An undoubted masterpiece.Simply amazing one of the best games ever created...the bench mark for all other games now
It's quite simply that damn good.
Don't get us wrong – the game is not perfect (what game is?) but it comes as close as dammit. Non-fans will possibly find the indulgent cut scenes needlessly excessive, and the mandatory installs irritating – some might even find themselves wrestling with the unconventional control methods. But at the end of the day, even the most vehement of MGS detractors will put their hand up and admit – Metal Gear Solid 4 is, by far, the most polished combination of presentation and gameplay this generation. It sets a new benchmark in terms of production values, and will blow your tiny little mind to smithereens on more than one occasion.
First the story: undoubtedly the most contentious part of the series. On this count some fans may be disappointed to hear that the restrained (by the standard of the series) tomes of Snake Eater have been replaced by a tale more reminiscent of the almost universally reviled Metal Gear Solid 2. Thankfully it never reaches the absurd post-modern heights of its predecessor, but all but the most rabid fans will find themselves shaking their head on at least one occasion.
That being said, the game ties up all loose ends satisfactorily, and is relatively accessible for newcomers. There are times when the cuts-scenes get excessive (especially towards the end) but you'll probably find them curiously compulsive – and there's the odd moment of magic, the odd scene that actually outperforms some of the best action movies in recent memory.
As for the gameplay itself – simply sublime. The game is divided neatly into five separate acts, each of which has its own unique tone and gameplay style – and even those fans who've been readily devouring every review, preview, or video trailer will undoubtedly find surprises at every turn in Metal Gear Solid 4. It pushes the boundaries of the franchise constantly, but never feels unfamiliar
The first act is an audio-visual feast designed to blow you away from the very outset. Think the immersive COD4 war scenarios then crank it up a couple of notches. The early war scenes featuring two rival PMC companies going at it with gusto is a masterpiece in both visual and game design. You can choose to get involved in conflicts, or sneak past unharmed, as all the noise and gunfire of a fully-fledged combat situation explodes in the vicinity.
What's even more impressive, however, is that in the large-scale chaos of this warzone, the more minute details that typically make up the Metal Gear experience are not forgotten. The cat and mouse evasion games are present and correct, and in many ways more refined than before, due to a vastly improved control system that makes what was previously overly complicated a far less frustrating experience.
Basically, whenever you ask a question of MGS4's game design, it responds in a positive fashion. If you want to run and gun, the game provides that option and somehow makes it fun, but if you prefer to use stealth, then, of course, the game allows you to do so. Guns of the Patriots is so packed with detail that every option is catered for, and this makes for one of the most immersive game worlds in existence – the illusion of this interactive environment is never shattered.
The second act, set in the South American jungle, goes into Snake Eater territory – minus the frustratingly endless camouflage switches. Compared to the first act this experience is a far more linear affair, but is so brilliantly paced that you'll barely notice or care. It's topped off by an on rails section that would be the undoubted high point of any other game on the market – but this isn't any other game, it's Metal Gear Solid 4, and the best is yet to come.
Namely, a similar on rails section at the end of Act Three.And this high barometer of quality extends through the entire game, throughout each of the five acts. The beginning of the third act may prove to be too much of diversion from traditional MGS gameplay for some, and many will be frustrated by the balance of game to cut-scene as they advance deeper into the game – but really Hideo Kojima has a story to tell, and we'd prefer that he tell it.
In a world filled with generic shooters, bald space marines and ten a penny cliches Metal Gear Solid 4 is a light amongst the dark, proving to designers that you can do something different, that videogames can be more than a sum of their parts. Make no mistake about it, MGS4 is a game that pushes the medium forward, in a big way, and we as gamers should be eternally grateful that such a game exists. An undoubted masterpiece.