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Metal Gear is a series of stealth-based games created by Hideo Kojima and published by Konami.
The series stars legendary soldier Solid Snake, an elite military operative repeatedly facing off against the latest incarnation of the superweapon "Metal Gear," a massive, nuclear-equipped walking battle tank.
The games take place in the near future and focus on stealth and finesse rather than brute-force combat. You start out with few or no weapons at all. On the highest difficulty settings of some games in the series, being seen by an enemy even once is enough to bring certain defeat. Through the course of the game, Solid Snake gathers equipment and weapons to help accomplish his mission objectives, and gathers information by rescuing captives.
Metal Gear's purported purpose within the games is to allow a nuclear strike at any location with no advance warning and no clues as to who made the attack (unlike the obvious launch of an ICBM). In principle, this would allow a hostile nation to use nuclear weapons with no fear of nuclear retaliation. While this could be performed adequately with a nuclear submarine, two of the games make a case for the nuclear weapons system. Metal Gear 2's manual claims it expands the operating area of such a strike to include the land. Metal Gear Solid's proposal is more robust, with Metal Gear REX able to perform an uninterceptable strike which cannot be detected until the weapon hits its target.
Metal Gear series
The series consists of the following titles in its official canon:
Since the series' rebirth with Metal Gear Solid, there have also been various "special edition" products, with additions, improvements, or brand new content:
Two non-canonical titles have also been released, and a third title has yet to have its canonical nature determined:
There was a sequel to Metal Gear on the NES (it was also made into a licensed handheld game) called Snake's Revenge (1990), which was released a few months before Metal Gear 2 and released exclusively in the western market (despite being developed by a Japanese team). Although, it was not created by (or with the knowledge of) any of the original Metal Gear staff and is no considered considered to be part of the official storyline, it is credited for serving as Hideo Kojima's inspiration for the creation of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake for the MSX. There was also a Game Boy Color game called Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (2000), which was supposed to be an "alternate sequel" to the original Metal Gear, much like Snake's Revenge.
Also, Metal Gear Solid, the most popular game in the series, has been remade as Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (2004), a GameCube exclusive. The Famicom version of the first Metal Gear has also been ported to the GameCube as part of a Japan-only bundle of The Twin Snakes. Most recently (2004), a cel-phone port of the MSX version of Metal Gear has been released featuring new game modes and items.
Metal Gear Acid is still in development, so may or may not prove to be canonical.
Metal Gear Characters
Known Operatives: Big Boss, Gray Fox (aka Frank Jaeger & Ninja), Roy Cambell (replaced Big Boss), Naomi Hunter (chief of medical staff, and in charge of gene therapy), McDonnel Benedict "Master" Miller (instructor), Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, Revolver Ocelot (aka Shalashaska - double-agent, secretly employed by other forces), Sniper Wolf, Vulcan Raven, Psycho Mantis and Decoy Octopus.
Pseudo-Operatives: AI Roy Campbell (an AI reproduction of Col. Cambell by supercomputer GW) and Raiden (aka Jack - believes he is FOXHOUND, but is actually being manipulated by The Patriots and the AI Cambell).
Dead Cell
Known Operatives: Commander Reginald Jackson, Fortune (Helena Dolph), Vamp and Fatman. They are later under the command of Solidus Snake (former President George Sears)
Black Chamber
Known Operatives: Black Art Viper, Marionette Owl, Slasher Hawk and Pyro Bison
Gurlukovich Mercenaries
Known Operatives: Col. Sergei Gurlukovich and Olga Gurlukovich. Other operatives were named after contest winners, by Konami.
Civilians
Kenneth Baker (ArmsTech Inc.), Hal "Otacon" Emmerich (Metal Gear Rex designer), Emma "E.E." Emmerich (Arsenal Gear "GW" designer), Dr. Pettrovich Madnar (Metal Gear 1 inventor), Ellen Pettrovich (doctor's daughter), Rosemary (Raiden's girlfriend & data analyst), Peter Stillman (former NYPD bomb expert), Yosef Norden (animal expert) and Dr. Kio Marv (OILIX inventor).
Foreign Agents
Jennifer (Outer Heaven Resistance), Kyle Schneider(Outer Heaven Resistance) and Diane (Outer Heaven Resistance), Johnny Sasaki (Mercenary - survived Shadow Moses AND Big Shell with only an injured pride and diarrhea).
Misc. U.S. Government Agents
Donald Anderson (DARPA, Chief of Operations), Nastasha Romanenko (DIA, nuclear weapons specialist), Mei Ling (ROTC, communications expert), Jim Houseman (former Secretary of Defense), Meryl Sliverburgh (Army, Force XXI), Col. Scott Dolph (Marines), James Johnson (U.S. President), Holly White (CIA / Zanzibarland expert), Natasha Markova, George Kessler and Col. Richard Ames (DIA).
Metal Gear Storylines
Metal Gear
In 1995, 200km north of Salzburg, the South African nation of Outer Heaven is held by a mysterious mercenary. Word had gotten out to the western world that deep within the Outer Heaven stronghold, that a weapon of mass destruction was being constructed. Government officials orders the high-tech Special Forces squad, Foxhound, to infiltrate the fortress, access the situation and neutralize the threat. Known as operation "Intrude N313," Foxhound operative Gray Fox infiltrated the Outer Heaven stronghold. Days later, contact with Gray Fox is lost. His last transmission reads "METAL GEAR..."
Another operative, the rookie Solid Snake, is ordered by Fox Hound leader Big Boss to find the missing operative Gray Fox, and carry out his mission.
Upon insertion into Outer Heaven, Solid Snake makes contact with Outer heaven resistance members Kyle Schneider, Diane and Jennifer. Using all of his skills and the equipment he procured on site, he manages to rescue Gray Fox. The situation was more serious that first believed. According to Gray Fox, Metal Gear is the name of a nuclear warhead-equipped bipedal walking tank, which can engage and dominate in all forms of combat as well as launch it's nuclear warheads from any location. Outer Heaven plans to use Metal Gear to impose itself as the new world superpower.
In order to destroy Metal Gear, and topple the Outer Heaven mercenaries, Solid Snake rescues the lead engineer of Metal Gear, Dr. Pettrovich Madnar, and his daughter, Ellen. Armed with information on how to destroy Metal Gear, his skill and indomitable spirit, Solid Snake fights through the entire Outer Heaven force. He begins to notice that traps being set for him are too precise, and wonders how information on his activities is being tracked.
Upon destroying the powerful Outer Heaven defense system, Solid Snake is able to neutralize Metal Gear. As Solid Snakes makes his way out of the compound's basement, he is confronted by the mysterious mercenary leader of the Outer Heaven forces, who turns out to be Solid Snakes commanding officer... Big Boss.
Big Boss has been using his connections in the US Government to establish his own mercenary force, corrupt and steal military intelligence and fund his activities. It was his aim to have Outer Heaven become the most powerful nation, with him at the top. He had the rookie Solid Snake sent in, hoping to have him captured and feed the US Government misinformation, but had underestimated Solid Snakes capabilities.
Having lost Metal Gear and much of his force, Big Boss starts the self-destruct sequence for the compound, and an underground battle ensues between Big Boss and Solid Snake. Despite injury, Solid Snake defeats Big Boss and escapes the Outer Heaven compound as it crumbles in flames behind him.
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
By 1999, the Cold War had thawed, and nuclear disarmament by the major world powers promised a bright beginning to the 21st century. Despite this, all was not well in the world. A series of shocks to the oil market spurred the development of new high-tech energy sources, including Fusion power. However, most vehicles still relied on oil for power.
Oil reserves were at a critical low, and the world community was prepared to take drastic measures, either by drilling into sand and shale for more oil, despite the difficulty -- or moving on to renewable fuels.
Such steps proved unnecessary when a Czech scientist, Dr. Kio Marv, successfully bio-engineered a new species of algae, OILIX, that could produce petroleum-grade hydrocarbons with little expense and effort. Marv presented the algae to the World Energy Conference in Prague, and was on his way to a demonstration in the United States when he was kidnapped by soldiers from Zanzibar Land.
Solid Snake is sent to Zanzibar Land to rescue Dr. Marv. On the course of his mission, Snake discovers that Zanzibar Land's leaders plan to hold the world hostage by controlling the supply of oil, and some good old-fashioned nuclear brinksmanship, courtesy of a stockpile of nukes and a new model of Metal Gear.
In order to save the world again, Snake had to destroy Metal Gear, and make sure Big Boss didn't leave alive to wreak havoc another day. Yet it was not so simple. The pilot of Metal Gear was none other than Snake's old mercenary buddy Grey Fox, and Big Boss claimed that he was Snake's father. Snake was forced to kill them both.
After the situation was diffused, Snake disappeared into the Alaskan wilderness, not to be heard from for the longest time...
In the early 21st century Solid Snake is called out of retirement by his old commanding officer Roy Campbell and given a new mission. Apparently, Next Generation Special Forces Unit FOXHOUND was conducting a training exercise on Shadow Moses Island in Alaska’s Fox Archipelago when the unit suddenly revolted against the U.S. government. Their demands include the remains of the legendary mercenary Big Boss and they threaten a nuclear strike within 24 hours if their demands are not met. Snake is given two objectives first, to infiltrate the nuclear weapons disposal facility and rescue DARPA Chief Donald Anderson and the President of ArmsTech, Kenneth Baker. Secondly, he must stop the terrorists form launching a nuclear strike.
Solid Snake takes out most of FOXHOUND, while the Decoy Octopus, Baker and Liquid Snake die from an electronic poison called FoxDie. Snake is also told about his origins as a Genetic son of Big Boss and Genetic Twin of Liquid Snake. Revolver Ocelot, Solid Snake, Meryl Silverburgh and Dr Hal Emmerich are the only recorded survivors of the incident.
The Metal Gear in this game is named Metal Gear REX, and resembles a dinosaur in some respects.
Metal Gear Solid 2 opens on the George Washington Bridge in New York City. Solid Snake is investigating the development of a new Metal Gear being transported for testing by the Marines following the proliferation of REX's blueprints. The mission rapidly turns sour, the tanker is sunk by Shalashaska and Snake apparantly is killed.
The player finds themselves in control of Raiden, operating under Fox-Hound to rescue the President and other hostages from the "Big Shell" facility off the shorline of New York. It is revealed that the Big Shell is merely a cover for "Arsenal Gear", a mobile underwater fortress defended by a fleet of amphibious mecha (production variants of Metal Gear RAY), which is being secretly built as part of a conspiracy by the Illuminati-like "Patriots". It is largely unarmed. Instead, it carries a supercomputer called "GW" which is designed to monitor, block, and tamper with Internet communications, in order to further the totalitarian agenda of the "Patriots".
Not yet released. There are signifigant indications that the game is actually set in the past (sometime in the 1960s-1970s, but probably 1964), and that the Solid Snake in this game is in fact Big Boss, during his days as a covert operative. (Probably the strongest is the Game Over screen shown on the demo at E3 2004, in which the player is told that a time paradox has occured.)
External Resources
Official links
Unofficial links
de:Metal_Gear
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