$20 GOTW: Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2)

Yes, I know there is an enhanced version of this out (MGS 3 Substance), but I couldn’t wait to feature this game. Besides, the enhanced version of the game is already $25, so it will drop in price soon enough anyway.

Though MGS2 was acclaimed by fans and critics, many considered the storyline convoluted and the dialogue heavy. They weren’t wild about spending the majority of the game playing as someone other than Solid Snake. MGS3 addresses those opinions. The plot is still big and deep, but not so complicated or wordy. You played as Snake, but it wasn’t the Solid Snake we know and love, instead it was the man who would become Big Boss. -No, that isn’t a spoiler. It was pretty much the worst kept secret of the game almost since it was announced. As Snake, your job is to prevent an international incident in the midst of the Cold War. A major change was that this game isn’t just about infiltration anymore, it’s also about survival. Eating the right food and treating your injuries is just as important as not being seen by the enemy. Because of the setting, the advanced tech from MGS 1 and 2 isn’t available. Instead, you have to rely on your motion dector as well as visual and audio clues to locate the enemy. You also have to make use of the game’s new camoflauge system in order to blend in correctly with your surroundings. Having the right set of fatigues on will make it easy for you to slip by the enemy unoticed.

With Metal Gear Solid 3, Konami onced again raised the bar on stealth action, a task usually shouldered by a certain Ubisoft franchise. MGS4 will be out on the PS3 sometime next year, so if you haven’t grabbed this yet, now is a good time to do so.*

*Or you can pick up the aforementioned MGS3 substance for $5 – $10 more. It features an online mode, new camos, and playable versions of Metal Gear 1 and 2.