Metal Gear Solid.. From PacMan to Hitman - Stealth in games

Kojima's march for the souls gained momentum with Metal Gear Solid. Everything in this game seemed to be shouting "You underestimated the power of PlayStation!" It's one of those giants who, in duo with the Legacy of Kain series, proved just how cinematic and narrative-intensive games can be. How much we can care about the fate of the characters. And how long we can ponder over what Kojima had in mind for.

Kojima's image as a crazy visionary was born right then. Animé motifs became more than just a seasoning of Solid Snake's story. It was a total, Japanese trip. With the Psychomantis that could only be defeated by switching the pad to another socket. With existential reflections on the fate of the soldier and the importance of heritage. With a spy-gunslinger. A clone brother. A cyborg ninja who... Maybe that's enough.

The first three-dimensional installment of the series conquered the market, won the hearts of gamers and launched the strangest soap opera in the history of AAA games. And as if that wasn't enough, Metal Gear Solid was another link in the evolution of stealth games. A very significant link. It was the first game to allow the use of camouflage in which we could move around (ah, the cardboard box...). The enemies were as vigilant as never before; alarmed, they would enter combat readiness, and if we escaped, they'd remain increasingly cautious for long seconds. And those we shot or stunned had to be hidden so that others would not find them.

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