Metal Gear Solid,released in Japan asMetal Gear: Ghost Babel,[a]is a 2000action-adventurestealthvideo gamedeveloped and published byKonamifor theGame Boy Color.The game began development after Konami Computer Entertainment Japan were commissioned by Konami's European branch to develop a portable adaptation of their 1998PlayStationgame of thesame title.However, the Game Boy Color version is not a port of the original PlayStation version, nor does it adapt the same story, but instead takes place in an alternative continuity set seven years after the events of the originalMetal Gear(1987).Toseassisted on the development.
| Metal Gear: Ghost Babel | |
|---|---|
 Japanese packaging artwork | |
| Developer(s) | Konami Computer Entertainment Japan Tose |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Director(s) | Shinta Nojiri |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Designer(s) | Shinta Nojiri |
| Programmer(s) | Kentaro Kiyohara |
| Artist(s) |
|
| Writer(s) | Tomokazu Fukushima |
| Composer(s) |
|
| Series | Metal Gear |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy Color |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure Stealth |
| Mode(s) | Single-player Multiplayer |
Gameplay
edit
Ghost Babelfollows the overhead 2D format used in the 1990 MSX2 gameMetal Gear 2: Solid Snakewhile adding a few new elements introduced inMetal Gear Solid.As with previous games in the series, the objective is to infiltrate the enemy's stronghold while avoiding detection from guards or surveillance systems. The player can acquire numerous items and weapons to help them fulfill their mission. One difference from the MSX2 games is that the screen now scrolls when Snake moves throughout a single area instead of usingflip-screens.Moreover, all the characters in the game now move in eight directions, allowing both the player and the enemies to move diagonally in addition to the four cardinal directions.
Snake now has the ability to flatten himself into walls like he does inMetal Gear Solid.By flattening himself, Snake can move across the wall (allowing him access to tight passages that are not accessible by walking), scroll the camera behind his position to scout the area ahead, or knock the wall to lure nearby enemy soldiers. Depending on the difficulty, the number of punches required to defeat an enemy soldier differs and in the higher difficulty levels, the enemy soldiers will be knocked unconscious for a while after the first series of punches instead of simply being defeated. Crawling is now assigned to the Start button (instead of pressing two buttons simultaneously) and the changing of weapons and equipment is done on the main game screen rather than on separate sub-screens. Like in previous installments, the player communicates with various allies via a wireless communication device (the Codec), which is also used to save the player's progress.
Unlike the preceding installments,Ghost Babeluses a stage-based structure, with a total of 13 stages. After completing a stage, the player's performance is graded from "Terrible" to "Excellent". Much like in the originalMetal Gear Solid,the player's overall performance is graded with a codename after completing all 13 stages, with the codenames varying depending on the difficulty level chosen at the start of the game.
Game modes
editIn addition to the main story mode,Ghost Babeloffers the following alternate game modes.
- Stage Select
- Allows the player to replay previously cleared stages in order to achieve a higher ranking. After the Story mode is completed, "Special" versions of the stages become available where the player must achieve new objectives (such as collecting FOXHOUND emblems or reach the goal without being seen). In this Special training mode, the player controls an unknown agent who goes through a VR recreation of Snake's mission in Galuade, while being supervised by a mysterious entity named "No.4." As the player clears more of these stages, No.4 will disclose details of the game's story not revealed in the main campaign.
- VR Training
- 180 training missions spread across three main categories (sneaking, weapon and advanced) and various sub-categories within each. Most of the missions are recreations of the ones featured inMetal Gear Solid: Integral
- Vs. Battle
- A competitive 2-player mode that requires aGame Link Cable,along with an additional Game Boy Color unit and a second copy of the game cartridge. The objective in this mode is to destroy three target drones called WISPs in order to obtain the data disks they carry and access the goal before the other player does. One player controls Snake in his standard sneaking suit, while the other Snake wears a red sneaking suit. The two Snakes are invisible to each other, unless one of them enters the field of vision of the other.
Plot
editSeven years after the Outer Heaven uprising, a new Metal Gear prototype (codenamed Gander) has been stolen by a separatistguerrillagroup in the region of Gindra inCentral Africa.The Gindra Liberation Front (or GLF), led by the mercenary Augustine Eguabon, plans on using theprototypeas a means of achieving victory in an ongoingcivil war.Solid Snake, theFOXHOUNDoperative responsible for the destruction of the original Metal Gear seven years before, is brought back from his retirement inAlaska.His mission is to infiltrate the group's headquarters Galuade, the fortress that was formerlyOuter Heaven.[3]
During the course of his mission, Snake teams up with Sgt. Christine Jenner, a surviving member of theDelta Forcethat was sent before him to retrieve Gander.[4]The GLF are assisted by four surviving members of Black Chamber, a defunctspecial forcesunit whose members are given animal-themed codenames similar to FOXHOUND. They are led by Black Arts Viper, aboobytrapspecialist who wields aprostheticleft arm.[5]Joining him are Slasher Hawk, anAustralian Aboriginearmed with two giantboomerangswho is accompanied in battle by ahawk;[6]Marionette Owl, a formerserial killerendowed with owl-likenocturnal visionand attacks with his twobunrakupuppets;[7]and Pyro Bison, apyromaniacarmed with a specially preparedflamethrowerand fuel pack.[8]As Snake goes deeper into Galuade and confronts each member of Black Chamber, he uncovers aconspiracyinvolving the GLF and US Government.
IdeaSpy 2.5
editIdeaSpy 2.5 is a bonus 13-part story written byShuyo Muratafeatured in the Japanese and European versions ofGhost Babel.The player has access to this story by going to the CODEC screen during the second play-through and onward by contacting frequency 140.07 on each stage. The story is written like a satiricalradio play:
"New York. Here in the city where dreams come true and desires rule, Something is being bought, sold, and thrown away, even as we speak. But behind the scenes of business as usual. the nefarious J.E (Junker Expensive) Corporation lines it already bloated coffers With profits from worthless products. As J.E swindles yet another innocent into purchasing High-priced junk, The FBI mobilizes a top-secret task force to put a stop to the menace. Now, the city's best-kept secret spy is out there, Briefed; and ready to protect the people from J.E., the catalogue of conspiracy... Just call him 2.5 (Two-Point-Five)
In 2006,Idea Spy 2.5was adapted into an actual radio drama streamed onHideo Kojima's Japanese podcast, with Kojima himself playing the title role. Shuyo Murata also plays one of the Boss characters. The full drama was released on CD in Japan on February 14, 2007.
Development
editThe game was produced under the request of Konami's European division to release a Game Boy Color version ofMetal Gear Solid.[9]The game's director,Shinta Nojiri,would later go on to directMetal Gear Acidand its sequel,Metal Gear Acid 2,both released for thePlayStation Portable,while character designer Ikuya Nakamura went on to direct theBoktaiseries onGame Boy AdvanceandNintendo DS.
Reception
edit| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Computer and Video Games |  [13] |
| Famitsu | 31/40[10] |
| GameSpot | 9.4/10[12] |
| IGN | 10/10[11] |
| Nintendo Power | 7.8/10[14] |
| Total Game Boy Color | 94%[15] |
The game received overall critical acclaim. It has an average rating of 95.61% atGameRankings,making it the best-rated game for the Game Boy Color on the site.[16][17]
Japanese video game magazineFamitsuawardedMetal Gear: Ghost Babela score of 31 out of 40.[10]
Legacy
editNintendo Powerlisted it as the 11th bestGame Boy/Game Boy Colorvideo game, praising it for successfully bringing over elements from the three dimensional games.[18]Ben Reeves fromGame Informercalled it the eighth best Game Boy game and considered it a good throwback to theMSX2.[19]GamesRadarlistedMetal Gear Solidfor Game Boy Color as one of the titles they would like to see on theNintendo 3DSVirtual Console.[20]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^"GameBoy Station - Release Dates".2000-05-30. Archived fromthe originalon 2000-05-30.Retrieved2023-11-23.
- ^"Metal Gear Solid".Chipsworld.Archived fromthe originalon September 4, 2001.RetrievedJanuary 13,2024.
- ^Konami Computer Entertainment Japan website staff."Metal Gear: Ghost Babel - Solid Snake profile"(in Japanese).
- ^Konami Computer Entertainment Japan website staff."Metal Gear: Ghost Babel - Chris Jenner profile"(in Japanese).
- ^Konami Computer Entertainment Japan website staff."Metal Gear: Ghost Babel - Black Arts Viper profile"(in Japanese).
- ^Konami Computer Entertainment Japan website staff."Metal Gear: Ghost Babel - Slasher Hawk profile"(in Japanese).
- ^Konami Computer Entertainment Japan website staff."Metal Gear: Ghost Babel - Marionette Owl profile"(in Japanese).
- ^Konami Computer Entertainment Japan website staff."Metal Gear: Ghost Babel - Pyro Bison profile"(in Japanese).
- ^"Metal Gear Solid Preview - Game Boy Color News at GameSpot".
- ^abゲームボーイ - メタルギア ゴーストバベル(METAL GEAR Ghost Babel). Weekly Famitsu. No.915 Pt.2. Pg.111. 30 June 2006.
- ^Harris, Craig (May 5, 2000)."Metal Gear Solid".IGN.Archived fromthe originalon April 28, 2004.
- ^Provo, Frank (May 30, 2000)."Metal Gear Solid".GameSpot.Archived fromthe originalon April 22, 2003.
- ^Skittrell, Lee; Scott, Dean (May 2000). "Lara Laughs".Computer & Video Games.No. 222. pp. 100–103.
- ^Shepperd, Chris; Morris, Sonja (May 2000). "Metal Gear Solid".Nintendo Power.No. 132. p. 125.
- ^Murray, Russell; Mathers, Martin (2000). "Enter the Snake!".Total Game Boy Color.No. 9.Paragon Publishing.pp. 10–13.ISSN1464-5904.
- ^"GameRankings - Highest rated Game Boy Color games".Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016.
- ^"Metacritic - Metal Gear Solid Reviews".
- ^"Nintendo Power - The 20th Anniversary Issue!".Nintendo Power(Magazine). Vol. 231, no. 231.San Francisco, California:Future US.August 2008. p. 72.
- ^Reeves, Ben (2011-06-24)."The 25 Best Game Boy Games Of All Time".Game Informer.Archived fromthe originalon 2018-01-11.Retrieved2013-12-06.
- ^"12 classic Game Boy and Game Boy Color games we want on 3DS".GamesRadar. Jan 19, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-10-10.Retrieved2011-01-27.