To bite a Snake

I've recently acquired myself a copy of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and was I astounded by the graphics of the game! It would seem more appropriate to label MGS3 as theatrical gaming experience, as it was not only rich in gameplay but as well as being solidly story-driven at its core. Kudos to Kojima Productions for such a brilliant and well-crafted game of its time!


Naked Snake (above), the protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

As with the previous MGS instalment (read: Sons Of Liberty), do not expect Solid Snake to be the star of the game. Yes, the main character's codename is Snake, looks like Solid and is voiced by David Hayter, but that's all there is to it. The events took place during the Cold War, which would be impossible for Solid Snake to retain his youthful looks during MGS1 and MGS2 when Ocelot had aged 'gracefully' (is that the right description? :) ). A word of warning here; reading on the paragraphs hereafter will spoil the story for those of you who have not played the game or finished it, so do take caution before carrying on!


*Spoiler Begins*


The Snake that was featured in MGS3 is none other than Big Boss. Yes, the very same man who was Solid Snake's commanding officer at FOXHOUND and was the mastermind for the rise of the fortress nation - Outer Heaven. But his rebellious intentions were unknown by anyone until the final duel in Metal Gear 1, where Big Boss makes a surprise appearance before Solid Snake and revealing all. It was a surprise to him that a grunt like Solid Snake could've defeated the bi-pedal walking battletank and successfully retrieved the Metal Gear research data, and it was amidst the self-destruct count down of Outer Heaven activated by Big Boss that both of them fought the final battle. Big Boss made a second appearance in Metal Gear 2, which is also his final (can't this guy die right?!) as Solid Snake defeated him yet again and killing him in the process. Note: Snake's Revenge was reported to be the non-canonical version to the Metal Gear storyline (as opposed to Metal Gear 2), where he turns into a cyborg and spits fireballs. Ugh, what were they thinking back then?

But how does Solid Snake fit into the picture? Solid Snake, along with Liquid Snake and Solidus Snake, was a part of a project known as Les Enfants Terribles. The genes of Big Boss were extracted from him by the US government with the intention of creating genetically enhanced soldiers, and thus the Sons of Big Boss were 'born'. That's why you'll get a "Time Paradox" each time Naked Snake (Big Boss's codename during the operations Virtuous Mission and Snake Eater in MGS3) dies. Of course, the "Time Paradox" happens to Ocelot as well when you 'accidentally' kill him, but that's a different story :) .

Trivia: Naked Snake got his Big Boss codename after destroying Shagohod (it's a very early prototype version of what is to be known later as Metal Gear), defeating and killing his 'defected' mentor, The Boss, and completing operation Snake Eater successfully. The codename was awarded to him by President Johnson, but it was at this ceremony that we saw Snake feeling disgusted at what his commander and top people of the country would do to cover up their @$$ for the sake of saving grace - even sacrificing The Boss in the process (who actually did not defect but was infiltrating enemy ground on the pretext of defecting). Yes, Snake found out the truth, but too late to do anything to change what he has done. Therefore, hatred began slowly eating up from inside of him as he plotted against them in an elaborate style worthy of his nickname as the 'world's greatest soldier'.


*Spoiler Ends*


So there you have it, the real Snake in MGS3. If you haven't read the spoilers, go and finish the game and be wowed by the deep storyline and detailed ending scene. I promise you won't be disappointed.