SNAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE..........
The question is, does it live up to those high expectations?
Reviewing a game that's franchise has just celebrated it's 20th aniversary is a tricky one to say the least.
Without reinventing the wheel, Metal Gear Soid 4 is essentialy the same formula with an extension of updates each game of the series has gone before it.
With greater processing power on the next format, the graphics are the most obvious step to update this next and last installement in the series.
That said, the graphics are very acomplished, yet without pushing the PS3 to its full graphical capabilities.
Capacity is, however, an achievement in itself, enabaling the octocamo to automatically mimic any texture snake presses up against in real time rather than having to pause the game and select the camolflauge as with MGS3 Snake Eater. A perfect example of a perfect update for this last outing.
The graphics are sophisticated, shap and clean with the usual bang for buck effects. Minor resolution issues aside, this is technically an impressive achievement with the familiar ingame cutscenes making for a seamless gameplay experience.
The gamelay is more main stream this time around, giving you the option to gun-ho or stealth your way through the battlefield. The levels are rather linear but leaves an open ended approach to play the game how you see fit.
While the fighting mechanics are as limited as ever, as with only a handful of stealth moves, this is where the shooting comes into play, adding so much more deph than any other previous MGS game. With so many weapons at your disposal and being able to customise nearly all in more ways than one, leaves you left spoilt for choice. Not to mention the many items at your disposal familar to MGS games.
The controls at your command make you feel more in control, being able to take down enemies in a variety of ways, either 1st and 3rd person or with an automatic lock-on that works extremely well, being able to target the nearest threat first or by toggling the enemy lock-on yourself.
The sound is first rate and the first game ever to have uncompressed sound, thanks to the added storage capacity of Blu-ray, and as a result, everything is crisp, clear and sounding realistic, due to real-life sound recordings. The voice-acting is superb, and epic scores written by the familiar harry gregson williams and such other talents. David Hayter puts on a very convincing aging older version of snake and pulls it off remarkably well.
The Graphics and sound go hand in hand with the story to deliver every previously unanswered question to the games story and wraps it up very nicely to a fitting end indeed, whilst still managing to be twisted and convoluted as the series story is well-known for. There are moments in the game that are tearful, comical and just about every other human emotion possible, that manages to touch you like you care what's happening to the characters. As ever, what makes this game last as long as it needs to, are the overly long cutscenes, and if any game in the series where this should really count, this is it. You actually care what's happening to snake and feel his pain and suffering through every step of the way, and continue playing the game knowing that his final mission is coming to an end.
It's no doubt that 4 years in the making has done this game all it's favours and MGS fans alike deserve it and new comers to apreciate the quality on offer. No game is without It's flaws, of course, and it's the flaws that stop this game from being a perfect one.
An alert system that is based around stealth has always been part of the games series but as MGS4 is more stream lined focusing on a stealth approach or the guns blazing approach, even adapting the two but then this is where the alert system seems out of place as you can engage in full combat but only from a distance without being alerted, but get too close and your covers blown, so it appears as if the game wants you to approach the stealthier option regardless of all the weapons and items on offer. Even in a desguise, your cover can be blown.
The Drebin points work very well, keeping you something to play for after your first run through; any additional weapons or ammo you already contain, anything aquired after that will be sold in favour of DP (Drebin Points). These can be spent further by buying previously unobtained weapons, buying ammo or customising what you already own in your possession.
Skip all the cutscenes (not advised on your first play through) and the game can be completed shortly in less than 5 hours. But then for a game last in the series, many cutscenes were to be expected and you do as much watching as you do playing.
Another Essential MGS game to the series & the last, sadly, but the right deccision to do so.
Farewell Solid Snakel. We salute you!