Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2)
****

In my opinion, this was the best game of 2001. Konami really outdid themselves with this effort. From the interactive environments and objects, secret items, and multiple paths, there's plenty of things to do and reasons to come back for more.

Despite what other reviewers may have said, I think MGS2's storyline is top-notch, and is only made better by the solid voice acting, and character development.

However... the game's tendency to slip into long 20 minute cutscenes every time you walk down a few halls began to get on my nerves after a while. Anyone who has played this game knows that they'd rather be playing through those scenes than watching them. I think that Konami shouldn't have wrote their customers off as morons who need every detail explained to them. A little creative editing could have made this game the true masterpiece it deserves to be.

-James Napier