MGS2 was my first ps2 game and probably my second most replayed game. The story and characters left a big impression on me. However, It never toyed with my expectations because I didn't have any. Kojima and friends pulled a risky move, and that adds to the context of the story. Though you can't appreciate that if you only played the game now. That is unless you've known it in since the height of its controversy like I did.
"Infinite ammo".... So snake has cheats on?
Raiden was ridiculed for his look and... well... for not being Snake, whose badassnes was intentionally accentuated by the rookie. I felt like his backstory was the most macho-sadistic compared to other characters: an alcoholic child soldier with PTSD who was trained by the former US president, which happens to be Solid Snake's other "brother".
Each entry had its own plot holes and convoluted mess, but subtext is more important than cannon. They all felt like they were their own entities to me. Even if the story was interconnected, retconned parts or not. So the "whole thing was a VR simulation" interpretation still holds up.
Raiden to me in MGS4 was the most developed character. It's true that he wasn't an extension of the player anymore, but he still retained some of his characteristics. It made sense why he altered his body to come out of Snake's shadow, and why he was self destructive. Still as androgynous as ever, too. Didn't appreciate his look in Revengence, though.
You might think you're hot sh*t but European Extreme is not fun.
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