For this month's "Maps Of The Month" featurette, I wish to draw your attention to VGCartography's Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation) maps.
Shadow Moses, a remote island in Alaska's Fox Archipelago, is taken over by a rogue special forces unit known as FOXHOUND. The island is a nuclear weapons disposal facility, but also the testing site of Metal Gear Rex, a destructive mecha with nuclear capabilities. The legendary infiltrator, Solid Snake, is called out of retirement to neutralize FOXHOUND and the threat they pose to the US government.
Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear series, especially this entry, popularized the stealth genre in video games. Solid Snake has limited weapons and should avoid enemies whenever possible, or dispatch them quietly. Unlike the silent actions taken by Snake, this adventure of his did not go unnoticed, and is frequently considered to be one of the best games on the original PlayStation, and even amongst the greatest video games of all time. The series is also known for its complex stories presented in lengthy cutscenes, drawing comparisons to films and, at the time of its release, set a new standard for what video game narratives could be.
Speaking of standouts, VGCartography, who has mapped a few PlayStation games already, has proven to be very adept with mapping PlayStation games. Besides manipulating 3D data, which is already a feat, VGCartography has labelled these maps thoroughly. Sure, sub-areas are named, and items are indicated, which any good map would have, but here, we see routes to take, mine placements, codec conversations, extra overhead views for boss rooms, as well as other embellishments. Besides the area maps, we even get a full map of the entire game in a single image, but in two forms - either overhead or isometrically. You could definitely use these to help Solid Snake complete this mission of "tactical espionage action", and we look forward to featuring more of VGCartography's efforts here on VGMaps.com.
So to recognize the solid effort put into mapping this iconic PlayStation adventure, VGCartography's Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation) maps will be known as VGMaps.com's Maps Of The Month for January 2022.
