Binding controls in this game works in the following way, you go to the game's root directory (C: drive > GOG Games > Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance) and then you go to the bin folder and run MGS2Config. It's an .exe file and it's the "launcher" for the game. Go to Options and go to the tab KEY Config. You'll get to see all the controls and you will have the option to change them. Review: So, I love this game. Saying that because this review is gonna be biased and this version works flawlessly. I'm currently on the tanker level, giving this a go on keyboard and mouse on very easy in order to get a hang of things. I'm collecting the dog tags. I highly recommend V's fix because it noticeably improves the game and adds controller support (see this game's forum for recommendation as they are really helpful) I did wishlist this game on the GOG community wishlish and I'm so glad this game came here and I'm in partial disbelief seeing as the modern Metal Gear games have DRM and I really thought this was unlikely to go DRM-Free.Yes, this is far from a remaster but getting to play this game without hassle or bringing out my console is amazing. Thank you for your great work, GOG. Glad I got to play this and I'm glad I got to buy it here.
The game immediately draws you in with the story and makes it so that you have to that you are stuck between a rock and a hard place but you can wiggle out of it because of your humanity. As a new vampire you do something terrible as is revealed in the first cut scene and you now have to find out why you were turned and by who. You follow a trail leading out of town and kinda being chased by an angry mob. Next town you get a first glimpse of your skills and abilities as a new vampire while following a trail of blood and network of people, some of which could sense something off about you. This is the part I've played so far in the game and it has been quite an experience. I'm very early on in the game but I definitely intend to keep going with it because so far at its current state it seems polished, engaging and intuitive. It takes the traditional rpg formula and adds a drive to it.
My first first-person-shooter. I remember that this guy had just set up a desktop with Windows Me or Millenium edition or something like that after we moved into our new house. Anyway, I got a bunch of CDs including this game, no instructions. I know I had a gun. A machine gun. Limited ammo? Pitch black. Scary as heck even when I turned off the speakers. I was just walking around in the dark with a gun. Made no progress in the game because it was far too dark but that was part of the atmosphere. I played the GOG version and I was definitely a marine, looking back now. This was after seeing the movie and the game is definitely scarier. The game is still too scary for me to continue but much like Bioshock, I will push farther, maybe complete the campaign one day only to become the thing I feared. So good job to whoever made it.
I love this game and frankly, I was told about it before I got it and it fully deserved the hype. Although, technically a linear game, it felt very open in terms of the space and environment. It does encourage exploration as there was no area that I could truly see as empty. It's games like these that have just enough things to do in the space that they have that feel fulfilling to complete instead of big open spaces with little to nothing to do. This game in particular, along with its surprisingly open environment, which even has the beginnings of a live environment (monkeys and other animals crawling around, ambient voices in towns, hisses in the night and maybe howling) has a story that draws you in as well. Admittedly, the game is dark but it is also fairly scary. The music and the darkness in the environment of some areas truly give you goosebumps. Your main quest is to unravel a mystery or mysteries rather, the main one being of where exactly did the items taken from the laboratory go. Like others have said, this game truly stands out because you have decisions that matter. That's all I will say about the story. Combat: Primarily, your character is strongly focused on swordplay with no shield. With incredibly agile and offensive attacks rather than stealth or magic. Stealth is virtually non-existent in this game and magic is limited, so playing primarily as a mage is very difficult, however that comes as a huge part of what makes the character and as you will see, most Witchers are heavily warrior class. Therefore, the RPG elements of this game are solely focused on the warrior class. That is really a non-issue for me. I'm just pointing out the specific RPG factors of the game, however, who knows who it might turn off. Equipment: The game does equip you properly enough throughout its phases and that's saying a lot, as there are plently of games out there where you find good equipment only too late for you made up for your equipment deficits with grinding and leveling up combat, with this game, it seems like CD ProjektRED spent their time wisely by making a very well thought out game. Controls: The controls are great, I love them and prefer them over the Witcher 2 controls. There are no quick time events and I love that as well. Yes, they did take some learning but actually no more learning than other games with a slightly different control layout. I was using a Dualshock 4 controller with InputMapper and it worked great. It did limit my keys but only because my knowledge of creating macros is non-existent Conclusion: The gameplay, combat and story alone in this game rivals many, even by today's standards and in fact this game balances so many minute details and yet seems to draw the big picture just as well that most games of today can learn a lot of things from this game. On a personal note, primarily because of this game, has Geralt of Rivia become my second favorite character of all time. Maybe even rivaling my first, Solid Snake. Both, I would say bring something to the table that inspire me. I'm in fact going to play it again because I want to have the entire story of the Witcher series before I play the third one but from the experience I had, it will be worth it. Very well worth it. Enjoy your gaming.