THE BEST GAME ON THE PLAYSTATION 3, A MUST HAVE IF YOU OWN A PS3
Twenty-one years ago the world was given a new video game by some unknown man named Hideo Kojima. His goal wasn't exactly complicated. All he wanted to do was make a simple game that focused on stealth and avoiding conflict. This game, Metal Gear was a big hit in Japan and its flawed port to the NES only heightened its popularity. The canon sequel, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake continued the story and while it was Japanese exclusive for quite a while, it still served its purpose. It wasn't until 1998 when this series grew to astronomical heights. The release of Metal Gear Solid, considered by many to be the greatest PS1 game of all time, if not one of the greatest games on any console, marked not only an evolution to 3D graphics, but a more developed and complicated story. Three years after its release, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was released which added more gameplay elements and especially the convoluted everyone either loves or hates. Three years after that, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, a prequel, contributed even more to the gameplay and eased up on the narrative, as did its sequel of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. Finally, however, after over two decades of complex, though-provoking plots, clever gameplay elements, remarkable production values, and memorable characters, Hideo Kojima, the once unknown person and now renowned video game developer, finally concludes his series once and for all with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, but how exactly did it turn out?
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Graphics: 10/10
It was hard to determine a score for this department. Many reviewers have called this the best looking game thus far, and I would find it hard to disagree with them. Everything about this game's presentation is astounding, especially when played on an HDTV. While a few textures are blurred and muddy, and while shadows can be pixelated, it is going to be hard to find a game out there that truly exemplifies the gritty, war-torn environment better without making everything needlessly shiny. The character models are definitely some of the best to ever grace any game. From the needle marks in Naomi's neck to the aged lines that plague Snake, Campbell, and Liquid, it is simply amazing how far gaming has come.
The environments themselves are beautifully crafted, with different art styles that reflect on the five different locations. These locations in the game are flawlessly designed and feature incredible atmosphere, from the Middle East with dirt and papers blowing in the wind to the South American forest with lifelike grass and water. Without spoiling anything, the later locations are even more amazing, with incredible weather effects and realistic urban settings. No longer will you sneak through one generic hallway to the next. The differences in locations is a breath of fresh air that is not only great to look at, but great to play in as well due to the lack of redundancy.
Other effects are also well done. Grenades and rockets exploding cause a cloud of dirt to cover your vision and prevent you from seeing anything that is going on. Afterwards dust settles on the screen which subtly draws players in. The same thing is true for blood and water. When Snake is shot, little droplets of blood appear on the screen and as Snake emerges from water the same thing occurs. Minute details such as those show the dedication that Kojima Productions had in making this game look as great as possible.
The animations and physics are fluid and realistic as well. The Octocamo transitions beautifully in real time to match its background. Characters move with actual weight to them and never feel stiff or unresponsive. One thing that impressed me was that whenever an explosion happened around Snake, he would go flying and would react to the environment. For instance, after being hit with a grenade, he flew onto a railing and hung limp over it for a second. Enemies react perfectly to gunshots, falling in the awkward positions gamers have come to love. All in all, aside from the few bad textures, occasional framerate dips (nothing below 30), and some pixelated shadows, Metal Gear Solid 4 looks as great as everyone had hoped for. You won't get a greater experience than playing this at 720p (or even upscaled to 1080p). Do not fret though, the game still looks great in standard definition.
Sound: 10/10
The sound design in this game should be a standard for every future game to come. The decision to use uncompressed audio may not show to some, but with the right equipment, you can feel like you're right behind Snake as he advances in the battlefield. Every gun sounds incredibly realistic, as does every single element in the game. Footsteps, breathing, coughing, the sound of Snake's lighter, the keys on the keyboard being tapped, the explosions, the helicopter blades rotating, etc. etc. Needless to say, your reward for having a 5.1 setup will no doubt come from this game.
Voice acting is another important thing to consider from a game like this. I was a bit hesitant, because I felt Dave Hayter's performance as Snake has been slipping since The Twin Snakes. However, his depiction of Old Snake is excellent. He perfectly captures the deteriorating health of Snake with his rough, even-harsher-than-previous-games voice. Other characters sound wonderful as well. Returning characters and new characters alike never drop in quality, and turn an otherwise cheesy line into something meaningful.
Finally, the music. Every Metal Gear game has had great music, and this one is no different. In fact, I would say this game has the best soundtrack of all of them. While it does unfortunately lose the Metal Gear Solid motif we've all hummed at some point in our lives, the rest makes up for it. Harry Gregson-Williams and Nobuko Toda work together to craft one of the finest game soundtracks ever. The tracks range from beautiful, sad pieces to upbeat, techno ones. In doing so, the music manages to make sad scenes even sadder and action scenes more exciting.
Gameplay: 10/10
This game is, in simple terms, a blast to play. While theoretically sneaking around may sound boring, everything is done just right to entice the player and make them beg for more. Of course, you are not limited to sneaking around, though it is encouraged. That is one of the many joys of the game. You are never limited in how you should approach the mission. You can go through the entire game and not kill a single person, or you can kill as many as you want with guns blazing.
In a couple of areas in the game, you will find Snake entering a proxy battle between PMC troops and simple militia. Snake can go about his way, ignoring both sides, or he can help out the militia by killing PMC troops and giving them supplies like rations. If players choose the latter, they might find some parts more bearable. Of course, you can go through and kill anything that moves, including the militia. Doing so might make the area a bit of a challenge however.
These militia vs. PMC battles aren't the only types of missions in the game though. Another great feature is the variety in the missions. While many retain the stealthy feel, a lot of them are different. You'll find yourself tracking a certain character after they are kidnapped, or tailing a person to find their hideout. There are a couple of amazing chase scenes, one of which puts most Hollywood movies to shame. Not only does this variety provide exciting alternatives to the simple sneak around from point A to point B method, but it makes the overall experience much more enjoyable.
The Metal Gear games have always featured numerous weapons with which Snake could kill or knock out his foes. Metal Gear Solid 4 does not change this. It does, however, inject the concept with steroids. Metal Gear Solid 4 features well over 70 weapons, ranging from peashooters to adult magazines to anti-tank missile launchers to rail guns. What's more is that many weapons can be customized. For instance, you can add a grip to a machine gun to make it easier to shoot, or even shotguns and grenade launchers to add secondary weapons to ensure your foe is dead. Furthermore, a lot of weapons can fire different types of ammo. This level of depth, creativity, and customization adds a lot to the longevity and awesomeness-factor of the gameplay.
To get weapons, Snake can either find them on the battlefield, or he can purchase them from a gun launderer named Drebin. By pausing the game, you can access Drebin's shop and buy weapons, parts, or ammo. To buy these things, players use Drebin Points, or DP. DP is gained in a variety of ways. If players pick up dropped weapons from enemies, for instance, and they already have that weapon, it will automatically be sold (not the ammo though) and they will earn DP. Other factors contribute to DP earned, including killing certain enemies and viewing flashbacks. Many guns cost a lot of DP (upwards of one million), so it adds yet another layer of depth to the game and definitely increases replay value.
Actually playing as Snake is incredibly fun. His move set has been greatly expanded from previous games. CQC returns from Metal Gear Solid 3, with more moves and easier controls. He can run while crouched over which is a nice contribution that may just save your life. He can also roll sideways, which also proved to be very useful. Other returning elements are hanging from ledges and forward rolling. He can also roll when on the ground, shoot from his back, "worm crawl" to slowly advance, lie prone and pretend to be dead, or lob grenade from his back and over obstacles, all of which make sneaking and fighting easier.
The controls have been changed a lot from previous games. No longer do you hold R1 for first person view and square to shoot. This time the controls were made a bit easier. To aim, the player holds L1 and then fires with R1. The over-the-shoulder view is a nice addition which helps make aiming easier and more intuitive. It is not limited to this, however, as hitting square allows for auto-aiming. First person mode is still in the game, and this time the entire game can be played in it. While it is not the best decision to play the whole game in it, it can be very helpful in giving pinpoint accuracy. Triangle is an action button which allows Snake to perform certain abilities such as pressing against a wall or performing certain CQC actions like throat-slitting. Adding a lot of moves to one button may seem like a lot, but it really isn't. It only contributes to the controls and makes it easier for player to have fun.
To add to the gameplay and even one of the overall themes of the game ("sense"), the Psyche and Stress meters were added. These retain the mechanics in Metal Gear Solid 3, like stamina and camouflage, albeit in easier and less clumsy ways. Below the health meter is another meter which represents Snake's mental health, or psyche. It gradually lowers as battles become more intense, and the lower it goes, the less accurate his aiming is. Stress is located below the Psyche meter, and it is in percentage form. As Snake becomes more stressed out (usually in the heat of a battle when guards are shooting him) , he once again becomes less accurate. If players shoot enough while Snake is stressed out, they will enter a "combat high" in which less damage is sustained and accuracy is better. Though this will follow with detrimental effects. Unlike the stamina system of the third game, these two work together to convey the sense of battle to players, and because of this players will truly focus on them as they play, making sure they are in good condition.
One major addition to the gameplay is the Octocamo, which is the suit Snake wears. Lying prone for a couple of seconds on any surface will allow it to change and mimic the surface. The more well hidden he is (represented in a percentage in the top right corner), the less likely he will be spotted. This is a much better system than Metal Gear Solid 3, avoiding time-consuming menus. Players can save patterns, download extra ones, or even enjoy collectible face-camos.
Okay, time for the ninth paragraph on gameplay. I'm sorry, but there is so much to talk about. Let's start with the Solid Eye. This device, created by Otacon, serves many purposes. It combines the functions of binoculars, night/thermal vision, and radar into one. It is a very useful tool in locating items on the ground, or for seeing which side a soldier is on (PMC or militia). The threat ring is similar to the radar in Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops. When crouched or lying down, a slightly transparent ring hovers around Snake, with bumps representing sound from animals, people, and vehicles. The closer those things come to Snake, the bigger the bumps get. It is definitely a useful tool in locating enemies who might be trying to get you from behind.
Speaking of enemies, the AI is amazing in this game. When you go on alert, the enemies will try and find you by any means necessary. They will search every nook and cranny of the area. Also, when in firefights, they will flank you, throw grenades, take cover, and team up on you. The boss fights in the game are spectacular. Each one is unique and are very memorable. They are definitely among the best boss fights in game history.
Story: 10/10
This is probably the most important part of the game for me. While I do love playing the game, I can't help but sit down and enjoy the cutscenes in the series and watch as the plot gradually unfolds. With Metal Gear Solid 4, Kojima intended to wrap everything up. He wanted every loose end closed, every question answered, and all of the fates decided. He did succeed, and this is most definitely the end for Snake. While we may see spin-offs, I doubt we'll see a sequel to this game.
I was slightly disappointed with the storylines in Metal Gear Solid 3 and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, so I was a bit worried about how this one would turn out. Thankfully my fears were quelled and soon enough I found this one to be as good as the first two games. The story itself takes place in 2014, when the world economy depends on warfare to thrive. Solid Snake faces accelerated aging due to being a clone, and, while only in his forties, takes on the look of a much older man. He knows his time will be up soon, but agrees to take on one final mission. His brother, Liquid, seemingly possessing Revolver Ocelot's body, wields authority over many powerful Private Military Companies (or PMCs) and commences his plans to lead an insurrection by gaining control of a system of nanomachines which controls and regulates soldiers' actions. This, of course, is only the beginning. I will not go further lest I reveal spoilers, but suffice it to say, everything that needed to be addressed is. People who have played through the series will find, by the time the credits are done rolling, that nothing was left unanswered. While it has been said that people new to the series can pick up and play this game, I would have to disagree. Not only would the plot be more complex, but most of the jokes wouldn't be understood and all of the nostalgia simply wouldn't be there. As many reviewers have said, this is a game for the fans. If you haven't played the previous games in the series, go ahead and pick them up and then play this one.
The cutscenes through which the story is told are marvelous. They are emotional, epic, action-packed, provocative, nostalgic, funny, and entertaining. While they are certainly lengthy (the longest of which is approximately 60 minutes), the time goes by fast. Each scene is perfectly crafted, and some are truly spectacular to watch. Many cutscenes flow seamlessly to and from gameplay, heightening the immersion and providing an amazing presentation. As long as you don't have ADD, you should enjoy the overall experience.
Replay Value: 10/10
There is an incredible amount of extras in this game. The single player alone gives players many incentives to go back over and over, whether it is locating extra items, getting more DP to buy more weapons, or just improving the overall rank, there is a lot to do, especially because of the five difficulty levels which range from hold-your-hand simple to getting-ready-to-throw-the-PS3-out-the-window hard. You will no doubt want to play this game over and over, whether it's to watch the splendid cutscenes again, collect all the emblems, or simply challenge yourself, it is easily a fun game to just play over and over.
Of course, the biggest contributor to replay value is the online play. MGO is extremely addictive, even with its bare-bone features. It has the basic modes like (Team) Deathmatch, capture the bases, etc. It also features the unique sneaking mode in which one person plays as Snake and other play as guards who try to kill him before he gets their dogtags. Other modes include rescue missions, and base missions. While as of now there are only a few maps and modes, it is still incredibly fun and captures the thrill of Metal Gear Solid 4's single player in a convenient, high quality online experience with no slow downs at all and top notch presentation. The only problems, however, are the insipid Konami and Game IDs needed to play, which force the player to go make more accounts. It is also region locked, so you won't be playing around the globe for this one. You are also limited to one character unless you want to pay for one. While this is an admirable effort in preventing people from making new accounts just so they can kill off new players easily, it is still somewhat annoying. It would not be as bad if you could edit your character, which unfortunately isn't an option once everything is set. You can't change the clothes they wear (except for removing the ones you have), and you can't even change their color. Still, it is extremely fun and is a great way to waste many hours of a dull day. The single player, by itself, has tons of replay value, so consider MGO a bonus.