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What’s this? No cheap Sunday update? Madness, I tell you.
From Destructoid comes the report that Metal Gear Solid is going to be receiving an HD facelift and makeover, according to a UK-based games magazine. Apparently the full trilogy is something that Konami is currently pursuing for imminent release for the enjoyment of Snake fans everywhere.
Now, I think those among us who are…errr…not so positive all the time like I am have probably been burned on remakes and remasterings that simply did not need to happen. Part of this is because geekery has become increasingly aware of the fact that yes, they do indeed have a bullshit meter, and yes, they can and will use it to great effect. A remake or a remaster that does not need to happen is quickly detected by folks interested in the geek arts, and “milking the franchise”, with its business-like legitimacy for profit that geeks tend to hate, is a common pet peeve.
This time around, I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone to disagree with a Metal Gear Solid series HD makeover. That’s because there’s actually a good reason to do so. It’s pretty safe to say that Solid Snake has been around as one of video games’ most iconic characters, and while he didn’t quite really hit his stride until the Metal Gear Solid series, you can also say that his meteoric rise gaming’s most complicated stealthy badass isn’t just something you can ignore. The fact that the Solid series of games are divided among 4 different platforms should tell you that no matter if the graphics are boxy or anti-aliased smooth, people love and will play as Snake. So putting the HD treatment on the entire series is icing on the cake that I think people will love.
I know that geekery makes a big deal out of gameplay over looks – mostly in the MMO department, but certainly in other games as well. A game doesn’t need to look good to play good. But HD-ing something that deserves to be HD’d is not just about upgrading to the new hotness. It’s also a homage to the character and its longevity, a recognition that the game deserves to have a bit of an update done to it even though it’s been around for a long time. The development resources for doing such a remake are certainly not cheap, especially considering the number of games to be re-done, so to invest the time in actually doing it is not just a sign of wanting to make something look good, but also one of respect. And that’s pretty much what is being done to Solid Snake – something I personally am looking forward to purchasing.
