Finals were finished on Friday, so I took the weekend to get caught up on finishing MGS since I last played (Tuesday if I remember).  
  
Where I left off after beating Psycho Mantis, things were getting interesting, especially after that rather interesting fight...until I had to go back to find a sniper rifle. Already I could tell that backtracking is NOT something that goes well with Metal Gear Solid, especially when it's forced. After having to force myself past that, I reached the game changing moment, the torture sequence. I already heard about the whole button mashing thing, so luckily I had a pencil ready to beat that O button (I used the eraser side). I used the same tactic on Star Fox Adventure's "Test of Strength" minigames, only then I rolled it quickly across the A button, since PS buttons are pressure sensetive, where as Gamecube buttons aren't. 
 
Even with my pencil in hand, 2 rounds in the first session my arm could not take anymore, and I already had lost half my health. So I took the weak route and gave in. I didn't want to get a game over, so I gave in at the expense of Meryl's life. 
 
I go through the rest of the game, catch a cold from Mr. Uncontrollable Bowels Johnny Sasaki, repel down the Communications Tower on a rope, and I had to download an older emulator because the latest version I was using cannot really switch discs, or in this case BIN files. Broke the flow a little bit. 
 
During the time since I last left off, all the way to just before the REX boss fight, I screwed around a bit and found some fun easter eggs. Smoking cigerrates and calling the Colonel's frequency gets you a lecture on why smoking's bad from Naomi. Starring at Meryl makes her blush, and one I read up prior on Gamefaqs, punching Meryl at the end of the cavern with wolf dogs, hide inside one of the cardboard box and a wolf dog will take a piss on it...and then they LIKE you. I found it rather silly. 
 
And just before I could fight REX, I had to do another backtracking objective, and I think it was a bit worse than going for the sniper rifle. After that, things got back on track, the finale got extremely awesome. It got more and more exciting with each segment. First REX, then a one on one fist fight, all the way to escaping from the base, with Liquid STILL alive. I had reached the end, but since I gave into the torture, it was not completely satisfying. But atleast I got the Stealth Camoflauge from Otacon. 
 
Then I looked up the different rewards online, and I saw that saving Meryl gets you a bandana which grants unlimited ammo. Cool...but wait a minute. 
 
Since the game has you sneaking around for the majority of the game, the Stealth Camo seems like a much better choice than unlimited ammo, even if you want the good ending. Oh well, I guess that's the trade off. 
 
That was all on Saturday. Sunday I played through the game again, skipping all cutscenes I could and speeding through codec conversations, and I didn't care how many game overs I got, I was gonna get the good ending. I did, and thanks to the Stealth Camo, it made things go by faster. Only for the ending on my second run did I watch the ending scenes, just to see the difference, though there wasn't a whole lot. But it was more fitting with Meryl than Otacon 
 
There definetely is a difference in enjoyment with and without cutscenes. Just the game by itself, without the cutscenes, codec conversations, or even the easter eggs isn't as fun. I found myself taking more breaks on my second run than my first, as it became a bit boring for me. Maybe it was added by the fact I had finished it not to long ago, I dunno. Though the cinematics and story really do give this game alot of purpose, versus just having the regular gameplay on its own. 
 
Yeah, it's another complaint added to the ones in my initial impressions, but I do think that Metal Gear Solid was a very AWESOME experience. The cutscenes didn't really detract from it, even with them being rather long. It just fit very well. 
 
Now I want my hands on the other games. And looking at the improvements made in the sequels, I'm pretty much sold on the entire series.

Finals were finished on Friday, so I took the weekend to get caught up on finishing MGS since I last played (Tuesday if I remember).  
  
Where I left off after beating Psycho Mantis, things were getting interesting, especially after that rather interesting fight...until I had to go back to find a sniper rifle. Already I could tell that backtracking is NOT something that goes well with Metal Gear Solid, especially when it's forced. After having to force myself past that, I reached the game changing moment, the torture sequence. I already heard about the whole button mashing thing, so luckily I had a pencil ready to beat that O button (I used the eraser side). I used the same tactic on Star Fox Adventure's "Test of Strength" minigames, only then I rolled it quickly across the A button, since PS buttons are pressure sensetive, where as Gamecube buttons aren't. 
 
Even with my pencil in hand, 2 rounds in the first session my arm could not take anymore, and I already had lost half my health. So I took the weak route and gave in. I didn't want to get a game over, so I gave in at the expense of Meryl's life. 
 
I go through the rest of the game, catch a cold from Mr. Uncontrollable Bowels Johnny Sasaki, repel down the Communications Tower on a rope, and I had to download an older emulator because the latest version I was using cannot really switch discs, or in this case BIN files. Broke the flow a little bit. 
 
During the time since I last left off, all the way to just before the REX boss fight, I screwed around a bit and found some fun easter eggs. Smoking cigerrates and calling the Colonel's frequency gets you a lecture on why smoking's bad from Naomi. Starring at Meryl makes her blush, and one I read up prior on Gamefaqs, punching Meryl at the end of the cavern with wolf dogs, hide inside one of the cardboard box and a wolf dog will take a piss on it...and then they LIKE you. I found it rather silly. 
 
And just before I could fight REX, I had to do another backtracking objective, and I think it was a bit worse than going for the sniper rifle. After that, things got back on track, the finale got extremely awesome. It got more and more exciting with each segment. First REX, then a one on one fist fight, all the way to escaping from the base, with Liquid STILL alive. I had reached the end, but since I gave into the torture, it was not completely satisfying. But atleast I got the Stealth Camoflauge from Otacon. 
 
Then I looked up the different rewards online, and I saw that saving Meryl gets you a bandana which grants unlimited ammo. Cool...but wait a minute. 
 
Since the game has you sneaking around for the majority of the game, the Stealth Camo seems like a much better choice than unlimited ammo, even if you want the good ending. Oh well, I guess that's the trade off. 
 
That was all on Saturday. Sunday I played through the game again, skipping all cutscenes I could and speeding through codec conversations, and I didn't care how many game overs I got, I was gonna get the good ending. I did, and thanks to the Stealth Camo, it made things go by faster. Only for the ending on my second run did I watch the ending scenes, just to see the difference, though there wasn't a whole lot. But it was more fitting with Meryl than Otacon 
 
There definetely is a difference in enjoyment with and without cutscenes. Just the game by itself, without the cutscenes, codec conversations, or even the easter eggs isn't as fun. I found myself taking more breaks on my second run than my first, as it became a bit boring for me. Maybe it was added by the fact I had finished it not to long ago, I dunno. Though the cinematics and story really do give this game alot of purpose, versus just having the regular gameplay on its own. 
 
Yeah, it's another complaint added to the ones in my initial impressions, but I do think that Metal Gear Solid was a very AWESOME experience. The cutscenes didn't really detract from it, even with them being rather long. It just fit very well. 
 
Now I want my hands on the other games. And looking at the improvements made in the sequels, I'm pretty much sold on the entire series.

See, now aren't you glad you played it?
 
@Alaska_Gamer said:

"I used the same tactic on Star Fox Adventure's "Test of Strength" minigames..."

Hey you enjoyed it all right!

" See, now aren't you glad you played it?
 

@Alaska_Gamer

said:

"I used the same tactic on Star Fox Adventure's "Test of Strength" minigames..."

Oh lord, I remember that.  Only button-mashing sequence in any video game I was never able to do.  Had to get my friend to do it for me. "

Sissies!  Were you guys not around during the painful Mario Party days when you had to button mash until your hands were covered in blood!?  When the N64 controller was so painful to use that you ended up getting sore thumbs!?  I took every one of the button mashing sequences mentioned in this thread with my bare hands like a man!  (Although I don't remember the Starfox Adventures one, even though I did finish the game so I obviously did it)
 
Oh, and the reason, other than Persona 3 and Persona 4, that I decided to buy my PS2 in 2009 was to buy the Metal Gear Solid Essential Collection, which I did.  Love those games, but I just finished MGS and MGS2.  I'd want to play MGS3, but both of my PS2 controllers broke while playing Final Fantasy X so I need to buy a new one before I can start playing it.

" @EvilTwin: Haha, that's what I hear.  But I'm also afraid that when I finish the game I'll want to play MGS4 soo badly but I won't be able to because I don't own a PS3... :( "

" @xyzygy:   Use a turbo controller. "

nice, i plan on playing 4 on my winter break.

Glad you enjoyed the game, I imagine it still holds up pretty well. 
 
I haven't played the GC version, Twin Snakes. I would love to own a copy as part of my MGS collection one day.