Top 50 Video Game Moments: Number 33

I started this list, like all my undercooked endeavors, with good intentions. Two updates a week - on on Monday, one on Friday. Unfortunately, life has been busy lately. For the time being, I'm cutting back to one cycle (a game and a moment) per week. I expect that once October comes around, the need for this will be lessened, and we can go back to the standard twice-a-week rotation. For now, on with your weekly dose of nerdishness.

This week's entry comes to us from Metal Gear Solid 3. It's not truly a spoiler, but if you haven't played the game yet, do that first. You really don't need to play the others to enjoy it - it's chronologically before the other two.

The Metal Gear Solid series is primarily known for two things: lots and lots (and lots) of cutscenes, and memorable bosses (list spoiler: this will not be the last of these boss fights featured on this list). From Sniper Wolf to the Metal Gears themselves, the series does the term 'boss fight' proper. The quality of the bosses from the third game in the series varies, with enemies like The Fury not really living up to their status as MGS bosses.

When you come up against centenarian The End, however, you instantly know that you're in for a special fight. He's essentially already dead, and for the first hours of the game, he's asleep in all of the cutscenes you see him in, silently waiting for his final quarry.

It's tiring waiting for a target to come into range...

The battle itself is a war of attrition. The End uses tranquilizer rounds to sap your stamina as you attempt to sap his. For an old guy, he's very quick in getting around the three-tiered battleground, and he's deadly (maybe not the right word) quick with the aim if you should enter his sights. Mere firepower isn't sufficient (well, it is, but it's easier to simply put the old guy to sleep). The twist comes in that if he is able to knock you out, he will simply pick you up and carry you to the previous section of the game. Your victory over him is inevitable, but immensely satisfying nonetheless.

Sweet dreams, you crazy old bastard.