Living in New York is expensive as hell, no matter where in the state you are, but being in proximity to Manhattan has its perks, like being able to visit the Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater pop-up in Midtown today.
A few weeks ahead of the release of the MGS3: Snake Eater remake, fans were invited to come try out the game and enjoy some seriously awesome photo ops. I could not say no. I went as a fan, and I lived out a bit of a decades-long dream for an hour or so.
Walking down West 37th street, I immediately spotted an awning with the MGS3 logo from a distance, with a queue of people standing outside, including several in cosplay of Naked Snake, The Boss, EVA, and Ocelot. I felt immediately at home.
Stepping inside, a merch area was set up with exclusive on-site merchandise to pick up. Well, I needed to pre-order it to be shipped later, but the only way to buy them was to have location services turned on for your mobile device and place the orders there. I got a replica FOX unit beret, just like Snake/Big Boss wears at the end of the game. I had to!
Other exclusive merch included an OST vinyl variant, a camo jacket, a t-shirt, socks, and a fanny pack, and only those who showed up today were able to pick it up, or so we were told.
There were some additional items available, like an exclusive pin and a poster that was being signed live by the Konami artist who designed it, for about $85. I abstained, having already spent $25 on the beret and $29 on the train ticket.
Stepping into the next room is when the fun really began. The rectangular room had the iconic scene of Snake and The Boss meeting up in the flower fields before the final battle playing on a loop, projected onto the walls. In the middle of the room were some more flowers to make it feel like you were there, with 10 minutes left until MiGs come to bomb the hell out of the place.
As we waited to be told when our time to play the game was coming up, I was shocked to see none other than Lori Alan, voice actress for The Boss and many other iconic characters (Pearl in Spongebob, news anchor Diane Simmons in Family Guy, many more), step out from behind a curtain in full cosplay. She was greeting and taking pictures with fans, and I made sure to grab my own.
I thanked her for her sacrifice, told her she made me cry my eyes out at 15 years old when I beat MGS3 at launch in 2004, and she said it makes her cry too, but at least she was alive today. I grabbed a picture and then went downstairs to play some MGS Delta, and that capped off what was a whirlwind of a Wednesday morning in Manhattan.
As a lifelong fan of the franchise, it doesn't get much better than that, and I know this for a fact because I saw several people who were there to play the game and pick up some merch getting emotional for a game that clearly means a ton to us.
Although I do believe Snake actor David Hayter was actually on hand, as well. But in true Snake fashion, he kept us all waiting. Damn! I guess I'll have to reintroduce myself to him when the game drops on Aug. 28.
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