Originally Posted by Jason: 1. Metal Gear Solid 2 was probably one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had, in terms of interaction with the actual game. The amount of cool things you can do numbers in the hundreds, and even months after release new things are being discovered. In fact, I think there may have been too much time put into this part of the game, but I don't think we'll ever see this level again until MGS3.

2. The story, while insanely deep with roots that reach all the way back to the MSX, was too much for one disc, let alone one game to cover. Up until about the end of the game, I was on my knees, jaw to the floor in awe of just how vast the actual scope of the game's story is. However, there was *WAY* too much 'hurry-up-and-get-to-the-point near the end of the game, causing all of the many twists and turns to just seem down right stupid rather than mind-blowing.

3. Way too much talking at all the wrong moments. I'm all for plot and character development, but goddamn if I have 60 seconds to find 13 bombs, my girlfriend better not be on the codec whining for 3 minutes how we don't do it and I can't remember what the day is.

On the same note, my co-worker pointed out a rather interesting glitch: With all the attention to detail, why is it that no one has explained how the characters can see each other on the Codec? (Note: I need to re-read the Natasha excerpts at the beginning, but I could have sworn she described as only being able to hear Snake, not see him, which proves the glitch, since you can see her in MGS1's codec).

4. The game is just way to damn short, but not really. LIke MGS1, I can see people whining about the game's length, but truth be told, if you're trying to stop a nuclear holocaust, you'd want it done ASAP, right?

5. The Whole Raiden Thing Now, see, I don't have a problem with Raiden. The game's moral is about what we pass along to future generations, and in Raiden's case, he is what Snake has left to Fox Hound. Even without Snake, Fox Hound still lives on. Just like Hideo Kojima mentioned in real life, the MG series will go even without him, but he will pass on what he knows to those who will possibly work on it.

My problem with Raiden is that he was nothing more than a repeat-question dummy. That is, all he ever really did was go "What?" "Huh?" Or just repeat the other person's last statement in the form of a question. They could have handled it much better than they did.

6. The story itself. It's great, but goddamn Hideo and his co-writer need to learn the art of pacing and thriftiness. Too much of the morals they are trying to teach are being shoved down our throats, rather than being enjoyed slowly by the gamer.

7. The acting. Good, to be honest, but man Otacon needs some serious work. There were quite a few 'touching' moments that seemed funnier than they should have been.

8. So was it worth it? Yeah, even with the problems, I still haven't played a game like it. There are also just as many new questions about the future MG world as there are answers for the previosu game's questions.

For the whole arm thing:

My mind is pretty fried at the moment so details and actual memory might be off, but, despite the hysterical performance done (or is that crap translation?), I think the arm moment was actually something a bit deeper.

Case in point:

Ocelot never seemed to have a side. In fact, in MGS1, he was on the SoL team (remember, he reported to Solidus, and was only undercover on Liquid's team) the entire time. In MGS1, the main focus was on genome development and building the perfect beast. There was never any focus on the actual combination of the genome research and nanomachines, or what the combination could produce. In fact, the research was pretty much unknown, since the main objective of the game was to stop a supposed nuclear holocaust. As the game progressed, you realized Metal Gear was no longer the threat, but the diversion and barganing chip (same as Arsenal gear in MGS2).

Now, in MGS2, with the 'passing on' theory, that background story is exposed and gone into greater detail. If you recall, the original members of Fox Hound in MGS1 wanted the corpse of Big Boss. Why?

For his DNA.

Big Boss, after all was considered *the* ultimate Soldier, at least until Liquid, Solid, and Solidus came along. The important thing here is that in MGS1 it's revealed that Snake is the actual bottom of the barrel, and is yet able to defeat his 'better half'. This throws a monkey Wrench into the whole shibang, because now it's been proven that just because you manufacture the better mouse trap doesn't mean it really is.

Forward to MGS2.

Now, with Snake away from Fox Hound and out of the govt's control, he has become the number one prize to obtain. Not because of his genes, but because of his experience. And of course experience and information is something you can pass on to future genrations, in both teachings and 'internal codings' if you will.

So, what better way to understand the beast that to study it, in a controlled environment, re-inacting everything it has done before to compare results.

Now, with that in mind, we finally get back to the whole arm thing.

With Ocelot techincally still undercover, he's in a stuck position. He's missing an arm, and if he wants to keep doing what he does, he's going to have to get it replaced. Hence, Fox Hound says, "Hey, we have a spare arm you can use."

So the new arm is put on, and Ocelot's cover (what little he had left, seeing how Liquid knew of Ocelot's doings even in MGS1) is completely blown, and we now have a Dr. Jekyl / Mr. Hide creature.

Which, by now, you're probably going "BUT WHAT THE HELL DOES THIS ALL HAVE TO WITH THAT STUPID ARM!?!?"

Easy. Follow these easy steps:

1. Take research of cloning that's proven (soldiers of MGS1).
2. Add in genome research that proves you can tinker with life itself (MSG1).
3. Add in nanomachines, which for all intents and purposes can rebuild and repair a human at will (MGS1/2).
4. Take the knowledge and data of the world's greatest soldier (Snake) from two different studies under different circumstances, and combine it with the raw DNA of the physically best soldier (Solid).
5. Trust in the belief that memories and knowledge we attain are stored in the very DNA strands of our being (see Alien 4 for example).

What you come up with is the ability to build a human from scratch, at will, with the technology to make it almost unstoppable.

Meaning that for all we know, there could be several Liquids in test tubes being created at trhe moment. Since his DNA genes are better built than the natural ones of Ocelot, it was easy for the Nanomachines inside the 'arm' to overtake and slowly rewrite whatever brain cells were necessary to take over Ocelot's mind. As for his voice? Nano machines on in the vocal chords.

Like I said, despite the horrific and cheesy performance that we were given, it's a huge arc in the story, especially when you combine it with the revelations given at the end of MGS2 with the Arsenal Gear's AI (colonel) and the supposedly dead 12 Patriots. Since it's been proven that Artificial Intelligence can exist well enough to fool anyone (realize that the colonel has been the AI, and is shown to be an AI from the very MSX days).

When it all comes down, we're looking at a person/group who has the ability to create their own humans, be them super soldiers or not, control the media as they see fit, and actually take over another human if need be. All without anyone realizing it.

Frightening, isn't it?

Here's the kicker: My view on how MGS3 would be set-up:

• It has been proven that cell regenration is possible (the arm), but to lengthy a process to be useful at the moment.
• It has been proven that you can take over a full grown human, but to only a 50/50 degree. Probably because of all the memories/knowledge/personality that has already been developed inside the host.

So, what's the last possible test one can do to see if it's possible to truly "make" the perfect soldier?

Try it on that which has a 100% clean slate; a baby.

Olga's baby.