jeansnow's review
2.0
If I'm rating this book at two stars it's more about my expectations for this, and how what I ended up reading wasn't really want I wanted out of this -- or was expecting as something coming out of this series. Although the authors mention a few times their love for the game (and end the book trying to bring back that idea), pretty much the entirety of it is a long critique of everything the game got wrong. I don't have a problem with game critique, but this series is supposed to be a celebration of these games, and so I'm interested in learning more about the context of the game (i.e. how it was made) and not just a point by point critique of everything bad about the game. I do get that they are bringing their personal experiences into this, but it didn't really make for pleasant reading.
esop's review
4.0
A pretty interesting look at the game's mechanics and narrative design, and a (quite) critical view of how its writing--and the writing of any game, movie, book, etc.--can shape the consumer's understanding of themselves and their worldview in a positive or, in this case, negative way. It raises some good points about a lot of the sexist tropes present in the game, offering personal experiences on how exactly those tropes shaped the authors' lives, and some questions on what responsibility media might have in representation.
The book was also a breezy read, only taking me a day to get through it; a nice, conversational tone going back and forth between the two authors. Some of the humor didn't land for me and I got tired of clicking on footnotes, but overall it was quite an enjoyable and interesting read.
The book was also a breezy read, only taking me a day to get through it; a nice, conversational tone going back and forth between the two authors. Some of the humor didn't land for me and I got tired of clicking on footnotes, but overall it was quite an enjoyable and interesting read.
altruest's review
4.0
I genuinely love talking and thinking about games, and it really makes me happy when people discuss games using not only objective standards of quality but also acknowledging their subjective experiences as well. Ashly and Anthony Burch are really good at doing this, mostly because of their significant careers in gaming writing and reviewing. A great read about a weird, flawed, masterpiece.
4/5 stars.
***quick edit after reading some of the reviews, about the authors shoving their "sjw politics" into the book
4/5 stars.
***quick edit after reading some of the reviews, about the authors shoving their "sjw politics" into the book
bookwtch's review
3.0
Metal Gear Solid released September 3rd, 1998. I was 9 years old. I remember my dad coming home that afternoon with it in tow, and after that, some of my fondest childhood memories ensued. Struggling to figure out Meyrl's codec frequency, surviving Ocelot's torture sequence, Psycho Mantis reading my memory card and making my controller shake. But my fondest memory of all, experiencing all of this with my dad, who was a big a nerd as I was about it all.
MGS also flipped the switch to an element of video games I had not realized before, that video games could be used as a platform for storytelling. Even though I had been playing video games well before Metal Gear Solid, none of them impacted me so profoundly. Afterwards I started looking at video games in an entirely different perspective.
What's interesting about this book is that the focus is mostly on the game's flaws, which they clearly warn you of in the introductory chapter.
It was actually very enlightening!
Playing Metal Gear for the first time, and only being nine years old, I didn't catch on to a lot of the issues that were addressed. How it's incredulously sexist, racist, and at times quite underdeveloped.
But all of these issues are discussed with love in their hearts towards the game, and despite its flaws, is a still a game that impacted their lives; much like it did mine.
MGS also flipped the switch to an element of video games I had not realized before, that video games could be used as a platform for storytelling. Even though I had been playing video games well before Metal Gear Solid, none of them impacted me so profoundly. Afterwards I started looking at video games in an entirely different perspective.
What's interesting about this book is that the focus is mostly on the game's flaws, which they clearly warn you of in the introductory chapter.
It was actually very enlightening!
Playing Metal Gear for the first time, and only being nine years old, I didn't catch on to a lot of the issues that were addressed. How it's incredulously sexist, racist, and at times quite underdeveloped.
But all of these issues are discussed with love in their hearts towards the game, and despite its flaws, is a still a game that impacted their lives; much like it did mine.
tmaluck's review
3.0
Great commentary on a classic game; grateful that the Burches' honest critique of the game's story didn't overshadow appreciating its genuinely exciting/overwhelming aspects for the generation that grew up on it. A great example of analyzing a game with clear eyes without berating it or its fans.
hidekipooj's review
5.0
I'll let the following passage speak for itself.
"""
[...]This scene is objectifying. It's sexist. It undermines the game's attempts to characterize Meryl as a smart, tough, self-possessed woman. It's also, infuriatingly, one of the only interesting gameplay twists in the series. Where many of the game's one-off challenges ask the player to disregard all of the stealth mechanics upon which the game is based, the Butt Mission encourages the player to gain a deeper understanding of enemy patrols, vision cones, and proximity.
The 'correct' way to solve Butt Mission requires the player to get close to an enemy while they're moving (so the player can look at Dat butt), understand when the enemy will turn around (so the player knows when Snake might be spotted staring at Dat Butt), and use the otherwise-useless first-person view mode to more closely inspect their target('s butt). You've by now become used to treating all enemies like identical cannon fodder, but Butt Mission asks you to slow down, examine each soldier carefully, and fine the one with a 'slightly' more bootylicious walk than the others, and make sure not to kill her.
Here, for once, is a problem that can't be solved by simply shooting the enemy from a distance with a silenced pistol, or grabbing them by the neck and killing them in two seconds. The Butt Mission is more suspenseful and nuanced than the more bombastic, less sexist moments that surround it. There is no single moment in all of Metal Gear Solid that so perfectly encapsulates the game's highs and lows with such clarity. It is so sexist and embarrassing that it is nearly hilarious.... but it is also one of the game's best-designed moments. it is the most mature, least mature scene in the game. Metal Gear Solid IS the Butt Mission."""
"""
[...]This scene is objectifying. It's sexist. It undermines the game's attempts to characterize Meryl as a smart, tough, self-possessed woman. It's also, infuriatingly, one of the only interesting gameplay twists in the series. Where many of the game's one-off challenges ask the player to disregard all of the stealth mechanics upon which the game is based, the Butt Mission encourages the player to gain a deeper understanding of enemy patrols, vision cones, and proximity.
The 'correct' way to solve Butt Mission requires the player to get close to an enemy while they're moving (so the player can look at Dat butt), understand when the enemy will turn around (so the player knows when Snake might be spotted staring at Dat Butt), and use the otherwise-useless first-person view mode to more closely inspect their target('s butt). You've by now become used to treating all enemies like identical cannon fodder, but Butt Mission asks you to slow down, examine each soldier carefully, and fine the one with a 'slightly' more bootylicious walk than the others, and make sure not to kill her.
Here, for once, is a problem that can't be solved by simply shooting the enemy from a distance with a silenced pistol, or grabbing them by the neck and killing them in two seconds. The Butt Mission is more suspenseful and nuanced than the more bombastic, less sexist moments that surround it. There is no single moment in all of Metal Gear Solid that so perfectly encapsulates the game's highs and lows with such clarity. It is so sexist and embarrassing that it is nearly hilarious.... but it is also one of the game's best-designed moments. it is the most mature, least mature scene in the game. Metal Gear Solid IS the Butt Mission."""
avedon_arcade's review
2.0
While a good and obvious dissection of the game they style of writing is annoying having two writers work on this as well as the countless ridiculous footnotes. I guess somehow people thought they were funny?
alexkalopsia's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.75
As a big fan of Kojima's work, I very much enjoyed reading this book. I really appreciated the pace and how personal the writing felt. The critique is absolutely fair and relevant.