NichePlays - Retro Game Reviews and Discussion

16/06/2023

I somehow went close to thirty years without playing Crash 1 and yes, I have egg written all over my face now.

1996’s Crash Bandicoot is one of the most recognizable PlayStation 1 games. Developed by Naughty Dog, the 3D/2.5D platformer follows the adventures of its titular character as he ventures to rescue his girlfriend, Tawna, from the evil Doctor Neo Cortex and Doctor Nitrus Brio. Despite missing the PlayStation’s launch window by roughly a year, Crash Bandicoot is considered one of console’s early standout titles. In fact, the character is so synonymous with the hardware that he’s the console’s defacto mascot!

Upon its release, it garnered significant attention and became a centerpiece of that years holiday season with positive reviews also raining in from critics who praised its mechanics and graphics. The game went on to sell nearly 7 million copies, securing a spot among the top 5 best-selling PlayStation games of all time and is one of the few Playstation games that has been consistently available to players on each subsequent console by Sony.

And yet… I’ve never played the thing! I mean, I technically did back in 2020 on the Nintendo Switch, but I only just recently sat down to play the original PS1 version. After sitting down with it and 100%ing the thing, I’m totally shocked that I waited so long to boot this game up. While many cite Crash 1 as being the hardest of the original trilogy, as well as the worst of the bunch, I had a blast with it! The colorful graphics, delightfully Looney-Tunes-esque animation and humor, and high difficulty were all welcome qualities for me. Sure, I think that the games save system is the pits and that it’s reward for completion is… well, bad… but I can’t say that those negatives deterred me from wanting to run through the game again immediately after the credits rolled!

Check out my full review of this classic PS1 game over on YouTube.

Released in 1996, Crash Bandicoot is a linear 3D/2.5D platformer for the Playstation. Developed by Naughty Dog, it stars the titular Crash Bandicoot on a jou...

14/05/2023

I know the latest Zelda just hit store shelves but hear me out, I think you should check out Sega's Crusader of Centy too.

Released throughout 1994 and 1995, Crusader of Centy (AKA Soleil and Ragnacenty in Europe and Japan respectively) is a top-down action game for the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive in the UK/Japan) by Nextech. It revolves around a silent protagonist named Corona as he explores the fictional kingdom of Centy in order to train and become a hardened warrior, before questing to improve the world he lives in and put an end to a war between its humans and monsters. The game was created to kick off Sega’s Mega-Role-Playing Project, a promotion that was centered around the company releasing a number of RPGs in Japan to help boost the relatively low sales of their hardware in their home-region. And, probably because it was designed to fulfill the campaign’s intent of putting out high profile games in a massively popular genre within the country, it decided to crib quite a bit of the design found in one of the biggest franchises on the planet - Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda.

But... Is it worth checking out? Well, yes! I think that Crusader of Centy is a great game and is one that's deserving of any Sega Genesis fan's time. While a bit rare, the game provides all the thrills it needs to in order to make for a fun playthrough. On top of that, it also provides some valuable insights into how vital 'video game clones' are. Because the Zelda series has predominantly been 3D for decades, games like Soleil/Crusader of Centy/Ragnacenty provide fans of the original 2D formula an opportunity to play a 'new' adventure like the ones they love so much. And that alone makes it a worth addition to video game history, Sega history, and (of course, The Legend of Zelda's history).

Check out my full review of Crusader of Centy on YouTube.

Released throughout 1994-1995, Crusader of Centy, also known as Soleil and Ragnacenty in Europe and Japan respectively, is a top-down action game for the Seg...

14/04/2023

Who remembers this Toy Story themed 3D Collect-A-Thon for the PS1 and N64? 🙋‍♀️

In 1999's Toy Story 2's video game, you take control of Buzz Lightyear as he runs through 15 levels and try to rescue Woody from his kidnapper Al Mcwhiggin and Stinky Pete. Along the way, you’ll visit various areas from the film, battle characters from it alongside brand new ones designed just for this adventure, and watch snippets from the movie in between stages.

Interestingly, there are actually some fairly major differences between the title’s 5 releases. A lot of them come down to the sort of reasons you’d expect these versions to feature changes such as the limited cartridge space on the N64 leading to lower quality music or the removal of FMV sequences and what have you, but it does mean that every release of the game has its slightly specific flavor going for them. Either way, the music is also swapped out on some stages for the Dreamcast version and features some minor graphical changes due to the shading capabilities of each platform it was released on, alongside some voice snippets being changed between versions too.

It also was the subject of controversy when it came out in the US due to featuring a villain that, well, let’s just say fell in line with a racial stereotype for Latinos due to him having a mustache, rocking a bandolier and wearing a Sombrero. It culminated in a protest being held outside of its publisher Activision’s California headquarters and even led to Traveller's Tales replacing the character with a blonde-haired cowboy for the game’s international release that I’ve nicknamed “Andy” as a nod to the character from Toy Story and Spike’s lookalike in Cowboy Bebop, though Activision and Disney did also refuse to temporarily recall the game in the US or offer an updated SKU of it to retailers.

Upon its release, Toy Story 2 was met with a healthy spread of positive to middling and negative reviews across every platform it was available on. For example, while Greg Orlando at NextGen Magazine gave the Dreamcast version a scathing ⅕ star review and damned the game to the “Isle of Misfit Toys,” GameSpy’s review for that same version gave it a much more forgiving 6.5/10 despite being a bit fixated on the fact that the kids game for kids didn’t have the same kind of appeal for people that are old enough to drive as it did it’s intended audience.

But... Does it hold up?

Find out by checking out my full review over on YouTube!

In 1999's Toy Story 2's video game, you take control of Buzz Lightyear as he runs through 15 levels and try to rescue Woody from his kidnapper Al Mcwhiggin a...

10/03/2023

What was everyone's first game that you ever played and when was the first time you played it?

In my latest video, I'll be taking you on a trip through memory lane and exploring one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time - Super Mario Bros. Developed by Nintendo EAD's R&D4 team, The NES/Famicom classic was directed by the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto and designed by Takashi Tezuka, who previously worked together on the classic Excitebike. Super Mario Bros. was an absolute game-changer for the industry and had a massive impact on popular culture, basically single-handedly resurrecting the North American video game market in the process. It was the game that put Nintendo on the map for many, despite their previous successes in arcades, and paved the way for the home video game market to become what it is today.

But... does it hold up?

In this retrospective, I'll not only be discussing the original game but also the forgotten sequels, Super Mario Bros 2 (also known as Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels) and Super Mario Bros Special. These games were released for the Famicom Disk System and the NEC PC-88/Sharp X-1 in Japan, respectively, and never received the same level of recognition as the original game. In fact, most people don't even know that Super Mario Bros Special exists and it’s so poorly documented that, even though the game allegedly got a port for the South Korean Samsung SPC-1500 PC, nobody seems to have preserved a copy of it/can confirm if it is a real release/hoax!

So sit back, relax and join me as we explore the impact of Super Mario Bros., its sequels, and its lasting legacy in the gaming industry.

In today's video, I'll be excited to taking you on a detailed trip through memory lane and discussing one of the most iconic video game franchises of all tim...

03/03/2023

Huge if true (but it isn’t). What is true though is that I just dropped a 55 minute retrospective on the *original* Super Mario Bros trilogy over on my channel! It covers SMB, The Lost Levels (Super Mario Bros 2 JP) and a rare Japanese PC exclusive known as Super Mario Bros Special! Check it out over on YT/NichePlays or by following the link in my bio!

10/02/2023

Who else considers Chrono Trigger one of the best JRPGs of all time? 🙋‍♀️

Chrono Trigger is a JRPG game for the SNES by Squaresoft. The title, which is also available on the PS1, PSP, PS3, PC, Mobile, Wii, Wii U and Nintendo DS, follows Chrono and his friends Marle and Lucca on an adventure throughout history as they try to stop the parasitic alien Lavos from destroying the planet.

The game, which was developed by Squaresoft's "Dream Team" of Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy, Yuji Horii, who created Dragon Quest, and Akira Toriyama, who created Dragon Ball, the game was envisioned as an opportunity to do something that it’s creators said, “had never done before.”

Upon its release, the game was universally praised in just about every category, with Electronic Gaming Monthly even awarding it the title of Best Super NES Game in their 1995 video game awards issue. Since then, it’s become known as one of (if not the best) JRPG’s of all time and has become one of the go-to examples for strong storytelling in the genre.

But... does it hold up?

Well, I decided to sit down and (finally) get around to playing Chrono Trigger after putting off on it for a bit over half my life to find out for myself. And you know what? I actually really enjoyed and loved it! More than that though, I'm also glad that I waited such a long time to finally boot the darn thing up lol.

Check out my full review/retrospective/essay on Chrono Trigger over at:

Chrono Trigger is a JRPG game for the SNES by Squaresoft. The title, which is also available on the PS1, PSP, PS3, PC, Mobile, Wii, Wii U and Nintendo DS, fo...

09/02/2023

This isn’t your mom’s retro game review channel (but it could be. Please share my channel with your entire family including your rarely seen but still related to you Donatello-Louis-Marise-Clarence-Reginald the third, the eccentric uncle who claims to have been one of Teddy Roosevelts Rough Riders even though the dates couldn’t possibly entirely line up there and because he, quite frankly, barely looks old enough to rent a car let alone be older than sliced bread and color television. He’s chill and would probably like the channel or sumthin.)

14/01/2023

The 90’s cartoon “Batman: The Animated Series” is often regarded as one of the best adaptations of the caped crusader of all time. Thanks to its striking art, surprisingly adult themes for a show primarily marketed to children, and an all-star cast that included Mark Hamill as the Joker and the late/great Kevin Conroy as Batman, many consider it the peak of DC’s track record with animation. And naturally, with the great success of the show (and later the DC Animated Universe as a whole), it was only a matter of time before Gotham’s greatest detective got some video games based on the series. Which he did. Repeatedly. So much so that this video technically only covers half of them, with the other half being specifically related to Batman: The Animated Series’ pseudo-sequel shows The New Adventures of Batman/Batman Beyond.

The five games I’ll be taking a look at today are for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the Game Boy, the Sega Genesis, Game Gear, and Sega CD respectively and all bare the title of “The Adventures of Batman and Robin,” with the only exception to that rule being the Konami produced Game Boy release. These games run the full gamut of what you’d expect from a Batman game too, with Konami’s SNES game playing a bit like a beat em up with puzzles thrown into the mix, their Game Boy game being an action platformer, the Ecco the Dolphin developer-made Game Gear game playing like a platformer with shooter elements, the Genesis game being a high-octane sidescrolling shooter and the Sega CD game being a super scaler with original animation that feels like a lost episode of Batman: TAS.

But… do they hold up?

Find out by checking out my full 50 minute long review/retrospective/ranking video on Batman TAS games:

The 90’s cartoon “Batman: The Animated Series” is often regarded as one of the best adaptations of the caped crusader of all time. Thanks to it’s striking ar...

09/12/2022

Back in the early 2000's, Call of Duty was basically everywhere. After being released as a PC exclusive in 2003 and getting a few console spinoffs, the series fully made the leap to home consoles with 2005's Call of Duty 2 for the Xbox 360 and the era of the console modern military FPS began.

With tons of games vying for the #1 spot on the charts such as CoD 4: Modern Warfare (as well as World at War, Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, etc), Battlefield Bad Company/Bad Company 2, Medal of Honor's modern reboot and even stuff like Homefront, it was obvious that gamers wanted as many automatic-health-regenerating, aiming-down-iron-sights fun as possible.

So naturally, Call of Duty's publisher, Activision (now Activision Blizzard) was eager to cash in on the whole thing, which led to a trilogy of History Channel licensed games hitting the market based on the American Civil War and World War II respectively and with titles for the Playstation 2, the Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC.

These three games (Civil War: A Nation Divided, Battle for the Pacific, and Civil War: Secret Missions respectively) would all go on to get released within a month of a mainline Call of Duty, would feature similar gameplay, and were all absolutely eviscerated by critics like IGN or GameSpot.

So today, I thought it'd be fun to sit back and revisit these three games on an episode of my segment "A Positive Spin" to find out just how bad they are and whether there's anything to appreciate about them in spite of their (glaring) issues.

Uh... here's hoping there is?

Check out my full retrospective at:

Back in the early 2000's, Call of Duty was basically everywhere. After being released as a PC exclusive in 2003 and getting a few console spinoffs, the serie...

20/11/2022

Not gonna lie, I hear everything Clavell says in David Bowie’s voice and I don’t care to try changing that.

11/11/2022

What's everyone's favorite 2D Sonic game?

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a 2D speed-based platformer for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Released in 1994, the game follows Sonic and Tails as they try to stop Dr. Robotnik from harnassing the power of the master emerald to resurrect the Death Egg, with their new rival Knuckles the Echidna hot on their tail.

Developed by Sega Technical Institute, the game was the largest Sonic game to date with a whopping 14 levels when combined with its second half, Sonic & Knuckles. That game was released later in 1994 and was comprised of the second chunk of Sonic 3, which had been jettisoned from the game earlier that year in order to make sure that the game came out in tandem with a Sonic-themed McDonalds promotion that had been planned.

Upon its release, Sonic 3 (& Knuckles) received rave reviews from critics with its lower scores reviews from the era still remaining relatively complimentary of the game, albeit while expressing some growing burnout from Sonic's 2D formula.

Since then, it's become the gold standard for Sonic games, with many continuing to sing its praises and claim that it's the best 2D Sonic game to this day.

But... Does it hold up?

Yes! As a matter of fact, it does! In fact, it may be the absolute peak of 2D Sonic and represents the end of an era for the character!

Check out my full review of this Sega classic over on YouTube!

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a 2D speed-based platformer for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Released in 1994, the game follows Sonic and Tails as they try to stop D...

14/10/2022

Okay so let's say Robocop and the Terminator get into a kerfuffle at the local bar... who wins?

Originally released in 1994-1995 for the Sega Genesis, Master System, Game Gear as well as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy (along with having an unreleased NES game made too), Robocop Versus The Terminator is a 2D action game that retells the story of the Frank Miller comic book of the same name.

In it, Robocop is on a mission to takedown Skynet and to save the future from the maniacal AI after being attacked by human resistance fighters in the past and learning that he’ll become the basis for Skynet.

Upon its release, the various versions of the game got mixed to fair reviews, with the Genesis version (by Virgin Games) quickly becoming known as the best release of the bunch, with the SNES game trailing behind it and the others er, just kind of existing.

But… do they hold up?

Check out my full review on YouTube to find out:

Originally released in 1994-1995 for the Sega Genesis, Master System, Game Gear as well as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy (along with h...

17/09/2022

What's everyone's favorite Gen 1 starter and how were you introduced to Pokemon? Was it through the anime, the trading card game, the video games, toys, or a kid on the corner waving a Nintendo Power around while screaming "extra, extra, read all about it!" like a Depression-era Newspaper Hawker?

Originally released in 1998, Pokemon Red/Blue a pair of complementary turn-based RPGs for the Game Boy and are the western localization of Japan’s 1996 title, Pocket Monsters Red/Green.

Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the game was designed as a tribute to the quiet life that it’s creator and director Satoshi Tajiri led in the, then rural, city of Machida, Tokyo and takes inspiration from his interest in insect collecting and his observations towards the transformation of his hometown into being a more urbanized city.

In it, you take control of a 10 year old that’s canonically known as Red as he leaves his humble abode in Pallet town to catch Pokemon, explore the Kanto region and make your way through the world's 8 Gyms in the pursuit of becoming a Pokemon master.

The games, which were released well into what could be considered the original Game Boy’s sunset era as the hardware was just over 8 years old by 1998, would prove to be wildly influential, and cause a surge in popularity for Nintendo’s handheld and spawn the single most popular media franchise of all time, having brought in an estimated 118.5 billion dollars.

But... does it hold up?

And is there something sinister going on behind the scenes? Something to do with... Pikachu?

Check out my full retrospective/retro review on Pokemon Gen 1 over at: https://youtu.be/XYlpeb7LInw

Originally released in 1998, Pokemon Red/Blue a pair of complementary turn-based RPGs for the Game Boy and are the western localization of Japan’s 1996 title...

23/08/2022

Who remembers good ol’ Toonami? It was a lot of fun throwing back to the classic Cartoon Network anime block for the cold open to my latest video, which is about Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku II for the Game Boy Advance. You can check it out over at (voice trails off as it’s the same social engagement CTA stuff that we all know and can figure out from here).

19/08/2022

Dang, Legacy of Goku II got hands. Remember this GBA gem?

Released in 2003 for the Game Boy Advance, Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku II is a Webfoot Technologies developed action RPG that adapts the Future Trunks, Android and Cell arcs from Akira Toriyama’s iconic Dragon Ball Z manga/anime. In it, you take control of Gohan, Piccolo, Vegeta, Future Trunks and Goku in order to do battle with Dr Gero’s android creations.

The game is the sequel to the previous year’s Legacy of Goku I (also for the GBA) and received mixed to positive reviews from gaming outlets of the era, who mostly agreed that the game was a huge improvement over the original, which had garnered a lackluster reception from critics and fans alike.

Personally, I've always loved this game. In fact, I consider it one of the best sequels that I've ever played, as well as a game that I compare to Square's classic SNES title Secret of Mana in its impact towards myself and helping ease me into JRPGs.

But… does it hold up?

Because the game is nearing twenty years old and, even though it got good reviews, it may not be the best way to experience the story of Dragon Ball Z anymore. After all, it’s only representative of one part of the story and, even then, is an encapsulation of that era’s take on it. DBZ: LOG 2 represents Funimation's early 2000s take on Dragon Ball Z, a version of the series with Bruce Faulconer writing the soundtrack, with Freiza sounding like Genkai from Yu Yu Hakusho, and where the series segued into Dragon Ball GT and not Dragon Ball Super (and the upcoming Dragon Ball Super: Superhero by proxy). At the very least, it isn't reflective of the DBZ that now exists in the world of Fortnite, I guess? Not that there's anything wrong with that. Charge Tilted, 'Geets.

https://youtu.be/wjF1fzuS400

Released in 2003 for the Game Boy Advance, Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku II is a Webfoot Technologies developed action RPG that adapts the Future Trunks,...

24/07/2022

So uh, Back to the Future NES is actually a bit more fun than I expected it to be. Anyone else have a soft spot for LJN games?

Originally released in September 1989, just two months before its namesake’s sequel hit theaters, Back to the Future is an NES adaptation of the popular science fiction romance comedy of the same name. Developed by Beam Software and published by LJN, the game follows Marty on his, now iconic, journey to the 1950s and subsequent mission to ensure his own existence by making sure his parents fall in love.

Over the years, Back to the Future for the NES has garnered a reputation online for being one of the worst video games of all time, especially for Nintendo’s Entertainment System, in part due to a review published for the game way back in 2006 by the AVGN (AKA the Angry Nintendo Nerd/JamesNintendoNerd/Cinemassacre). It would go on to be reviewed by other channels from the time, like the Irate Gamer or Classic Game Room and, in a lot of ways, probably helped cement retro game reviews as being something worth watching on the then burgeoning YouTube.

However, we’re not here to retread the past. Instead, we’re here to look at this game and the nostalgia surrounding it in an attempt to better understand BTTF NES and to try and appreciate the things it may have managed to do right. Because, when all’s said and done, it’s not *that* bad of a game! If it qualifies as being one of the worst games ever made, it’s probably amongst the best of those games! After all, it’s gameplay is actually kinda fun in small bursts, it’s an interesting piece of merchandising from the 80s and it even works as a bit of a nostalgic look back at the Atari age/early days of gaming!

On top of that, we’ll also be taking a look at the nature of nostalgia and meditating over what it means to be nostalgic in 2022/what we can do to improve that experience.

Welcome to A Positive Spin, a show dedicated to looking on the bright side of some of gamings so-called “worst” blunders!

Check out my full review of the game over at: https://youtu.be/J4_t5lCLus8

Originally released in September 1989, just two months before its namesake’s sequel hit theaters, Back to the Future is an NES adaptation of the popular scie...

24/06/2022

Released in 1997, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile is a 2.5D platformer for the Playstation. In it, you take control of the titular character Klonoa as he goes on an adventure to rid the dreamland of Phantomile of the evil Ghadius, who's trying to turn the world into a land of nightmares.

Developed and published by Namco, the game was directed by Hideo Yoshizawa, who is best known for his work on the original Ninja Gaiden trilogy. In the mid to late 90’s, Yoshizawa grew interested in creating a cinematic platformer that featured more storytelling than what had long been standard in the genre.

Upon its release Klonoa received rave reviews, with critics like Ron Dulin from Gamespot praising its visuals and lack of repetitive gameplay. Similarly, IGN would go on to give the title their “Editor’s Choice” award and even claim that Klonoa was “arguably the best (platformer) on the market"

But… Does it hold up? And, seeing as Namco is interested in the franchise again (thanks to their decision to remaster/remake Klonoa and Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil for the Nintendo Switch/Xbox Series X/PS5 in the Klonoa: Phantasy Reverie Series), how does it shape up when compared to what the genre has been up to lately?

https://youtu.be/yfWrgyq01Nc

Released in 1997, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile is a 2.5D platformer for the Playstation. In it, you take control of the titular character Klonoa as he goes on ...

27/05/2022

Final Fantasy is a top down RPG for the Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom and is the first entry in the Squaresoft (later Square Enix) JRPG franchise of the same name. Released in 1987, the game follows the ‘four warriors of light’ on a globe-trotting quest to rejuvenate the world’s four elemental crystals, defeat four Elemental Fiends and to save the planet from destruction.

The game was released to enormous praise back in the day and would go on to spawn a massive franchise that’s still going strong to this day thanks to sequels, spin-offs, movie adaptations and remakes. Final Fantasy would later get ported to the MSX2, get remade for the WonderSwan Color, and have a whole other slew of remakes/remasters that deviated from the aforementioned WSC remake for the Playstation, Game Boy Advance, PSP, iOS and Android. It would also get a java phone port and, as of 2021, another remake known as the Pixel Remaster for PC and mobile.

But… does it hold up?

Well, yes! But it also depends on which version of the game you’re talking about and what your preferences are. So if you’re at all curious about which version of Final Fantasy to play and if you’ll even like the game, grab a snack and get comfortable because we’re in for a long one today!

Check out my review of Final Fantasy 1 over at: https://youtu.be/x7pvUN-EsBA

Final Fantasy is a top down RPG for the Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom and is the first entry in the Squaresoft (later Square Enix) JRPG franchise of ...

28/04/2022

Somari is one of the strangest games of all time. Released in 1994 for the Famicom, it’s an unauthorized remake of Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog that (allegedly) uses some of Sonic 2’s source code in order to… not do a particularly great job at making a Sonic 1 port.

Developed by Hummer Team, the game is infamous for being an unpolished, borderline unplayable game that rose to popularity in China and Russia alongside those regions’ respective unlicensed Famiclone consoles.

But you know? I actually kinda enjoyed my time with this game! Even weirder, I actually felt like it was just what I needed to treat some growing fatigue that I've been having for the original Sonic the Hedgehog after spending most of my life running through its green hills.

So, seeing as Somari is a notoriously bad game that I felt that I had a meaningful experience with, and Sonic 2 has been tearing it up in the box office/Sonic Origins has *finally* got a release date in late June, I figured that covering the game would make for a fun episode of A Positive Spin, a series dedicated to looking on the bright side of some of gamings worst blunders.

Check out my full review of Somari at: https://youtu.be/mzEDFiZ-lA4

Somari is one of the strangest games of all time. Released in 1994 for the Famicom, it’s an unauthorized remake of Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog that (allegedly)...

07/04/2022

Has anyone else missed out on playing the original Metal Gear Solid?

Released in 1998 for the Sony Playstation, Metal Gear Solid is a 3D action/stealth game by Konami and follows Solid Snake on an infiltration/rescue mission in the Alaskan military base "Shadow Moses."

Following its release, the game was hailed as a technical marvel/groundbreaking experience for Sony's inaugural console and would go on to have numerous sequels and influence an entire generation of classic Playstation games.

In the second installment to my 'One Playthrough Later' segment, I look at MGS for the first time and wrestle with my indifference to the stealth-action genre/cinematic stories in video games in the process because, while there's no denying that Metal Gear Solid is a great game, I can't quite tell if it's the kind of game for me.

https://youtu.be/k6CgdCwgjFo

Released in 1998 for the Sony Playstation, Metal Gear Solid is a 3D action/stealth game by Konami and follows Solid Snake on an infiltration/rescue mission i...