I would like to start this review with a little description of my history or lack- thereof with the Metal Gear Solid series. I've always been interested in the plot and characters but the overall gameplay never really ( at least back when I was 9) allowed me the means to see the whole thing. Thankfully with the help of the internet, I got a very good ( though not entirely clear) explaination on most of the characters and where they were coming from.
I came into MGS4 looking for answers and well, I found them. And as it turns out MGS4 is now one of my favorite games of this generation and a game I won't soon forget. The game opens up with the protaganist Solid Snake in the back of a truck full of mercenary troops in the middle east. Why is he there? to kill liquid oscelot. The story manages to work out all the twist and tangles that the series has made and make new ones all at the same time. But don't worry, everything comes to a satisfying end. One thing you might want to know if you're not familiar with the series is the length of the cutscenes. Kojima is telling a story in true movie form, where a 30 minute cuscene is the norm. But if you're willing to put up with some heavy-handed story telling and pay close attention to everything the characters say, you'll find this story to be one of the most intricate and satisfying in all of gaming.
But MGS4 isn't all story, in fact the other 50% of the game is pure stealth action. In fact, the gameplay in MGS4 is so polished I never had a problem during the stealth sections and that says a lot, since I find stealth games rather tedious and off putting. On top of that the shooting itself is very fun and easy to do, unlike some of it's predeccesors MGS4 brings all the elements, shooting, stealth and story and makes them all a satisfying experience.
Overall: As you can probably tell from the review above, if I was to pick one word to sum up MGS4 it would be, satisfaction. The overall product is tremendous and deserves to be played by fans and those who are trying the series for the first time. And if you want to catch up on the story and get the know how to come into this games story with confidence, there is a great encyclopedia on the PSN that is comepletely free.
Graphics: 10/10
Gameplay: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Value: 10/10
