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'''''Tristan und Isolde''''' is an [[opera]] in three acts by [[Richard Wagner]]. It was composed between [[1857]] and [[1859]], and received its first production in [[Munich]] on [[June 10]], [[1865]].
{{Infobox CVG| title = Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
|image = [[Image:Mgs3 logo.jpg|center|300px|Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater logo]]
|developer = [[Konami Computer Entertainment Japan|Konami JPN]]
|publisher = [[Konami]]
|designer = [[Hideo Kojima]]
|engine =
|released = [[November 17]], [[2004]] ([[North America|NA]])<br>[[December 16]], [[2004]] ([[Japan|JP]])<br>[[December 30]], [[2004]] ([[South Korea|KR]])<br>[[March 4]], [[2005]] ([[Europe|EU]])
|genre = [[Stealth-based game|Stealth action]]
|modes = [[Single player]]
|ratings = [[ESRB]]: Mature (M)<br>[[BBFC]]: 15<br>[[Computer Entertainment Rating Organization|CERO]]: 18+<br>[[PEGI]]: 16+
|platforms = [[PlayStation 2]]
|media =
|requirements =
|input =
}}
'''''Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater''''' (commonly abbreviated '''''MGS3''''') is a [[stealth-based game]] that was directed by [[Hideo Kojima]] and [[video game developer|developed]] and [[video game publisher|published]] by [[Konami]] for the [[PlayStation 2]]. It is the fifth game in the ''[[Metal Gear]]'' series, and was released in [[North America]] on [[November 17]], [[2004]], in [[Japan]] on [[December 16]], 2004, and in [[Europe]] on [[March 4]], [[2005]].
== Sources ==
In the principal parts of this opera Wagner followed the romance of [[Gottfried von Strassburg]], which in turn is based on the story of [[Tristan]] and [[Isolde]] from [[King Arthur|Arthur]]ian legend.
==Storyline==
{{spoiler}}
The game takes place during the [[Cold War]] in [[1964]], in the jungles of the [[Soviet Union]]. Players take the identity of U.S. [[CIA]] soldier "[[Big Boss|Naked Snake]]" to rescue a defecting Russian scientist named Sokolov, and to destroy an advanced nuclear battle tank "[[Shagohod]]", a '60s precursor to the walking [[mecha]] known as Metal Gear. Consequently, this is the first Metal Gear game which does not feature a true Metal Gear - although this "future" technology ''is'' mentioned in passing by a couple of the characters whom Snake meets.
== Critical reception ==
The game takes place in two missions, the '''Virtuous Mission''' and '''Operation Snake Eater'''.
Many Wagnerian critics of the time claimed that the musical portion of the opera attained the highest summit of all music; on the other hand, an equally influential group of critics, centered around [[Eduard Hanslick]], condemned the work as being incomprehensible.
===Virtuous Mission===
A [[Soviet]] [[scientist]] named [[Nikolai Stephanovich Sokolov]], who had requested [[political asylum|asylum]] in the [[United States]], has been transported back to the [[Soviet Union]]. (The storyline explains that this was actually a trade for the Soviets to withdraw their missiles from [[Cuba]] during the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]].)
== Significance in the development of classical music ==
On [[August 24]], [[1964]], Naked Snake (from here on "Snake"), an agent of the CIA's [[Force Operation X|FOX]] unit, [[parachute]]s into a Soviet region called "[[Tselinoyarsk]]". It is implied, based upon its ___location and geography, that Tselinoyarsk is the same region where Big Boss's [[Zanzibar Land]] would be founded. Under the orders of [[Major Zero]] (changed to "Major Tom" at the start of the mission; the name taken from the movie ''[[The Great Escape]]''), Snake's mission is to retrieve Sokolov. However, he must do it secretly, as revealing the presence of the United States in enemy territory would prove to be disastrous.
The very first chord in the piece is the so-called ''[[Tristan chord]]'', often taken to be of great significance in the move away from traditional [[tonality|tonal]] [[harmony]]:
Snake succeeds in making contact with Sokolov, who explains that he is being forced to finish developing a new [[weapon]] known as the Shagohod, which will give the Soviet Union the ultimate advantage in the Cold War.
[[Image:Wagner Tristan opening.png]]
On the way back to the extraction point, Snake and Sokolov cross a [[rope bridge]]. There, they encounter Snake's mentor, [[The Boss]], who reveals she is [[defector|defecting]] to the Soviet Union. Sokolov is captured by members of the [[Cobra unit]]; The Boss intends to give him, as well as two miniature nuclear shells known as [[Davy Crockett (nuclear device)|Davy Crockett]]s, to [[Colonel Volgin]], her new ally. Colonel Volgin is a member of [[GRU]], and is also part of the "Brezhnev Faction," an extremist faction in the Soviet Army which seeks to topple the government of [[Nikita Khrushchev]] and install [[Leonid Brezhnev]] and [[Alexey Kosygin]] in his place (in the game Volgin is revealed to actually be the creator of the plot itself). Volgin appears and tells The Boss that Snake must die since he has seen his face, so that their plans to overthrow Khrushchev won't be revealed. The Boss then throws Snake off the bridge and into the river below.
'''Sound samples'''
The villains make their escape via [[helicopter]], with the Shagohod in tow. Volgin uses one of the Davy Crocketts- a recoiless, portable nuclear warhead- despite Ocelot's protests, to destroy Sokolov's research facility, OKB-754.
* [[Image:Audiobutton.png]] [[Media:Wagner Tristan opening.midi|Sound sample of these bars]] ([[MIDI]] file)
* [[Image:Audiobutton.png]] [[Media:Tristan und Isolde beginning clip.ogg|Recording of these bars]] ([[Ogg Vorbis]] file)
== Characters ==
===Operation Snake Eater===
On [[August 30]], nearly one week after the failure of the Virtuous Mission, Snake once again lands into Tselinoyarsk - this time by a drone. It was revealed that the FOX unit's [[gunship]] was detected by Soviet [[radar]] as it rescued Snake, thus implicating America in the explosion. Therefore, Khrushchev tells [[Lyndon B. Johnson|President Johnson]] that he will declare war on America in one week if Snake does not eliminate The Boss and Volgin to prove America's innocence in the destruction of the research facility.
*Tristan ([[Tenor]])
Snake's first objective is to meet with a former [[National Security Agency|NSA]] [[Cryptanalysis|code breaker]] called ADAM, who had defected in [[September]] [[1960]] along with EVA. On the way, The Boss corners Snake and destroys his weapons. When he gets to Rassvet, the rendezvous point, he instead finds EVA. EVA reveals to Snake that she has infiltrated [[Groznyj Grad]], Volgin's personal base, by posing as Sokolov's lover. It is later revealed she is not EVA at all, but actually an agent of the Chinese branch of The Philosophers.
*Isolde ([[Soprano]])
*King Marke ([[Bass (musical term)|Bass]])
*Kurwenal ([[Baritone]])
*Brangaene ([[Mezzo-soprano]])
*Melot (Tenor)
*A shepherd (Tenor)
*Helmsman (Bass)
*Voice of a young sailor (Tenor)
*Male and Female Chorus
== Story ==
Snake is instructed to go to Graniny Gorki, the Soviet research facility under Volgin's control, where Sokolov is supposedly being held. Infiltrating the building under the guise of a scientist, he finds the drunken head of the OKB-812 Granin Design Bureau, Granin, who is driven by jealousy of Sokolov's fame and access to research funds. He gives Snake a key that allows Snake to head to the mountains, where he will be able to access a secret tunnel into Groznyj Grad and rescue Sokolov, removing him from the country and thus getting rid of Granin's main rival.
{{spoiler}}
Snake eventually gets to Groznyj Grad, and must destroy the Shagohod, rescue Sokolov, and eliminate Volgin and The Boss. The Boss reveals that the fight between her and Snake will determine who will inherit the title of "Big Boss", which reveals that Snake is actually the afore mentioned "Big Boss" who later Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, and Solidus Snake were cloned from.
===TheAct PhilosophersI===
Not much is known about the Philosophers. They are an organization formed by the most powerful individuals from the [[United States]], the [[Soviet Union]], and the [[People's Republic of China]]. It was revealed during a timeline at the end of the game that the U.S. branch separated from the Philosophers and changed their name to [[The Patriots]], though the names "Patriots" and "La-li-lu-le-lo" are mentioned prior to the timeline.
Isolde and her handmaid, Brangaene are quartered aboard Tristan’s ship, being transported to King Marke’s lands in Cornwall where Isolde is to be married to the King. The opera opens with the voice of a young sailor singing of a “wild Irish maid”, which Isolde takes to be a mocking reference to herself. In a furious outburst she wishes the seas to rise up and sink the ship, killing all on board. Her scorn and rage are directed particularly at Tristan, the knight who is taking her to Marke. She sends Brangaene to command Tristan to appear before her, but Tristan refuses Brangaene's request, saying that his place is at the helm. His henchman, Kurwenal, answers more brusqely, saying that Isolde is in no position to command Tristan, and reminding Brangaene that Isolde’s previous husband, Morold was killed by Tristan.
===The Philosophers' Legacy===
''The Philosophers' Legacy'' is a massive fund that was collected during [[World War II]] by various powerful and influential individuals in the [[United States]], the [[USSR]], and [[China]] collectively known as ''The Philosophers''. The fund itself is worth over One Hundred Billion dollars (if you compare currency values, One Hundred Billion in 1945 today would be worth over One Trillion, and in 1964, it would be worth around 600 Billion), and all three branches of ''The Philosophers'' are trying to get it for themselves.
Brangaene returns to Isolde to relate these events, and Isolde sadly tells her of how, following the death of Morold, a stranger called Tantris had been brought to her, found mortally wounded in a boat, and that she had used her healing powers to restore him to health. However she discovered that Tantris was actually Tristan, the murderer of her husband, and had tried to kill him with his sword as he lay helpless before her. However Tristan had looked not at the sword that would kill him, but into her eyes, and this had pierced her heart. Tristan had been allowed to leave, but had returned with the intention of marrying Isolde to his uncle, King Marke. Isolde, in her fury at Tristan’s betrayal, insists that he drink atonement to her, and from her medicine-chest produces the vial which will make this drink. Brangaene is shocked to see that it is a lethal poison.
Colonel Volgin was made rich because his father was one of the men placed in charge of managing and [[money laundering|laundering]] the Legacy. In the confusion that ensued after the war ended, Volgin's father devised a way to make sure that the Soviet Union would have total control of the Legacy. To prevent anyone from tracking it, he devided the money up, and laundered it through banks in Switzerland, Australia, and Hong Kong.
At this point Kurwenal appears in the women’s quarters saying that Tristan has agreed after all to see Isolde. When he arrives, Isolde tells him that she now knows that he was Tantris, and that he owes her his life. Tristan agrees to drink the potion, now prepared by Brangaene, even though he knows it may kill him. As he drinks, Isolde tears the remainder of the potion from him and drinks it herself. At this moment, each believing that their life is about to end, they declare their love for each other. Their rapture is interrupted by Kurwenal, who announces the imminent arrival on board of King Marke. Isolde asks Brangaene which potion she prepared and is told that it was no poison, but a love-potion. Outside, the sailors hail the arrival of King Marke.
Near the end of the game, Colonel Volgin showed Snake a case of microfilm, which he said was ''The Philosophers' Legacy''. In reality, that microfilm contained a record of all the transactions Volgin's father made when he divided the Legacy. The main mission of ''Metal Gear Solid 3'', while initially focused on the Shagohod, is actually about this fund. At the end of the game it is revealed that only half of the money has made it back to the U.S (Ocelot reports that the KGB must have the other half) but later the rest of the fund was recovered, which would lead to their seperation from ''The Philosophers'' and forming [[The Patriots]] discussed in ''[[Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty]]''.
===CharactersAct II===
====Main Characters====
{{Metal Gear Character|
image=[[Image:Naked Snake.jpg|300px]] |
bgcolor=#039|
fgcolor=#fff|
aliases="John Doe"|
nationality=USA|
codename=Naked Snake|
realname=Jack|
affiliations=[[Force Operation X|FOX]] |
gender=[[Male]]|
actor=[[David Hayter]]|
japanactor=[[Akio Otsuka]] |
motionactor=[[Mizuho Yoshida]]|
}}
A nocturnal hunting party leaves King Marke’s castle empty except for Isolde and Brangaene, who stand beside a burning brazier. Isolde several times believes that the hunting horns are far enough away to allow her to extinguish the flames, giving the signal for Tristan to join her. Brangaene warns Isolde that one of King Marke’s knights, Melot, has seen the looks exchanged between Tristan and Isolde, and suspects their passion. Isolde, however, believes Melot to be Tristan’s most loyal friend, and in a frenzy of desire extinguishes the flames. Brangaene retires to the ramparts to keep watch as Tristan arrives.
*'''[[Naked Snake|Naked Snake/Big Boss]]''' - The main character of the game. In 1964, he was recruited by the fledgling FOX (Force Operation X) unit, and underwent an operation titled the Virtuous Mission, in which he was to rescue a defecting Soviet scientist, Dr. Nikolai Stepanovich Sokolov. It was during this mission that Jack was given the codename "Naked Snake."
The lovers, alone at last and freed from the constraints of courtly life, declare their passion for each other. Tristan decries the realm of daylight which is false, unreal, and keeps them apart. It is only in night that they can truly be together, and only in the long night of death that they can be eternally united. Brangaene is heard several times throughout their long tryst calling a warning that the night is ending, but the lovers ignore her. Finally the day breaks in on the lovers, Melot leads Marke and his men to find Tristan and Isolde in each others arms. Marke is heart-broken, not only because of his betrayal by his adopted son, Tristan, but because he, too, has come to love Isolde.
However, this mission failed, due to the defection of The Boss. A week later, FOX unit and Snake were assigned Operation Snake Eater, in which the objective was to eliminate The Boss and her new Soviet ally, Colonel Volgin, as well as rescue Sokolov. It was during this mission that Snake came across the prototype designs for the Metal Gear bipedal tank from Director Granin, who was sending them to a colleague in America. This colleague was the grandfather of Hal Emmerich, aka "Otacon," first introduced in Metal Gear Solid.
Tristan now asks Isolde if she will follow him again into the realm of night, and she agrees. Melot and Tristan fight, but at the crucial moment, Tristan throws his sword aside and is mortally wounded by Melot.
During this mission, Snake lost his right eye to a bullet from Ocelot's revolver while enduring torture. However, he succeeded in completing the mission, and killed The Boss and Colonel Volgin. For this, he was given the title of "Big Boss" by President Johnson.
====SupportingAct Characters=III===
*'''[[Major Zero|Major Zero/Major Tom]]''' - Formerly of the UK [[Special Air Service|SAS]] (where he served with The Boss), Major Tom is the operational commander for the Virtuous Mission and the subsequent Operation Snake Eater. He is also the commander of the FOX Unit. He is a fan of [[James Bond]] and is interested in [[cryptozoology]], specifically, the [[Tsuchinoko]].
Kurwenal has brought Tristan home to his castle at Kareol in Brittany. A shepherd pipes a mournful tune and asks if Tristan is awake. Kurwenal says that only Isolde’s arrival can save Tristan. The shepherd says he will keep watch and pipe a happy tune to mark the arrival of any ship. Tristan now wakes and mourns that he is again in the false realm of daylight, once more driven by unceasing unquenchable yearning, until Kurwenal tells him that Isolde is coming. Tristan is overjoyed and asks if her ship is in sight, but only the shepherd’s sorrowful tune is heard.
*'''[[Eva (Metal Gear)|EVA/Tatyana/Tanya]]''' - She is originally believed to be the KGB agent sent to assist Naked Snake in Operation Snake Eater. She also assists Snake in destroying the Shagohod and eliminating Colonel Volgin. It is later revealed she was not an agent for the KGB, but an agent for the Philosophers branch in China. Her real mission is to retrieve the Philosophers' Legacy for China and kill anyone she sees while attempting to do so, meaning she is supposed to kill Snake. Instead, she spares him (soley because of a promise she made to The Boss).
Tristan relapses and recalls that the shepherd’s tune is the one he heard when his father and then his mother died. Once again he rails against his desires and against the fateful love-potion until he collapses in delirium. At this point the shepherd is heard piping the arrival of Isolde’s ship, and as Kurwenal rushes to meet her, Tristan in his excitement tears the bandages from his wounds. As Isolde arrives at his side, Tristan dies with her name on his lips.
*'''[[Para-Medic]]''' - Para-Medic is a member of the support staff, serving as a physician and mission analyst. She provides information on local flora and fauna. She is a huge fan of [[Film|movie]]s.
Isolde collapses beside him as the appearance of another ship is announced. Kurwenal sees Melot, Marke and Brangaene arrive and furiously attacks Melot to avenge Tristan. In the fight both Melot and Kurwenal are killed. Marke and Brangaene finally reach Isolde and Marke, grieving over the body of his “truest friend” explains that he has learnt of the love-potion from Brangaene and had come, not to part the lovers, but to unite them. Isolde appears to wake but, in a final aria describing her vision of Tristan risen again (the “Liebestod”), dies of grief.
*'''[[Sigint (Metal Gear)|Sigint]]''' - Sigint provides detailed information on weaponry, machinery, camouflage, and gadgetry. Contrary to popular belief, he is not Donald Anderson, the [[DARPA]] Chief from ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]''. He provides useful strategies and tactics in boss battles and other situations. His codename refers to the military term "[[SIGINT]]" (SIGnal INTelligence).
== Influence of Schopenhauer on ''Tristan und Isolde'' ==
*'''[[Nikolai Stephanovich Sokolov]]''' - One of the principal designers of the Shagohod. He was also a principal designer on the Russian [[Vostok rocket]], though he laments their use as weapons.
Wagner was introduced to the work of the philosopher [[Arthur Schopenhauer]] by his friend [[Georg Herwegh]] in late 1854. The composer was immediately struck by the philosophical ideas to be found in “Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung” ([[The World as Will and Idea]]), and it is clear that the composer and the philosopher had a very similar world-view. By the end of that year, he had sketched out all three acts of an opera on the theme of Tristan and Isolde, although it was not until 1857 that he began working full-time on the opera, putting aside the composition of [[Der Ring des Nibelungen]] to do so.
*'''[[Aleksandr Leonovitch Granin]]''' - Director of the Graniny Gorki Research and Design Lab, he is the initial developer and champion of [[Metal Gear]]. His USSR compatriots, however, do not share his vision of a biped-walking tank and the Shagohod eclipses his own research in importance. He then shares his research with an American colleague who turns out to be [[Otacon]]'s father. Granin gives Snake information on the Philosopher's Legacy as well as provides access to Groznyj Grad. Granin has been award twice with the [[Order of Lenin]], which he wears on his suit jacket.
Wagner said in a letter to [[Liszt]] (December 1854): “Never in my life having enjoyed the true happiness of love I shall erect a memorial to this loveliest of all dreams in which, from the first to the last, love shall, for once, find utter repletion. I have devised in my mind a ''Tristan und Isolde'', the simplest, yet most full-blooded musical conception imaginable, and with the ‘black flag’ that waves at the end I shall cover myself over – to die.”
By 1857 Wagner was living as the guest of the wealthy silk merchant [[Otto von Wesendonck]], and during the composition of ''Tristan und Isolde'' was involved with Wesendonck’s wife, Mathilde, although it remains uncertain as to whether or not this relationship was platonic.
Nevertheless, the twin influences of Schopenhauer and Mathilde inspired Wagner during the composition of ''Tristan und Isolde''. Schopenhauer’s influence is felt most directly in the second and third acts. The first act is relatively straightforward, consisting mostly of an exposition of how Tristan and Isolde come to be in their current state. However the second act, where the lovers meet, and the third act, in which Tristan longs for release from the passions that torment him, have often proved puzzling to opera-goers unfamiliar with Schopenhauer’s work.
*'''[[The Sorrow]]''' - Is a [[ghost]]. He appears at certain points, often behind The Boss, who is unaware of his presence. The Sorrow can contact the spirits of the dead. He also cries blood and can summon thunderstorms. In life, The Boss was forced to kill him on a mission. This happened despite the two being lovers. He is also presumed to be Ocelot's father. Despite the fact that he is often considered to be a villian, he offers you helpful hints throughout the game and even summons the lightining bolt that kills Volgin.
Wagner uses the metaphor of day and night in the second act to designate the realms inhabited by Tristan and Isolde. The world of Day is one where the lovers must deny their love and pretend they do not care for each other, where they are bound by the dictates of King Marke’s court: it is a realm of falsehood and unreality. Tristan declares in Act 2 that under the dictates of the realm of Day he was forced to remove Isolde from Ireland and to marry her to his Uncle Marke. The realm of Night, in contrast, is the representation of intrinsic reality, where the lovers can be together, where their desires reach fulfillment: it is the realm of oneness, truth and reality. Wagner here equates the realm of Day with Schopenhauer’s concept of [[Phenomenon]], and the realm of Night with Schopenhauer’s concept of [[Noumenon]]. This is not explicitly stated in the libretto, however Tristan’s comments on Day and Night in Act 2 and 3 make it very clear that this is Wagner’s intention.
In Schopenhauer’s philosophy, the world as we experience it is a representation of an unknowable reality. Our representation of the world (which is false) is [[Phenomenon]], while the unknowable reality is [[Noumenon]]: these concepts are developments of ideas originally posited by [[Kant]]. Importantly for Tristan and Isolde, Schopenhauer’s concept of Noumenon is one where all things are indivisible and one: and it is this very idea of one-ness that Tristan yearns for in Acts 2 and 3 of Tristan und Isolde. Tristan is also aware that this realm of Night, or Noumenon can only be shared by the lovers in its fullest sense when they die. The realm of Night therefore also becomes the realm of death: the only world in which Tristan and Isolde can be united forever, and it is this realm that Tristan speaks of at the end of Act two (“Dem Land das Tristan meint, der Sonne Lich nicht Scheint”).
Tristan rages against the daylight in Act 3 and frequently cries out for release from his desires (Sehnen): it is also part of Schopenhauer’s philosophy that man is driven by continued, unachievable desires, and that the gulf between our desires and the possibility of achieving them leads to misery. The only way for man to achieve inner peace is to renounce his desires: a theme that Wagner explores fully in his last opera, [[Parsifal]].
====Villains====
*'''[[Volgin]]''' - A Russian [[nationalist]], and the Colonel of [[GRU]]. His body carries an electrical charge of ten million [[volt]]s, thereby earning him the nickname "Thunderbolt". He has control of a Davy Crockett nuclear warhead, given to him by The Boss. Volgin takes control of the [[Shagohod]]. He is also believed to be bisexual, as hinted in the game with Major [[Ivan Raidenovich Raikov]] and EVA.
== Recordings of Tristan und Isolde ==
*'''[[Revolver Ocelot|Ocelot]]''' - Is [[Revolver Ocelot]] from past ''Metal Gear Solid'' installments. He is the Major of the Ocelot unit of the [[Spetsnaz]]. He is a very skilled gunman. He uses the [[Makarov PM]], and then the [[Colt Single Action Army]] on advice from [[Naked Snake]]. He is hinted to be the son of The Boss and The Sorrow. At the end of the game it is shown that he is really the NSA codebreaker ADAM, and is a triple agent still in the employ of the CIA.
Tristan und Isolde has always been acknowledged as one of the greatest operas, and has a long recorded history. In the years before the [[Second World War]], [[Kirsten Flagstad]] and [[Lauritz Melchior]] were considered to be the prime interpreters of the lead roles, and mono recordings exist of a number of live performances with this pair directed by conductors such as [[Thomas Beecham]], [[Fritz Reiner]], [[Artur Bodanzky]] and [[Erich Leinsdorf]] . Flagstad recorded the part for EMI near the end of her career under [[Wilhelm Furtwangler]], producing a set which is considered a classic recording. Following the war the performances at [[Bayreuth Festival|Bayreuth]] with [[Martha Modl]] and [[Ramon Vinay]] under [[Herbert von Karajan]] (1952) were highly regarded, and these performances are now available as a live recording. In the 1960s the soprano [[Birgit Nilsson]] was considered the major Isolde interpreter, and she was often partnered by the Tristan of [[Wolfgang Windgassen]]. Their performances at Bayreuth in 1966 were captured by Deutsche Grammophon, although some collectors prefer the pairing of Nilsson with the Canadian tenor [[Jon Vickers]], available in “unofficial” recordings from performances in Vienna or Orange. Karajan did not record the opera commercially until 1971, and his set is still controversial for the use of a lighter soprano voice as Isolde, paired with an extremely intense Vickers, and for the unusual balance between orchestra and singers favoured at that time by Karajan. By the 1980s recorded sets by conductors such as [[Carlos Kleiber]], [[Reginald Goodall]] and [[Leonard Bernstein]] were mostly considered to be important for the interpretation of the conductor, rather than that of the lead performers. The set by Kleiber is notable since Isolde is sung by [[Margaret Price]], who never sang the role on stage.
*'''[[The Boss|The Boss/The Joy]]''' - A woman who is Snake's mentor and teacher. Her codename within the Cobra Unit was The Joy, since she felt joy only in battle. Hinted to be the mother of Ocelot and also hinted to have been more than a mentor and master to Naked Snake.
There are many recordings of the opera, some of the most popular being listed below:
*'''[[The Pain]]''' - Controls hornets. Previous to joining the Cobras, he worked with bees. His lust for pain led the Boss to approve his joining the group.
* [[Karl Elmendorff]] conducting the Bayreuther Festspiele Orchester with Gunnar Graarud as Tristan and Nanny Larsen-Todsen as Isolde, 1928 (Columbia Records, mono, rereleased in 2003 on CD by Naxos)
*'''[[The Fear]]''' - Superhumanly agile and double jointed in both elbows. A master of simple booby traps, projectile weapons and stealth. Compares himself to a spider.
* Thomas Beecham/Fritz Reiner conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra with Kirsten Flagstad and Lauritz Melchior, 1936 – 1937 (EMI, mono)
*'''[[The End (character)|The End]]''' - The fictional "Father of Modern Sniping." He is over 100 years old, said to be a veteran of over a dozen wars, and is an [[autotroph]]. He can therefore remain stationary for extremely long periods of time while the moss growing within him provides energy for his body.
* Wilhelm Furtwangler conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra with Kirsten Flagstad and Ludwig Suthaus, 1953 (EMI, mono)
*'''[[The Fury (Metal Gear)|The Fury]]''' - Was a former soviet cosmonaut who suffered 3rd degree burns all over his body upon reentry, and felt a terrible fury at being alive. Armed with a flamethrower. When he dies strange spirits fly from his body.
* Karl Bohm conducting the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Birgit Nilsson and Wolfgang Windgassen, 1966 (Deutsche Grammophon, stereo)
==Gameplay==
[[Image:MGS3_scope.jpg|thumb|right|View of enemy with sniper scope + thermal goggles]]
''Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater'''s gameplay is based heavily on [[camouflage]]. A meter called the "camouflage index" displays the character's visibility, on a scale from negative values (highly visible) up to 100% (completely invisible). The player is able to put on various uniforms, such as "Tiger Stripe" or "Olive Drab", in conjunction with [[face paint]], in order to increase this camouflage index. There is also a fake crocodile head to wear. Hideo Kojima has included a "Naked" camouflage, which renders the player character shirtless. This function is for "[[Rambo]]" type players, he says.
* Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with Helga Dernesch and Jon Vickers, 1972 (EMI, stereo)
The emphasis on weapons is higher than in previous installments of the ''Metal Gear'' series. In the game, the [[player]] has access to a shotgun, pistols, various automatic rifles, and grenades. This way, the player character can choose whether to focus on evading enemies or a full-frontal assault.
* Carlos Kleiber conducting the Dresden Staatskapelle with Margaret Price and Rene Kollo, 1982 (Deutsche Grammophon, stereo)
The game is set in the jungles of [[Russia]], so the environment is a big part of the game. The player can climb trees, hide in grass and swim in rivers and ponds. Also, the player must live off the land by capturing or killing plants and animals, and eating them to increase stamina, which is drained through the game.
===New features===
* '''A "Survival Viewer"''' - The Survival Viewer is a major addition to the series; instead of a simple pause menu, the player can rifle through Snake's backpack for supplies, eat, change camouflage, and perform other actions.
# '''Camouflage''' - The [[camouflage]] delivers the increased ability to venture [[stealth]]ily throughout the game. The player can change the look of Naked Snake's face and uniform to blend into the [[terrain]]'s surroundings, gain the special abilities a uniform can provide or just change his look for an unspecified reason. In [[May 2004]], Konami started a contest on ''Metal Gear Solid 3'''s official website. This contest, called the Camouflage Campaign, allowed fans to design and send in a camouflage pattern for selection to appear in the game (and the designers' names would appear in the game's credits). The competition ended in [[July]], and four designs were selected out of the 5,482 sent in. Additional camouflage patterns are available for [[download]] from Konami, if the [[PlayStation 2|PS2]] has the [[PlayStation 2 Expansion Bay#Network Adaptor|network adaptor]] installed.
# '''Backpack''' - The character can only hold a certain amount of items and weapons at a time. Through the backpack screen they can rotate items between the backpack and being equipped. You can carry up to 8 items along with 8 weapons at a time. Each weapon or piece of equipment weighs a certain amount, varying how fast you can move and how quickly your stamina drains.
# '''Food''' - ''MGS3'' utilizes, in conjunction with the health bar, a stamina bar, which deteriorates over time, and at a faster rate if Snake is injured or overexerted. To reverse this effect, Snake has to eat food found around the map from the Food section of the Survival menu.
# '''Cure''' - Through the help of Para-Medic, Naked Snake can heal himself (and EVA, later in the game) whenever he is wounded using a range of medications and field surgery techniques.
# '''Map''' - Shows the topographic map of the area immediately surrounding the player with added detail for visited sections.
* '''Close Quarters Combat ([[Close Quarters Combat|CQC]])''' - A tactical fighting system that enables the player character to execute various moves on the opponent. There is a fairly wide range of moves, with techniques including flipping and disarming, throwing, neck breaking, and holding the enemy hostage with a knife for interrogation purposes.
* '''The ability to change the camera angle''' - Unlike the other ''Metal Gear Solid'' games, where there is a very fixed field of vision (unless the player goes into first person view, which yields other vision restrictions), ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' lets the player move the game camera around temporarily with the right analog stick. The surrounding vision is increased slightly, but only in the direction the player is pointing the camera to. The camera can then be temporarily locked in that direction, by clicking the right analogue stick inwards.
==Snake= vs.Video Monkey===
* ''Tristan und Isolde'' [[Conductor]]: Karl Bohm. ORTF orchestra. Soloists: Brigitte Nilsson, Jon Vickers; 1973, at the Theatre Antique, Orange, France. Despite some technical problems and limited commercial distribution, it is still the finest video recording for its powerful performance (as of 2005-11-21).
''Snake vs. Monkey'' is a [[mini-game]] included within ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' starring [[Solid Snake]] (using the [[Naked Snake]] model) which crosses over with [[Sony Computer Entertainment]]'s ''[[Ape Escape]]'' series. The objective of the game is to capture all the [[monkey]]s within several stages (all set in areas from the main game) using a stun gun. When the player clears a stage, new equipment, such as the active sonar and stun grenades, will become available that makes capturing monkeys easier. The player is awarded with the ''Banana'' camo pattern and a monkey mask after clearing all stages and achieving top scores respectively.
* ''Tristan und Isolde'' [[Conductor]]: [[Daniel Barenboim]], Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele, Staged and Directed by: [[Jean-Pierre Ponnelle]], Soloists: René Kollo, Johanna Meier, Matti Salminen, Hermann Becht, Hanna Schwarz, Unitel 1983, [[Laserdisc]] Philips 070-509-1
The game opens with a comical radio conversation between Snake and [[Roy Campbell (Metal Gear)|Colonel Campbell]] in which the two make references to other characters from the ''Metal Gear'' and ''Ape Escape'' games, as well other [[stealth-based game]]s.
== Guy Savage ==
''Metal Gear Solid 3'' contains a secret mini-game called the Guy Savage (as stated in the credits). In this mini-game, the player controls as a character who uses two large blades to slash his way through an army of [[zombie]]-like monsters. Guy Savage is completely unrelated to the storyline of ''Metal Gear Solid 3'', and bears no resemblance to ''MGS3'' in controls, graphics, or gameplay. It is, however, very competent as a stand-alone game. It bears some resemblance to ''[[BloodRayne 2]]'' in gameplay.
To play Guy Savage, the game must be saved in the cell, after Naked Snake has endured the brutal torture session. When that save file is loaded, the game will go straight into the Guy Savage. The mode will only last for a set amount of time; when it ends, the screen fades to black, then fades from black to a shot of Snake waking up from the nightmare.
The main game's end credits are what list the mini-game as "Guy Savage" with [[Shuyo Murata]] as the director; it is suspected that the mini-game is a teaser of an in-production game of the same name. Although Konami trademarked the name during ''MGS3'''s production, they have yet to comment on it, or confirm a title of that name.
The mini-game is also named (the first time for most) as Guy Savage in an issue of Playstation Magazine.
==Music==
''Metal Gear Solid 2'''s composing duo of [[Norihiko Hibino]] and [[Harry Gregson-Williams]] return for ''MGS3'', providing material for both [[cut scenes]] and the game itself. After ''MGS2'', Gregson-Williams joked that he would compose for the sequel if it was set in the Amazon; he was reportedly pleasantly surprised when he discovered the actual setting. Hibino provides the game's opening theme, "Snake Eater", a distinctly [[James Bond|Bondish]] vocal track which also appears in the game proper, as performed by [[Cynthia Harrell]]. Composer and lyricist [[Rika Muranaka]] provides a song called "Don't Be Afraid" which is played during the ending for the game. The song is performed by [[Elisa Fiorillo]]. Gregson-Williams provided a new "''Metal Gear Solid 3'' Version" of [[TAPPY]]'s "''Metal Gear Solid'' Main Theme".
In a break from tradition, one of the ending themes of the game is not an in-house production, but [[Starsailor (band)|Starsailor]]'s "Way To Fall".
==Voice Actors==
'''''English Version'''''
*[[David Hayter]]: Naked Snake/Jack
*[[Suzetta Miñet]]: EVA
*[[Jim Piddock]]: Major Zero
*[[Heather Halley]]: Para-Medic
*[[James C. Mathis III]]: Mr. Sigint
*[[Lori Alan]]: The Boss
*[[Neil Ross]]: Colonel Volgin
*[[Josh Keaton]]: Ocelot
*[[Gregg Berger]]: The Pain
*[[Michael Bell]]: The Fear
*[[J. Grant Albrecht]]: The End
*[[Richard Doyle]]: The Fury
*[[David A. Thomas Jr.]]: The Sorrow/Chairman Khrushchev
*[[Brian Cummings]]: Nikolai Stepanovich Sokolov
*[[Jim Ward]]: Director Aleksandr Leonovitch Granin
*[[Charlie Schlatter]]: Major Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov
*[[Richard McGonagle]]: President Johnson
*[[Jesse Corti]]: Commander
*[[Keith Ferguson]], [[Robin Atkin Downes]], [[Matthew Kaminsky]], [[Philip Tanzini]], [[Scott Menville]], Chris Cox, [[Michael Gough]], Charlie Schlatter: Various Soldiers
*Michael Gough: Johnny
*[[Fred Tatasciore]]: DOD Official
*[[Paul Collins]]: CIA Director
*[[Paul Eiding]]: Colonel Campbell
'''''Japanese Version'''''
*[[Akio Otsuka]]: Naked Snake/Jack
*[[Misa Watanabe]]: EVA
*[[Banjo Ginga]]: Major Zero
*[[Houko Kuwashima]]: Para-Medic
*[[Keiji Fujiwara]]: Mr. Sigint
*[[Kikuko Inoue]]: The Boss
*[[Kenji Utsumi]]: Colonel Volgin
*[[Takumi Yamazaki]]: Ocelot
*[[Hisao Egawa]]: The Pain
*[[Kazumi Tanaka]]: The Fear
*[[Osamu Saka]]: The End
*[[Takeshi Endo]]: The Fury
*[[Yukitoshi Hori]]: The Sorrow
*[[Kozo Shioya]]: Chairman Khrushchev
*[[Naoki Tatsuta]]: Nikolai Stepanovich Sokolov
*[[Takeshi Aono]]: Director Aleksandr Leonovitch Granin
*[[Kenyu Horiuchi]]: Major Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov
*[[Takaya Hashi]]: President Johnson
*[[Tetsu Inada]]: Instructor
==Packaging art==
<center><gallery>
Image:MetalGearSolid3JP.jpg|''Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater'' <br />Sony PlayStation 2 <br />Japan, 2004
Image:Mgs3box.jpg|''Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater'' <br />Sony PlayStation 2 <br />North America, 2004
Image:MetalGearSolid3PAL.jpg|''Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater'' <br />Sony PlayStation 2 <br />Europe, 2005
</gallery></center>
==Release information==
[[Image:Vw256.jpg|thumbnail|right|Premium Package box and contents.]]
Like ''[[Metal Gear Solid 2]]'' before it, the [[Japanese (language)|Japanese]] release of ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' was held back for nearly a full month after the [[North American]] version. In contrast to the previous ''Metal Gear Solid'' titles, there weren't many differences between the Japanese and American versions in terms of content. However, the Japanese version featured more downloadable camouflage patterns through the official website beyond the initial three offered in the American version. This includes a [[New Year]]'s pattern, a [[St. Valentine]]'s pattern, an Urban Tiger camo and even a [[rainbow]] pattern. New patterns could also be downloaded from related products, such as the [[CD]] [[soundtrack]] and the ''Snake Eater'' CD [[single (music)|single]]. Customers that purchased the game from '''WonderGoo''' (a Japanese retail store) could download an exclusive WonderGoo pattern by bringing a [[memory card]] and the receipt of their purchase to the store.
Like the first two ''Metal Gear Solid'' titles, two versions of the game were released in [[Japan]]: the standard version and the "Premium Package." The Premium Package came with the actual game (along with a reversible cover art on the DVD case), a 400-page text booklet (titled ''R''), a visual booklet (titled ''L''), a DVD video and a 1/144 scale model of the [[Shagohod]].
For the [[European]] release, Konami added several new features such as additional [[face paint]]s based on various European countries' flags (as well as the [[United States]] and Japan), a new difficulty setting (European Extreme), a Demo Theater (allowing the player to customize Snake's appearance in previously-viewed cut scenes), a Duel Mode (where the player replays boss battles from the main game) and additional ''Snake vs. Monkey'' stages. Many of the downloadable camo patterns from the Japanese version were added to the European website. The camo patterns from ''The First Bite'' preview CD ([[DPM]] camo and Green facepaint) can be unlocked in the European version by clearing Duel Mode instead.
Scheduled for release in Q4 2005 for the PlayStation 2 is ''[[Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence]]'', an expanded version of ''MGS3''. It includes the original game, all of the features exclusive to ''MGS3''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s European release, several extra camouflage patterns, the first two Metal Gear games, the option of a completely 3D [[third person]] camera instead of the normal fixed one, and - for the first time in a ''Metal Gear'' game - an [[online multiplayer]] mode.
==External links==
*[http://www.konamitip.jpnet.au/gs~jgbrown/gameTristan/mgs3discography/ Discography Officialof site''Tristan atund KonamiIsolde]
*[http://www.scarp.plus.com/TristanundIsolde.html ''Tristan und Isolde'' libretto] from the Wagner Libretto Page
* [http://www.richard-wagner-postkarten.de/postkarten/tri.php Richard Wagner - Tristan und Isolde]. A gallery of historic postcards with motives from Richard Wagner's operas.
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[[Category:Stealth computer games]]
[[Category:Metal Gear games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 2 games]]
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[[Category:Romantic tragedy]]
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[[Category:Arthurian legend]]
[[Category:Operas]]
[[da:Tristan og Isolde]]
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[[pl:Tristan i Izolda (opera)]]
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