Content review for this game:
Pertaining to content listed in the upper left corner of this site.
Animated Blood: There is little to no blood in gameplay, however, illustrated cutscenes between the game do have a bit of abstract, stylised blood, but it is minimal.
Suggestive Themes: There are "erotic magazines" that are selectable in your inventory. You put them on the floor to distract enemies. As a side note: you can't look through the magazines, and what pictures are visible are very pixalated.
One scene shows Snake (the main character) looking for something specific in a crate. When he finds it, he tells another character, who replies, "What, it's got a babe-of-the-month centerfold taped to it?" Snake then says, "No, this isn't your bedroom were talking about."
Violence: This series is known for bizarre and almost mythological story elements, with the main villians in the game having almost supernatural powers. Take this, and a load of complicated politics, theology, and a little conspiracy theory and you have Metal Gear Solid.
Snake can kill with an assortment of weapons. However, other than bosses, you don't have to kill in the game. In fact, the overall gameplay promotes you to keep enemies alive. You go into the level, knock them out with a tranqulizer dart, and drag them back to your truck to add them to your team.
Specific scenes of violence:
The first scene shows one of the main villians rough up Snake by beating him with a electrified baton.
One of the main enemies in the game is touted as the "perfect soldier," and after every mission, his memory is wiped clean. Eventually, because of contact with Snake, he goes mad--and throughout several scenes, he short circiuts and massacres his fellow soldier, for yet to be known reasons.
A scene near the end of the game depicts the main villian using his power to inflict confusion, panic and fear on a group of his own soldiers, resulting in them turning on and shooting each other. Snake is about to get hit in the crossfire, when one of his men jumps in front of him and saves the main character, but dies with a bullet to the head. Snake catches the body in his arms, and mourns his loss.
Near the end of the game, Snake faces the last boss. Right before their fight, a woman they both thought to be recently dead, appears before them. She tries to defeat the main villian, but he deflects her attacks and stabs her in the chest, as she falls dead to the floor.
Language: The ESRB didn't mention this in the rating for some reason. there are 7 uses of h**l, 7 uses of d**n, 5 uses of a**, 3 uses of b****rd, and 1 use of p**s.
Closing comment: The game does have an intense and violent story, but the cutscenes between levels are done like a moving, graphic novel (illustration) with a bit of an abstract style, so any of the "intense moments" are less prominent. The rating says 17+ but I disagree, I recommend this game for ages 14+, and if they have already played a game in the series, this one's the most mild of the bunch.
