Una delle immagini più belle in circolazione

Alla facciazza dei sondaggi che faccio, mi sono accattato il grande MGS4.

Anche perché stava vincendo quello quando l’ho preso, ma vabbè.

Allora, partiamo dalle basi.
MGS4 non è un gioco per chi non conosce la saga.
Io stesso, che ho saltato solo un capitolo (Snake Eater), ho avuto delle lacune sulla storia considerevoli, tanto che non conoscevo un bel po’ di personaggi (EVA, The Boss, Zero e Ocelot da giovine).

È un gioco fatto pensando a chi ama i 6 giochi usciti finora, creato per dare risposte a domande lasciate aperte per 20 anni, la chiusura perfetta di una storia che ha (volente o no) rivoluzionato la storia dei videogames.

Tutti sappiamo chi è Solid Snake.
Il ritorno di uno dei personaggi più amati della storia del nostro media preferito torna per l’ultima volta, facendoci provare l’emozione di controllare un vecchio soldato al posto del solito marine nerboruto che spacca tutto (ma ha bisogno di una chiave per aprire quella stupida porta in compensato dell’Ikea).

MGS è coraggioso, autoreferenziale e…palloso, se non sei pronto alla miriade di filmati che ti si parano davanti.
Certo, spiegano la storia e chiariscono le idee, ma a volte sono delle scenette che si sarebbero potute tranquillamente implementare nel gioco in corso.
Nonostante ciò, le Cutscene legate alla storia sono divine, sia graficamente (realizzate comunque col motore di gioco) sia stilisticamente.
Ciò mi fa ripensare ad una mia frase di qualche anno fa e cioè: “Kojima è un regista fallito”.

I controlli sono buoni, ma non ottimi.
Hideo, un solo appunto: siamo nel 2oo9 (ma è uscito un anno fa), c’è già stato un certo Gears of War che mi fa sparare dietro ad una copertura.  Non dico copiare da lui, ma almeno ispirarsi no, eh?
Altro appunto: perdio, perchè il tasto del corpo a corpo è dovuto passare dal quadrato a R1? Perché? Era troppo comodo?

Comunque, grandi colpi di scena, personaggi che si pensavano morti e sepolti da decenni e qualche stacchetto comico rendono la storia di questo gioco una delle migliori dell’industria.

Se poi si pensa che per godersela a pieno bisogna aver giocato tutti i capitoli viene male, ma su PS3 è disponibile un comodo database gratuito che può aiutare a chiarire molti punti oscuri a chi (come me) non si è goduto un capitolo o due.

Eccoloquà.

Snake ci saluta con l’altra mano, si allontana e ci augura buona fortuna.
I ringraziamenti sono doverosi.

Voto: 9/10

Abbassate di un voto se non siete fan della saga, lasciatelo lì se vi piace.
P.s: Giusto per farvi capire quanto sono fresco di giocata, sullo schermo stanno ancora scorrendo i titoli di coda.

by Theo Dentchev

“There’ll always be the argument that video games are meant to be played for fun. Believe me, some of it’s a lot of fun. Video games are meant to be played at home, relaxing, on a couch, amongst friends…and they are, and that’s fun. But competitive gaming, when you want to attach your name to a world record, when you want your name written into history, you have to pay the price.”

- Billy Mitchell, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

In the above quote arcade game legend Billy Mitchell speaks to the difference between competitive gaming and what might be called “casual” gaming. But at the same time, in a way he’s comparing modern gaming to classic arcade gaming. “[Modern] [v]ideo games are meant to be played at home…on a couch,” and one might add with a gaming console, on a TV, whereas classic arcade games are played standing up in front of the arcade machine, usually in an arcade. Those superficial differences in location and method of playing are representative of a broader shift in gaming from the arcade era in the 80s to the console era of today, from more competitive to more casual, from a narrow to a broad appeal, and from more rule oriented games to games which utilize fiction much more heavily.

The underlying goal of classic arcade games is to get as far as you could, to achieve as high a score as possible without dying (and if you are good enough, to hopefully get your name on the high scores list), and thus they are inherently competitive. Arcade games also require great hand-eye and hand-thought coordination, as Twin Galaxies founder and referee Walter Day tells us in King of Kong. Someone playing an arcade game has to be literally thinking on their feet. The person has to be on edge, attentive, and motivated to keep standing there and competing at that game. This is in stark contrast to video games today, which are meant to be enjoyed while sitting back, sinking into your couch cushions, without needing to exert a great deal of mental or physical effort. Today’s games try to be friendly and open to new or “casual” gamers. They are much, much more forgiving than the arcade games of the past and no longer restrict players to going as far as their skills allow them; now even the least able gamer  can fully experience (and beat) most games. That isn’t to say that there aren’t still games being made which are or can be competitive out there, it just means the landscape has shifted.

Accompanying this shift is gaming becoming more mainstream. Whether the increased public interest in gaming is due to the increasingly casual nature of games, or whether companies are making more casual games to please the public, I don’t know. I figure it’s a combination of both. Most people don’t find the intensely challenging, and often frustrating nature of arcade games to be “fun.” They are more attracted to games whose rules present some sort of challenge, yet not one which is too difficult to overcome. But people also like flashy graphics, rich soundtracks, and complex stories. Arcade gaming did not have that. They didn’t have the greatest graphics (it was the 80s,still early in the development of video games), and while they had some catchy themes the music was pretty simple. As for story, sure, Mario (Jumpman) was trying to save Pauline (Lady) from Donkey Kong in Donkey Kong, but that’s about as deep as that story gets, and there’s really no resolution of the conflict (ending). And what about Pac-Man? What was he eating all those dots for anyway? Arcade games focused mostly on a set of rules, without much fiction. Modern games still have rules which the player must follow, but have added great amounts of fiction, mainly in the form of narratives and accompanying music, to the point that some games are considered more film than game (e.g. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots). That in turn has attracted a great deal of people to the gaming world, swelling its ranks with new, casual gamers.

Video games in the 80s were generally viewed in a negative light, with mostly “losers” or “nerds,” supposed rejects of society, congregating in dimly lit arcades, almost cult-like. Perhaps this was because games were still a new and relatively foreign medium. Or maybe the “price” needed to be paid that Billy Mitchell alludes to, not in quarters, but in time, dedication, and repeated frustration resulting from the difficulty of arcade games was too high for the average person to pay. Or was it because arcade games were too simple, only about rules and competition? Whatever the case may be, since video games have started heavily incorporating fiction and lowering the challenge the rules present, changing the nature of the games from competitive to casual, they have been propelled in a relatively short amount of time into mainstream recognition and acceptance. People find today’s games to be more “fun.” It’s not only nerds who play video games now, and although competitive gaming may still be discredited, even that is changing as people begin to play games like Halo for a living.

Or maybe it’s all because of Madden.

- TD

Source

1) I bet many users had expected the next MGS5 announcement. When did you start this project?

I actually had the plan for this project in mind while working on MPO. Back then, I intended to place the project in the hands of the next generation of creators at Kojima Productions. However, in the end, I felt that it was still a little too early to leave it completely in their hands, so I decided to take the reins.

This game is an MGS5-class game. I am supervising, designing, producing, directing, and editing this title together with the MGS4 team. Therefore in that sense, “METAL GEAR SOLID” has not ended, and the “METAL GEAR SAGA” continues.

2) You have been telling for many years that your ultimate theme is “Anti-war and Anti-nuclear weapon”. Does this theme continue in this title?

Absolutely. The METAL GEAR SOLID series has always featured “Anti-war” and “Anti-nuke” themes. This title is no exception.

In the event of an attack from a neighboring country, I believe that finding a solution through diplomacy is ideal. However, the fact is that even peaceful countries with no intention of retaliating still maintain armies just for the sake of deterrence. I am sure there are varied opinions regarding this subject, but I believe that it is our generation’s role to “create peace through discussion.” What makes things complicated is that the youth of today have been born into a world where the current situation is the norm, so it’s difficult to convey this message. That is why my hope is to have players ponder and learn about why there are people who advocate the “need for armies, military power, and nuclear weapons” so that they may realize “why things turned out the way that they did” while they play this game.

3) I understand that it is a tactical espionage action game but could you provide some explanation for bringing this title to the PSP platform? I saw 4 Snakes in the trailer presented at E3, is this COOP?

The game will be stealth-action based. I can’t reveal too many details yet, but we are implementing features that can only be realized on the PSP platform that I believe everyone can look forward to. The game will be a little different from the METAL GEAR that players have come to know. However, the story can be replayed numerous times and the game is full of challenges to complete, so I feel that this title will really satisfy players with its long-lasting play time. Just as an example, do you recall the cardboard box at the end of the Peace Walker trailer? In addition to that two-man box, we are preparing a variety of other different cardboard boxes this time around.

To give a little more insight into the game, you can, how shall I say… customize Snake according to your preferences and determine what kind of soldier you will use prior to embarking on your mission. For example there’s heavy gear configurations that make a lot of noise, but that allow you to equip numerous weapons. Or, there are other configurations that won’t allow you to carry many weapons, but will allow you to be light on your feet. We will be preparing a variety of other types as well. Being able to make decisions and plot a strategy will be one of the really enjoyable features of this title.

We are also working on a “growth feature” as well, where your character evolves. It will be a new type of system, so I hope everyone will look forward to it!

4) “You’re known for boot camps and on site checks. This time which part you would like to stress about the reality in terms of game quality?

We conduct research in many ways and then begin game production. In regards to the quality of the game, the main staff of MGS4 are producing it. They are aiming for PS3 quality because they were creating MGS4 on the PS3 not too long ago. In reality it is hard to maintain the same quality as the PS3 but we strive for it and we are expressing this in ways only we can express it in.

5) Regarding the KJP countdown teaser site, there were several signs as a message, could you explain what this message is all about?

–
5=it is an MGS5 class game
S=Snake
巳＝snake in Kanji
E=E3
R=Raiden
3=3 from 360 and E3
6=6 from 360
P and S=PSP and adding 3 makes it PS3
–

Aside from the Snake and Raiden visuals, we featured a total of 10 “symbols” and when all of these are rearranged, they form connections to the announcements that we made at E3.

The first symbols that appeared were the number “5″ and the letter “S” for Snake that represented PW which, to me, is a “5″ class title. “巳” not only hints at the lowercase lettering of “E” for E3, but it is the kanji for the word “snake.” Also, the symbol that appeared at the very end is the kanji “日” and represents a sunny background and the sunrise that links to RISING.

The “RISING” of “METAL GEAR SOLID RISING” implies “the sun rising,” “the sun shining,” and “the sun shining on Raiden” that was revealed in the visuals on the HP. In addition, “RISING” also represents how “METAL GEAR SOLID” will be taking the next step up.

Going back to the symbols found on the HP, they also link to “the day of 360″ and also to each of the titles that we announced at E3. When each of the symbols are rearranged, I think you’ll be able to recognize E3, PSP, PS3, 360 and others. So everyone, how did you like it? Were your predictions on the mark?

Frequently, when ‘fellow games writers’ ask me what I’m up to these days work wise, they react like I’ve just told them that I’m suffering from an incurable disease.

For those of you who don’t know, the main focus of my work these days is mobile gaming – reviewing and covering games on Nseries phones and the iPhone. It was a completely new area of gaming to me, both professionally and personally, but I can safely say that, over a year in, it was a sound move. Not only is the site I write for pretty damn special, but it’s been genuinely refreshing discovering the whole other world of games.

And it really is a whole other world. Because, while some of my compatriots might think mobile games are a mere shadow of their console counterparts, in truth, there’s a lot to love and respect about the companies and gamers involved in this field.

I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so, either. The likes of Digital Chocolate, Glu, Gameloft and even EA of late bring a real sheen and polish to their titles these days, which – on the whole – wasn’t often seen a few years ago. There’s certainly a desire amongst the studios to push the hardware as far as they can with the software. On features alone, many of the sports sims out there rival and even surpass their console equivalents, for instance.

But it’s not just the professionalism of the developers and publishers, but rather the positive attitude of those out there parting with their cash.

I’ve been known to post on a few games forums in my time (ha ha!), and of late, discussions about specific games can be split somewhere down the middle. You either love a game, beyond reason or even sense, or you absolutely hate it, usually before its even come out. Pages and pages are filled pre-release with the supposed ‘fanboys’ salivating over every new screenshot and proclaiming whatever title they’re lusting over as a huge future hit, played off against those who have absolutely no interest in buying the title, themselves only posting to reaffirm their contempt.

The years of build up to Killzone 2 is the most prominent example I can think of right now. On the forums I visited over those years, fans of the original (or general Sony zealots) were confident in their belief that it would prove to be a turning point in the PS3’s lifecycle – a title that swung the balance of power. Conversely, there were scores of people all too willing to proclaim it as a flop, years before release.

Though my actual playing experience is limited to the demo (which, I thought was solid and decent, if a bit clichéd, especially when it came to the tacky musical score), it would appear Killzone 2 neither turned out to be the second coming, nor a disaster, shifting a fairly healthy if not headline grabbing amount of units in the process. Yet, that view was largely drowned out by anyone who had the sense to state it.

From what I’ve seen of mobile gaming forums (and, this might be a surprise to some, but they do exist), such is the formative nature of the industry that almost every title, whether it’s from a studio with a chequered history or not, is greeted with hope and thirst. Naïve, you might think, but it’s also refreshing. People aren’t blasted for getting excited about one particular game, or ripped apart for downloading another. Even if it turns out to be a dud.

In one respect, this makes criticising games that warrant a bit of a dressing down rather hard – very rarely do the folk that post on such forums either agree with, or even want, faults to be pointed out. But this is still vastly preferable to having your flag effectively raised for you if you happen to like a game the ‘community’ loathes, even if they’ve not played the bugger. Naturally, the reverse is just as true.

Case in point, a MGS4 review I wrote last year. Scored 8, was generous, but realistic. It’s certainly not a high point for Kojima in my book, and while there was a lot to love for MGS fans such as myself, there were also whole scores of the game that were nothing more than a self-indulgent car crash. Of course, even scoring the game as high as 8 – which, in my book, is a pretty fucking respectable score – was a travesty, and the review was met with floods of complaints. It was heresy to have Guns of the Patriots down as anything but a solid 10.

I’ve, of course, encountered resistance with some of my mobile reviews, but rarely to the same extent. There’s something of a fresh outlook in these parts, almost as if the gamers are playing and learning as much as the developers. There’s no guarantee that mobile gaming won’t go the same way as its console cousin, but for now, this is an industry with a refreshingly positive fanbase.

Metal Gear Solid is considered to be one of the greatest video game series of all time and there are many good reasons for this. Not only does Metal Gear Solid have fantastic gameplay and original ideas but it is also extremely cinematic and has an amazing storyline. I know people who don’t care for the MGS gameplay but happily play through for the incredible story and characters. The music also adds to the cinematic feel that MGS is known for. Harry Gregson Williams did an amazing job with the music in MGS2 – 4. All the composers who worked on the MGS games have done an amazing job. The characters in MGS are also amazing. You really feel for all the characters in the game. Both the heroes and villains of MGS are incredible as characters with strong emotions being created for everyone in the MGS universe. This feature will be focusing on the villains however, more importantly the bosses. Another reason MGS is considered to be amazing is the incredible boss fights. To celebrate the one year anniversary of Metal Gear Solid 4: Gun’s of the Patriots, I have made a list of the top ten MGS bosses in the entire series. (No bosses from Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake though because I haven’t got round to playing them though.

Note: There will be spoilers for all Metal Gear Solid games ahead.

10. Olga Gurlukovich – Metal Gear Solid 2

When you start MGS2 and choose new game you are presented with multiple options which affect the difficulty options available on the first playthrough and whether you start the game playing in the Tanker or the Big Shell. Most people who played MGS2 had played the first MGS beforehand so they would choose one of the options saying that they had played the first MGS. This would mean that most players played the Tanker chapter first and played as Snake. The first Boss you fight as Snake is Olga Gurlukovich. One of the best things about the Olga boss fight is the design of the fight. You are fighting aboard a tanker ship and water is splashing on most sides. The rain is rapidly coming down and this makes the fight seem like something straight out of Hollywood.  The graphics were amazing at the time and was one of the best looking scenes in any video game ever. A one on one duel with Olga, rain firing down and water splashing all around you, you are ducking behind boxes and firing at Olga while she fires back. It is a pretty amazing scene. The boss fight plays really well too. You only have a tranquillizer so you are forced to deplete Olga’s stamina rather than health but she can deplete your health. You have to use the small area you have to your advantage by hiding behind boxes and popping out when she doesn’t know where you are and getting a few shots in. Olga sharpens up quickly though and moves the light into your direction which makes it much harder to see where she is. When you look into the light you need to turn away because of how bright it is and it really adds to the immersion. You can get rid of the light by shooting it. Then Olga will use a cloth sheet to hide behind, not for cover but to make it harder for you to spot her. The wind blows it about which obviously will get in your way so you need to shoot the parts where it is tied to the container to make it fly away.

The Olga boss fight is great as a first boss fight. It shows that the boss fights in MGS2 are going to be just as good as the ones from the first game. It creates atmosphere and immersion and lets the player know that MGS2 is going to be an awesome game.

9. Metal Gear REX/Metal Gear RAY fight – MGS and MGS2

Both the fights with RAY and REX are quite different but I wanted to have one of them in this list and couldn’t decide, so I chose both. Both fights involve firing stingers at Metal Gear. In MGS you have to defeat Liquid Snake who is in Metal Gear REX and in MGS2 you have to defeat multiple Metal Gear RAYs. The REX fight is the most cinematic with Liquid trying to finally defeat Solid Snake. The first of many duels between the brothers is extremely well done and the memorable “BROTHER!” line is created here. To make the fight even better though Gray Fox joins in to lend a hand. Gray Fox takes on REX and tries to destroy using speed, strength and his kick ass sword. However, even Gray Fox is no match for REX and is only able to distract it by allowing it to crush him. During this time it switches to the first person stinger mode, which you can control. Gray Fox is shouting at you to fire the rocket and destroy REX but Snake is unable to do it because it doesn’t want to kill Gray Fox. Gray Fox is then killed and Snake is left to fight REX. It’s one of the best moments in the series.

 The RAY fight is also fantastic. Raiden is left by himself in Arsenal Gear and has to destroy the oncoming Metal Gear RAYs. Otacon is available via codec for some advice but apart from that you only have your equipment. The fight is very fun and can be very challenging on the higher difficulties. The fight isn’t as cinematic as REX but it is very tense as you have a limited amount of rations and ammo. Ammo and rations are available to be picked up but there aren’t that many so it’s vital you manage to avoid taking too many hits and eliminate each Metal Gear quickly.

8. Metal Gear REX versus Metal Gear RAY – MGS4

You are probably wondering why I didn’t include this at position 9 with the other Metal Gear fight. The reason for putting it above is because of how awesome the fight is. Yes, the Snake vs. Metal Gear fights are great but fighting Metal Gear using another Metal Gear is even better. Ever since players saw Metal Gear for the first time, they wanted to use it to kick some ass and now MGS4 lets you. Before the boss fight, you get to control REX for a while where you need to make your way through the Shadow Moses escape tunnel and defeat Gekko along the way. This gives you practise for the boss and allows you to get to grips with the way REX handles. It feels really heavy which is a good thing and moves at a decent speed (You can dart in directions to speed this up though). REX is equipped with three weapons: machine guns, missiles and a laser. The machine guns are the “fast but not that powerful gun”, the missiles can do a lot of damage but they need to reload quite often and the laser is very good but needs to be charged before use (The longer charged, the more damage done). The RAY fight is really good. RAY is a stronger version of REX and Liquid has had more experience with RAY than Snake has with REX so Liquid starts off with an advantage. RAY can pull of similar moves to you but if you are quick enough you can dodge fire or shoot the missiles before they hit you. If you manage to ram into RAY you can perform some additional moves but Liquid can do the same. If you miss your ram Liquid will nearly always use the opportunity to attack you up close.

The REX versus RAY fight is amazing. Finally you can control a Metal Gear and even fight with another Metal Gear. REX controls extremely well and the atmosphere created by Shadow Moses nostalgia just makes the fight that little bit better.

7. Gray Fox/Cyborg Ninja – MGS

Gray Fox is one of the best villains in the MGS series, if he can be classed as a villain anyway. The Gray Fox fight is a close quarters dual to the death. Both Snake and Gray Fox only use their fists in this fight, no guns… or swords in Gray Fox’s case. What does make the fight interesting though is the fact that Gray Fox has access to stealth camouflage meaning that he can go invisible. A really fast, cyborg ninja, who can go invisible, sounds like fun. Fortunately Gray Fox doesn’t use stealth all of the time to make the fight fairer. When Gray Fox is attacking he will not use it and will be visible but after taking a few hits he will activate it again. Now you have to find Gray Fox, somewhere in the office the invisible ninja lies in wait. So how do you find him? Do you wander about, searching every possible location for an outline of some sort, as quick as you can? Or do you make use of the chaff grenades you have and deactivate the stealth and stun him at the same time? Or do you listen to his voice and track it, using sound? Each way can be effective and can lead to a very tense boss fight because if you don’t find him quick enough he will find you and do some damage. However, even though the first part of the fight is very well done and extremely fun, the highlight of the fight comes from the end of it. Gray Fox suddenly becomes crazy due to what appears to be a malefaction. He then starts banging his head of the ground and screaming, if you try to attack him an electrical pulse attack you back. Then the electrical pulse becomes even larger and will hit you unless you are far away from him. Gray Fox will be screaming with pain and shouting at you to hit him, he became crazy and witnessing this just adds to the overall quality of the boss fight.

6. Liquid Snake – MGS

Liquid is the main villain in MGS, the leader of FOXHOUND and also Solid Snake’s brother. Liquid is one of the best villains in the entire MGS series and the fight shows that well. After defeating REX Snake wakes up, injured and topless with Liquid standing above him. Liquid talks about his plan and informs Snake of what was going on, then the duel starts. No guns, no stealth, no grenades, just an unarmed duel on top of a half destroyed Metal Gear REX. The scene was done amazing, Liquid and Snake on top of REX, both weak but ready to fight. The fight consists of punching and dodging. You attack Liquid with your combo, dodge his and get some more punches in. The fight itself is good but it’s the atmosphere that really makes it. The duel of the two brothers with the amazing Metal Gear Solid music playing is one of the best events of the MGS series. Liquid’s British voice screaming “Brother!” also adds to this. The player really feels like beating Liquid as quickly as possible because of Meryl. Meryl is lying, unconscious and you can’t check to see if she is alive or not, until Liquid has been defeated. This makes the player want to ensure Liquid gets defeated, the player cares for Meryl and are desperate to find out whether she is alive or not.

5. Sniper Wolf – MGS

There are two fights with Sniper Wolf, both are really good. The fights take place of sniper duels and can be really intense. Sniper Wolf will wait until the right time for the shot while you are frantically searching for her. This creates tension and makes you try to find her as fast as you can but you don’t want to be searching too fast in case you miss her. In the first fight, Snake is at one end of a corridor and Wolf is at the other end. Both of you are equipped with Sniper rifles. Meryl had already been shot by Sniper Wolf and was then captured when Snake went to get a sniper. This makes you want to get revenge against Wolf. Unlike Sniper Wolf, Snake is not a trained sniper so he is nowhere near as good as Wolf. He shakes a lot which makes him quite inaccurate. To prevent the shaking Snake must use diazepam which makes Snake a lot steadier. However you only have a limited amount of diazepam so again you want to try and find her fast so they don’t go to waste. Since the fight is just down a corridor, it isn’t very difficult to find Wolf but she does move to cover and go prone to make it harder.

The second fight is the better of the two though. This time you are fighting in a big open field but at the time of heavy snow. There is also less cover this time so you can imagine that even more tension is created. Again diazepam is needed to have a steady shot and actually hit Wolf. This time Wolf hides behind tries, containers or will try to stay low so that it is hard for her to be seen. It is a lot harder to find her in the second fight but when you get the hang of it, Wolf won’t cause too many problems. After finally defeating Wolf and ending the epic sniper battle one of the most tragic death scenes in the game happens. Sniper Wolf was a good person and Otacon tried to convince Snake that she was. Otacon loved Wolf and seeing her die would be terrible but unfortunately it was necessary.

4. Psycho Mantis – MGS

No Metal Gear Solid boss list is complete without Psycho Mantis. It is one of the most innovate boss fight in a game ever. Psycho Mantis is a telepath so he can read your mind and find out about you or detect your next move. In the cutscene before the fight he reads your memory card and tells you what game you like to play. He also describes your play style; whether you are stealthy; reckless; fall in traps; whether you save often and more. As well as that he tells you to put the controller on the ground and watch him move it through the power of vibration. That is what makes the Psycho Mantis fight so good, it breaks the fourth wall and brings the player into the fight. In the fight you can’t hit Psycho Mantis, well you can’t at the beginning. Every time you fire a gun, throw a punch, throw a grenade etc he will dodge it and then attack you. So how do you beat him? You take out your controller and put it into controller port two. Then he can’t detect your moves and you can actually attack him now. Like I said before it really brings the player in and makes the boss fight an amazing experience.  

Changing the controller port isn’t the only way to defeat Psycho Mantis though. You can also equip the gas mask which prevents him from reading your mind and you can also destroy the statues behind him. Changing the controller port is the best way to do it though. As well as the actual fight with Psycho Mantis, he also controls Meryl. He will take control of her and make her either shoot you or herself. To prevent this you must co and knock he out with a throw or by hitting her enough times.

3. The End – MGS3

Like Sniper Wolf, The End is a sniper duel. This time the fight is taken to a completely different level though.  Unlike the previous fight there is a lot more to fighting, using diazepam and avoiding being shot. There are many ways to defeat The End and each one is extremely tricky and requires a lot of skill, well most ways do. The best way to play is to have an all out, epic sniper duel. The End is hidden somewhere around you so you must try and find him. You could run out into the open and let him shoot you to find his position but that isn’t the best of ideas. You could look out for the glare on his sniper scope or use the directional microphone to hear his grunts (A 100+ year old man isn’t going to be quiet). After you find him you need to hit him with the sniper which, depending on your position will either will be easy or difficult. After hitting him in the first position he will move somewhere into one of the surrounding forest areas. Now to find him again. Don’t expect to quickly run to where he started off because The End is one hell of a runner, especially for his age. However, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. To find him again you can track his footprints by looking for them or using the Thermal goggles. You can’t just go running after his footprints though, you must make use of your camouflage and try to be as hidden as possible. Survival is the key to the end fight, making use of your camo and equipment; having patience; maybe even setting a few traps all help you defeat The End. Even though the epic, sniper duel is my favourite way to defeat The End the other ways can be just as fun.

Two of the ways are very simple but are worth trying just to see what it is like. After defeating The Pain you have to travel through a river. When doing this there is a point where you turn to the left and a cutscene starts. The End is in the cutscene and is sleeping in his wheelchair. When the cutscene finishes you can kill The End by shooting him in the head with the SVD. This prevents you from fighting him later and instead you will be greeted by some Ocelot troops. There is another amusing way to defeat The End. If you save the game during the fight and then switch off the PS2, when you load the game back up a special cutscene will appear depending on how long you waited. If you waited less than a week The End catches Snake trying to sneak up on him but if you waited more than a week you see Snake sneak up on The End only to find out that he has died of old age. That’s Kojima for you. The third way to defeat him is to sneak up on him. This can be very difficult but you can obtain The End’s camo and Mosin-Nagant by doing this. If you hold up The End and make him shake out his equipment you can get his camo. If you decide to defeat him by depleting your stamina you will obtain his Mosin-Nagant which is very useful as a long range, non lethal weapon.

The End is one of the most amazing boss fights in any game as it is completely different from every other fight out there. Skill and patience are both essential.

2. Liquid Ocelot – MGS4

Now this is one hell of a fight. Old Snake and Liquid Ocelot both have gone through hell but are still determined to fight each other. It is an amazing experience and seeing the legendary hero and villain have one final fight (or should that be four) makes an incredible finale for Metal Gear Solid 4. The fight is split into four parts, each part representing one of the Metal Gear Solid games (1 – 4). Each fight involves using CQC and Ocelot will use different skills and attacks depending on which stage he is in. The CQC is changed for this fight though. The main combo you can perform is now longer and has more hits in it; the grab takes you into a special cut scene/quick time event where you can beat him up even more; you can perform a more powerful punch; you can perform a dash which will stun him for a second; you can perform a quick dodge in the form of crouching down; you can interact with the environment to perform more moves (e.g. Hitting Liquid Ocelot’s head off a big post). The first stage of the fight is the Metal Gear Solid (1) stage. This fight has the amazing “Encounter” Metal Gear Solid music playing and allows you to get to grips with the fighting style.  The CQC duel makes you attack, block, dodge and grab to win the fight. The health bars are exactly the same as they were in MGS too which is a great feature. The atmosphere in this fight is great; it really reminds you of the Liquid versus Snake fight in the first MGS. Even though you are fighting Ocelot, there is a resemblance to Liquid when he is topless. Outer Haven has a similar look to REX when you are on top of it which adds to the nostalgic atmosphere.

The second part of the fight is the Metal Gear Solid 2 part. This time the “Tanker Incident “ music is playing. This time Liquid Ocelot will frequently use an extremely powerful punch which can take off a lot of health. The fight is very similar but it has a completely different atmosphere due to the music which makes the fight what it is. Both if the fights can be really brutal since both Liquid Ocelot and Snake are extremely old and in extreme pain. Again the health bars have changed to the ones used in MGS2. The MGS3 fight is next and starts off with some cool, cutscene counters which were used by Big Boss and The Boss in MGS3. Ocelot also does his hand gesture which he done frequently in MGS3. This time the “Snake Eater” song plays. Ocelot fights with the pose that Big Boss and Ocelot both used in MGS3. Some of the CQC attacks from MGS3 are used in this fight by both Liquid Ocelot and Snake. One of the attacks that Liquid Ocelot uses can be countered by Snake in the exact same way Big Boss counters which is a nice touch. The health bars are now the MGS3 ones and the stamina bars are there too.

The MGS4 fight starts with Snake and Liquid Ocelot both punching each other at the same time. Then they both fall over. As they rise the music changes to the “Old Snake” music from MGS4. Liquid Ocelot then says, “It’s not over yet” and the final stage starts. Unlike the previous stages, there are no fast CQC attacks, grabs or health bars. As you stumble towards Liquid Ocelot and he stumble towards you, the music plays. Then one of you will manage to get a single punch in. There is no fast chain of combos, just slow punches being exchanged between the two brothers (If you count them as brothers). Both of them are in pain and are struggling to keep on going. Then with a few more punches, Liquid Ocelot finally falls over defeated. This is an incredible way to finish off the incredible game that is Metal Gear Solid 4.

1. The Boss – MGS3

The Boss fight is created and executed beautifully. At the start of the game The Boss is helping Naked Snake and there is a very deep connection between the two. Snake tells Eva that is more than what is normally felt between a man and women, that it’s deeper than love. Snake doesn’t want to fight The Boss and neither does the player but there is obviously no choice. The fight itself is amazing though. Both The Boss and Naked Snake created CQC together and CQC is essential to this fight. It starts and The Boss immediately runs towards you and tries to CQC throw you. You can counter by hitting circle at the right time then throw her to the ground yourself but if she gets you onto the ground she will unleash a stream of bullets from her Patriot. After you escape or she retreats back, you have a number of options. You could wait until she finds you and try to get a few cheap CQC moves in but you can’t treat The Boss that way. You could run at her and counter/attack her with CQC. If you don’t have a heart you may even shoot her. When you attack The Boss she will comment on your skill level which is a great touch that shows there is still a connection between the two. You only have ten minutes to defeat The Boss as she is calling in air strikes to bomb the place so that only one of them will get out alive and carry on the name of The Boss. Five minutes into the fight the “Snake eater” song starts and it really adds to the feeling off the fight. When Snake or The Boss is hit the flowers will change colour which again makes the fight even more amazing.

The fight is more than CQC; it is a test of survival and making use of everything that The Boss has taught you. You need to counter her CQC; avoid her bullets; sneak up on her; use camouflage if you think it would help. It is an incredible experience. Then the most amazing part of the fight happens. When you defeat The Boss and the cutscene starts, she hands you the philosopher’s legacy and tells Snake about EVA. Then she gives you the Patriot and tells you that there can only be one Boss in the world. Snake is now standing above The Boss, holding the Patriot, aiming it at her head waiting for the player to press circle and finish off The Boss. The player obviously has to but they don’t want to end the life of the legendary soldier. Even in death The Boss still had an influence in the world and her ideas were the basis of The Patriots.

I would consider the ending to MGS3 to be the greatest video game ending of all time. You see the moment when Naked Snake become Big Boss but he doesn’t seem to care now that he knows the truth about The Boss. EVA was told about The Boss by The Boss herself and was supposed to tell Snake the truth about the whole events. The Boss never actually betrayed Naked Snake, well she did but she had no choice. She was forced to do it; it was her mission as a soldier. The betrayal was all part of her mission which originally involved coming back to the US alive but after Volgin destroyed Sokolov’s research building the Russians blamed the US. The US government needed to cover this up by blaming it on The Boss and convincing the Russian government that she was a rogue agent. Then the Russians demanded that the US sent an agent into kill The Boss, along with Volgin. They sent in Snake. The Boss never wanted to fight against you, she was just following her orders as a soldier and the player is forced into playing a part in it all without even knowing it. The player has to kill the Legendary Soldier to please the government. Then Big Boss visits The Boss’ grave, places down the Patriot and flowers, and then has a final salute. It is extremely emotional and the perfect way to end the game.

The Boss fight was amazing which paid a tribute towards all The Boss’ beliefs and how she acted as a soldier. The fight is made even better by the fantastic ending that follows.

Continuing with the commitment to bring higher profile PSone legacy titles to the PSN, Konami has announced that another title that defined the PSone will joining FF7.  Metal Gear Solid hits the PSN on June 18th 2009 for $10 and is playable on both your PS3 and PSP.

Still with the Metal Gear love fest recently, as mentioned before, Metal Gear 4 is now a Greatest Hits title for the PS3 and will sell @ $29.99 starting June 16th.  MGS4 also includes Metal Gear Online which is still supported with ongoing update s and expansions and is now being ported as the world’s first online arcade game.
p.s. Hey Konami, let’s work on a trophy patch for MGS4 while yer at it   Sean C.

Official detals below:

El Segundo, Calif. – June 4th, 2009 - Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., announced today that Hideo Kojima’s award-winning Metal Gear Solid®4: Guns of the Patriots, has joined the PLAYSTATION®3 Greatest Hits collection and will be available for the new low price of $29.99 on June 16, 2009. Additionally, the company will release the game that started it all – Metal Gear Solid – on the PlayStation® Network on June 18th, 2009 for the SRP of $9.99.

“Since it’s debut in 1987, the Metal Gear franchise has stood the test of time and continues to break new standards in story-telling and gameplay,” said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., “These two releases are a perfect way to bridge the original game that created this genre with the latest masterpiece that brought it to an all-new level.”

Metal Gear Solid®4: Guns of the Patriots is an action-packed visual masterpiece that offered an entertaining cinematic experience that has redefined videogames. The final chapter in the saga of Solid Snake sends him around the world in pursuit of his arch nemesis, Liquid Ocelot. Armed with new gadgets and abilities, Solid Snake must shift the tides of war into his favor, using the chaos of the battlefield to infiltrate deep into enemy territory. In his globetrotting final mission, Snake must sneak deep into enemy locations in the Middle East, South America, and other corners of the earth to foil Liquid Ocelot’s plans for total world domination.

The originator of the stealth-action genre, the original Metal Gear Solid takes place in the southern Alaska region around the Bering Sea. The player takes control of Solid Snake, a retired military soldier who is ordered to infiltrate a nuclear weapons facility to eliminate FOXHOUND, a genetically enhanced special forces unit that has threatened to launch its nuclear weapon if the government does not cooperate with their demands

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, is developed exclusively for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and includes Metal Gear Online – the online multiplayer experience based on the Metal Gear Solid universe.

Hideo Kojima, the man behind Metal Gear, Zone of the Enders and more likes to tease his fans. He decided to announce… an announcement! exciting stuff, eh? The picture is below:

Doesn’t really give away much though. The fact that Kojima is making something is enough to keep my happy for now. Somthing exciting will hopefully happen on the 18th of May.

En los premios que entregan año con año las gentes de Famitsu, el señor Hideo Kojima resultó ganador al premio de Persona más valiosa del año.

Así también Solid Snake fué el personaje del año, Metal Gear Solid 4 ganó el premio de “Alta Calidad” y Grand Theft Auto IV el campeón mundial, a continuación los premios:

Persona más valiosa del año: Hideo Kojima

Personaje del año: Solid Snake

Compañía del año: Capcom

Juego del año: Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G

El mejor vendido: Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G

Premio al título inicial o novato: The Last Remnant

Premio a la innovación: Wii Music

Premio a la alta calidad: Metal Gear Solid 4

Premio al mejor juego de carreras: Mario Kart Wii

Premio multijugador: Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Premio parael juego para todas generaciones: Pokemon Platinum

Premio a la comunicación: Animal Crossing: City Folk

Premio al juego de acertijo-aventuras: Professor Layton and the Final Journey Through Time

Premio a la obra maestra: Dragon Quest V

Premio a personaje(s) de acción: Dissidia Final Fantasy

Premio al RPG: Tales of Vesperia

Premio de dramatismo: 428

Premio al Playtation 2: Persona 4

Premio mundial: Grand Theft Auto IV

Fuente: Famitsu

Akhirnya setelah sekian lama dari postingan Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, saya berkesempatan untuk memainkannya dan telah menamatkannya!!! hohoho…

Kebetulan ada teman yang membeli PS3 dan dia jg pecinta serial MGS. Dan karena satu dua hal dia menitipkan PS3 nya kepada saya selama beberapa hari jd tanpa membuang-buang waktu saya langsung memainkan game yg sudah ditunggu2 ini….

PS3 memang luar biasa, didukung dengan teknologi yang canggih menghasilkan gambar yang luar biasa!!! Jika dibandingkan dengan maen game di PS2, maen game di PS3 seperti memaenkan movie cutscreen di PS2, semua kualitas gambarnya seperti ini.. woooow…

Kebetulan gamenya bersetting di warzone, sehingga ledakan2 dan peluru2 berhamburan dimana2… Jadi ketika terjadi ledakan, pecahan2 dan debu2 terlihat sangat jelas di layar televisi Anda.. hampir mendekati real lah…

Pada game ini terkuak semua rahasia dalam serial MGS, terdapat benang merah yang menyambungkan semua cerita. Tentang Bigboss, Ocelot, The Patriots, Eve, dan lain lain sebagainya…. Dan ketika Anda mengetahuinya Anda akan bereaksi “anjrriiiiiittt, gila2 ceritanya.. edan… ckckckckck hooooo gt toh…“

Yah, secara overall sudah pas lah penilaian IGN yg memberi nilai 10 (baca: perfect, sempurna) untuk game ini, dan setelah menamatkannya saya bisa berkata: “pantesan dapet 10, gila2 ceritanya, gak ngerti lagi…!!!!!“.

Buat Hideo Kojima ditunggu MGS selanjutnya, dan buat pecinta game:
ANDA HARUS MAEN GAME INI…..

Metal Gear Online is a great game, it has flaws but it still manages to bring me in to keep on playing. The newest expansion pack, SCENE, was released on March 17th and was even available to pre-order. I ended up pre-ordering it. Of course there was a slight problem with that. The update takes forever and I didn’t have time to download it until yesterday. So after about 3 hours of downloading it finished. I finally got to play MGO and I loved it. The new maps for SCENE are really good (Outer Outlet, Hazard House and Ravaged Riverfront) and both Raiden and Vamp play well. I have only played with Raiden and Vamp in training though. After a while without MGO, I come back and it feels great to be playing it again. But when I came on in the morning…

I came on this morning to find another update. I was very annoyed. Until I found it that it only took about five minutes. After it finished I quit the game and re stared it then went back on. When I tried to log in it showed me a message saying “The game data is corrupt. Please delete the data and re-download”. Now I was really annoyed but I didn’t want to delete it straight away so I tried it again and it worked! Even though I went through all that crap I still loved playing MGO. SCENE is definitely worth a purchase. Oh and because I pre ordered it, I got this:

During GDC Hideo Kojima made a speech talking about a new Metal Gear Solid game. No specific details were revealed but he did say that he was working on one or he implied it at least. Look at this picture he showed everyone.

At the top of this picture we can see a picture of what appears to be Raiden. What does this mean? Well we may get the Raiden spin off game everyone was hoping for.

Or Hideo Kojima could be trying to trick us.

Há algum tempo surgiu na internet um video mostrando uma comparação entre uma música composta por um músico russo e o tema de Metal Gear Solid. Tanto que pela suspeita de plágio o tema, que era utilizado em MGS2 e MGS3 foi retirado de Metal Gear Solid 4. O video do Hideo Kojima escutando a música pode ser visto neste link para o youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTcNUoxCmHI

Só não coloco ele aqui no post porque o autor do video retirou o código para incorporar, então lamento, mas vocês terão que clicar no link XD

2008 has drawn to a close, and with this comes a deluge of awards and top ten lists. I have chosen the latter as I have a short attention span and do not wish to think of all those categories. I will however, buck a trend if you will, by not putting these games in any type of order; these are simply my ten favorite games of 2008, no awards for best celebrity voice actor, and no No. 1 game of 2008 because there where too many great games to play favorites. I will be putting up a post about each one every day (or so I hope) until I reach the end.

The original Metal Gear Solid left and indelible mark on my perception of games at the tender age of 13. It was the first time I played a game with a narrative that dealt with more mature topics such as nuclear proliferation or genetics. Sure the story it’s self was pretty silly at parts, but my 13 year old mind dug all the silly bullet timey action, along with Hideo Kojima’s gonzo game design philosophy.

What Kojima does in this final outing is impressive on so many levels conceptually and philosophically. What he has to say about a wide range of topics from war, private militarization, the role of the old soldier on the digital battlefield, to game design itself are all fascinating.

Kojima puts Old Snake through the ringer all throughout the game and he is most assuredly the anchor a game of this scope needs. Every time you think he should be down for the count, he gets back up. It is a fitting ending for what I now consider to be the greatest character in games. But it is also the moments I will always remember that make this game so great.

The intro to Act 4.

The TV shows.

The Metal Gear battle.

Salvaging RAY’s railgun.

First seeing the GEKKOs

Tracking Naomi.

Returning to Shadow Moses.

The Motorcycle Chase.

The final fight with Liquid.

Killing Vamp.

Raiden.

And The Tunnel, I have never felt so physically connected to the actions on screen in my life.

This is all wrapped up in such an amazingly polished package. It is the best looking/sounding game I have ever seen. Playing through MGS 4 these 11 years later, I am struck at how silly and overwrought the story has become. But under all the 20+ minute long cutscenes and inane plot twist lay a game that was unmistakably the product of a single man’s imagination. Kojima has something to say and I love that a game like this can exist. It’s an experience I will not soon forget.

4 titles, including the newest in the METAL GEAR series will be progressively made available for download for the iPhone and iPod touch from late this month.

December 17, 2008
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.

KONAMI will make downloads of METAL GEAR SOLID TOUCH, DanceDanceRevolution S Lite, SILENT HILL The Escape and Frogger for the iPhone and iPod touch progressively available from late this month.

METAL GEAR SOLID TOUCH is an original game that brings to life the world and characters of METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS (MGS4).

©2008 Konami Digital Entertainment

With direct control through the touch panel, it’s simple for anyone to move their alignment or switch to zoom mode.

Each stage’s location and characters are based on the story of MGS4. The initial download will contain 8 stages, with additional stages to be added later.
There are many ways to enjoy the game as points earned by clearing stages unlocks images and wallpapers from the METAL GEAR series.
DanceDanceRevolution S Lite, SILENT HILL The Escape and Frogger will be released prior to METAL GEAR SOLID TOUCH late this month.

DanceDanceRevolution S Lite is a music game where you tap the arrow icons that appear at the bottom of the screen in time with music.

SILENT HILL The Escape is a first-person 3D shooting game that lets players utilize the control features only found on the iPhone and iPod touch such as moving their character by sliding a finger across the touch panel screen and changing alignment to target enemies using the built-in altimeter.

Frogger is a simple game where the player moves a frog 360 degrees to cross roads and rivers while avoiding obstacles.

Furthermore, in Japan, Touch KONAMI (www.touch.konami.net), KONAMI’s website introducing applications aimed for the iPhone/iPod touch launches today, Wednesday 17th December.This site details playing instructions, features, prices, and release dates for each game and is also scheduled to display animations and reviews later on.

Hideo Kojima, el productor de la saga Metal Gear Solid parece que está trabajando con su equipo de Konami para lanzar próximamente al mercado una versión de Metal Gear Solid 4 pero esta vez para el teléfono de Apple, el famoso y codiciado iPhone; también se dice que el juego se podrá disfrutar en iPod Touch.

Esta noticia no es un rumor, es algo totalmente real y cercano, ya que la salida de Metal Gear Solid Touch se espera para la próxima Primavera 2009.

Este lanzamiento pone de manifiesto lo que los creadores del iPhone anunciaron al poner el teléfono en el mercado: “El iPhone tiene la misma potencia gráfica que una PS2“; aunque esto es algo que yo personalmente dudo, pero bueno si ellos lo dijeron en su momento, ellos sabrán. Lo que está claro es que el iPhone es mucho más que un teléfono móvil, y Apple está empeñada en crear una buena lista de juegos de calidad para convertir a su preciado tesoro en un completo centro de entretenimiento portátil. Para ello es necesario que grandes compañías se unan a este reto y Konami es una de ellas, que mediante su saga más conocida como es Metal Gear Solid puede hacer que el iPhone se mire como una potente consola portatil como si fuera una PSP o una NDS.

Debe ser algo muy curioso controlar a Snake de forma táctil en la pantalla del iPhone al más puro estilo Zelda en NDS, Toda una novedad!!

Há poucos dias atrás uma imagem deixou fãs de Metal Gear curiosos e muitas pessoas começaram a criar diversas teorias sobre a mensagem que a tal imagem queria passar. Entre outras coiasas, uns falaram que o próximo jogo da franquia seria para XBOX 360, outros disseram que se tratava de um novo jogo  da série Acid! e ainda teve gente achando que era algo para o novo DSi mas acertou quem disse que seria um jogo de IPhone.

A Konami revelou ainda que em Metal Gear Solid Touch será inspirado em Guns of the Patriots, ou seja, o jador controlará Old Snake em, inicialmente, 8 fases (esse número deve aumentar).

A data de lançamento divulgada foi o ainda longínquo segundo trimestre de 2009. Até lá dá para os fãs mais hardcore de Metal Gear juntarem uma graninha para garantirem seus IPhones.

[fonte: Uol Jogos]

Último trailer de Metal Gear Solid 4, exibido na PSN Européia e Japonesa.

Para quem ainda não tem o jogo e está prestes a jogar, é melhor não assistir.

Você ainda por aqui!? Então não se importa com spoiler! Que tal ir para o próximo level então? No site btjunkie tem um torrent com todas as “cutscenes” do jogo; são mais de 7 horas de video. As legendas estão no www.legendas.tv é só procurar por Metal Gear 4 Guns of the Patriots.

Os donos de um X360 ultimamente tem rido a toa. Games exclusivos que ninguém tira e games (leia-se FFXIII) que seriam exclusivos de outros consoles (leia-se PS3) mas que foram abduzidos para a nave verde também. E do jeito que as coisas andam a listinha pode aumentar.

Um empresa japonesa chamada Morningstar ao fazer uma pesquisa entrou em contato com um representante da KONAMI e escutou uma declaração de que a possibilidade de uma versão de Metal Gear Solid 4 para o X360 não foi descartada, pelo contrário, essa possibilidade está sob análise.

Enquanto donos de PS3 ficam com nós na garganta, donos de X360 cruzam os dedos, ambos esperando por um anúncio oficial da empresa. Hideo Kojima parece não querer, mas que dá pra fazer uma graninha extra aí, isso dá.

Thanks to Hurricane Gustav leaving me without power, even when school had opened back up, I had to stay at my brother’s house for a few days which, as far as this blog has been concerned over the last few months, is very much associated with a title that (according to Game Rankings) hasn’t scored anything less than an eight: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

I haven’t been very positive about my previous encounters with MGS4 despite my lost week of no-job-having, responsibility-lacking-sleep-schedule, tactical espionage action marathon, but I was compelled to complete Guns of the Patriots for one major reason: to prove that I was right and that everyone else was wrong.

It’s doubtful that anyone who has convinced themselves of just how great this game is will be persuaded to believe otherwise because of this review, but that won’t stop me from stating exactly why I think anyone who gives this game nothing but praise is obviously just caught up in Kojima’s web of epic storylines and ridiculous production values and not the actual gameplay.

I’ll cover the gameplay first then move onto the plot and presentation as the two are very different beasts.

Yes, the Metal Gear Solid series finally has something resembling a modern control scheme. My complaints about how ridiculous it is to fire with Square are no longer relevant in MGS4, and the very much appreciated 3D camera from MGS3: Subsistence returns to make its sequel playable* right from the start.

[* It actually takes quite a while before you can really play, but you know what I mean.]

You now fire from an over-the-shoulder view, ala Resident Evil 4, with accuracy from a helpful reticule. If that’s not enough, you can still go into a first-person view (with a slightly awkward control input compared to most games of this type). The best part of it all is that you fire weapons with R1, an actual trigger button. No more of Kojima’s subtle yet ineffective attempts at injected realism into his gameplay by having you release a (non-trigger, why I don’t know) button to fire.

To complement this new emphasis on armed combat, the player has constant access to a gun laundering shop where you can use points earned for completing various tasks (mostly kills) to purchase new weapons, custom parts, ammo, items, and more. The incredible number of weapons is a bit overwhelming at first, but as in the last game, you have a limited access to items and weapons that can be quickly equipped without going into the main menu. It’s usually best to concentrate on just a few different types of weapons. That way, you’ll avoid going in and out of menus and leave yourself quite a bit of replay value for your next time around.

On the subject of going in and out of menus, healing your wounds is out but camoflauge is back, and while it’s much easier to use, it’s not nearly as useful as it was in Snake Eater. Now, lying prone or against a wall will alter your camoflauge to that pattern. Your visibility is still represented up top, but the gameplay is so different this time around that you won’t find yourself always trying to minimize your visibility as much as possible.

Metal Gear Solid 4 is unlike any other game in the series in that it can be and is a legitimate action game. This results in a very different experience than fans of the series are used to. You’re no longer stalking through a jungle or military complex, but instead, you’re traversing a crowded battlefield inhabited not only by enemies but also potential allies. Stealth is still possible and often rewarded, but it’s no longer a requirement now that you’ve got a gun launderer following you across the globe.

That’s another major change of pace for the series: multiple environments. Each game featured some diversity as you progressed but none as much as MGS4 does. You’ll begin in a Middle Eastern war zone, move to a rocky wilderness, walk a city street, and more. The game is split into several acts, each with drastically different scenery. While the game begins in two relatively crowded war zones, you’ll soon find that the action (as far as the gameplay is concerned) winds down before the halfway point, often leaving you to follow the game’s path so it can relay its bloated and half-assed story.

Snake returns, this time under the code name of Old Snake. This is because of his dramatically older appearance, a result of the technology that made him the super solider he is. He gets recruited by Colonel Campbell for one last mission to take out Liquid Ocelot (a Revolver Ocelot occasionally possessed by Liquid Snake’s, Solid Snake’s twin clone brother, hand…) Ocelot is manipulating PMCs (private military corporations) to finally break free from the Patriots (the shadowy puppet masters pulling the strings in what now appears to be every aspect of human life.) These PMCs and the native freedom fighters engage one another across the globe and will take on the role of Snake’s enemies and allies (as long as he doesn’t mess with the rebels.)

It all escalates into something you probably won’t understand at first (because Kojima never planned it all out ahead of time) but you’ll eventually have a moment of clarity before being ultimately disappointed unless you’re an unwavering fan of the series or have been waiting to justify your PS3 purchase to other people.

MGS4 uses the same method of plot exposition that we’ve seen since the original Solid on PSX: Snake meets up with someone, they mention the name of some person or group or technology and Snake gets curious. That’s the signal for the game to activate a power-point presentation in which the other character, who is almost always hiding along with Snake from a very nearby threat, explains in great detail just what it is they were talking about. It all looks very nice and often does get the point across to the player, who is supposed to place themselves in Snake’s shoes.

The problem is that it doesn’t matter that a character managed to get a point across or reveal a major plot point or answer a major question. You’re playing a game, or at least trying to. If a game’s plot is so complex that it allows the player to set the controller down on a fairly consistent basis, that plot is either too complex or the game just needs editing. In the case of MGS4, it’s a bit of both.

Despite throwing in a few flashbacks (brief glimpses at screenshots and art from past games) that require a button press and the occasional access to the camera, you’ll find yourself spending more and more time with the controller in your lap as the game progresses. This might be fine if the gameplay at least continued at the same pace it started on, but you’ll find the balance shifts in favor of cutscenes as early as act 3, which is before the halfway point. Many fans will remind you that the custscenes can be skipped, but that’s pretty much a suggestion to make the game even less enjoyable to someone who wants to play an actual game.

It doesn’t help either that the plot really isn’t all that satisfying. Of course you can expect Kojima to throw in some twists here and there and take a rather unconventional approach to such an epic tale (especially with all the indication that this is the last installment in the Solid series), but the plot really falls flat at the end and even manages to make you lose a bit of respect you had for some of the series’ best characters.

Metal Gear Solid 4 just isn’t the game that it appears to be, from both a graphical and journalistic standpoint. The game is no doubt the most beautiful looking title ever made. The production values are just insane and are even better if you watch the special features from the bonus disc that detail just how much effort Kojima and his staff put into fine tuning the game’s appearance. For a game that Kojima never planned to make and rushed to meet its deadline, it’s simply stunning to look at and listen to. And depsite all of my complaints, it plays better than a lot of what you’ll find on store shelves right now. The press, however, will have your believe that this game descended from heaven and took Jesus’ place at the right hand of the father before giving the old man a sly grin and a confident wink.

Perhaps it’s a result of the infinitely flawed scored review systems that game journalists love to use, but something has caused people who get payed to tell you whether or not a game is fun to play that has caused them to forget what ‘play’ actually means.

Yes, MGS4 can be fun to experience if just for how incredibly cool it is to manipulate something that looks and sounds so good, but anyone who can get through the entire game without that initial novelty wearing off obviously doesn’t have much love for gameplay or substance in their games.

I find it hard to even refer to MGS4 as a game. It’s really just an interactive movie once you reach act 3, and though I’m sure it’d do quite well if released as a movie, it would only be commended for its impressive visuals and sound by critics as the plot is of no more than B movie quality.

It’s a pretty frustrating position to be in. I don’t want to complain about a game that is better than most others you’ll play this year, but I just can’t stand how blind the game media is to MGS4’s flaws. Yes, Kojima is a very intelligent and creative game designer. Yes, he has pushed the limit of a what a game can be and especially what it can look like. No, he has not created art or even a good story to tell.

He wrote a love letter to his adoring fans who he tried to break up with once before. Thankfully, he’s done now. He created something special that lots of people blew out of proportion. Hopefully, he’ll make something completely new in the next few years. It probably won’t sell as well as the Metal Gear series has, but maybe that’ll be a good thing.