For the most part games are either for entertainment or educating young children, I have never found a game designed to educate an adult - largely because it would be nigh on impossible to convey an understanding of anything complicated and meaningful through games. The Metal Gear Solid series certainly doesn't give an understanding of philosophy to the player and never actually tries to, it uses philosophy for entertainment value.

If you want to learn philosophy or politics go take a university course on them, or even just get a book on them. No game will give you any sort of decent grounding in any of these things and no game to my knowledge has ever claimed to.

I disagree on some level. First of all Kojima has reiterated during interviews and his own blog in the past that he doesn't want people playing his games purely for fun, entertainment or as a means to escape boredom. He wants there to be meaning and thought behind his games that drive people to think about themselves and the world around them while (obviously) being wrapped in an entertaining package so that anyone can enjoy it on different levels.

I think if you play each of the 4 MGS titles, really do in-depth research on them and a lot of thinking of your own they alone do provide a foundation from which to build your own intellect and philosophical worldview upon. It doesn't replace more high concept ideas such as those presented by Kant or Neitzche but for what it's worth it does provide enough "meat" in a few dozen hours of presentation for the average man to feed off of for many years as the basis of their own intellectual development.

I don't actually agree to be honest. Building your intellectual developement on Metal Gear Solid would not, in my opinion, be a good idea. think we're going to have to leave it on this one.

But now that I think about it Mass Effect does explore the morality of creating and destroying Synthetic Intelligences to some level, its not a blunt instrument like MGS and not as in depth either but it does explore it. Isn't that the type of thing that you like?

Same... It feels too "consoley" and actually theres really nothing new after the first bigger place in game. Combat is fun if you are alone, but with team members they usually spoil it by doing very stupid things. At least game is pretty.

Kojima's MGS philosophical views are just like the Tip of the Iceberg: Dry and Shallow. The presentation of the arguments is on the amateur level (no sublety) and Kojima does not take advantage of interactivity, so we get an abuse of cutscenes without providing an actual experience to the gamer. Kojima pretty much does damage to his own stories.

My biggest gripe about the MGS series is that the stories could've been so much more... but Kojima hasn't learned a thing about it in the last 10 years. The spotty writing is still there, the sublety is still unexistent, the bad presentation of ideas/concepts and lack of interactivity are still present (more so than ever).

Had I known that you were actually able to notice sublety and nuance, I would've suggested you to play Planescape: Torment, Deus Ex, Fallout 1 and 2; and to some extent The Witcher, Sanitarium.

I wonder why they couldn't have made a few more fighting environments though?

I got bored with the four standard ones - underground bunker, mine, normal base, space-ship. I mean if they made about ten different environments the world wouldn't have felt quite as fake.

Why do you prefer subtlety?

Also I do like both Planescape and Deus Ex, the later which is very comparable in themes to the MGS franchise. Though I wouldn't call the conversation with JC Denton in DZ: IW any more subtle than anything in MGS.

Also I would appreciate if you coud describe to me the themes and messages of Planescape, particularly the ones embedded into gameplay. I do think I undervalued PT after doing more research on it but do not have the time to replay it  with a more keen of an eye. (will eventually)

I realize many of the themes such as immortality, regret, torment (obviously), repent, the factions and others but besides the actual themes I didn't see the actual message. What was the game trying to say about those themes and how/where did it present them to the gamer?

I do think PT is an extraordinary game and achievement for the industry and do appreciate it's themes, but the actual messages and particularly their presentation (embedded into the gameplay as you say) elude me.

I'm not asking to argue, but simply because I want a better understanding of the game since I do think I missed quite a bit of what may have been there.

As for the Witcher and Sanatarium I'll check those out. Also if you've played them what are your opinions of the Killer 7 and Xenogears storylines, thematically speaking?

I'm nearing to the end of the game, and i'm very sad. The game is excellent, but has some issues (and i can live with that).

I like the combat system - some combats feel very intense, but there are also times when things get out of control. Team members AI isn't much of help, but isn't terrible either.

While i love the galaxy Bioware created (and I'm impressed by the amount of text that is put into codex), the story somehow resembles KOTOR's story, at least for me. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, the feeling of different skin on the old wolf can't be shook off. But despite taht i'm enjoying ME more than kotor. Or atleast i think i am :)

The two KOTOR games and this one are amongst the best games i've played, i almost dare to claim they're the pinnacle of movie-like gaming. Great deal of attention is put into story, dialogue, scenery and cutscenes. The attempt of your own decision making, and some different consequences based on those decisions lets you associate yourself with the main character. While all this isn't perfect, it's a noticable effort.

IMHO, every year there should be a new game using KOTOR/ME system. I simply cannot wait to play the next one

Off Topic, and yet Strangely On Topic: I downloaded the extra mission pack from XBL, and have yet to even put Mass Effect back into my 360. This was my pick for 2007's best game!!  Another truly amazing game that's the victim of 2008 being the best year of gaming ever. Too many new and awesome games coming out back to back. A lot of great stuff is being ignored.

Had no problems installing on Vista 64 with an e2140/8800gt/4 gigs of ram.

Dialogue options were excellent, same with most of the voice acting. The story didn't pull me in but it wasn't bad either.

The loading while navigating was absolutely horrendous though, especially when there's so little content on each world. Exploring them on the ATV wasn't exactly a pleasure either seeing how everything was so barren.

Combat/AI was subpar along with the RPG elements. Even with maxing out paragon/renegade first and using no skills, this game was still too easy.

I gotta say I don't understand how this game got all those 9s & 10s. Felt like a kid on xmas day seeing a huge present under tree only to find a dinky miniature car inside while I was playing this. Mass Effect has now dethroned Assassin's Creed on my list for most disappointing/overhyped game of 2007.