It's like, Snake in '60s man... Groovy...

But this isn't a continuation of the MGS series, more like an origin story that details the trials made by a man with the codename, Naked Snake. That man eventually loses an eye, becomes diabolical, and becomes better known as Big Boss. But here he's a good guy, and it starts with trying to aid a scientist in his defection to the United States.

"I came to the Soviet Union and all I got was betrayed by my mentor/boss/girlfriend/person... But she's just doing her job."
-Naked Snaaaaaaaaaake

Snake is betrayed by his mentor, The Boss, and it's revealed that she and a handful of some of her most trusted and skilled men (Known as the Cobras) are working with a radical Soviet soldier who wants the defecting scientist to remain and build his weapons for the Soviet Union. Naked Snake, left battered, broken, and betrayed is given a short time to heal before being assigned a new mission: Rescue the scientist, kill The Boss, and he must survive the harsh wilderness, the onslaught of the Soviet army, and has to stop a seemingly unstoppable war machine called the Shagohod that'll serve as the basis for a dreaded weapon in the not too distant future; Metal Gear.

"The name's Snake, Naked Snake. And I refuse to take your crap!"
-Naked Snake AKA Big Boss

The strong military theme is still present in this game but now there's more of a 007 feel to it including gadgets, an theme song/opening cinematic, even the girl you call to save your game mentions From Russia With Love (Which Snake criticizes only to get his butt chewed out by his CO who loves 007 movies). There's even double agents, informants, and disguises. It's a perfect mix of spies and military, but the developersalso included a survival kind of feature. Bullets, diseases, burns, they can be treated in a medical menu, and you can hunt animals and eat in another menu.

"Gee... It's SOOOOO hot... My boobs are getting all sweaty... Snake, are you paying attention to me?!"
-Eva
"Hmmm... A crocodile! Let's kill and eat it!"
-Snake

Level areas can feel linear and lengthy at times, but MGS3 really tried to do something new by making Snake an operative in the wilderness instead of just infiltrating a base. The enemy bosses do feel a bit hokie and extreme like comic book villains but somehow, this one seems to just work.... I accept these enemies have talents or abilites and the theme of survival just remains in my mind: How and why doesn't matter, just gotta deal with these guys. Still, it can get hokie, but fun at the same time. Being fair, I have to say MGS3 gets 3 outta 5 dead Cobras... Some of the cinematics are a little too crazy (like how the Eva character rides her motorcycle, a little too expertly, and Ocelet now growling like a cat) but this is good one... One nitpick I have (But didn't affect reason of the score) is I think the games starring Naked Snake/Big Boss should've been called Metal Gear Origins or Metal Gear Naked as MGS3 kinda suggests it's a sequel to MGS2 and not something else entirely.