This game is not what it should have been, what it could have been. I must give Hideo Kojima credit for the production values, the gameplay elements and the graphics. However, what happened to the story? MGS2 fails on the central issue that is key to the series, and intriguing story that keeps you moving to the ultimate resolution.
With the character shifting, ("Damn that Raiden!") and the long cut scenes and the totally convuluted, confusing and just plain stupid story, it would appear that Kojima tried too hard to change the world. It's a game Hideo. Just a game.
Having said that, a 7 for everything else is a tribute to the talents and ingenuity of the team. There is still room to move this series back up to the previous level.