A stealth game called Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was created and released in 2001 by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan. The fourth Metal Gear game created by Hideo Kojima and the seventh overall in the series was first released on November 13 for the PlayStation 2, and it is a direct sequel to the first Metal Gear Solid. The next year, in addition to the PlayStation 2, an extended edition called Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance was made available for Xbox and Microsoft Windows. Later, the game was included in the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita.

The Big Shell, a massive offshore cleanup facility that was taken over by a group of terrorists going by the name of the Sons of Liberty, is the center of the narrative. They demand a hefty ransom in return for the President of the United States' life and warn that if their demands are not satisfied, the facility would be destroyed and a catastrophic environmental disaster will result. As the protagonists learn about a huge conspiracy hatched by a strong group known as the Patriots, many of the adversary's and allies' identities and motivations alter throughout the game. The gameplay, aesthetics, and level of detail in Metal Gear Solid 2 won praise. By 2004, the game had made seven million dollars in sales. Since then, it has been hailed as one of the best video games of all time and a prime illustration of artistic expression in video games. When it comes to tackling topics and ideas like post-truth politics, false news, and alternative media, the game is frequently regarded as being ahead of its time.

1987, July 13, the original Metal Gear game debuted. Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 will once again be available for purchase as part of Konami's significant anniversary celebration. Due to its usage of licensed video in cutscenes, including news footage of US President John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis, MGS2 and 3 were delisted in late 2021(opens in new tab). Like good music in a Grand Theft Auto game, such clips had to vanish since their licenses had run out. Konami claimed that the delistings were only temporary at the time, and while we still do not know when they will be reinstated, at least we now have a date.

The studio tweeted, "Today commemorates the 35th anniversary of the #METALGEAR series!" "We appreciate everyone who has watched and appreciated the series thus far. Please be patient as we make arrangements to make the temporarily withdrawn titles available once more."It's unclear from Konami if the problematic video snippets' licenses have been extended, changed, or eliminated, but the return of the games is welcome news regardless of the resolution. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty has a Metascore of 96, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater has a score of 94. They are both old games—MGS2 was released in 2001, and MGS3 in 2004—but they are also highly regarded and great.

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Today marks the 35th anniversary of the #METALGEAR series! Thank you to everyone that enjoyed and celebrated the series so far. We ask for your patience as preparations are underway to make the temporarily removed titles available again. #MG35th pic.twitter.com/KxXoYfCAGB

— METAL GEAR OFFICIAL (@Metalgear) July 13, 2022

GAMEPLAY

The game's main character spends the majority of Metal Gear Solid 2 sneaking around to prevent being spotted by the enemy, living up to its subtitle of "Tactical Espionage Action." The player's access to a wider range of skills is fundamental. Players can target specific locations in the game using the first-person aiming mode, considerably enhancing their tactical possibilities. For example, guards can be rendered blind by steam, distracted by a flying fruit, or hit in vulnerable areas. Players can dangle over walkways to sneak past soldiers below their feet or walk slowly to sneak across noisy floors without making a sound. The corner-press maneuver from Metal Gear Solid has been enhanced to allow players to fire from cover and gave them a sneak view around the upcoming bend.

The opposing guards in Metal Gear Solid 2 have more sophisticated AI "to prevent an imbalance of power," and they cooperate in squads as opposed to the first Metal Gear Solid. When they see the player, the radio for a strike team and attempt to flank him to prevent him from escaping while dodging the player's strikes. Strike squads are frequently equipped with riot shields and body armor, which increases their menace. Even if the gamer finds cover, a squad will arrive to search the area. The enemy guards in the game cooperate in squads, have communication capabilities, and react to the player more realistically thanks to collective enemy AI. With the ability to hide behind walls or other objects and emerge to fire at adversaries, Solid Snake or Raiden could expand the cover mechanism from its predecessor's game; also, thanks to better enemy AI, foes could now hide from the player character. The enemies will frequently hide to signal for help, but during combat, they will hide only to emerge and fire at the player or throw blind grenades from behind their cover. The game includes a laser sight mechanic, where a laser sight helps with manually aiming a gun. Boss battles and set-pieces still require the player to devise a plan that gets past the enemy's defenses.