Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3))

Member Name: butters

Product:	Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)
Date:	02/07/08 (114 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Visuals, Depth of gameplay and story

Disadvantages: Mandatory Install.

Title: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Kojima Productions
Age: 15+
Genre: Stealth/Action
Price: £38 (Amazon)
Format: PS3


If you want to seem a smug person, you could mention that the Metal Gear series did not originate on the Playstation console back in 1998, but was actually created for the MSX2 in 1987. Metal Gear Solid though did originate on the Playstation, a slight continuation of the story from the first two Metal Gear games, based around soldier Solid Snake, clone of Naked Snake, the greatest solider of the 20th Century. After neutralising the threat of a nuclear-capable tank at Shadow Moses way back in MGS1, characters played as Raiden in MGS2 and the 3rd MGS was actually a prequel. So MGS4 was a chance for fans to play as Solid Snake once more in creator Hideo Kojima's attempt to finish the story once and for all.
The story itself has many layers. Snake, for some reason rapidly ageing is sent to kill his brother, Liquid Snake who is trying to control the Patriots, a Big Brother organisation which uses nanotechnology to control people and soldiers, emotionally and on the battlefield, in an attempt to fuel the "War Economy"-where Proxy Wars are fought for the sake of the Economy.

Written down, it sounds extremely confusing, which will delight fans of the MGS series, famed for its intricate story and long cutscenes. This is definitely no different, with a totally of nearly 9 hours of cutscenes in this game. Though this may seem enough to put people off I really wouldn't write it off so soon. Normally one to skip even the shortest cutscenes, they are done in a way which really makes you care for the characters, and long cutscenes are quite necessary in order to round off not only the story of MGS4, but to tie up all of the loose ends from previous Metal Gear Solid games-which takes a fair bit of time. And fans will not be disappointed because it does so brilliantly. The story may seem quite confusing at the start though it is much easier to explain through long cutscenes, and is not half as confusing as it sounds. The game has been described as one for the fans only, though I would not say this is the case-although it finishes off other stories in previous games, it is quite easy to learn the basics of previous games through the game itself or just from a quick read on Wikipedia. It intertwines with the new story anyway to create an epic adventure-and one that the PS3 has been dying for.

A great story can only take a game so far though-unless something has decent gameplay then the opportunity to unravel the story will be missed. Traditionally the Metal Gear games have been an over-the-head stealth camera. Subsistence, a second version for MGS3 changed this, centring the camera behind Solid Snake, and this has been used in MGS4 also. It works a lot better I must say, and gives the game a wider audience. Not only does the game benefit from the camera angle because it gets to a lot more involved with the character-you feel like Snake, not someone controlling him but the view, a more realistic view of what is in front of you is much appreciated and makes stealth a lot better because checking for enemies is a lot more realistic. The camera angle does tempt you to shoot though instead of avoid action which can definitely be seen as a negative point to the stealth fans, though it does draw in a wider audience, because it allows a more varied type of gameplay. Although shooting is not a good option, the controls, and camera angle definitely make it less fiddly, though doesn't give you the power to take on loads of enemies-since stealth is greatly encouraged-allowing you to gain extras when completing the game again.
It means that the gameplay still remains much of the same but far better. No longer are you just roaming through jungles and desolate locations, but the locations are varied, from the general view of stealth such as military boats etc. to towns crawling with guards. The graphics, both in game and in cutscene are absolutely phenomenal-stretching the PS3 console from the looks of it, making the environments only more fun to explore. Completion time varies so much because of the various routes you can take to get to your location-where you can really take the stealthy long route and take an hour, or can take the direct route, not as stealthy and fly through the game.
The levels themselves are varied too, and different circumstances lead to completely different types of stealth with levels ranging from the traditional stealth through a guard-ridden facility, to tracking footprints in an urban area. The little details add so much to the game, with various items such as Cardboard boxes and night Vision adding so much to the gameplay, allowing you to track footprints, or, allowing enemies to track your own if you are not careful.
The days of enemies having a tunnel vision sight and not being at all cautious by the random cardboard box that has suddenly appeared are over, and enemy AI is magnificent in most cases-you can't just run round a corner and hide in a cardboard box to get rid of your alert level now. It does have flaws obviously. Your camouflage, which changes depending on where you are works great, though you can't help but feel sometimes the enemy should notice the person lying on the floor they have just walked by. It adds to the fun of the game however.
It amazes me how many weapons appear in the game also-so many weapons for a game which is based on, and actively encourages stealth. Again, they all suit different types of gameplay, ranging from the tactical stealth knife and Tranquiliser gun, to machines guns-suiting all types of gameplay. Fans of the series will know of the epic boss battles, and this game is no different. There are 6 Boss battles in total, all of which offer great fun, and in most cases, an escape from the stealth action.

No game in a long time has come so close to perfection in my view. For a game that was made with such a huge budget, and exclusive to a console that has currently sold the least it needed to be a success. Kojima, the creator has managed to make a game that will not only please the fans of the series, finishing off the story once and for all, but has also done enough to make the game enjoyable for people new to the Metal Gear series. It's something that would be hard to do, though have been pulled off in great style, with nothing left out. Minor touches also add to games, which do so little, though add a smile to your face which just makes the game that much better. Examples of this would be use of the camera, which, when taking some pictures, comes up with faces of those who developed the game, or that if you stare at a female characters breasts, your psyche bar goes up a little. Yeah it may seem a bit perverted, though it's minor touches like this which make you laugh. There is so much more on top of this-little in jokes which have appeared throughout the Metal Gear Solid games in order to keep fans amused, such as jokes about the "4th Wall" of gaming-that is, poking fun at the fact the game is a game one minute, then another minute taking itself so seriously. The game does have its faults though, some may not like the length of the cutscenes, and that to play the game it must install 4.6GB of data on your hard drive, a large chunk of data. Though these seem so minor in comparison to everything that is good about the game, a game which not only has good gameplay, but also cutscenes which really develop characters, realistic characters and make you care about them.
You are left with a game where every area has been covered, everything. Even the music is good. It is a game that the PS3 has been waiting for, a reason to own a PS3, and it is a great example of how greater technology can be used not only to improve on graphics, but gameplay also.

The Replay Value of this game comes in two forms. Online is one form-and this will be discussed later. The other replay value however just comes from completing the game again. It seems like a pathetic excuse for replay value, but for a game is so addictive I completed it in two 13 hour gaming sessions, it is worth a second go purely to take a different route and discover a different type of gameplay. You get awards for completing games, ranks which show what you have done, how often, or how little you have killed an enemy for example, which, in some cases unlocks extra equipment for future playthroughs. This enough can make you play through the game again and again. I am on my 5th playthrough.

Now onto Metal Gear Online (MGO). I've always thought it harsh that a single player game can be so good, and alone would get excellent review scores, only for the online mode to be crap, pulling down a score. Thankfully this is not the case in this game-a lot of effort has been put into the online. It is quite annoying to join, since unlike most games you can not just press for online play-but when you go through the hassle of signing up Online through the Konami website it is definitely worth it. Allowing 2-16 players finding a game typically takes about 90 seconds, and whilst in it, you are awarded points for various things, such as killing and headshots, and deducted points for deaths. Straight away it is quite annoying that you get no choice in what environment you enter, but the environments are so good that it really shouldn't bother you. Some environments are taken form the game, with others designed completely for MGO and they're brilliant, offering different locations-which generally offer slightly different types of stealth. You have the usual game types, such as Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, and a spin on Capture the Flag, along with other types such as a "Zones" type game where teams capture zones, and a game type where two teams battle each other in a battle (which normally lasts around 5 minutes), then a person plays as Snake, a near invisible person who is hunted by both teams. The 5 minute battles (thereabout) generally mean it is pointless to keep changing games and trying to find the one game type you like, which could be a negative, but as already said-the environments and game types are all good, and only differ in their objective-you still have to kill.
Much like the main game you can play in many different styles. You will find those extremely stealthy snipers, to those who run about a lot. Running out and shooting though will lead to a quick death, which is great-meaning that players generally need a certain amount of stealth to survive and do well. The online overall is great, and offers a slightly different experience form the main game if you need a break from it. It can be annoying sometimes, such as if someone CQC's you (Close Quarters Combat)-holding you meaning you can't move for a while but it is a great experience none-the-less and definitely worth a try. Though it doesn't quite offer the depth of games such as Call of Duty 4 (Online) it definitely offers some depth-since in some games depending on your kills you earn points to buy weapons for that match. A great experience and a nice addition to the Metal Gear Universe.

Summary: Breathtaking.