“You don't know the truth yet. But sooner or later you'll have to choose."
- The Boss (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)

With the release of Metal Gear Solid 4, one of the things I’ve been hearing and reading a great deal is that some people just don’t get it. Kojima has done an extraordinary job trying everything together from the Metal Gear games that have been released over the past twenty years, and there’s a good deal of back story as well. Anyone who is new to the series as of this game, and let’s be honest here, you know there are some of you out there who buy games just because there’s a great deal of buzz around them, probably aren’t going to have the slightest clue as to some of these events.

What the heck is Shadow Moses? The Tanker Incident? Alaska? What does it all mean?

Metal Gear Solid is to video games as series like 24, Prison Break, and Lost are to network television. If you miss a few episodes or try and start in the third or fourth season, much of what is going on is going to remain a mystery. Of course, I also have to snicker at times regarding the complaints of lengthy cut scenes in MGS4. If you played the other games, you should have known what was in store. Metal Gear has been about story and gameplay, two features that have been integral to the flow of things. If you’re not looking for a story, just go play online and you won’t have to worry about it. I also find humor in people complaining about lack of story, then being upset over too much. So, just what exactly is it you want?

Anyway, if Metal Gear Solid has you dazed, confused, and wondering which end is up, there is a solution, and that’s the Metal Gear Database. All of those burning questions will be answered, most of them at least, and it’s also free of charge. The Database itself is designed much like a Wiki entry, so in the midst of many articles and informational sections, you will see highlighted names, phrases, and locations that you can click on to get further information. If you have no clue who Grey Fox is, you can find out. If you’re curious to learn more about something like Shadow Moses, Big Boss, or about CQC, that can all be explained.

The Database goes a bit more into detail however and includes character relationships. If you’re not sure what the connection is to Ocelot, if you want to know more about Raiden, or if you’re just simply confused on this whole Naked Snake, Liquid Snake, Solid Snake, Old Snake, Disco Snake thing, that can be detailed for you as well. For the record, there is no Disco Snake, just in case some of you thought that there was. Many of the entries also include pictures from the game, but there’s a nice catch included with the Database as well. It really wouldn’t be much fun to know everything, especially if you’re in the midst of playing the game or are planning on picking it up soon. If you haven’t yet completed the Metal Gear Solid 4, there are entries that you can’t access. The Database becomes the equivalent of documents obtained from the United States government through the Freedom of Information Act. There are entries that will be blacked out, giving you yet another reason to keep playing and reach the ending.

The Metal Gear Solid Database is very easy to navigate through and will answer questions for many or bring things back into focus for those of us who have been following the series for quite a while but don’t necessarily have a mind like an encyclopedia that retains information on all things Metal Gear. I also have to applaud the nice timing of this as I saw it originally on the Japanese PSN store and thought about grabbing it, only to find it a few hours later on the North American side.

. . . and the truth shall set you free, or at least keep you informed on Metal Gear.
 

-mike-