders for all three MGS2 releases (the original, Document and Substance) and their manuals, as well as a bonus soundtrack CD. There were two versions of the Ultimate Sorter released: a white version and a black version. The soundtrack that came with one version was different from the other. The Xbox and Windows versions were not released in Japan.
External Links
- Official Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance website from Konami (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs2_sub/)de:Metal_Gear