Having already shelled out 40 quid for Metal Gear Solid 3, devotees of Konamis stealthy series may be bewildered by this overdue, seemingly overpriced three-disc directors cut. But even if youve played the original MGS3 to death, Subsistence still offers a wealth of enticing extras that make the adventure worth playing all over again.
The biggest difference to the original single-player game - a new camera perspective that allows you to rotate the viewpoint around the stubbly hero, rather than relying on the frustrating overhead angles of old may not seem like much, but genuinely makes for a more engaging and intuitive experience as you can properly study the environments before making a move, without risking being spotted by enemies lurking just outside your line of sight.
Aside from the camera tweaks, Subsistences online modes are worth the price of admission alone, allowing gamers to test their skills against seven rivals in a variety of thrilling scenarios. And if all that wasnt enough, this sublime set also includes pixel-perfect ports of the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (both originally released on the long-forgotten MSX console), a Duel Mode where you can improve your performance against the games inventive bosses, and the Secret Theater that allows players to watch rare movies culled from the official Metal Gear web site, each touched by the series subversive, self-depreciating sense of humour.