all games are not created equal

I recently got my hands on The Twin Snakes, and for the most part, it's better than the original; the graphics update really, really helps. I'm usually not one to care about graphics, but old 3D graphics do not age well at all. TTS updates the game mechanics so it's basically MGS2 transplanted into Shadow Moses; basically a recipe for awesome.

What bugs me though are two things: the voice acting and the music. TTS has mostly the same voice actors, but for whatever reason, Naomi and Mei Ling talk in American accents, and Naomi seems flat and lacks all emotion. At least Campbell pronounces "shaman" correctly this time.

As for the music, it's still mostly the same as the original,  but the boss battles don't use the original "Duel"! Whatever they use in TTS (I think it's boss specific, I recall the Mantis battle having some motifs of "Mantis' Hymn") is completely forgettable. I haven't finished it yet (just broke out of the cell), but so far the music has disappointed.

Now that I've finished The Twin Snakes, here's an overall comparison.

The plot, characters, and level design are all almost identical, save for a few inconsequential points. The graphics are definitely prettier in TTS, though they're still not quite up to par with MGS2 or 3. In general, 3D graphics do not age well at all (while I believe that 2D sprites are eternal and can still look nice).

The last MGS game I played before this was MGS3 (haven't played 4 yet), so while the mechanics are still a step behind, it's not as bad as trying to play on the PS1. There are just some things you could do in MGS2 that become natural responses, like diving and shooting in first person and holding up guards. If you try those on the PS1, you're just going to get shot. These mechanical differences may make the game "easier," but I'd rather have smooth and easy over hard and frustrating.

It took me some time to get used to the Gamecube controller; the terrible shoulder and z buttons and the lack of analog buttons made the transition bumpy. I also never had an issue with the trademark MGS overhead camera until now, partially because I got used to being able to move it in MGS3. (And I miss actually being able to hide from guards with things like camouflage... the box never worked in TTS [on Hard].)

The areas are still very much the same, just with a few more details, some cosmetic, others to take advantage of your climbing and hanging abilities. None of it is necessary, but it makes life easier occasionally (there's a way to freeze and heat the key without having to backtrack).

The cinematics have a very actiony, Matrix-y style, which look cool, but many of them are just cheesy and ridiculous. Also, maybe I've been spoiled by more recent games, but I'd rather be in control and have the ability to do crazy things myself. Cutscenes just seem so very 1990's. The portions that really need spicing up don't get it, though; sitting on top of Metal Gear listening to Liquid pontificate still bored me.

TTS does a lot of things right, and in general just makes an awesome game even better. The original is starting to show its age, so if you haven't played MGS, look into The Twin Snakes. It would have been nice to have even more like new weapons (besides the M9 and PSG-1 T), items, and bonuses for collecting dog tags, but in a vacuum, TTS is an excellent version of the game. For those who have played the original, TTS keeps most of the charm, and the improvements to the gameplay make up for what's lost.