Characters of the Metal Gear series: Difference between revisions

{{Nihongo|'''Vamp'''|ヴァンプ|Vanpu}} is a member of Dead Cell from [[Romania]]. He is a knife-throwing specialist endowed with numerous [[vampire]]-like abilities and attributes, such as [[Hematophagy|a taste for blood]], [[superhuman strength]], [[Super speed|speed]], agility, the ability to walk on vertical walls and run across water (although this was based on a character that was scrapped).<ref name="yojifirst"/> His moniker has dual meanings, being a short form of the English word vampire as well as referring to his [[bisexual]] orientation.<ref>{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Liberty|developer=Konami Computer Entertainment Japan|quote='''Solid Snake''': During those two days, he survived by feeding on the blood of his family to quench his thirst. That's how he acquired a taste for blood. / '''Raiden''': So that's why they call him Vamp... / '''Solid Snake''': No, Vamp isn't for "vampire". It's because he's bisexual.}}</ref> Vamp was originally designed as a woman, but when the character of Fortune was introduced, the design was changed to that of a man, although the long black hair was retained,<ref name = Doco>{{cite video | people = Fun TV| title = Making of The Hollywood Game | medium = DVD| publisher = Konami | location = Europe |date =2001 }}</ref> with the finished model being based on dancer [[Joaquín Cortés]].<ref name="Making"/> First appearing in ''Metal Gear Solid 2'', he was part of Solidus Snake's "Sons of Liberty" terrorist group during the Plant chapter. Vamp confronts Raiden several times throughout the course of the game being seemingly killed, but still manages to survive.<ref name=mgs2_secrets>{{cite web|url=http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs2/english/mr/secret_en.html|title=Official ''Metal Gear Solid 2'' Secrets page}}</ref> In ''Metal Gear Solid 4'', Vamp appears as a member of Liquid Ocelot's private army and as Raiden's rival.<ref name="MGS4"/> His "immortality" is revealed to be caused by [[nanomachines]] in his body that heal all of his wounds at an extraordinarily fast rate (augmenting his natural healing abilities).<ref>{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots|developer=Kojima Productions|quote='''Naomi Hunter''': The nanomachines in his body cause his wounds to close and heal at an accelerated rate. Someone took the basic nanomachine technology I once researched and perfected it. In a sense, I'm responsible for Vamp.}}</ref> Using a syringe designed by Naomi Hunter to destabilize the functionality of nanomachines, Old Snake disables Vamp's nanomachines, while Raiden kills him at Shadow Moses Island.<ref>{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots|developer=Kojima Productions|quote='''Naomi:''' Now you can return to your true self. You can be at peace. / '''Vamp:''' I can... Die? / '''Naomi:''' Yes.}}</ref> Vamp was also added to the second expansion of ''[[Metal Gear Online]]'' as a playable character.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/news/metal-gear-online-adds-raiden|title=Metal Gear Online adds Raiden, Vamp|date=February 18, 2009|author=Gifford, Kevin|publisher=1UP.com|accessdate=April 4, 2012}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In the Japanese version, Vamp has been voiced by [[Ryotaro Okiayu]] (for ''Metal Gear Solid 2'' and ''Metal Gear Solid 2: Digital Graphic Novel'') and by [[Shinya Tsukamoto]] (for ''Metal Gear Solid 4''). Vamp is voiced by [[Phil LaMarr]] in the English translation.

{{nihongo|'''Para-Medic'''|パラメディック}} is a FOX support team member that provides medical information.<ref>{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater|year=2005|developer=Kojima Productions|publisher=Konami|quote='''Zero:''' The first member of the support team will be in charge of monitoring your physical condition – acting a medic, so to speak – as well as recording your mission data. She's a member of FOX as well and she's here on the gunship with me.}}</ref> Although it is set before the modern use of the word "[[paramedic]]", her codename instead comes from a [[portmanteau]] of "[[parachute]]" and "[[medic]]".<ref>{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater|year=2005|developer=Kojima Productions|publisher=Konami|quote='''Para-Medic''': Hello, Snake. I'm Para-Medic. Nice to meet you. / '''Naked Snake''': Para...Medic? / '''Para-Medic''': As in a medic who comes in by parachute.}}</ref> In ''Metal Gear Solid 3'', she provides Naked Snake with surgical information as well as general information on the local [[flora]] and [[fauna]]. She is also an avid movie-watcher, and enjoys discussing her favorite films with despite Snake's disinterest. In ''Portable Ops'', Para-Medic can be recruited into Snake's team.<ref name="portops"/> ''Metal Gear Solid 4'' revealed that Para-Medic was one of the founders of Zero's cause and the head of the "Les Enfants Terribles" project.<ref>{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots|year=2008|developer=Kojima Productions|publisher=Konami|quote='''Big Mama''': And so, Zero secretly embarked on a new project: Les Enfants Terribles. Its goal was to create a clone of Big Boss, the ultimate soldier. The project was led by Dr. Clark, known at the time as Para-Medic.}}</ref> In addition, she is actually {{nihongo|'''Dr. Clark'''|クラーク博士|Kurāku Hakase}}, a character mentioned in the original ''Metal Gear Solid'' that's responsible for Gray Fox's revival and was in-turn murdered by the original version of Cyborg Ninja (which was wanted),<ref>{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid|developer=KCEJ|publisher=Konami|quote='''Naomi''': It happened before I joined FOX-HOUND's medical staff. They were using a soldier for their gene therapy experiments. [...] It happened right after you retired. My predecessor, Dr. Clark, was in charge. [...] / '''Solid Snake''': And where is he now? / '''Naomi''': He was killed in an explosion in his lab two years ago. / '''Naomi''': Apparently for their test subject, they decided to use the body of a soldier who was recovered after the fall of Zanzibar... / '''Solid Snake''': And that was Gray Fox...}}</ref> and was referred to as a male by Naomi Hunter;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/news/metal-gear-solid-4-afterthoughts|title=Metal Gear Solid 4 Afterthoughts with Ryan Payton|date=November 9, 2008|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|accessdate=August 23, 2011|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724104654/http://www.1up.com/news/metal-gear-solid-4-afterthoughts|archivedate=July 24, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> this is later explained in ''The Phantom Pain'' when Huey Emmerich tells Venom Snake that Dr. Clark is so secretive that nobody knows anything about her, including gender. Para-Medic is voiced by [[Houko Kuwashima]] in the Japanese version and by [[Heather Halley]] in the English translation.

{{nihongo|'''Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov'''|イワン・ライデノヴィッチ・ライコフ||{{lang|ru|Иван Райденович Райков}}}} is a high-ranking officer within Groznyj Grad. He is implied to be Colonel Volgin's secret lover, and consequently has colonel-class authority despite only having a rank of major. The character is a parody of Raiden. The player is also able to wear a mask to impersonate him as Kojima noted that there were fans who wanted to play as Raiden in ''Metal Gear Solid 3''.<ref name="raikov">{{cite web| url=http://www2.1up.com/features/saving-private-raiden?pager.offset=3|title=Saving Private Raiden|publisher=[[1UP.com]] |accessdate=June 4, 2011|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://archive.is/20130116083043/http://www2.1up.com/features/saving-private-raiden?pager.offset=3|archivedate=January 16, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Besides impersonating Raikov, Naked Snake also has to knock him out to take his uniform and go to Groznyj Grad with the player also being given the choice of killing him. According to Kojima, the reason why he left Raikov's fate up to the player was largely because of Raiden's controversial popularity, where he'd allow the player, depending on whether their views of Raiden were positive or negative, to spare or kill Raikov, respectively.<ref name="MGS3 Commentary">[http://muni_shinobu.webs.com/mgs3/commentary5.html Part 5 of the Director's Commentary for ''Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925052244/http://muni_shinobu.webs.com/mgs3/commentary5.html |date=September 25, 2013 }}</ref> Raikov appears as a secret character in ''Portable Ops'' as being exiled to Colombia by the Soviet military after the fallout of Operation Snake Eater runs him afoul of the Kremlin.<ref name="portops"/> Raikov is voiced by [[Ken'yû Horiuchi]] in Japanese and by [[Charlie Schlatter]] in English.

The characters from the ''Metal Gear'' series have been well received by gamers with Solid Snake and Raiden appearing in a ''[[Famitsu]]'' poll that listed the fifty best video game characters; while the former was at the top, the latter was 42nd.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177896 |title=Snake Beats Mario, Is Coolest Video Game Character Ever |author=Glifford, Kevin |publisher=[[1UP.com]] |accessdate=March 10, 2010 |date=February 10, 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=httphttps://www.webcitation.org/6i8KLI3kn?url=http://www.1up.com/news/snake-beats-mario-coolest-video |archivedate=June 9, 2016 |df= }}</ref> Solid Snake has also appeared in multiple lists of best characters in gaming history,<ref name="1up">{{cite web|author=EGM Staff |date=November 28, 2005 |title=Top Ten Video Game Characters |url=http://www.1up.com/features/top-10-videogame-characters |work=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=1UP.com |accessdate=2010-01-13 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://archive.is/20120719113901/http://www.1up.com/features/top-10-videogame-characters |archivedate=July 19, 2012 |df= }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/68759/TOP_50_VIDEO_GAME_CHARACTERS_OF_ALL_TIME_ANNOUNCED_inGUINNESS_WORLD_RECORDS_2011_GAMERrsquoS_EDITION.php |title=Top 50 video game characters of all time announced in Guinness World Records 2011 Gamer's Edition |publisher=[[Gamasutra]] |date=February 16, 2011 |accessdate=July 9, 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192336/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/68759/TOP_50_VIDEO_GAME_CHARACTERS_OF_ALL_TIME_ANNOUNCED_inGUINNESS_WORLD_RECORDS_2011_GAMERrsquoS_EDITION.php |archivedate=March 3, 2016 |df= }}</ref> while Raiden and Revolver Ocelot were found as characters who should have their own spin-off games.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Snubbed List|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/11/19/the-snubbed-list.aspx|publisher=Game Informer|author=Bertz, Matt |date=November 19, 2010 |accessdate=July 18, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://games.ign.com/articles/790/790921p1.html|title=Top 10 Tuesday: Characters In Need of a Spin-Off|publisher=IGN |author=Scheeden, Jeese|date=May 22, 2007 |accessdate=July 16, 2011}}</ref> While the variety of characters have been noted, publications often found some out of place as a result of their abilities and confusing changes occurring within them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/08/03/gamings-most-out-of-place-characters.aspx?PostPageIndex=6|title=Why Are You Here? Gaming's Most Out-Of-Place Characters|publisher=GameInformer|date=August 3, 2010|author=Ryckert, Dan|accessdate=March 15, 2012}}</ref><ref name="liquidocelot">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/874/874808p3.html|title=GameSpy's Top MGS Moments: Metal Gear Solid 2 (Day One)|publisher=GameSpy |page=3|accessdate=2011-08-14}}</ref> The character's have also been praised for their actions within fight scenes, resulting in appealing cutscenes.<ref name="liquidocelot"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Top 100 Video Game Moments|publisher=IGN|url=http://www.ign.com/top/video-game-moments/89|accessdate=March 2, 2012}}</ref>