Metal Gear Solid 4, the latest, and perhaps final, chapter in director
Hideo Kojima's storied series, has been saddled with impossible
expectations, tasked with closing out every aspect the labyrinthine
mythology of its predecessors. The franchise has become known for two
distinct things; a complex story, grounded in contemporary politics and
current themes, and open-ended stealth gameplay. Metal Gear Solid 4
pushes each of these to the limit, and despite the lengthy, meandering
cutscenes, solo infiltrations as series protagonist Solid Snake have
never been as open-ended or as engaging.
The Metal Gear Solid series is unique in its focus on cinematic
sequences, and Metal Gear Solid 4 is no exception. About half of my run
through the game was spent watching meticulously staged cinematics,
with excellent facial animation and voice acting. Those who have
traditionally adored the way previous games present story will be right
at home with Metal Gear Solid 4. But those who have been put off in the
past by the series' penchant for melodramatic dialouge and lengthy,
non-interactive exposition will find themselves as bored or annoyed as
ever. Metal Gear Solid 4 surpasses even MGS2 in the density of its
cutscenes, which only become lengthier and more frequent as the game
progresses, culminating in a final movie that runs a full seventy
minutes.
The game, similar to its predecessors, tackles weighty, current themes,
returning to Metal Gear Solid 2's overarching theme of control. Behind
complex acronyms and buzzwords like 'SOP', 'War economy', and
'nanomachines', lies a single question; how much freedom should we
relinquish for the sake of order and efficiency? The choices made in
the world of the game, and the consequences that are faced as a result
of those decisions, define the conflict of the story.
The plot is interesting, and unlike many other games on the market
today, it actually has a message. But it is obscured behind hours of
cutscenes explaining subtle, unessential intricacies of the world's
terminology, or delving deep into series lore in an effort to tie up
every single loose end left by earlier games, an effort that is filled
with explanations that feel thrown together at the last minute. I
couldn't help but feel that the game cried out for an editor who could
strip the non-essential elements out of the script and staging, someone
who could allow the underlying concepts and thoughts to shine through
without being obscured by sermonizing, melodrama, and monologues. This
won't be a problem for Kojima devotees, but it was an issue for me.
Luckily for those who are uninterested in story, all cutscenes are
skippable, if you choose. One certainly couldn't be faulted for wanting
to get to the gameplay.
For it is when the game shifts to your control that things get
interesting. As the game begins, Metal Gear Solid 4 leaves the confined
spaces and quiet solitude of the earlier games behind, thrusting the
player early on into a raging battlefield, as PMC soldiers fight local
rebels. The options for guiding Solid Snake through the conflict are
numerous, and, unlike earlier games that heavily discouraged the use of
weaponry, all options are viable. Running and gunning using the new
over-the-shoulder camera to aim is nearly as entertaining as sneaking
around, staying hidden with help from the new Solid-Eye gadget, a very
non-obtrusive threat ring, and 'octo-camo', which preserves the best
aspects of MGS3's camo system with none of the frequent trips to the
pause screen. Every aspect feels easier and smoother than ever, thanks
to a control scheme that is much more
accessible and streamlined.
The environments, especially in the first half of the game, are very open, leaving the player free to
choose between plenty of different paths and approaches. There are all
sorts of viable options, and while the player is free to pick one
method and stick with it if you wish, experimenting with different
weapons, gadgets, and techniques (hold-ups, a technique introduced in
MGS2 that had always felt clunky, is easier and more fun than ever) is
much of the fun.
There are tons of different sub-systems that I don't need to delve
into, such as weapons vendor Drebin's shop that affords you a constant
supply of weapons and ammo, but those are secondary to the constant
stream of new scenarios and surprises that keep being thrown your way.
Just when you think you know how the game is going to play out, a new
wrinkle is thrown your way. With the exception of one sequence about
half-way through the game that overstays its welcome by about 15
minutes, every section will keep you interested all the way through
until the game ends.
I have plenty of misgivings about the story presentation. But those
barely matter when compared to the richness of Kojima's vision. I raced
through it in 18 hours, and when I was done, I couldn't wait to start
it again. And that's what's really important. If you have a PS3, you
should get this game.
