Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GameCube)

Yet somehow this remake is lacking some of that atmosphere that made the original so unforgettable.

But lets get one thing perfectly clear - the plot of this game is absolutely amazing and there is so much attention to detail your head will be reeling. You won't have any trouble being able to suspend your sense of reality for a while because the story is just so complex yet so well researched and put together you'll believe anything Hideo Kojima throws at you - and believe me, there's a lot going on.

The remixed soundtrack is brilliant in parts of the game but I was disappointed when I discovered that some of my favourites had been removed - like the boss themes and the music when the game goes into ALERT mode or when you get the Game Over screen (which was also changed, sadly). However, if you've never played the original, these changes won't really affect you.

Overall though this is a decent remake with a lot of nice new bits - especially the new briefing sequences that were previously only animated stills but are now proper FMVs. And thankfully the brilliant David Hayter is still the voice actor for the gruff Solid Snake. If you loved the original and haven't played it in a while (or like me your copy no longer works because you played it to death) or if you've never played it, The Twin Snakes is a must.

I actually wrote this review to state that that guy was completely wrong, so my actual review will be rather short. Here is is anyway...

You can think of the Twin Snakes in two ways. It was one of the best games (some say THE best game) on the original PSOne. This game will appeal to people who have not played any Metal Gear game before due to it's raw fun factor - the storyline and overall game design is excellent. It appeals to people who have played Metal Gear Solid 2 because of the same reasons - gameplay and storyline (and I know that plenty of people prefer the original game to the sequel).

The other way to look at the game is that is is just a remake - here's the bottom line: if you've never played this game before, buy it. It's great. If you HAVE, and you just think "it's the same game..." then rest assured, there are plenty of upgrades. There are more moves, the first person mode, loads of neat little extras (such as a Nintendo Gamecube in the place where you fight the Ninja) and of course a graphical overhaul which brings the game up to Metal Gear Solid 2's looks. So, if you liked the original and/or are a big fan of the series, you will like this. If you played the original and did not like it, you are better off not buying the Twin Snakes.

Personally, I'm going to wait for the Player's Choice version; I will not pay full price for a remake, even if the remake improves the original so much. The game gets 5 stars becasue the original was great, and this is greater, even if it is a remake. And I do not mind remakes, as long as they are well done (like this game) and they are not too pricey.