Official Website
Platform: PlayStation 3

Genre: Stealth Action

Number of Players: 1

Support: HD 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, Downloadable Content, PlayStation Network Compatible

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the worst game I’ve ever played in my life.

I’m kidding, but now that I have your attention, MGS4 may very well be THE game of the decade. It has been one of the most publicized, talked about, and anticipated games proving that Snake has achieved an iconic video game hero status that has put him about plumbers, hedgehogs, bandicoots, and nameless heroes who instead take their familiar names from petty officers found in the Coast Guard and US Navy. From his humble beginnings over twenty years ago on the original Nintendo Entertainment System to his modernization on the PlayStation, David, the man we would come to know as Snake, has become a digital legend. Now at long last, the most anxiously awaited sequel is upon us, and despite some negative press, persistent rumors that the game might appear on another system (which I really find doubtful) Snake is back for what in his own words is his final mission.

MGS4 is set five years after the events seen in MGS2, the year 2014 to be exact, and the face of war is much different. It has become a business, but one that Snake has once again found that he is very much a part of. Five of the world’s biggest private military companies (PMC’s) have come together with new and deadly technology based on the dreaded Metal Gear and at the heart of all of it, one of Snake’s deadliest enemies has resurfaced. Once again the solider of misfortunate has been enlisted to put an end once and for all to Ocelot and his warmongering, but it’s not just war that is working against Snake, but time as well, and the clock is quickly ticking away.

By now most of you have seen the trailers and recorded demos of MGS4 in action, and you think you have a good idea of what to expect. In some cases you’re probably completely correct, but we’ve also only seen a very, very small taste of the game. While it appears to be set in the Middle East, and the previous MGS titles have been in one location, Snake will be making quite a few trips to other locations, giving MGS4 a more international feel that has been absent, and let me also add that rumors of the series demise have been greatly exaggerated. There have also been tales of an install, something that is true, but these are broken up into the different chapters of the game. Starting the game for the first time, my first lesson is that I either need a bigger hard drive or I need to start getting rid of some of the titles I don’t play as I had to delete some date in order to actually install the game. But, Snake gave me a good idea afterwards; have a smoke and wait for the game to begin.

After the opening intro scene, Kojima gives you s seamless transition between story and gameplay, and if you think that MGS has changed as far as the stealth aspect, it hasn’t at all. This is still the sneaking game that you all remember, if you want to play it as such, and Snake will be given that familiar tranquilizer gun to knock his enemies out, drag their bodies into hiding, and pick up ammunition as well. There really is no shortage of that in the least as you are in the middle of battle in most instances and there seems to be extra bullets stashed just about everywhere. There is something different however, and the evolution of war has resulted in weaponry being designed with chips so that they can’t be used by enemy soldiers unless they are unlocked. That’s where Drebin will come into the picture, and the gun launderer will unlock weapons you find while those that you collect multiples of can be traded to him for “Drebin points,” the currency for his unique trade. You only have to go as far as the menu to find him. Drebin also sells modifications, attachments for your guns, so there are plenty of tweaks that you can apply to them. Silencers, laser sites, grenade launchers, and light sources are all among the items that can be purchased or found, though they can’t all be applied to every weapon and you are limited in terms of how many can be used, so no super weapons.

Otacon is backing Snake up as well and has supplied him with some handy new gadgets. The first of these is a new camo armor that works much like the camo ability in MGS3. However, with this high tech accessory all Snake needs to do it lie down for a moment or press up against a wall and the camo will mimic the pattern. Players can also see a percentage regarding their overall camouflage potential and there are also patterns to be found and downloaded as well as a new mask later that also allows Snake to mimic various faces. Also supplied is the M.K II, a robot that Snake can control and move around the battlefield to get a better idea of what might be ahead of him, and Otacon has given it a stealth ability. Finally, he has invented the Solid Eye, the eye patch that many have seen Snake wearing. This will give him the ability to see details on soldiers in the battlefield in regards to which side they are on. The zoom mode acts like binoculars to give Snake a more “up close and personal” view and there is also a night vision mode. However, both the Solid Eye and the M.K.II run on battery power, so if you run them down, you will need to remove and give the battery time to recharge, and some features will drain battery power faster than others.

Snakes method of disguise isn’t just the camo, and all fans of the series are familiar with the idea of using a cardboard box to stay hidden from enemies, but that’s not something that is going to work well on a battlefield. While the box will be brought back into the game later, Snake first uses a steel barrel to hide in. There is more than just climbing inside, and if you tip it over, Snake can roll it into his enemies, though he’ll end up feeling a bit ill afterwards. Snake also has those “gentlemen’s” magazines as well, but this time Playboy has actually lent their name to the game. And, in the spirit of cross promotion, Snake also is apparently a big iPod fan. Yes, you have your own iPod that you can equip and MP3’s can be found hidden in the game world, by equipping the digital player and selecting a track, there will be different effects on enemies and Snake himself, and it’s quite funny to charge into a battlefield with a J-pop song blarring in your ears.

There are other elements seen in the past games that carry over as well. Snake has plenty of items to heal himself, though MGS4 doesn’t go as in-depth as what Snake Eater did. Rations and ramen are among the healing foods, but Snake also has his psyche to be concerned with. In the midst of conflict, your stress level will begin to rise and if it gets too high, your psyche will begin to lower and affect your performance. There are a number of items that can be collected to recover it though and if nothing else, you can tune into your codec and talk with Rosemary (yes, Raiden’s girlfriend from MGS2) for some advice.

In comparison to the previous games, MGS4 has a great range of exploration capabilities. The stages are very wide open with plenty of things to find, though there are times when you might find yourself confronted with weaponry that you just shouldn’t try and face alone. Otacon will always be on hand to give some reminders and suggestions, so you can’t ever claim that you weren’t warned. Part of the fun of the game, for me at least, has been exploring the stages, finding as many items as possible, and seeing what the best way to get to the next phase of the game. Detours and sections that lend themselves to getting a bit sidetracked however are definitely abundant, and while the world of MGS may not be as expansive as other titles, there is more than enough to keep you exploring.

Outside of the game, there are a few other things to take a look at. MGS4 gives you the ability to download more than just camo patterns, but there are also MP3’s that can be added into your iPod collection and the promise of podcasts, though so far, there is only one and it is in the game itself. You also have a shooting range to practice in as well as the means to examine any photos that you take while playing the game. Snake does get a digital camera, so feel free to grab some images if you have the time.

Kojima has managed to push the PlayStation 3 to some very extreme limits, though I would dispute the claims to maximizing its potential as that has been said by almost every developer during the lifespan of a console. He has however managed to push the BluRay to its limits and the disc is a 50 gig title with compressed data, not that this is necessarily a bad thing. So, 50 gigs transferred to a DVD equates to being 5 discs total minimum, and while I’m not necessarily pointing any fingers (or maybe I am) that’s a lot of times to hear Octacon chime in with, “Okay, Snake, do you see the disc that’s labeled 4? I need to you to swap it with the one currently in your console.”

Yes, MGS4 also does have a lot of cutscenes, but if you’ve played the previous games in the series, this is exactly what you should expect. You know this, you accept it, and part of what people have been playing the games for is the storyline. I really do find some irony in the fact that I read posts and comments about some games being too short and either getting completely ripped apart like Heavenly Sword or praised despite the admitted short length of the game, such as the case has been with Halo 3. If story isn’t your thing, this isn’t your game, and it’s really that simple.

I really don’t even know if the graphics need to be addressed because we’ve all seen them, and that has been one of the many things that has kept fans and even those who have never played a Metal Gear title anxious for the release. Uncharted set the bar for what could be done with the PlayStation 3 hardware and Kojima has now raised it even higher. MGS4 is an astounding achievement, not to mention a glorious end, though not necessarily to the series itself. Kojima has worked in a number of good details like seeing bits of dust settle on the camera while you’re playing in areas where dust and debris tend to be extremely common. The animations in the cutscenes are nearly perfect and there has been a lot of thought given to how the characters move and what body language they display. Kojima has also worked in some fantastic camera work to give the cutscenes even more life not to mention a great amount of detail. It’s going to take some extra work to outdo what has been done here, but I’m sure developers are up to the challenge.

What about the online mode you may be wondering? That’s a review for another time because I’ve been far too involved in the story, so we’ll cover that as a completely separate review, which I’m sure is definitely a requirement. Metal Gear Solid 4 has been well worth the wait and so far, it seems that there is only one professional review I’ve come across that didn’t seem to care for it much, but he’s definitely in the minority. Don’t think of this as the grand finale of the Metal Gear franchise but rather, a fantastic new beginning and I’m sure that the future of the series will bring with it games that are even more groundbreaking than what this one is. Sony has been keeping the big guns back for a while, but Guns of the Patriot is THE game for this year on the PlayStation 3, and this is only the beginning of what is to come. With Snake leading the way though, fans have a lot to cheer for while competitors definitely have something to be more than wary of.
 

-mike-