It's very rare that the first boss of a game turns out to be a monumentally important character who eventually becomes the main antagonist of the series. To be fair though, Metal Gear Solid has never really abided by the rules of other games either. Anybody who knows Metal Gear Solid knows how vital Revolver Ocelot is as a character but surprisingly, he is the first challenger Snake faces in the original PlayStation title. It marks Snake's introduction to his future nemesis and the moment is captured perfectly, thanks to some sharp dialogue and Ocelot's showboating tendencies. Plus, the stakes are pretty high. The ArmsTech president Kenneth Baker is tied up in the middle of a tiny, claustrophobic room, trapped by C4 tripwires. If Snake moves too far into the middle of the room during his duel, he triggers the explosives and a Game Over follows pretty shortly after. Ocelot's love for the revolver is a key feature of his character - an indicator on the game's HUD shows when he has used the six shots loaded into the gun, highlighting when Ocelot is reloading and vulnerable. It's a unique concept (based off of Ocelot's detailed description of his weapon) and it gives this tense fight a clever edge. There's a multitude of reasons as to why this is the most memorable first boss encounter in gaming history - the small, tight room; the significance of these events on the series as a whole; the dramatic cutscene that follows Snake's victory... This battle is perfectly designed and while it might not be everybody's favourite from the series, nobody can deny how important this one is in the grand scheme of things. Agree? Disagree? Is there a boss battle that you think we should have included? Let us know in the comments below.
I have an addiction to achievements, a craving for new bands and a dream to become Captain America. I once finished second in a Mario Kart 7 tournament so I'm kind of a big deal.
