To say Metal Gear 2 is highly anticipated by just about every PlayStation 2 owner would be a massive understatement. Never have I seen one game mentioned with such awe and respect in both the hardcore and casual gaming sects. So is it everything that it was hoped to be? Of course it is, although there are still a few snags that keep it from being the omnipotent game gamers claim it to be. Before you start flaming me, hear me out - okay?

The visual package is phenomenal. Of course, some games have better textures, or push more polys - but everything blends together so well, that it is hard to fault the game on anything. Sure if you want to be nit-picky and complain about a few minor things (like the collision detection in some areas) go ahead, it's your perogative. But from start to finish it is perfectly clear that Konami, in the words of John Hammond from Jurassic Park, '...spared no expense.' From Snake carefully tip-toeing around sleeping guards to him trying to hang on to a ledge for dear life, the details are there. The amount of emotion they are able to squeeze out of just about every element in the game is great, for example - when you are holding up a guard, you can really tell he's scared. The only thing missing from the picture is a wet patch running down his camouflaged pants. And it's not just the 'vital' movements that got attention, but even the small 'Easter egg' ones, like Snake slipping on a massive pile of seagull poop. To top everything off, the cutscenes dispersed throughout the game could put Hollywood to shame.

The sound is nothing short of brilliant. A sweeping orchestral soundtrack, composed by Harry Gregson-Williams (The Rock), plays throughout the game. Just like a movie, it peaks to a loud exciting tour de-force during intense moments and dies down to barely a whisper during those times when you are carefully sneaking down a hall. For the purists, the familiar MGS themes are present everywhere. Only now, they are presented in brighter, more attractive packaging.

Voice acting has, and will always be a sticky subject matter when it comes to games. Thankfully, the main cast from the original has returned, and a few new ones have joined the fray, making for some top-notch voice acting. There are a few instances where the lines get in the way of believable dialog - but when everything else sounds so good, you can't sweat the details.

Okay, so this review has been favorable so far, so you know the bad stuff I alluded to is coming. For me, it was the story. Of course, this is going to be a hard thing to discuss in the review - I don't want things blown for you like someone at work did for me. MGS2 has all the trappings of a Hollywood blockbuster - likeable characters, inner conflict, betrayal, redemption - it's all there. The story is the game, and for the most part it is good. The problem comes as the game progresses. In the beginning, the plot focuses on some very interesting characters - both good and bad. I was very interested in this aspect, however as the game pushed on, the focus began to shift from the characters to some vague political agendas and ideals. Some of them did peak my interest, but for the most part I could have cared less. The other problem I had was all the plot holes. While there are only a few of them, the ones that are there are big enough to fit Elvis in his later years. The game leaves so many questions unanswered that as you watch the end credits roll, you will get a feeling of 'but wait...that's it?' I had bigger problems when I realized the introductions to some of these plot holes could have just as easily been cut, but there they are and I will now spend the rest of my gaming life contemplating them.

Anyway, for a basic run-down of the story. Snake is the good guy; the terrorists are the bad guys. The bad guys want Metal Gear Ray; Snake does not want them to get their hands on it. Snake kicks ass, almost everyone involved goes back home. On the surface, it looks cut and dry, but as you get deeper into the game, it becomes an intricate web of lies, spies, allies, betrayal, and revelation. One of the enjoyable parts of the game is trying to figure out aspects, only to find out how dead wrong you were. There were more than a few times where I would have put money down on what was going to happen, only to find out...well lets just say I am glad I didn't put any money down.

If you've played the original (and lets face it, at this point just about everyone has come in contact with it at least once), things are more or less the same way. You sneak from room to room, through this big complex trying not to get caught by the bad guys and throw a major monkey wrench in their plans. Only this time, the number of tactics you can use have become much more refined. You can now hold up soldiers for items (this is the only way to get some items), hang off ledges, throw soldiers off those same ledges, and the list goes on. I think the best way to explain how complicated things have become would be the most simplistic one and also show how expansive it has become. I am sure you all remember the cardboard box Snake could hide in during the original. Now that one box has become about six boxes, all with a different markings. One is for fruit, one is for a TV, and one is even a shipping box for ZOE. Which box you choose to use is based on where you are. If you are in the kitchen, and use the TV box - then you are sure to rouse suspicion from the guard you are avoiding. However, if you use the fruit box, he will walk right past you. Sure, it sounds overwhelming, but as you play through the game, using these moves and making these decisions becomes second nature - making for intuitive gameplay.

Just jumping into MGS2 is certain death. The game is not as simple as running around and blowing the hell out of people. As a matter of fact, the more gunplay you use, the harder the game becomes. You have a handgun, they have machine guns - you do the math. Before you begin your mission, you have the opportunity to choose between difficulty levels, although playing on anything less than Normal does take some of the fun out of the game. If you want to test out the waters in an easier difficulty level, go for it.

The AI is some of the smartest I have seen in a game, making for some tough situations. In the original, you could knock out all the guards in a room and have free reign. Now hanging around in a room with knocked out guards results in the commander calling for a status report and a new set of guards entering the room to investigate. If you do find yourself stuck in an area, help is a simple CODEC call away - there is always someone who can help you out. This is a whole new ballgame folks, just keep your head on your shoulders and you will do fine.

MGS2 controls perfectly. There is no simpler way to put it. Everything is laid out just as it was in the last game, and will not take very long for newcomers to the game to pick up. The moves are nothing more than simple button presses at the right time, although I would recommend testing them out in the earlier parts of the game, because some of them (such as the hold-up maneuver) are all about timing.

One of the parts that interested me the most about MGS2 is that even though you have the opportunity to get your hand on some pretty nasty weapons, the game puts a very strong emphasis on non-violence. Anyone entertaining the idea of this game being a murder simulation where you are encouraged and rewarded for killing may be shocked to see how wrong they are. You are never encouraged to kill, and usually asked to find new ways around situations which would be easily solved by shooting someone. In fact, you are sometimes punished for killing people - usually in the form of a group of soldiers gunning you down - but hey, that's punishment enough. I am not for one second saying or even suggesting this is a great game to get kids, it has that Mature rating for a reason, but older kids and adults will find this game more than enjoyable and well worth the price.