Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: Nov 12, 2001
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1893 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,653 out of 1893
  2. Mixed: 140 out of 1893
  3. Negative: 100 out of 1893
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  1. TimC.
    Dec 17, 2001
    8
    This is a great game for a beginner, but anyone who played the first Metal Gear shouldn't have any trouble with this game. The codec tranmissions and the cutscenes are extremely too long and take the excitement away from playing the game.
  2. JohnS.
    Mar 18, 2002
    8
    I love the graphics, gameplay, and sound, but the plot, acting and the characters are so bad. Only if the game stayed with Snake as the main character, it could've been a little better and definitely Mei Ling as the game saver, not Rose.
  3. AnonymousMC
    Aug 27, 2002
    8
    I love this game. The makers put so much work into it-- every little detail is amazing. Sure, the game is short, and the storyline isn't great, but I enjoy playing MGS2 so much I barely even pay attention to those things. The game also has a great sense of humor. I find myself laughing at how realistic some parts of the game are. The only thing I don't like is the gore andI love this game. The makers put so much work into it-- every little detail is amazing. Sure, the game is short, and the storyline isn't great, but I enjoy playing MGS2 so much I barely even pay attention to those things. The game also has a great sense of humor. I find myself laughing at how realistic some parts of the game are. The only thing I don't like is the gore and violence. But the game emphasizes on stealth...you can avoid the violence almost completely. Over all, because of that, I think the game is one of the best.… Expand
  4. StevenF.
    Nov 7, 2003
    8
    I gave this game an 8 because it was very interesting of they copied metal gear solid 1, its pretty much the same thing, and you should use snake through the whole thing since its pretty much about snake and now about jack, so that was pretty stupid, and it was pretty stupid of how the ninja was olga gurlukavich it just doesnt make sense, but other than that the gun fights and all theI gave this game an 8 because it was very interesting of they copied metal gear solid 1, its pretty much the same thing, and you should use snake through the whole thing since its pretty much about snake and now about jack, so that was pretty stupid, and it was pretty stupid of how the ninja was olga gurlukavich it just doesnt make sense, but other than that the gun fights and all the action really got me more into the game, and im really hoping to play metal gear solid 3 snake eater.… Expand
  5. BrandonE.
    Nov 14, 2001
    8
    Good game.
  6. FrankX.
    Dec 15, 2001
    8
    Falls short in a few aspects, like story line, and length of the game. Overall quite fun.
  7. ArkonBlade
    Jan 6, 2011
    8
    as the metal gear games go this is probubly my least favorite . ill get all the bad things out of the way first . well to start you only play as snake in the prolouge then you have to play as whinny raiden who doesnt have 1/10 of the coolness as solid snake . the game size is small there are just not many places to go every thing just feels real constricting. the story at times is abit toas the metal gear games go this is probubly my least favorite . ill get all the bad things out of the way first . well to start you only play as snake in the prolouge then you have to play as whinny raiden who doesnt have 1/10 of the coolness as solid snake . the game size is small there are just not many places to go every thing just feels real constricting. the story at times is abit to off the wall. the ending is to big of a cliff hanger and we had to wait all the way to MGS4 which was many years later to see how it resolves. the good . the graphics are amazing they had a big wow factor in its day. even though the story has some off the wall moments most of it is very enjoyable and addictive enough to want you to learn more . the combat system is awsome and being able to sneak up on enimys and make them surrender or take them hostage is sick. i had just a ton of fun playing with the gaurds in this game. good enimy AI . great and fun boss battles . you get to fight ALOT and i mean ALOT of metal gears in this game ...sweeeeeeeet. over all this game has enough good to keep it up there as pretty good game in the MGS series but theres enough bad to keep it in last of the 4 games.… Expand
  8. drlowdon
    Jun 8, 2013
    8
    Compared to the revolutionary Metal Gear Solid on the Playstation many have judged this sequel to be a disappointment yet, despite its many faults, Sons of Liberty makes for an intriguing gaming experience. The cut scenes may still be too long, the plot pointlessly confusing, Raiden slightly annoying and the oil rig setting certainly lacking in the diversity of the Shadow Moses Facility ofCompared to the revolutionary Metal Gear Solid on the Playstation many have judged this sequel to be a disappointment yet, despite its many faults, Sons of Liberty makes for an intriguing gaming experience. The cut scenes may still be too long, the plot pointlessly confusing, Raiden slightly annoying and the oil rig setting certainly lacking in the diversity of the Shadow Moses Facility of the first game but no series has ever made stealth gameplay anywhere near as enjoyable.

    In fact thanks to a number of refinements and additions to the ‘tactical espionage system’ the gameplay itself is actually, for the most part superior to the original even of it is comparatively lacking in the imagination department.

    *For those seeking the best of both worlds I would certainly recommend the GameCube/Wii ‘Twin Snakes’ remake of the first title.*    … Expand
  9. Caestus
    Mar 8, 2013
    8
    It had awesome graphics on the ps2, when it was released. Gameplay is also deep and the story knows how to tie you to your console. However in every aspect it is not as good as Metal Gear Solid.
  10. elhive
    Jun 30, 2012
    8
    Among the Metal gear solid games, the second one is my least favourite. It probably has the most convoluted story of the bunch, but that does not make it better. On the contrary, the game has so many plot twists that are squeezed in near the end of the game, it's astounding and confusing.The environments are grey and repetative compared to the other games in the series, though still good.Among the Metal gear solid games, the second one is my least favourite. It probably has the most convoluted story of the bunch, but that does not make it better. On the contrary, the game has so many plot twists that are squeezed in near the end of the game, it's astounding and confusing.The environments are grey and repetative compared to the other games in the series, though still good. But this remains a Metal Gear Solid game, for the good and the bad, though if by now you haven't played a MGS game then this isn't a place to start. But this is still a great game. It has great bosses and a lot of action and sneaking to do, and the game has a roster of great characters. Much of the game was memorable to me and even though it's not my favourite MGS game, it's still a damn good game that really stays with you.… Expand
  11. CannonBlaster
    Aug 19, 2013
    8
    This is the first MGS I"ve ever played ,(I never had a PS1 growing up), so I played it with an un bias outlook. So how does hold up? It holds up very well. The stealth mechanic is very engaging and every detail added, whether it's the AI or the easter eggs, adds a great deal of atmosphere. It does suffer from terrible writing, such as forced exposition, overdrawn cutscenes, and lacklusterThis is the first MGS I"ve ever played ,(I never had a PS1 growing up), so I played it with an un bias outlook. So how does hold up? It holds up very well. The stealth mechanic is very engaging and every detail added, whether it's the AI or the easter eggs, adds a great deal of atmosphere. It does suffer from terrible writing, such as forced exposition, overdrawn cutscenes, and lackluster characters. Sons of Liberty is a well done game and worth playing if its your first MGS game, because playing it after MGS will probably anger you to no end.… Expand
  12. Basem101
    Jun 15, 2013
    8
    So the next game of metal gear solid the first one was amazing and one of the best i've ever played the second one i also amazing it has all the elements of the first one with better graphics the story is a bit complicated but after playing many times you will come to understand it but actually i can't give it 10 out of 10 cause i didn't get to play with snake i didn't really likeSo the next game of metal gear solid the first one was amazing and one of the best i've ever played the second one i also amazing it has all the elements of the first one with better graphics the story is a bit complicated but after playing many times you will come to understand it but actually i can't give it 10 out of 10 cause i didn't get to play with snake i didn't really like raiden in this game but still an amazing game with amazing story… Expand
  13. George-roots
    Oct 13, 2013
    8
    With the success of MGS1, Kojima was catapulted into superstardom, He got his big break and by 1999 he had already finished the outline to a sequel.

    The 1999 draft was translated into English a few years later and the game was originally going to be called "Metal Gear Solid III" to represent Manhattan 's three tallest skyscrapers, the new protagonist Raiden was created to be more    With the success of MGS1, Kojima was catapulted into superstardom, He got his big break and by 1999 he had already finished the outline to a sequel.

    The 1999 draft was translated into English a few years later and the game was originally going to be called "Metal Gear Solid III" to represent Manhattan 's three tallest skyscrapers, the new protagonist Raiden was created to be more appealing to women, become a "Dr. Watson" to Solid Snakes "Holmes" helping us to provide an alternate view on a character who pretty much became an icon in the industry.

    A few original ideas had Snake looking for Nuclear weapons in Iraq and Iran culminating in another Metal Gear encounter as well as the return of Liquid Snake, political correctness and growing tension between countries ended this setup and due to the horrific 9/11 attacks the games ending was heavily altered to remove scenes of destruction and American symbolism.

    Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was released November 2001 on the PS2. The exposure and marketing of this game was insane, Harry Gregson Williams was brought in to compose the soundtrack, The graphics and gameplay had a major overhaul and Konami had released titles featuring demos, merchandise and game stills none of which featured the inevitable main protagonist Raiden.

    MGS2 is split into two chapters. Chapter 1 "The Tanker incident" is set in 2007. Snake (David Hayter) and Otacon have formed an organization "Philanthropy" specifically created with the purpose to destroy all Metal Gears after becoming available on the black market due to Ocelot, Whilst Infiltrating a Tanker supposedly holding an "Anti-Metal Gear" Metal Gear the military operated ship is hijacked by Russian soldiers in cahoots with Ocelot who plan to steal the new amphibious Metal Gear RAY. Snake makes he's way to the storage hold in time to see Ocelot reveal his true intentions betraying the Russians, and escaping the sinking ship in MG RAY, seeing Snake Ocelot's mind is suddenly taken over by that of Liquids and Snake observes that Ocelot has Liquids arm grafted onto his body (Ocelot lost his arm to Gray Fox in the previous game).

    Chapter 2 "The Plant" begins in 2009 on an oil rig that was designed to clean up the tanker incident two years prior. the terrorist unit "Dead Cell" and their leader "Solid Snake" have claimed the plant plus the president and hostages at ransom demanding billions or they will create the "worst natural disaster in history". A Reformed FOXHOUND run by Col. Campbell sends a soldier codenamed Snake to save the president and stop the terrorists, It is here revealed that a new protagonist Raiden (Quinton Flynn) not featured in any box art or hinted anywhere is to be the star of MGS2. What happens next is a story of plot twists, bizarre coincidences, new characters, long cutscenes and overall a moral that becomes ridiculously full circle towards the end of the game and is executed so well most people associated MGS2 as the first example of post modern video gaming.

    Raiden would leave a sour taste in many peoples mouth, true the execution is very flawed considering how adult the situation is. it was obvious that in Japan he became a very popular manga hero whereas many people in the west would be left polarized, in all honesty however it's not THAT bad and considering it's now 2013 and how drastic the character has changed, I do miss seeing a little bit of a naïve Raiden as it was obvious he would never the god-like status Snake reached.

    Snake is back as this ridiculous fighting force by Hayter's performance satisfying fans and relaying wisdom to Raiden with the help of Otacon and his sister Emma, Sadly though the villians all have little to no personality other than shallow motives, I know that's a horrible thing to say but look how astonishingly fleshed out MGS1's villians were. Vamp is a goddamn vampire which is never explained until future sequels, Fortune (Lady Luck) remains completely unsympathetic throughout. Fatman's gone in seconds and "Solid"-us Snake the THIRD clone of the Big Boss Lineage has interesting ambitions yet terrible execution. Ocelot however continues to steal the show throughout revealing ridiculously large intentions, making him my favourite antagonist in any video game series.

    The music cues are wonderfully superb as ever, the story's pace falls flat in some areas regardless of 45min cutscenes, BUT when the overall plot unfolds you will be stunned at how well Kojima nailed the hammer on the head in regards of not playing to audiences expectations, the inevitable future of the internet, being a pawn in a situation, Censorship and leaving a legacy etc.

    Overall Kojima had the once in a lifetime chance of giving the player something back, if there's is anything to take from Playing MGS2 is that it is possible to be moved regardless whatever form of media and for the time it was released THAT'S AMBITIOUS. I do like MGS2 but it is a diamond in the rough that is far from polishe    … Expand
  14. TSmeets98
    Aug 22, 2014
    8
    Despite being not as big as mgs1 and making you play as raiden instead of snake. Mgs2 still does a lot of things right, it has simpler controls, it added new (and good) stealth mechanics. And the gameplay is way more accesoble for new players.
  15. Frenchman
    Dec 27, 2015
    8
    Great game. I prefer MGS 1 and MGS 3 but this one is still excellent. Not crazy about the voices of some characters and some musical choices. Solid scenario, visuals, and gameplay.
  16. jelikey
    Nov 2, 2018
    8
    The original is still better overall. The graphics are great in this game with cool effects and it all runs smoothly. The sound effects are great too, but the audio side I have a complaint about, in some instances the music turned to jazz/lounge, which some people might be turned off by, like me. Those instances are far and few between though, so no biggy. The story is WAY confusing at
  17. Kira45
    May 28, 2015
    8
    A Great sequel in terms of graphic's and gameplay but the plot could have been much better it was confusing and way too many cutscenes. plus playing as raiden wasn't as good as snakes gameplay
  18. pichu441
    Jun 21, 2015
    8
    Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty improves upon Metal Gear Solid in every way. Despite this, from a modern viewpoint, the gameplay is clunky and is sometimes frustrating, especially in certain boss fights. Though, it is still an excellent game and worth playing for numerous reasons. The plot in particular is excellent, with multiple twists and turns. 13 years later, MGS2 is a ride worth taking.
  19. SrPepe
    Oct 29, 2017
    8
    Excelente juego, se sigue disfrutando años después de su fecha de salida, que más se puede decir de una saga que ya recibió todo tipo de los halagos posibles?
  20. auditbadger
    Sep 26, 2018
    8
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  21. UncleEd
    May 24, 2020
    8
    Metal Gear Solid 2 is hard to judge. On the one hand, it has bad camera and controls, in addition to overall poor gameplay. On the other hand, it offers -by video game standards- an awesome story (that you can now relate to much more after so many years of release), cool cutscenes and graphics that still hold up today. In Metal Gear Solid 2, it is the story itself that is good. TheMetal Gear Solid 2 is hard to judge. On the one hand, it has bad camera and controls, in addition to overall poor gameplay. On the other hand, it offers -by video game standards- an awesome story (that you can now relate to much more after so many years of release), cool cutscenes and graphics that still hold up today. In Metal Gear Solid 2, it is the story itself that is good. The storytelling, however, is hard to follow and disrupts gameplay. You will have 10 minutes of game followed by a cutscene sometimes as long as 20+ minutes, or at the very least a “phone call” where you have to listen to a long dialogue. The game was heavily criticized for having to play with Raiden throughout most of the game, as opposed to Snake, but that did not actually bother me much. For the particular narrative, I think it was the right call.

    In short, I think Metal Gear Solid 2 is very strong in some areas. The problem is you have to tolerate its shortcomings. I would definitely suggest to play it on easy difficulty. In the case of MGS 2, gameplay is often a disruption to otherwise a very good experience.

    7.5/10    … Expand
  22. AbhinavDasiga
    Mar 31, 2020
    8
    Not counting the hype and controversy surrounding MGS 2, it accomplishes what it sets out to do well. The gameplay is great and characters are iconic. The level design is a bit restrictive in this entry though which just holds it back.
  23. FrySP
    Jul 1, 2020
    8
    Un juego que se vendió con una publicidad falsa paro al contrario de otros juegos este tiene una historia trepidante con una genial banda sonora y un mensaje profundo sin duda una entrada en la serie que no te puedes perder.
  24. Jattaman
    Sep 28, 2022
    8
    Non all'altezza del primo capitolo di Metal Gear Solid, ma comunque un buon seguito.
  25. DieterfallCZE
    Dec 27, 2022
    8
    great :)
  26. NinjaMafia
    Aug 10, 2003
    7
    This is a pretty disappointing sequel for me. Sure the graphics are nice but the gameplay is monotonous at times. All you do basically is hold people up and then shoot them. Sure there are a few boss battles and gun fights , but they ultimately fall short of what MSG had going for it. The enviroment was horrible. First off, it is day throughout most of the game and when its not day its This is a pretty disappointing sequel for me. Sure the graphics are nice but the gameplay is monotonous at times. All you do basically is hold people up and then shoot them. Sure there are a few boss battles and gun fights , but they ultimately fall short of what MSG had going for it. The enviroment was horrible. First off, it is day throughout most of the game and when its not day its the end of the game. The whole facility you are sneaking around in is Orange, and call me crazy but that doesn't seem stealthy. The storyline however was deep, but it strayed way to far from what the other metal gears stories where like. Lastly the game is extremely short. I beat this game in around 3 hours when I skipped theridicuosly long cutscenes (Iswear some cut scenes were 30 minutes long) Overall the game is not horrible. I just wish the game captured the essence of MGS.… Expand
  27. WesleyW.
    Jan 3, 2003
    7
    The quality is there, but there's too much trial and error gameplay for my liking. Many times you'll get to a part, die, and have to redo it. Another complain would be that the details aren't all that impressive. How about some freaking bullet holes in the walls when you shoot them? They forget to add that, and yet include all kinds of obscure things many people may not The quality is there, but there's too much trial and error gameplay for my liking. Many times you'll get to a part, die, and have to redo it. Another complain would be that the details aren't all that impressive. How about some freaking bullet holes in the walls when you shoot them? They forget to add that, and yet include all kinds of obscure things many people may not ever notice (like when you walk through a puddle and make wet footprints guards will notice them). Anyways, it's a good game, but HUGELY over-rated in my opinion.… Expand
  28. GregS
    Aug 20, 2008
    7
    It's good but NOWHERE near as good as the original.
  29. ChrisJ.
    Feb 5, 2002
    7
    I love the game itself. The plot does lend itself to a few obsurdities though. Also if there wasn't 30 minutes of video to every 15 minutes of play I would have enjoyed it more. It was hard to get into it b/c of the lack of playing time.
  30. MikeH.
    May 13, 2002
    7
    Ok, the graphics, sounds, etc is great. But maaaaan, those movies take up freaking lots of time. Just when u think the action starts, yet another movies begins...... Also i find the control pretty hard, but that's maybe because i'm used to playing games on a pc (with keyboard).
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PS2 Game of 2001
1
#1 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2001
3
#3 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2001

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Cloudchaser
    100
    The environments are amazing, when on the deck of the tank the rain effects are extremely lifelike, along with rain drops hitting the ship and characters.
    Read full review
  2. Eurogamer
    90
    As stunning and enjoyable as ever. You may feel foolish gripping the controller throughout a 40-minute cut scene, but MGS2 is something which must be experienced.
    Read full review
  3. G4 TV
    80
    MGS2 suffers in its story. I can't spoil it for you, but I can at least warn you to be prepared for a plot that frequently reaches levels of sheer absurdity.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »