Opinion Editorial: Tactical Espionage Action

By:  Omar A., Grade 11

I have enjoyed a lot of movies, books, comics, tv-shows, and games, and, without fail, each of them always yields a gem — something so truly incredible in its creativity, complexity, or ideas that they simply wouldn’t allow me to let go of it. Verily, I think my personal hunt for those things simply make me enjoy stuff with a story, plot, and atmosphere much more than casual, online games or weekly comic strips (which can be fun, but I personally prefer longer material), etc. So, even in video games, which might be seen with a more negative, childish image — nothing more than playthings that waste time and don’t challenge the brain in any capacity, there were gems. Out of everything I have had pleasure in being able to play, two games always stand out to me tremendously: The Last of Us and Metal Gear Solid. While the former is known for its incredible character dynamics and relationships in a desolate, post-apocalyptic world filled with death and morally-grey characters, if there is one that could truly even challenge books (despite both of them being able to!), the latter would be a brilliant example!

Written by Hideo Kojima from 1998 to 2015, this seven-game series (technically eleven, but the rest aren’t as essential) focuses on a powerful anti-violence, anti-nuclear message following the adventures of Solid Snake (through games 1, 2, and 4) and his father, Big Boss, (through games 3, 5, 6, 7), through 2005-2014, and 1964-1984, respectively. The series is centered around a nuclear mech-like device called Metal Gear, and the trials and triumphs of both of them, and primarily, the descent of Big Boss from a patriotic agent to starting his own private military corporation for mercenaries all around the world, prior to his clone, Solid Snake, killing him and attempting to rid the world of all Metal Gears after it. 

Much of the series focuses on a clear anti-nuke, anti-military glorification message. Much of the gameplay of MGS focuses on sneaking and espionage, giving the player the choice of either going through locations violently or passively, at one point having to confront the consequences/moral repercussions of their actions. For example in MGS3, during one of the final boss fights, Big Boss (and, through him, the player) must confront those they have killed during gameplay, shedding light on the nameless guards and personnel casualties along with important “bosses” or figures. They would appear as ghosts coming towards the player — who is stuck to a narrow path — dealing damage and causing a jumpscare. 

Other prevalent themes include: questioning motivations (through the character of Ocelot, who is prevalent in both the Solid Snake and Big Boss saga), hidden accountabilities (The Big Shell Incident being orchestrated by a shadowy governmental organization all along as opposed to a terrorist group), and loyalties (Solid Snake’s close allies supporting him even as his accelerated aging takes hold; Big Boss’s mentor, The Boss, whose unexpected defection to the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War sparks much of the fundamental and moral changes Big Boss would go through during the events of Metal Gear Solid 3).  

It focuses on building a world, which despite having fantastical and magical elements, stays grounded in its exploration of war, military men, and loyalties. It builds characters to be ultimately their own, with flaws and friends and personalities, yet showing how weak and powerless they are in the grand scheme of things; serving as a powerful cautionary tale about war and beatification of the military, and the promotion of violence for your country, the loss that comes from it, all in all with how impactful it is on the human soul. 

Yet, despite much of these strong, serious messages, Metal Gear focuses on their opposites: the hope and beauty left in a war-torn country. Both Big Boss and Solid Snake have companions, people who share a similar ideology, who stand up with them in accomplishing similar goals. They provide the hope that each character has, despite the trauma and failures. Big Boss has Kazuhira Miller, Solid Snake has Hal Emmerich (called “Otacon”). Each one’s dynamic and companionship are often one of the only bright or hopeful elements of Metal Gear Solid, serving a significant portion of what makes Metal Gear so beautiful.  

Even with the rest of the array of side characters, one of which I would consider to be Metal Gear, as in the nuclear mech, they are often unique with deeply troubling backstories and flawed ideologies. Important characters can be weak, could be tricked, could be pulled apart and glued back together poorly by higher forces. The villainious Dead Cell unit, the loyal Cobra Unit, the formidable black ops team FOXHOUND. Often, the villains, which one game would have numerous quantities of, serve as bosses, the hurdles from one playable area to the other. Yet, even for people just playing Metal Gear for its incredible gameplay and stealth mechanics, each boss stands out from each other, serving as not just some throwaway part of the game. They serve an incredible, challenging role in gameplay — attempting to get past them — but at the same time they play on their own special capabilities and powers. 

Despite this being overall the story of the infamous, hard-boiled Snakes, even characters outside of Solid Snake and Big Boss serve major importance to the plot and the world. However, if there is one overarching villain for this series, there would be Liquid Snake, Solid Snake’s clone brother, innate on world control, and their father: 

Big Boss.