Metal Gear 2 on NES is where stealth games started getting seriously clever. You play as Solid Snake—yeah, that Solid Snake—sneaking through enemy bases, avoiding guards, and trying not to set off alarms. It’s not just about hiding in shadows; you’ve got to think, like figuring out which doors to open or when to crawl under lasers (spoiler: crawling is your best friend).

The levels are tight, almost puzzle-like—mess up, and you’ll have a room full of soldiers on your tail. And don’t even get me started on the bosses. Some of them feel impossible until you realize there’s always a trick, like waiting for that one split second to strike. The story’s surprisingly deep for an 8-bit game, too, with twists that actually hold up.

If you’ve only played the later Metal Gear games, this one’s a trip—you can see where all the sneaking, codec calls, and weird humor started. Just don’t expect fancy graphics; the tension’s all in the gameplay. Still holds up if you’re into retro challenges.