Let's get one thing straight: Metal Gear Solid 4 is probably the best game to come out since Ocarina of Time. It's obvious that the graphics are absolutely gorgeous, and it's confounding how the game can feel so fluid and real with all that is going on graphic-wise. Metal Gear's graphics are the finest graphics I have ever seen, and they are better than some CGI-animated movies I've seen. But what can possibly produce these absolutely amazing graphics, yet provide such a stable framerate? The Playstation 3.
Now, I'm not saying that the 360 isn't a powerful system, because it obviously is. But the PS3 has an obvious advantage, seeing as it had another year in development. Which leads to the first reason: the graphics.
Graphics
No matter how much you despise the Metal Gear franchise or the PS3, you cannot deny that Guns of the Patriots' graphics are groundbreaking. On the PS3, the game mostly runs very smoothly, but it does have occasional hiccups. Now take a 360 game with excellent graphics, such as Gears of War 2. Gears 2 runs much the same way as MGS4 does, but is obviously not as graphically stunning as MGS4. Now, if we took MGS4 and played it on the 360's less powerful hardware configuration, we would probably end up with a stuttery framerate and sluggish gameplay. If MGS4 was brought to the 360, the graphics would have to be seriously toned down just to gain a stable framerate. The amazing graphics are a major part of the experience, and reducing them would severely hamper the enjoyability of the game. Now, MGS4 is not just exclusive to the PS3 because of graphics, which leads to the second reason: Sony.
Sony
Konami has always been a Sony company. At the time of the PS3's release, the system was in dire need of killer apps. Metal Gear games have always been consistently good, and have been a staple of the Playstation franchise. Metal Gear Solid 4's announcement alone helped to move consoles, which gave Sony a sign of hope. When MGS4 was announced, 360 buyers were praying (and still are) that the game would later be announced on the 360. Unfortunately for them (myself included until I purchased a PS3), the announcement never came. When MGS4 was finally released, the game sold tons of copies, and moved lots of consoles as well. This was an obvious sign to Sony. MGS4 is the PS3's official killer app. Nothing will convince Sony to allow the game to be released on multiple consoles. Sorry, 360 owners, it's not happening.
Now, while I do love my 360, I also love my PS3. While Metal Gear Solid 4 is not the only reason to buy a PS3, it is easily the best game on the system. The 360 has many enjoyable exclusives, and obviously is more popular than the PS3. But the fact remains that the PS3 is much more powerful than the 360. I, personally, am shocked that FFXIII is coming to the 360, and I will be buying it for the PS3. The PS3 has lots of potential, and maybe someday within its lifetime, an even more stunning game will be released. But MGS4 is an amazing experience, and can only be experienced on the PS3.
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