Part 1

Hi, my name is Slowbeef, and let's just get this out of the way. Some of you know me from a certain strategy guide I wrote called "Slowbeef's Strategy Guide to Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake!" Ever since that harrowing experience, I've talked a lot of shit about Hideo Kojima. Most specifically, I remember saying in response to a goon who called him a genius:

"If the word 'genius' is not being used with some level of hyperbole, then Silent Hill 2 is so genius, it will make you a genius by simply looking at the box."

I'm sorry.

I said this because, frankly, I'm in the "Sons of Liberty's ending was obtuse and nonsensical" camp and even though Al Cu Ad Solte's thread on it opened my eyes to some portions of the ending (no really, I'd missed some stuff), at the end of the day, I still just don't like Raiden. I want to get that out of the way.

Why am I telling you all this?

Because even thinking that, I will admit that Kojima-san made some amazing games in his life, and we are indeed lucky to have him representing the art form we all know and love. I did - and still do - criticize him, but ultimately, he made one game specifically that I love forever. One game that made me say, "I hate Raiden, but damn if I don't love Random."

So, as your host for this LP, I'd ask us to set aside our differences. Let's flame later. If you loved Sons of Liberty and think I'm an idiot for not sharing that feeling - well, fine friend - this is not the time. Now we are going to join hands and celebrate Hideo Kojima's greatest masterpiece.

Snatcher is, to be frank, a game that ripped off of Blade Runner and Terminator simultaneously - but also managed to prove that not only can adventure games be done on a console, but that adventure games can be well done by a company not named "Lucasarts". This, friends, is how adventure games are meant to be designed.

I cannot thank Atltais enough for making this possible - he literally played opening parts with me and helped me try and make it work. For that, I ask you to 5 one of his threads if you ever see it, you know like, just because.

And again, props to Vlaphor who's made 2 LP threads that I know of and are awesome enough to inspire the competitive side in me. If you haven't checked them out, please look at the amazing games, "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" (requires archive access) and "Harvester" LP threads, both of which were amazing.

Now, if you've ever seen my LP threads - on Darkseed 1 & 2 - then you know I deserve to drop such a lame-ass hero as Mike Dawson and need to hang on the coat-tails of the greatest adventure game hero of all time: Gillian Seed. I'm writing another strategy guide in tandem to this LP thread, so I'll curb my "make fun of everything" style of humor and only interject when things get extremely retarded. (Which, unfortunately, they do once or twice.)

Alright, enough disclaimer.

Ladies, gentlemen, and goons of all ages...

Let's play Snatcher.

Video of the intro!

Snatcher does an incredible job of immersion - if you own a light gun, specifically Konami's Justifier that came with your Sega CD copy of Lethal Enforcers, you get to use that in addition to your controller.

Since the combat in Snatcher occurs seamlessly, that means you have to drop the controller and grab the gun in order to fire at whatever's attacking you.

And since I'm doing this emulator-style, I don't get to enjoy that. Oh well.

Legal issues now junked!

Gotta make fun of Kojima here... Lord, I pressed the Start button five seconds ago and already, I'm confused! Why are you dedicating this to cyberpunks?!

Okay, he mean law enforcement officials, but still...

June 6, 1996

A mysterious explosion destroys the Chernoton research facility near Moscow. Lucifer-Alpha...

A powerful biological weapon under secret development there is released into the atmosphere, creating a deadly biohazard.

Carried by the trade-winds, Lucipher-Alpha spreads throughout Eastern Europe and Eurasia, destroying 80% of the populace. Half of the world's people die. The greatest biohazard in history later becomes known simply as...

The Catastrophe.

But at this time, who could have possibly imagined that the ultimate biohazard wouldn't have occurred for another half-century?

Fifty years later...

Mankind faces its greatest crisis. The mysterious appearance of an android life-form. Its purpose and origin are unknown.

Is it a new form of weapon? Or perhaps an invasion from some other world? They appear during winter, killing humans, and infilitrating society by taking place of their victims.

Employing an artificial skin, they can sweat - and even bleed. Part organic; part machine; they're almost impossible to distinguish from those they kill.

As they steal their victims' bodies in order to take their place...

These mysterious invaders become known as...

Snatchers.

Gillian: How was work? Was everything okay?
Jamie: Mmmmm.... Gillian, what is it? What's wrong?

Gillian: Jamie... I've become a J.U.N.K.E.R.
Jamie: A JUNKER? Gillian, but why?
Gillian: Jamie, you know why. It's the only way we can regain our lost memories.

Gillian: "Snatcher" is the only word that keeps coming back every time we try to remember our past. I have to face them to find out why.

Jamie: Yes, but I can sense that there is something terrible hidden in our past, and if we remember it, it will destroy us!
Gillian: Jamie...!

Turbocycle: [mostly unintelligible] Transport THX-205 for Gillian Seed. Now departing immediately for Junker Headquarters.
Gillian: I'm... going now.

Gillian: Jamie! [Muffled by sound of turbocycle]
Jamie: What? I can't hear you!

Gillian Seed, estimated age, 31. Three years ago, him and his wife, Jamie Seed are taken into custody in the Siberian Neutral Zone by the 17th Siberian Investigative Force. Both Gillian and Jamie suffer from severe amnesia - their memories prior to being picked up in Siberia lost in a mysterious mental fog. Two years ago, after a vain attempt to rebuild their marriage, Jamie and Gillian separate, following extensive special military training, Gillian is ordered to report to Neo Kobe City as a J.U.N.K.E.R. - effective today.