History VideoGame / MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty

* PressureSensitiveInterface: If you push the fire button and let go, you shoot. But, if you push the button and ''lightly'' let go, you'll holster your gun without firing a shot. It is tricky as hell.[[note]]When the first game is remade for the Gamecube with mostly [=PS2=] controls, they get around the Gamecube controller not having pressure-sensitive buttons by having you press Y, then A, in succession to holster your weapon[[/note]]

Although the next game, ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'', is a prequel of the entire series, ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' continues the story a few years from where this game left off and {{retcon}}s ''Metal Gear Solid 2''[='=]s twist ending [[AuthorsSavingThrow into something a little easier to swallow]]. Like the first game, this one also has a novelization by Raymond Benson, and a comic book adaptation, also available as a MotionComic in the form of ''Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinée''. An ''[[UpdatedRerelease HD Edition]]'' is available for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/Xbox360 and UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Vita}} as a component of ''Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection'', alongside ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' and (in the overseas console versions) ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker''. The ''HD Edition'' version is also scheduled to be released as part of the ''Master Collection'' on October 24, 2023 for Microsoft Windows, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, UsefulNotes/PlayStation5, and UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS.

** In fact, everything from Raiden's point of view is artificial. His past in Liberia has been mind-wiped by nanos, he's been promoted through connections rather than merit, and [[spoiler:Rosemary is a paid actor tailored to meet Raiden's sexual tastes]]. Once these revelations come to light, [[spoiler:the Colonel's and Rosemary's A.I. crashes]] and can't be called again.

* SomeDexterityRequired: In order to make up for the lack of pressure-sensitive buttons on its gamepad, the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} version of the ''HD Edition'' has you aim your weapon without shooting by clicking in the left stick while pressing a button, but leaving you unable to ''put away'' your weapon without firing it unless you unequip and then requip your weapon, which on higher difficulties can easily result in a held-up enemy deciding to [[ISurrenderSuckers change his mind on the whole "surrendering" thing]]. It's incredibly awkward to say the least.

** After [[spoiler:learning the truth about who her father's murderer was, and being shot before she could avenge him during Ocelot's speech]], Fortune attempts to fire two retaliatory rounds from her rail gun at Ocelot, who is immune thanks to having either Fortune's device itself or a copy of it. In a Codec conversation with the Colonel and Rose, they explain that Fortune's rail gun was a prototype that didn't go into mass production due to various bugs in its rail plasma and the inner rail electromagnetic release that have yet to be solved. In fact, because of these errors, evaluations existed that criticized it as an unacceptable weapon due to the high risk of the gun backfiring on the user. It's heavily implied that the only reason why Fortune was capable of using it without fear of it backfiring was because of her ability to deflect bullets, which gives an early clue that either Fortune's power's source: [[spoiler:a device consisting of electromagnetic fields for deflecting weaponry and shorting out grenades]] was reactivated, or her powers didn't stem entirely from that device, if one even existed. This was later proven when she managed to deflect the bulk of [=RAY=]'s attacks even after [[spoiler:Ocelot demonstrated that the device supposedly behind the powers was turned off by shooting her in the chest]].

* GainaxEnding: [[Recap/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty An extremely prominent example]]. The ending is written to confuse the player a lot whether what Raiden sees in New York City are real or not. [[spoiler:Snake appearing out of nowhere after you kill Solidus, and Rose suddenly standing in front of you talking about changing the future.]] These could have been an illusion if it were not TheStinger that reveals that everything you've been through is indeed real, and the fact that certain plot-vital sequences had to be cut after 9/11 didn't help at all! Needless to say, ''Metal Gear Solid 2'' is the single most confusing game in the ''Metal Gear'' series.

* GameBreakingBug: The [=PS3=] version of the ''HD Edition'', when played at standard definition in PAL regions, had a glitch which rendered the game impossible to complete on higher difficulties. Patch 1.02 eventually fixed it.

''Due to the infamy of this game's FirstEpisodeTwist, [[Administrivia/HandlingSpoilers all tropes and spoilers related to it]] will be left unmarked. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.''

Although the next game, ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'', is a prequel of the entire series, ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' continues the story a few years from where this game left off and {{retcon}}s ''Metal Gear Solid 2''[='=]s twist ending [[AuthorsSavingThrow into something a little easier to swallow]]. Like the first game, this one also has a novelization by Raymond Benson, and a comic book adaptation, also available as a MotionComic in the form of ''Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinée''. An ''[[UpdatedRerelease HD Edition]]'' is available for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/Xbox360 and UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Vita}} as a component of ''Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection'', alongside ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' and (in the overseas console versions) ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker''. The ''HD Collection'' version is also scheduled to be released as part of the ''Master Collection'' on October 24, 2023 for Microsoft Windows, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, UsefulNotes/PlayStation5, and UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS.

* DoomedTacticalTeam: The Navy SEALS sent to the big shell.

* DoNotRunWithAGun: Until ''Guns of the Patriots'' and onwards.
** In ''Metal Gear Solid'', ''Sons of Liberty'', and ''Twin Snakes'', selecting either a Nikita[=/=]Stinger Launcher or a PSG-1 Sniper Rifle will cause your character to automatically switch to First-Person aiming mode with no option to move (this is much worse in the original where Snake automatically goes prone first before aiming).
** In ''Snake Eater'' and ''Portable Ops'' selecting a sniper rifle (SVD) will cause Snake and the player operatives will instantly switch to a First-Person view while holding their rifle, and their only option is to crouch, prone, or aim with their scope. While selecting an RPG-7 or Binoculars will instantly switch to aiming mode.

* {{Powerwalk}}: Led by Otacon of all people. Makes him (and even the ''parrot'' he's carrying) badass for all of five seconds, before Otacon breaks down and starts crying.

Although the next game, ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'', is a prequel of the entire series, ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' continues the story a few years from where this game left off and {{retcon}}s ''Metal Gear Solid 2''[='=]s twist ending [[AuthorsSavingThrow into something a little easier to swallow]]. Like the first game, this one also has a novelization by Raymond Benson, and a comic book adaptation, also available as a MotionComic in the form of ''Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinée''. An ''[[UpdatedRerelease HD Edition]]'' is available for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/Xbox360 and UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Vita}} as a component of ''Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection'', alongside ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' and (in the overseas console versions) ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker''.

* FanDisservice: Olga's hairy armpits in the Tanker Chapter.

* AchievementMockery: In the ''HD Edition'', the Snake Beater achievement/trophy is unlocked if Snake calls Otacon while [[ADateWithRosiePalms stimulating himself]].

* CuffsOffRubWrists: A minor gag.

** Rosemary is the game's save-data specialist for Raiden, standing in for Mei Ling from the first game. Rose is ostensibly a civilian who isn't technically supposed to ''be'' involved in this mission, and it shows in her tendency to call Raiden by his real name over comms and repeatedly ask him about what tomorrow is, among other things.

->''"George Washington took office as the first president of the United States of America 200 years ago today.[[note]]This is erroneous; Washington was inaugurated in 1789, and this part of the game takes place in 2009, two-hundred and twenty years later.[[/note]] And it happened right here. We were going to declare another independence—the dawn of a new nation—here."''
-->—'''Solidus Snake'''

* AluminumChristmasTrees: Dead Cell is based on Red Cell, a SEAL division tasked with infiltrating U.S. military bases to test their preparedness. It was originally commanded by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Marcinko Richard "Demo Dick" Marcinko,]] a man whose life, according to ''[[http://www.cracked.com/article_18857_the-6-greatest-war-heroes-who-got-screwed-out-history.html?wa_user1=5&wa_user2=History&wa_user3=article&wa_user4=recommended Cracked,]]'' "eerily resembles the ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' franchise". Also, just like Dead Cell's commander, Jackson, Marcinko was arrested for supposed misappropriation of government funds, although he never died in prison.

* IReadItForTheArticles: Implied by Pliskin's description of the magazine in an optional Codec call:
-->'''Pliskin:''' Look... aside from its educational value, you can probably use it to distract an enemy...
* IceCreamKoan: During the Tanker Chapter, Otacon imitates Mei Ling and reads Chinese proverbs after the player saves, but [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5-vr1VeNSg mangles their meaning in the most hilarious way.]]

* SneezeOfDoom:
** This is the third game in the series where Snake can catch a cold from exposure. He only sneezes when standing stationary, ruining your attempts at stealth.
** Shooting at the targets above Genola's head will cause dust to rain down, making Genola sneeze. The strong gust can knock Snake off the tiny platform to his death.

* ArbitraryMaximumRange: The SOCOM can headshot enemies across the map with relative ease. However, it can't hit some of the Semtex sensors on the connecting bridge between Shell 1 and Shell 2, necessitating the use of the PSG-1.

* BagOfSpilling: One part justified, since Snake's operations are always procure-on-site; one part averted, since Snake still has the infinite bandana from the previous game, and even points it out as such.

* AmazingTechnicolorBattlefield: Arsenal Gear Rectum, where you fight the Metal Gear Rays. The battle takes place on a massive glass hexagon full of fluorescent lighting.

->''"George Washington took office as the first president of the United States of America 200 years ago today.[[note]]This is erroneous; Washington was inaugurated in 1789, and this part of the game takes place in 2009, two-hundred and ''twenty'' years later.[[/note]] And it happened right here. We were going to declare another independence—the dawn of a new nation—here."''