The Reality of Metal Gear Solid 2

[cumanzor]

Ironically enough the video does not answer anything at all and thus, keeps the whole theme of MGS2 intact.

[mobbaddict]

Interesting analysis... yet as far as i remember (I haven't played the game for 10 years, i'm just starting the HD version) i think MGS2 questioned the player about free will rather than reality. It was pretty clear in my mind that the story lived by Raiden was real, but his character was being manipulated by the patriots (the same way the player is manipulated by Kojima).

To me MGS2 was by far the most ambitious, and i totally agree with your analysis of the other episodes.

[tylerkershaw]

this was awesome. great job! i've been visiting the soup since 04.

[BitterPoetMadman]

I just wish the music wasn't' so loud.

[BlueKewne]

great video, but your talking is really muffled by the music.

I had to turn on captioning to follow along

[LovelesOne]

This is my favorite video game, and I hate video games.

[513james513]

Very good video...except the preachy ending complaining about keynesian economics. Why'd you have to make it political!

[metalgearsolidrulez]

I'd like to see these arguments for the virtual reality. The only legit one I can even think of is that super natural events occur in the universe. But then equivalently MGS3 has the Cobra unit, which all pretty much have super natural abilities. I think this is just over analyzation of the story. All the things said about Raiden apply to Snake from MGS1. He didn't have an identity. He went through VR training. Half the stuff you said in this video is just speculation without evidence.

[thesnakesoup]

@metalgearsolidrulez See the "Further Reading" section of the page for this video. See the video description for the link.

[metalgearsolidrulez]

@thesnakesoup I did. And it just further confirmed what I was thinking. Its all just over speculation of the story line. Every single argument excluding Raiden's experience for MGS2 being an entire VR plot can be found in MGS1 and MGS3. MGS1 Miller and Mei Ling often refer to snake at the player. MGS3 the bosses have supernatural powers. But I do agree with the message of the game. That is universal, and you don't have to do any more listening than Snakes last speech in the game to find that out

[thesnakesoup]

@metalgearsolidrulez I hate debating in YouTube comments. I'd be more than happy to have this discussion in my forums. thesnakesoup dotorg/forums

[insightdisorder]

This video is amazing for the Joy Division...Digital is my favorite song of all forever.

[DoctorCapitalist]

Hey Snakesoup you seem to have an understanding of Austrian economics. Are you a libertarian by any chance?

[Riku654321]

This needs more views. MANY views.

[xSnake91x]

it would be nice to have a remake and to play as solid snake, not side story snake tales, but what snake was truly doing on the big shell, and you controlling him while we all know what raiden is doing, also i'd like to see remakes of the original MG games

[Shintai123]

I have to say, this was a really good video. Hopefully you'll decide to do more like this one.

[MisterBankz]

I still think the plot for MGS2 could have been much much better.

[ChachaISI]

Are there any spoilers in this for someone who has only played MGS 1 and 2?

[thesnakesoup]

@ChachaISI Very Minor MG/MG2 spoilers, minor MGS3 spoilers, major MGS4 spoilers, also an Inception spoiler.

[ChachaISI]

@thesnakesoup Then I guess, I'll have to wait till I play MGS 3 and 4. Am actually waiting for the PAL release of MGS HD collection, otherwise I have MGS3 on the PS2 lying around.

[superlag]

English isn't my born language and I understand shit on this video. Sry, I would love to hear what you have to say but it's really hard :/

[thesnakesoup]

@superlag Why not turn on captions?

[superlag]

@thesnakesoup

Hu I forgot this possibility -_-;

Thx :D

[andreiclawhammer]

...we've managed to avoid drowning.

[TheApproximite]

i wish you would talk louder and not as boring.

[chewbaccapoopy]

great fucking video. really made me ponder more on why i love mgs2 so much. really great points.... great jams too.

[DigitalAgeGrunt]

The player response to MGS2 speaks volumes about gamers and the industry. Great analysis!

"A virtual grunt of the digital age. That's just great."

[MegaJohnnybravo123]

Rav, you couldnt have sounded so hot

[Testfilms]

So, what brought on the post punk soundtrack? In a Factory Records mood?

[MapleAI]

There is a really good essay relating to this about Metal Gear Solid 2's themes

on junker HQ IIRC.

Interesting read, fans should definitely check it out cool the page is split in half and creates a good efffect and allows for quick reference to the conversations and other stuff they reference.

Props to that I recommend you guys check it out

[thesnakesoup]

@MapleAI I actually link to that video in the "Further Reading" section of the page for this video. See the video description for the link.

[MapleAI]

@thesnakesoup I'm am so sorry.

This happens a lot.

[MapleAI]

@MapleAI E) Riarioeirjuo

I"M am yeah

[Jackelbeaver]

It was okay but I'm kind of disappointing that you don't really go into depth on any points of your argument. I've been through your site and read through and mostly agree with your point, but that isn't really reflected in the video as a convincing argument.

[Jackelbeaver]

yeah it is kind of an issue not being able to hear it well, and captions aren't always available when watching embedded video, people who aren't super familiar with youtube don't even know about them.

[nickdaring]

Great work!

The music does need to be brought down a touch though.

Nick

[Ronok888]

Essentially a video version of the MGS2: Get Over It article with a dash of April 30th. Or every Sons of Liberty conversation held on The Soup. I'm glad this exists now. Damn fine work.

[0479]

need built-in subs!

[Jodaku]

Awesome job at explaining why MGS2 is more than the sum of its parts. MGS1 is still probably favourite in the series, but I'll always appreciate its scope and ambition in what it tried to achieve .

[MegaJohnnybravo123]

Well explained...

but its hard to not get aroused by your voice

[theultimatefury]

This video is a real masterpiece,keep doing things like these, i also visit your page very often

[HighFrequencyBlade]

Amazing video!!!!!

[MegaPhilX]

Thank you for helping people understand how ground-breaking MGS2 is!

Personally, at first, even though I was taking the game quite literally, I had no problem with it. Then I played it more and more and I can say that this is one of the games that influenced me the most in my life... But it's quite true, people are uncomfortable with questioning reality, and what they see... : P

[RedMaverickGaming]

Good stuff. New Order and Joy Division fo lyfe

[JMG9519]

Also, the music at 11:28 is great.

I can hear Ravi's narration perfectly fine.

[JMG9519]

The most enlightening mindfuck I ever had. My only regret is that I'll never be able to play it (or any Metal Gear game) for the first time ever again.

[NosferatuAaacaado]

@JMG9519 and never play MGS4

[linktube]

This really gave me a deeper respect for MGS2

[Testfilms]

Echoing the sentiments about the sound level, very good otherwise.

[DashRendar308]

I'm half way through this video and I like it, but the music is way to loud. Sometimes I can barely hear, what you are saying.

[DeltaForceSFODD]

I have always had mixed feelings about MGS2. It gave me a different experience that what i did from any other games. It was more of a thinking or awakening experience.

[FlyingTanooki]

Music is to loud, Ravi! Great video none the less

[sirkarl1]

this is really clever but i really think ur over thinking this lol... its a awesome game, raiden was brilliant and the story was great

[wolfpox]

@sirkarl1 Aaaaaaand there we have it.

[Lysimachus]

excellent.

[mariolterrell2]

Gr8 vid!

[yuyuzja]

Very good video, though I agree that the voice audio should have been louder.

But MGS2 is my favorite MGS game and I'm glad these things were finally said by someone outside of essay-form (which most casual MGS fans never had the patience to read). It's always difficult to try and explain this stuff to people who don't "get" the appeal of MGS2, so I'm thankful that I now have a vid to link people rather than trying to summarize this shit myself XD

[mariolterrell2]

@yuyuzja Yea I do 2... I know exactly how u feel I find myself doin da same thing but I jus dont bother wit anymore... BTW u make gr8 Metal Gear vids Keep up the good work! :)

[RETRONGAMES79]

man you need to lower the soundtrack, it is difficult to hear you talk, seriously

[thesnakesoup]

@RETRONGAMES79 I'm working on captions. Should be ready this week for those who had trouble hearing over the postpunk jams. Sorry about that!

[RETRONGAMES79]

@thesnakesoup i think all you need to do is lower the volume a bit for the soundtrack, which is nice, but it is just too loud compared to your voice.

[thesnakesoup]

@RETRONGAMES79 Or you can enable captions which are now up!

[0479]

@thesnakesoup waiting for the built-in sub version!

[Snakethoot]

Very nice! I would definitively love to see more videos like this one =)

[MuuGGer]

The narrator's voice is way too quiet, hard to hear anything

[VeluCherry]

Very insightful, thanks for sharing!

[majinsweet]

Thanks Ravi.