Remembering Metal Gear Solid 2 as it turns 20 years old Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Remembering Metal Gear Solid 2 as it turns 20 years old Big Shell energy. News by Wesley Yin-Poole Deputy Editorial Director Updated on 13 Nov 2021 41 comments Metal Gear Solid 2 is now 20 years old. The Hideo Kojima-helmed stealth sequel launched in North America on 13th November 2001 on PlayStation 2, before coming out soon after in Japan, then in Europe in March 2002. Metal Gear Solid 2 was the much-hyped follow-up to PSone masterpiece Metal Gear Solid. Anticipation for its release hit astronomical levels after its classic reveal from E3 2000. (Digital Foundry published a video, below, that uses machine learning to freshen up the Metal Gear Solid 2 E3 reveal. It's well worth a watch!). Watch on YouTube A look at what AI upscaling does to the original E3 2000 Metal Gear Solid 2 debut trailer - includes analysis and the full asset, complete with subtitles. Metal Gear Solid 2 produced next-gen visuals complete with more advanced AI behaviour. But it proved to be a somewhat controversial release. While Metal Gear Solid 2 let you play as series star Solid Snake in its iconic prologue mission, a new protagonist called Raiden was the playable character for the bulk of the game. Some players who had expected Snake to be the main character based on marketing pre-release material reacted negatively to this switch. Metal Gear Solid 2 did include Kojima's trademark lengthy cutscenes, of course, with extensive dialogue delivering a philosophical takedown of modern warfare. Some called it genius. Others, gibberish. Watch on YouTube DF Retro's look at the iconic MGS2 is required viewing if you're in the least bit interested in the game. Still, Metal Gear Solid 2 went down as one of the biggest games of the era, and one of the most popular PS2 games of the year. It ended up re-launching in Substance form on Xbox and PC, and more sequels followed. In 2015, Rich Stanton called Metal Gear Solid 2 "the first postmodern video game" in a retrospective for Eurogamer. "My God, it's been 20 years since then?" Hideo Kojima tweeted this morning, summing up the sentiment. My God, it's been 20 years since then? pic.twitter.com/C5zw8jqDNz- HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) November 13, 2021 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings Kojima has been tweeting development tidbits all day, which I've rounded up below: 2/2I couldn't find the right person, so I asked Ms. Carla White, whom I found after listening to her CD.- HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) November 13, 2021 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings 2/2In MGS4, I gave Snake a portable ashtray to throw away his cigarettes.- HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) November 13, 2021 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings 2/2Creating the future and telling the story of the past are the same thing. (Full text from MGS2)- HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) November 13, 2021 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings LIBERTY and FREEDOM have different meanings, and MGS2 is not about singularity, but about the "norms" of society having a will of their own. https://t.co/CAcvzfgI6J- HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) November 13, 2021 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings 2/2asking Kyle Cooper to do the open titles, and asking Harry to do the music. We also went to Hans Zimmer's studio.- HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) November 13, 2021 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings 2/2The setting is similar to Violet's. Later, MGS5 dealt with the boy soldier issue in a direct manner.- HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) November 13, 2021 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings In fact, I ordered a live-action news film of a real boy soldier and edited it myself, but it was not approved by the rating and had to be scrapped. https://t.co/707UQoij4N- HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) November 13, 2021 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings So, here's to you, Metal Gear Solid 2! Happy birthday! Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! 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