Metal Gear Solid 2 is very different from most traditional games. It implements strategies used by movies, films, and even books in order to peak the players interest and ability to read between the lines. One of the first strategies used by the game developers is in the opening scene where the player is left puzzled, questioning who the character on screen is until the opening title. This is used in order to increase confusion and interest in what is coming next. Many movies use this to create plot twists and fill the viewer with emotion and a feeling of suspense which is exactly what this game is trying to portray. Even moving around the map, the creator took inspiration from games he played as a kid where one second you are hunting, and the next you're being hunted. He describes this as an 180 degree reversal that introduces elements of fear which I found very innovative for a video game at that time. The creator of MGS must have been very into movies because references to blockbuster movies have been used since the 1st MGS game came out. This reminded me of remixing, which we were talking about in class. How movies build off of each other, and games are apparently no exception. Speaking of building off each other, MGS 2 wasn't made by a single person; the creator asked his team to help give suggestions in making the game. Two very creative aspects of the game were thought of by people other than the creator himself: bomb diffusion spray, and peeking around corners to get a better view (the latter I was very impressed with). Being a designer/inventor I really appreciate a good attention to detail in which this team left no stone unturned. From research of the setting on bridges and boats, to how the soldiers carry their guns. The development team even went as far to model each small item in the game so players could interact with frying pans, bottles, boxes, etc. This must have taken forever but in the end you can definitely see the payoff of all this hard work. I thought it was very smart how the creator gave depth to the main character (Snake) by removing the player from his point of view and putting them in Snake's enemy (Raiden). Along with this, the game also featured many hidden symbolism between Snake and Raiden that not many games at the time even considered. In this way, MGS was similar to a book with hidden meanings the player has to search for. For instance, I thought the metaphor between Godzilla and Snake, and, King Kong and Raiden was very insightful to where these characters are in their lives, who they are as people, and what they mean to each other. Even the end scene, between Snake and Raiden, where Snake passes the lessons he's learned to Raiden, is symbolic of the message of the game: passing knowledge to the future generation.