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Playing Metal Gear Solid for the first time - PS1 original or The Twin Snakes?

Which is better for getting into the series?

  • Metal Gear Solid (PS1)

    Votes: 985 74.3%

  • Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

    Votes: 341 25.7%
  • Total voters
    1,326
Phendrift

Phendrift

Member
Oct 25, 2017
32,438
So Metal Gear Solid is a series I've been meaning to get into for a while, and it's shot up my list even more after Snake's reentry into Smash and the fantastic (imo) Death Stranding showing at E3.

So obviously I need to start from the first one, but I understand the original is on PS1 and there's a GameCube remake called Twin Snakes?

Anyway, I own both systems and money isn't a problem but I'm interested in how these two compare, especially now considering aging is a factor.

Some things to consider: Does the remake add stuff, remove stuff? Which is more fun to play? How similar is the gameplay? Is the OST the same?

Also, is this series in general difficult or not? I don't care either way, just wanna know if I should go in expecting to get frustrated a lot.
 
Scuttlefluff

Scuttlefluff

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,383
The original is far superior.

OST is different.

MGS2 mechanics are added, non-lethal rounds, shooting in first person etc.

Cutscenes are a bad action movie anime version of the original.

TTS isn't the abomination that some fans will have you believe, but it is inferior.

Alternatively: play both!
 
Dreamboum

Dreamboum

Member
Oct 28, 2017
22,972
xxmgscompare10.jpg


MGS1's soundtrack, same location



TTS' soundtrack, same location



TTS was pretty much a sanitized, with a worse art-style version of MGS1 (everything is green!). The only thing saving it are its cutscenes. It even manages to have a worse voice acting for some reason.

The biggest loss is MGS1's soundtrack being one of the most towering achievement in video game ambient music, replaced by a discount version of Hollywood-like music of nothingness.
 
sleepnaught

sleepnaught

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
4,538
PS1, dont even consider Twin Snakes. They brought in a lesser voice actor to play Naomi in Twin Snakes. Several interactions between her and Snake are far less...emotional....because of it. MGS 1 is all about the story. Play the PSX version and play Twin Snakes later if you must. But only after.
 
-shadow-

-shadow-

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,110
Better music and semi-realistic cutscenes vs better graphics and terrific cheesy cutscenes.

Honestly, go for both. Both have their thing.
 

Deleted member 2474

Account closed at user request
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,318
The main issue people have with Twin Snakes is that the voice acting is redone and the cutscenes were (often majorly) changed. Some things are for the better (no more awful stereotypical accent for Mei Ling), but the cutscene changes are fairly controversial for adding a lot more over-the-top action to the game. There's also some gameplay changes, like the addition of MGS2's first person aiming that make certain boss fights easier.

Twin Snakes is definitely the prettier game, and has some gameplay niceties that make it easier to play, but I think most MGS fans prefer the original.
 
Opa-Pa

Opa-Pa

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,810
The remake adds a first person perspective and a tranquilizer gun, both fairly fun to mess around with but they also make the game a walk in the park because it's clearly not balanced around them. You also start with full health in it for some reason (you get expansions after beating bosses in the original).

I'd say the original feels tighter and more rewarding but both are pretty fun. Twin Snakes adds boss specific theme songs that are pretty cool but the soundtrack is different and largely inferior (this is important because MGS has one of the best soundtracks ever).

I don't really consider Twin Snakes the spawn of Satan many do (love it, actually) , but it's still weird in places and not the intended, original experience so I'd say play the original and leave TTS for later.
 
Synless

Synless

Member
Oct 30, 2017
384
The PS1 version is leagues better. No quality of life improvements will sway me to play the Twin Snakes again.
 
VCFL

VCFL

Member
Jan 24, 2018
2,944
Richter1887 said:
It looks awesome on the Vita and controls great (apart from switching weapons and equipment being on the touch pad, which is honestly not bad when you get used to it).
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yeah once I got over that, it was smooth sailing, I got addicted to it. I never beat it on ps1 when I rented it so it was fun to finally do it.
 

QuigleyMcShine

Member
Jan 29, 2018
9,478
Twin Snakes hate is some of gaming's most absurd hyperbole. Yes, first person aiming makes a couple boss fights trivial. On the other hand, characters actually have faces. It's fine.
 
Richietto

Richietto

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,172
North Carolina
PS1. Gameplay is more balanced, music is better, and it doesn't have the stupid cutscenes where Snake does very un-Snake like things.
 
lojo

lojo

Member
Oct 27, 2017
579
Both are worth playing, but I would suggest playing the PS1 version first.

Twin Snakes adds a first person mode that changes how the game plays and the voice acting was redone.
 
XaosWolf

XaosWolf

One Winged Slayer - Powered by Friendship™
Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,975
Play the Original, and then play Twin Snakes. I love both, and TTS is wonderfully over the top.
 
Silver-Streak

Silver-Streak

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,011
My brain always rationalized it as:
Metal Gear Solid 1 is how it happened.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is Otacon describing how it happened on a fan forum.
 

Rogue Agent

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,532
PS1 version. I like the music, cutscenes and despite being dated, pacing of gameplay better in this version.

On another note, I have nostalgia for this version as well, right from the Konami jingle to the awesome main menu music.
 
Kaguya

Kaguya

Member
Jun 19, 2018
6,426
MGS1: better music, VA, more grounded cutscenes and more balanced gameplay
TTS: better graphic, worse music and VA, broken gameplay and super anime cutscenes
 
OP
OP
Phendrift

Phendrift

Member
Oct 25, 2017
32,438
Hmm, seems to be very in favor of the original so far, but they both sound pretty different that it might be worth playing both!

So how has the original aged? Controls and difficulty wise.
 

Noob

Member
Oct 25, 2017
344
Just skip them all and play 5. Don't waste your time because 5 is sooo much better is every way.
 
Dreamboum

Dreamboum

Member
Oct 28, 2017
22,972
QuigleyMcShine said:
Twin Snakes hate is some of gaming's most absurd hyperbole. Yes, first person aiming makes a couple boss fights trivial. On the other hand, characters actually have faces. It's fine.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...


TTS' faces were massively inferior to MGS2 to the point that it proves MGS1's point to not feature eyes when TTS' version feels like the eyeballs were added as an afterthought. Everyone was in the uncanny valley realm when it came to TTS' facial animations.

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nachum00

nachum00

Member
Oct 26, 2017
8,466
I kinda wanna say don't skip Metal Gear 1 and 2 for MSX, but a lot of people would probably disagree. But honestly for me Metal Gear 2 is actually better than the last two Solid games.
 
XDevil666

XDevil666

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,985
What a time to be alive during that metal gear 1 ps1 era - that game blew my mind at the time, that binoculars moment!
 
MCD

MCD

Honest Work
Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,002
I like Twin Snakes but go with the original then play Twin Snakes after.

For me, Twin Snakes is a good "fan" version.
 
Opa-Pa

Opa-Pa

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,810
Everyone else is whatever, but Solid Snake's face in TTS is the best look he's ever had though, don't @ me.
 
Br3wnor

Br3wnor

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,982
PS1 on a Vita if you have one. Twin Snakes is kinda cool but definitely experience it the way it was originally made, first. You're about to go on one hell of a ride, enjoy!
 
NZerker12

NZerker12

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,556
PS1 version is superior but I wouldn't say MGS TTS is bad.

Metal Gear Solid The Twin Snakes

Positives
  • Better Graphics
  • Can aim in First Person
  • Better framerate
  • Better Controls
Negatives

  • Loses the original OST
  • Weaker voice acting
  • Doesn't have the original Grey Fox voice
  • Can aim in First Person (Makes the game a lot easier and breaks certain boss fights)
  • Based on MGS2 (has features that break MGS1 level design)
  • Silly over the top cutscenes even by MGS standards.

Metal Gear Solid

Positives
  • Original OST
  • Superior Grey Fox voice
  • Superior voice acting
  • Better atmosphere
  • Superior Cutscenes
Negatives

  • Worse Graphics
  • Lower Framerate
  • Weaker Controls

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Donkusei

Donkusei

Banned
Nov 30, 2017
134
I love Twin Snakes, I think the original is too old, it looks so bad and the gameplay is much better in Twin Snakes.
 
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