There are so many things Metal Gear Solid did for both the PlayStation and gaming as a whole. It was a pioneer of Tactical Espionage Action (or 'stealth' for everyone but Hideo Kojima) and raised the bar in production values with its excellent direction, decent writing and quality voice acting performances. This two-disc epic told a meticulously crafted story that somehow managed to balance melodrama and humour perfectly. For all the intense philosophical debates on the folly of war, there was a man sneaking around in a cardboard box, or a guard rushing to the toilet to answer a rather sudden call of nature while desperately holding onto his buttocks. Its interesting take on storytelling was matched by its equally brilliant gameplay. The first MGS has some of the best bosses of the series and, while the stealth gameplay itself seems a bit basic today, there's still a visceral thrill to be had in sneaking up on an enemy and then rapidly pressing square to break their neck. A generation grew up playing Metal Gear Solid on PlayStation platforms all the way up to MGS4 on the PS3 - a game that paid loving homage to its heritage by briefly taking players back to the snowy landscape of Shadow Moses that they originally experienced in all its pixelated glory on the PS1. It was a poignant moment that really showed how far gaming has come since 1998. One thing's for sure - PlayStation just wouldn't be PlayStation without a dose of Hideo Kojima's wonderfully weird 'Tactical Espionage Action'. What games do you think define the PlayStation? Let your opinion be heard in the comments below!
