Launching Metal Gear way back in 1987 on the MSX computer may not have seemed the most logical choice for a developer to make, given hindsight, but the machine was very popular in Japan. It was still, though, an unusual decision to avoid the mainstream charms Nintendo offered. The MSX-only sequel (the NES "sequel" is considered non-canonical in Hideo Kojima's eyes) was played by only a small portion of the games playing crowd, and it took the Playstation and the next game - Metal Gear Solid - to finally bring the series to mass media attention. Six years on from the original's groundbreaking release comes The Twin Snakes, a retelling and updated version of the classic, exclusively for Nintendo eyes.

It's partly ironic the game is released now, as the plot cusp itself is set in 2005 and the storyline and points emphasised by the plot are as relevant now as they were back then. A supposed nuclear storage facility has been taken over by terrorists lead by members of Foxhound, Solid Snake's old outfit. Now retired, Snake has been reluctantly brought back into service by his old commanding officer to infiltrate the base and find out just what is going on and whether he can prevent global destruction.

Plot is as important as the gameplay itself in the Metal Gear series, and with the launch onto (for the time) next-generation hardware and acceptance of the CD format, enabled Kojima’s brainchild to become more expansive, detailed and atmospheric. With the capacity of CDs allowing the extensive use of FMV, full cinema-like cut scenes and voice acting could be achieved. Some people have said playing the game is almost like watching a real film, and they are not far wrong. Anyone new to Metal Gear is well advised to read the plotlines of the first two games (provided within the Specials section of the menu) before starting out on Metal Gear Solid. There are also some briefing videos available showing Snake and Colonel Campbell talking before the mission begins, which set the scene perfectly and immediately drag the player into Snake's world. If you haven't played MGS before, let's just say the plot has more twists and turns than a mountain road and you are in for one hell of a ride.

With the transition to the Gamecube and the first time a Nintendo machine has used the CD format, Konami drafted in well-known film director Ryuhei Kitamura to redirect and reassess the game's all important filmic sections. Most of the voice talent (including David Hayter as Solid Snake) was rehired to speak their lines, and the whole process gives a new edge to proceedings with it all being brought up-to-date. New emphasis on certain plot points and the use of bullet-time, for example, along with the superior graphics capability of the Gamecube lift these scenes above their previous incarnations.

Graphically, Silicon Knights have modernised Metal Gear Solid by using the Eternal Darkness engine as a basis and going the extra step in enhancing almost everything within visual scope. Character models are far more detailed, with proper definition and expression visible on the faces. Overall there is a huge increase in the use of polygons and textures, though a few subpar images have been used within the complex. Motion is incredibly smooth and realistic; indeed one of the intended goals was obviously to make this the prettiest Metal Gear game to date. It all looks lush…if you can call industrial greys, greens and various snow tones vibrant and engaging. But that's the real trick: it makes the environment look and feel as if it could really exist. Trees sway, snow blows across your vision, there is heat haze visible in hot areas... the number of visual touches is outstanding.

The game has also been improved upon content-wise, and to a greater degree than the visuals, mainly using features from MGS2. Besides adding the boss battle and dog tag acquisition modes, there are plenty of tricks and moves imported to make the whole game playing experience rather different. Most game-altering is the use of first-person mode. Now, logic would dictate the result of this would be that the game becomes easier. In some ways this is true - some of boss battles (notable Ocelot and Mantis) are not so tough and tracking, viewing and dispatching the enemy soldiers becomes slightly less tricky. The need for stealth, whilst still the most important factor, is toned down a touch as positioning and aiming becomes more refined. Of course you don't HAVE to invoke it... make the choice: just because it is there doesn't mean it automatically has to be used.

In conclusion, the first person mode is almost a required part of even being able to succeed at the top difficulty levels due to the hypersensitive nature of the guards. It’s all about balance and fairness and, for the most part, this is successfully achieved. However, the simple fact of its inclusion will see some players using it all the time…and then complaining that the game is too easy. It certainly can have such an effect, but the impact is far more noticeable at the lower difficulty levels, because at the higher ones taking guards out unnoticed is often a tricky proposition.

Play around with the options and abilities that are available, and you’ll find there is no set way to do many sections. This is something that (sadly) many gamers seem to overlook, and plough through doing things a set way instead of experimenting. You have a great deal of freedom to approach each section of the game in execution and form (whilst still being directed from point A to B) and this is a definite plus point of the game. Some of Snake's abilities from MGS2 have been included such as rail hanging and hiding bodies in lockers, and whilst somewhat disappointing that no part of the game has been tweaked to take advantage of these moves, it is balanced by the new overall difficulty level implemented.

The genome soldiers (for the most part) are a lot smarter, observant and tougher to avoid than their PS1 counterparts. They can hear you tip-tapping across metal gangways, or sense if you are approaching them from behind too quickly. It really brings home the true meaning of stealth, especially on higher difficulty levels. That's when the challenge ramps up enormously and the extra abilities introduced will often have to be used on the fly to avoid a future confrontation. If spotted, the guards can and will call for backup on their radios. Non-interaction is often the key to success and although taking someone out is often a necessity, immediate planning for the future normally has to be implemented.

All of this comes at a price, naturally. For all the improvements, betterment and enhancement to the base model, the game is still short in terms of play-through length. There are at least 3 hours worth of non-gaming cut-scene action, which is definite value for money. But subtract that from the whole and you are left with roughly 5-6 hours of play the first time through, with diminishing returns depending on what gets done and at which difficulty level attempted. The top levels, however, will really test a lot of players, especially if the "game over if spotted" option is invoked. Standard difficulty is pretty much a breeze, with brute force often working over stealth, but the harder levels are far more attuned to the true idealistic nature of the game. Repeated play is definitely warranted and rewarded, for the nature, patterns and behaviour of the guards change between each difficulty. So what if it is short - a game such as this is far more entertaining in a short space of time than games that last up to 10 times as long.

MGS:Twin Snakes can be firmly regarded as the definitive version of Hideo Kojima's initial next-gen dream. It has taken the classic MGS structure known and loved by PS1 players plus it throws in most of the good bits from MGS2 for free. All the stealth, excitement and action so revered has been kept, and some new toys have been thrown into the arena to play with. A few aspects have been tinkered with, which may upset some wanting things to be a recreation of what had gone before, but for the most part they can be overlooked, along with the inherent flaws of the classic original that have been carried through. It has enough new ideas to entice hardened pros to sample this revision, and the cutscenes are worth the admission price alone. No wonder Konami saw fit to advertise the game with a 27 minute trailer made purely of some of them.

Your opinion truly depends on what you want out of this new vision and what your previous expectations have been. Personally it has offered up everything and more, with the chance to be Solid Snake as desirable as people envisage wanting to be James Bond. That, and the fact the confrontation with Psycho Mantis offers one of the most memorable gaming experiences in recent memory. MGS:Twin Snakes has something for most people, and with a wealth of similar stealth titles having followed in its stead, deserves to be held in as high esteem as the original, and played by those wanting to see the roots of the genre.