Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence preview

After nine months of waiting, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence will finally debut in Europe next month, in a special three-disc edition. This version of the latest Metal Gear game continues where the likes of the Special Missions and Substance editions of MGS and MGS2 began, offering a suite of extra features in exchange for buying the title a second time over. So, what's in it for us, and will the Konami team be making the wait worth it?Players of the original MGS3 will no doubt be after a bit more from the re-release, and there's one feature in the first disc, Subsistence, to make another run through worthwhile. The original title's biggest criticism was the fixed camera, which simply wasn't as effective in the wilds of the jungle as it was in the confines of a military base. Subsistence brings in a new, Splinter Cell-style third-person camera, also being implemented in Metal Gear Solid 4, which should see another visit to Groznj Grad being that bit more interesting.The second disc, Persistence, is where many Metal Gear fans will be diving into first. Loaded with bonus content, the most interesting addition is the Metal Gear Online mode, a first for the series. Up to eight players can take part in suitably tweaked variations on online game standards, such as the amusingly-titled Capture the Frog, or a good old team death match. And for those of us who have yet to experience the origins of the Solid saga, the original MSX Metal Gear titles are here with full English translations for the first time.Rounding things off, us Euro types are getting a little something extra, in the form of the Existence disc. Only available in Limited Edition copies of the title in the US and Japan, it represents the closest thing yet to a Metal Gear movie. Over three hours of MGS3 cut-scenes have been re-edited with additional material and a narration track to help untangle some of the more complex plot points, with a full Dolby Digital soundtrack. This disc is a boon for series fans, especially given the US Limited Edition goes for over $100 at auction.Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is due in October across Europe. Keep an eye on Gamestyle for the final release date, and a full review of the title, offline and online.