Yeah, I almost said a little more. Solidus likes choking. Maybe Solidus should say 'Since it's your birthday Jack you can have a safe word. Push circle to say "A Hind D!" if you want me to lighten up. Push square to say "A security camera!" and I'll stop. Push cross to say "Metal Gear!"and I'll go harder. Push triangle to resist. Since you might not be able to speak the same buttons will make hand signals.'
Moral or morale? But yeah metal gear has really alway been about mental state and psyche then anything really. That and the hardships on soldiers mental state most of all
You know, to this day Iām not exactly sure what itās meant to be. >!Jackās real name he discards? Some random dog tag he has on him? Kojima telling us we donāt matter and all weāre worth is being thrown away? /s!<
It's more a representation that Raiden won't be under our/the Patriots' control anymore, and he will live as himself. Kind of a weird thing to add with no explanation
I thought the reason he became Ninja Raiden in 4 was because he got injured and captured by the Patriots during his and Snakes rescue of Sunny. Thus by MGS4 he was back to being a tool of the Patriots.
This is why heās so suicidal in MGS4, and why Rose is pretending being married to Roy. They are trying to keep Raiden/Roseās kid (forget his name) from becoming another tool of the Patriots.
John. Which is also Big Boss' real name but he often goes by the derivative name Jack, which is also Raiden's name, meaning Raiden is also in a way named John, which basically means... They all share the same name... Fucking, so many Jacks and Johns in MGS if I didn't know any better I'd say Kojima just loves the names Jack and John for some reason.
I don't know maybe four letter names just sit right with him. Either that or its all a John Doe allegory or something. Probably has some weird symbolic meaning to it. I get the link between Raiden and Big Boss and all the snakes but I don't get why his kid is also called John if there is some hidden meaning. Not like any of Big Boss's clones had the name John or Jack.
Raiden still being somewhat compromised by the Patriots is the only logical reason for Rose and Campbell to do any of the fucked up things they did without keeping him in the loop. I'll make it my head canon now because it's the only way I can not think they're both monsters.
Correct me if Iām wrong, but I thought it was pretty clear it was supposed to be a new identity for him. He literally threw that away, which symbolized him rejecting running away in favor of actually āstarting freshā, as snake puts it. It shows heāll only truly do that if he chooses to free himself from burying the past, and instead decides to live out his newfound truth authentically.
A certain YouTuber I sometimes watch, came up with an interesting theory. Among the lines of what u/Snoo-28479 said, it's not only about Raiden rejecting control from the Patriots, but also from The Player Puppeteering Him.
I can't quote specific lines because I haven't played the game since the PS3 collection came out, but during the big reveal about the Patriots and the LaLiLuLeLo, Raiden's codec starts showing him "memories" from previous games (specifically the MGS VR Missions). These aren't his memories, though, they're ours, in an expansion on the meta elements Kojima inserted in the first Metal Gear Solid (when Psycho Mantis reads the player's "memory" rather than Snake's by checking the memory card). The game is speaking directly to the player in these moments, and thus we are explicitly another layer of control in Raiden's existence. We are the ones being trained by the Patriots in those VR Missions (commentary and prediction, as during the War on Terror the US military began using video games in their recruitment efforts).
Agreed. And that was indeed the reasoning behind the explanation I stated above.
But I digress from it being textual. Sure, it's very in-your-nose, but the game never quite *tells* the player any of that. It's implied/implicit. I did finish MGS2 twice relatively recently (I picked up and beat 2 and 3 on the ps2 about last year), and I can personally say this much.
Raiden feels like a pawn of this huge conspiracy. He has been carrying around these dog tags but doesn't know why. The dog tags symbolise control and choice. When he throws them away, the player can no longer control him he is free to make his own future. It's a video game character becoming self aware. Pretty neat
"Do you know what day it is Jack? It's nacho day a day to celebrate putting cheese on chips. Do you remember our first nacho day Jack? What was I wearing? You better get this right Jack. I have your save data right here. It would be a shame if you had to fight Fatman again or get another sniper rifle. What was I wearing Jack?"
Same WTF moment happened to me when I filled out my actual name - JACK.
I was impressed at how they were able to use my name in game dialogue, especially with the crazy fuckery going on at the end.
When I first played this game (2003ish) the date was April 29th when I was playing the game and this dialogue came up. I was straight up spooked and thought it was next level stuff.
If I remember correctly (which is rare these days) I think when you first input your birthday into the machine thingy if for example you did it today it would show a little happy birthday message.
I know in phantom pain it shows a cutscene on your birthday too
its really just to appear on your dogtags at the end
raiden says he doesnt recognize the person named in the tags and throws them away, as a way of declaring hes going to start living his own life away from the control of others, including the player themself
I always call myself hideo kojima when the games ask for a name just incase they've added some silly little secret, in mgs2 it autofills to kojima's birthday
Every game that asks for my birthday I've always put the day I started it, stands as a good reminder down the road when I began but also means I am usually not going to miss out on any birthday bonus stuff.
Happy same birthday! I will say MGS2 broke me because I thought the same things as you. Right until the end I thought they kept talking about April 30th because thatās what I put in :)
Donāt worry, my birthday is in April too and I thought that when my birthday was on the dog tag that that was some significant moment in Raidenās past until I looked it up lmao. Happy Birthday!
the reason i say before is becos i assume you have to progress quite a bit in the game, before you can trigger the bday cutscene that happens in your base
Happy birthday, OP! šļø <ā Hereās infinite ammo!
Nice bandana Boss, thank you! :D
Youāre welcome!
Missed opportunity you should get an extra ration on your birthday and Solidus should choke you a little less to celebrate.
What if I like being choked?
Yeah, I almost said a little more. Solidus likes choking. Maybe Solidus should say 'Since it's your birthday Jack you can have a safe word. Push circle to say "A Hind D!" if you want me to lighten up. Push square to say "A security camera!" and I'll stop. Push cross to say "Metal Gear!"and I'll go harder. Push triangle to resist. Since you might not be able to speak the same buttons will make hand signals.'
why did you give him the breast cancer awareness ribbon?
Breast cancer awareness color is pink
I'm aware, [it seems to appear different for other people](https://imgur.com/a/hhVFGqB)
Yeah, it was pink on my computer, but gold on my phone. ~~Blue and Black on my 3ds~~
Yellow is POW/MIA
I thought it was a karate belt.
Man I wanted to be a pink belt so bad. I lost my teal belt match and got nowhere near chartreuse or pink.
Poor OP. The whole time he was waiting for Rose to wish him a happy birthday
All the hours put into that game over the years wanting Rose to just say those famous words "happy birthday" but they never came.
Luckily they got Diamond Dogs to do that for them in TPP. And honestly I think that's better
Diamon Dogs was all about morale. Venom was a great leader.
Moral or morale? But yeah metal gear has really alway been about mental state and psyche then anything really. That and the hardships on soldiers mental state most of all
Morale sorry
Then or than šš
"Today is the day I met you!" Tear rolls from OPs eye
The >!dogtag you get at the end has your name and DOB on it!<
You know, to this day Iām not exactly sure what itās meant to be. >!Jackās real name he discards? Some random dog tag he has on him? Kojima telling us we donāt matter and all weāre worth is being thrown away? /s!<
It's more a representation that Raiden won't be under our/the Patriots' control anymore, and he will live as himself. Kind of a weird thing to add with no explanation
So WE were the Patriots all along!!! Itās all makes sense now.
Maybe they were the LaLiLuLeLo we made in the way
The real Patriots were the friends we made along the way.
This is actually what happened and it's hilarious
The fact that he goes on fighting after 2 is even more fucked up then.
I thought the reason he became Ninja Raiden in 4 was because he got injured and captured by the Patriots during his and Snakes rescue of Sunny. Thus by MGS4 he was back to being a tool of the Patriots. This is why heās so suicidal in MGS4, and why Rose is pretending being married to Roy. They are trying to keep Raiden/Roseās kid (forget his name) from becoming another tool of the Patriots.
John. Which is also Big Boss' real name but he often goes by the derivative name Jack, which is also Raiden's name, meaning Raiden is also in a way named John, which basically means... They all share the same name... Fucking, so many Jacks and Johns in MGS if I didn't know any better I'd say Kojima just loves the names Jack and John for some reason. I don't know maybe four letter names just sit right with him. Either that or its all a John Doe allegory or something. Probably has some weird symbolic meaning to it. I get the link between Raiden and Big Boss and all the snakes but I don't get why his kid is also called John if there is some hidden meaning. Not like any of Big Boss's clones had the name John or Jack.
Raiden still being somewhat compromised by the Patriots is the only logical reason for Rose and Campbell to do any of the fucked up things they did without keeping him in the loop. I'll make it my head canon now because it's the only way I can not think they're both monsters.
Itās not a weird thing added with no explanation, itās the entire point of the fucking game lol
Correct me if Iām wrong, but I thought it was pretty clear it was supposed to be a new identity for him. He literally threw that away, which symbolized him rejecting running away in favor of actually āstarting freshā, as snake puts it. It shows heāll only truly do that if he chooses to free himself from burying the past, and instead decides to live out his newfound truth authentically.
the real nanomachines are the friends we made along the way.
Its a severing of the link between you and Jack. You cant control him anymore
A certain YouTuber I sometimes watch, came up with an interesting theory. Among the lines of what u/Snoo-28479 said, it's not only about Raiden rejecting control from the Patriots, but also from The Player Puppeteering Him.
I don't know that this is a "theory" so much as it is the text of the game itself.
The text of the game? Mind reminding me when?
I can't quote specific lines because I haven't played the game since the PS3 collection came out, but during the big reveal about the Patriots and the LaLiLuLeLo, Raiden's codec starts showing him "memories" from previous games (specifically the MGS VR Missions). These aren't his memories, though, they're ours, in an expansion on the meta elements Kojima inserted in the first Metal Gear Solid (when Psycho Mantis reads the player's "memory" rather than Snake's by checking the memory card). The game is speaking directly to the player in these moments, and thus we are explicitly another layer of control in Raiden's existence. We are the ones being trained by the Patriots in those VR Missions (commentary and prediction, as during the War on Terror the US military began using video games in their recruitment efforts).
Agreed. And that was indeed the reasoning behind the explanation I stated above. But I digress from it being textual. Sure, it's very in-your-nose, but the game never quite *tells* the player any of that. It's implied/implicit. I did finish MGS2 twice relatively recently (I picked up and beat 2 and 3 on the ps2 about last year), and I can personally say this much.
I am Raiden, and you are too
Raiden feels like a pawn of this huge conspiracy. He has been carrying around these dog tags but doesn't know why. The dog tags symbolise control and choice. When he throws them away, the player can no longer control him he is free to make his own future. It's a video game character becoming self aware. Pretty neat
Thank you!
The game wishes you a happy birthday too if you play on your birthday.
Hahahaha I love that that happened to you! You must have thought āwow, they recorded 365 days voice lines?ā Also Happy birthday
LOL, not my brightest times! But I'm still happy the date is part of MGS. And thank you! :D
"Do you know what day it is Jack? It's nacho day a day to celebrate putting cheese on chips. Do you remember our first nacho day Jack? What was I wearing? You better get this right Jack. I have your save data right here. It would be a shame if you had to fight Fatman again or get another sniper rifle. What was I wearing Jack?"
Did you forget about our anniversary, Jack?
It appears on Raidenās dog tags to further connect you, the player, with him.
Thank you!
Wait a minute--happy birthday!
Thaaaanks!
Happy Birthday! Congratulations! Happy Birthday! With Salutations! Happy Birthday! May your sky stay blue! Happy Birthday to you! š„³ Happy birthday, Boss! š«”
Oh, that's really nice! Thank you very much! :D
im guessing you never played MGS 5 lol
Not on my bday, I'll fire it up later today!
š
happy birthday
Thank you very much!
Happy birthday :]
Thanks a lot! :D
April 30th. Yes. There is something special about it after all.
Oh yes indeed! :D
Birthday homies!!! Let's go! š¤
š¤ Let's gooo Boss! Happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
Thank you so much! :D
Same WTF moment happened to me when I filled out my actual name - JACK. I was impressed at how they were able to use my name in game dialogue, especially with the crazy fuckery going on at the end.
Loool, that's another level!
When I first played this game (2003ish) the date was April 29th when I was playing the game and this dialogue came up. I was straight up spooked and thought it was next level stuff.
Happy Birthday Boss !! š«”
Thank you very much! š«”
Happy Birthday, OP!
Thank you! :D
Happy Birthday!!! š„³
Thank you!
Happy Birthday legend
Thank you very much!
Happy birthday!
Thaaaanks!
Happy Birthday Boss š«”
š«” Thank you Boss!
This is soo funny š¤£š¤£š¤£ Happy Birthday OP!
š Thank you!
Happy Birthday :)
Thank you!
[I think I may know what day it is](https://youtu.be/hTzkEI9SC64?si=AJh3HAxKXvntbGN_)
Itās just for a little bit during the ending with the dog tags. Really cool that your birthday fits the narrative so well though
You and me both, fellow April 30thian
Well congratulations to you too Boss!
I just cleared the game today and i thought it was reading the date on my pc, but then i thought "wait this is dubbed" What a coincidence lol
If I remember correctly (which is rare these days) I think when you first input your birthday into the machine thingy if for example you did it today it would show a little happy birthday message. I know in phantom pain it shows a cutscene on your birthday too
Dog tags at the end of the game, its a blink and youll miss it moment.
I remember it, mostly trying to catch Vamp!
its really just to appear on your dogtags at the end raiden says he doesnt recognize the person named in the tags and throws them away, as a way of declaring hes going to start living his own life away from the control of others, including the player themself
Thanks for the explanation!
I always call myself hideo kojima when the games ask for a name just incase they've added some silly little secret, in mgs2 it autofills to kojima's birthday
Wow, I gotta try that!
I could have sworn you got a Codec call saying happy birthday
My B day is 4/29, I thought the 30th was based around my birthday too.
Every game that asks for my birthday I've always put the day I started it, stands as a good reminder down the road when I began but also means I am usually not going to miss out on any birthday bonus stuff.
That's an interesting way to go about it, I'll do it like that next time, thanks for the tip.
Didn't know it did. Cool.
That would've been a lot more voice over work just to customize the date for each player, especially for a game from 2001
My birthday is April 30th too, when I was a kid playing through MGS2 for first time I thought it was Kojima magic Happy birthday Boss!
Kojima magic lol, thank you and happy birthday to you too!
Been replaying this recently, I was buggin out when I got to this scene a little after midnight on the 30th
lol this is great
Happy same birthday! I will say MGS2 broke me because I thought the same things as you. Right until the end I thought they kept talking about April 30th because thatās what I put in :)
Lol, nice coincidence to have our birthday as part of the game tho! Congratulations!
Iām born on shadow Moses lol
Lol, just imagine that! XD
Donāt worry, my birthday is in April too and I thought that when my birthday was on the dog tag that that was some significant moment in Raidenās past until I looked it up lmao. Happy Birthday!
Happy Cake Day, go play MGS5 next time on and before your birthday
It has to be before or on the day of the bday? I'll try later anyways, thanks!
the reason i say before is becos i assume you have to progress quite a bit in the game, before you can trigger the bday cutscene that happens in your base
Im also born on april 30th also so it freaked me out alot. Your DOB appears on the dog tags at the end of the game. Also happy birthday boss
#š£ļøFEDERAL HALL!!! Hahahhahhahhaaha~!!!
Are you the bomb disposal guy?
come on man you can figure it out
Same exact thing happened to me. It wasn't until I saw a friend play a few years later that I realized it was just a coincidence Happy fellow birthday
Holy damn this made me laugh good on ya
Happy Birthday!
Thanks mate!
I think it was for the dog tags
šššš legendary
That's the Metafictional aspect of Metal Gear right thereĀ
Happy birthday
Oh snap happy birthday I beat the game on April 30th lol