It is not often that a video game blends cinematic flair, eloquent
story telling and superb game play into one package. Many great games
thrive on the latter while few find a way to excel in all categories.
Metal Gear Solid 4 not only meets all of these requirements, it
obliterates them without hesitation. Metal Gear Solid 4 is the greatest
game I have ever played, period. Snake could not ask for a more fitting sendoff.
As a MGS fan I remember having to listen to the boring codecs
between snake and his comrades. They could be skipped but the player
would be missing out on vital parts of the story. Hideo Kojima has
decided to go in a different direction by telling this epic tale
through beautifully rendered real time cut scenes. The story is told so
amazingly in this game, I have no problem with watching the cinematics
on my now third play through. Some biased reviewers will tell you that
cut scenes distract from the experience and that 90% of the experience
is a movie. This simply is not true and the cinematics only add to the
depth of this game. I will not delve into specifics to avoid spoilers.
The story starts off with Solid Snake coming out of retirement to help
an old friend, Colonel Campbell, the mission is simple, assassinate
Liquid. Things get complicated from there but rest assured, this game
grabs onto you and doesn't let go until the credits roll. Every loose
end, every missing character anything that has plagued us throughout
the Metal Gear series has been answered in MGS4, and in doing so it has
raised the bar for story telling across any medium.
Early on during the development Kojima Productions brought in Ryan
Payton, one of the heads at Konami of America, in order to bring some western
influence. Boy, did it pay off, MGS4 has completely revamped the
control scheme while still keeping the stealth elements not only in
tact, but have improved upon them immensely. Metal Gear Solid 4 takes
in a new over-the-shoulder camera view, Ala gears or re4, and it has
opened up a whole new way to play the game. Any worries that this new
camera will take away from the core of the stealth game play are
invalid, as this adds new depth to the stealth while giving a new
opportunity to players as well. 
The
gameplay also stays fresh as it has you traverse through five
completely different areas throughout the five acts. Another wrinkle
that plays along with the new shooting mechanics is the Drebin Points
system. Drebin is a weapons launderer and he unlocks ID-tagged guns
that you pick up throughout the game. You will find, steal and swipe
guns off of enemies collecting points and weapons throughout the story
and with over 77 weapons in the game this adds an extreme amount of
depth.
Now for those stealth enthusiasts who thrive on CQC and camouflage,
there is another new element, and it is probably the coolest thing I
have seen in a video game in a long time. Octocamo is an evolution of
the camouflage system from MGS3: Snake Eater. Octocamo blends into
whatever surface you are primarily leaning against. This comes to be
very handy when trying to avoid enemy soldiers.
In MGS4 there is something for everyone, and this new variety of
game play options will only entice players to engage in multiple play
throughs. On top of all these new additions, MGS4 has an insane amount
of collectibles, warranting at least 2-3 play throughs to unlock
everything. As if all of this wasn't enough, Kojima Productions and
Konami have decided to build upon the success of Metal Gear Solid 3
Subsistence by including the very underrated Metal Gear Online. My only
complaint about MGO is having to create a Konami ID. It plays very
similar to the single player game. With about ten hours clocked in, I
have had no lag issues or microphone issues. In a word: Solid, no pun
intended.
Boss battles have always been a staple of the metal gear franchise
and this carnation of the series does not disappoint. The bosses are a
wonderful homage to the memorable fights from MGS1. Beautifully
designed boss fights fit well into the intricate story and add to the
depth of realism that MGS delves into. They give a real taste of the
horrors of war and paint a picture of what an atrocity really is. MGS4
sets a new standard for game play, with varied enemies, brilliant AI,
and a whole new set of tools at snakes fingertips, its hard not to bask
in the glory that is MGS4.
Graphically MGS4 sets a new standard for video games that other
developers should learn from. This game is filled with realistic
textures and beautifully rendered character models. It offers some
amazing lighting along with some nice effects that add to the realism
such as the dirt and water that covers the screen in moments of battle.
The audio in Metal Gear Solid 4 is second to none, with top notch voice
actors and realistic sounding guns, this game has the technical
features down pat. The voice work is second to none with David Hayter
leading the charge with his wonderful representation of Old Snake. I
could discursively drown on about how beautiful this game looks and
sounds and it still wouldn't do it justice. It just shows the amount of
work Kojima has put in with his team for over three-and-a-half years.
Their hard work has payed dividends for this game as it is the most
visually stunning console game to date.
Words can not describe what a masterpiece Metal Gear Solid 4 is.
You simply have to experience this game for yourself. It is sad to see
such a legendary hero as snake go but he could not have asked for a
better send off. Goodbye old friend, I salute you.
