General gaming discussion

MGS3 didn't need to be remade, and the remake likely won't top the original as the best version of the game for you. Saying that though, they did an excellent job with the remake. A lot of the QoL improvements are great (especially if you're already so familiar with the game). Pretty much everything from the original is intact. Looks great. There can be a disconnect between how good the game looks and how old the gameplay still feels, same with cutscenes/animations.

My final take on it was that if anyone played the original, that will always be the definitive and best version of the game. But for new players, I'd see no reason not to tell them to play the remake instead. And if I get the urge to play through the game again which I do every few years anyway (MGS3 is my favourite game of all time), I could easily see myself just playing the remake since it is so faithful to the original.

Once you get a couple of 'areas' up the mountain, it really comes into its own and you start getting a knack for it.

One thing that I turned on that really made the game more enjoyable was the hold feedback - it gives a little white square if the hold is a legitimate hold. I think it makes it a bit more realistic as a climber would know when their hand/foot is actually in a hold. Falling feels far less random and the game felt much fairer. It's not an 'assist' so it doesn't change the difficult down from Alpinist (or Free Solo).

I'd still recommend hold feedback as it helps you know when you've actually got your foot in a hold and when its on a sheer.

On the piton side, when you get to a certain area early enough in the game, you'll see 'The Child' statue on the right hand side - I'd recommend exploring that and climbing up into it. Similarly when you get to a rope bridge, you'll see a similar statue underneath it, which I'd recommend scaling down to and exploring. Both have items that will be extremely helpful later on as it relates to pitons. They're optional but worth it.

Other tips are to use your consumables and cook, cook, cook. You can mix flowers and hot water to make infusions which give you boosts. If you then cook that infusion with another flower, it creates a stronger infusion. And then again up until you have an ultimate infusion which is unreal to use. Keep your empty bottles and store your mixes. 'Grit' is a great perk as it freezes your temperature, hunger and thirst.

Definitely explore around as there are things to find that will make your climb a lot easier.

I still can't believe I got to exist in this universe at the same time as being able to stack Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 onto the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge.

#blessed