- 2,061
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
- Thread starter Solid Fro
- 1,923 comments
- 123,767 views
- 19,311
- Inland Empire SoCal
- SOLID_LIFTERS
WARNING! Spoilers!
UK, May 30, 2008 - In return for letting us play Metal Gear Solid 4 before its release, Konami issued us with a list of things that we're not allowed to discuss. This list of prohibited topics is pretty long, and even extends as far as several facts that the company itself has already made public. Regardless of Konami's list of prohibited topics though, this review was always going to be a spoiler-free zone, because part of the pleasure of playing Guns of the Patriots lies in discovering everything it has to offer. MGS 4 is simply a game that you have to experience for yourself. Because the one thing that can certainly be said, prohibited topics or not, is that Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is, without question, the ultimate Metal Gear game. It represents the pinnacle of Hideo Kojima's achievement, and it's undoubtedly one of the games of the year.
Metal Gear... It can't be.
Surprisingly, it gets off to a pretty slow start. Oh sure, there is something uniquely satisfying about the game's opening cinematic: the gruff, distinctive tones of David Hayter's Solid Snake, and the slow, measured edit. But there are various things that give the Metal Gear games a distinct, unique 'feel', and initially, it is the absence of those things that is most striking. The absence of fixed camera angles, for example, or of extended Codec conversations, or of the distinctive PlayStation 2 textures, making the game feel less like a Metal Gear game and more like a typical action title. As the game starts, with its fairly generic next-gen textures and desert battlefield setting, you can't help feeling that you could be playing the latest Call of Duty, or Assassin's Creed.
Play on, however, and you'll soon find yourself re-immersed in Hideo Kojima's distinctive vision of gaming in what is the definitive Metal Gear Solid – tying up every loose end, reprising every notable character and location, and recasting the entire series as nothing less than a re-telling of the Messiah story. If that sounds a little grandiose, well so be it. If you've been following all of the twists and turns across the series so far, you'll gain enormous satisfaction from the multitude of cut-scenes in MGS 4 because they wrap up everything you ever knew about the Philosophers, the Patriots, The Boss, Big Boss, Solid Snake and his brothers. And if you haven't been following? Well then it does a pretty good job of recapping the whole thing: if you've never played a Metal Gear game, you'll still enjoy all the overblown drama and intrigue. But the perfect preparation for the release of Metal Gear Solid 4 would be to sit down for a week and play through each game in turn, from beginning to end. It deserves nothing less.
An older Snake finds himself tested by the battlefield.
If cut-scenes aren't your thing you can, of course, just skip right through them all. You'll be missing out on a great deal, but you will be able to cut right to the chase – or in this case, cut right to the sneak. Metal Gear was the original stealth game, but here, the mechanics of sneaking around and snapping necks are the most polished they've ever been: a refined control scheme, new gadgets, and just the sheer muscle of the PlayStation 3 take the stealth in MGS 4 to another level. Blend into the background with the new OctoCamo – an extension of Snake-Eater's camouflage system that obviates the need to mess around with menus and consequently works much more effectively. Keep track of threats with the stealth ring system (pausing or crouching to get a bead on nearby enemies). Use your Solid Eye to switch to night vision, or thermal goggles, or binoculars to spot important items. Survey the battlefield with Otacon's new Metal Gear Mk. II. And use the new Dreben Points system to scour the battlefield for salvage – salvage that can be exchanged for ammo, items and new weapons.
Even if, after playing all of the other games in the series, you're bored of simply sneaking around, MGS 4 still has something to offer, because all of these refined stealth tactics are given a further new dimension thanks to the battlefield context. As you find yourself fighting through the abandoned streets, or the South American countryside, you'll be able to interrupt gun battles or trigger flashpoints to play off one side against the other, picking and choosing sides as it suits, or ignoring the combat and using it as a smokescreen. More than any other Metal Gear game, so much of the game is full of emergent possibilities that open up like a butterfly's wings: taking different routes or using different tactics and strategies sets off a cascade of events that unfold in very different directions.
It's got the best bosses so far - not bad considering the serie's heritage.
Unusually for the Metal Gear series, one of those directions is balls-out action. Unlike the previous games, Guns of the Patriot actually provides you with a fair amount of leeway if your chosen strategy is to shoot everything in sight. For a start, you can switch to a first-person view and almost play it like a conventional FPS if you so choose. More importantly, the Dreben Points system puts a much more powerful and diverse arsenal at your disposal, and every weapon can be upgraded in a variety of ways, from bolting on a grenade launcher to improving the laser targeting system or loading it with specialised ammo. Nevertheless, if you are going to treat MGS 4 like a conventional shooter, you'll need to keep an eye on Snake's stress gage. If it's not enough that extended gunfights with enemy snipers, tanks and helicopter gunships are sufficiently dramatic to get your own heart pumping, they're just as likely to send Snake's ticker into overdrive, making him heal more slowly and function less effectively. All that running round and shooting stuff really isn't good for his old heart, you know,
Still, it is fair to say that sneaking around is just the tip of Metal Gear Solid 4's Titanic-sized iceberg of action entertainment. Brace yourself for a lot of variety as the narrative twists and turns to catapult you across the globe in a flurry of game styles and approaches to design. You'll find yourself climbing on car roofs to eliminate shambling hordes, or donning a raincoat to evade security forces while tailing a mark. One section requires you to use all of your wilderness skills to track down a target, scrutinising the way ahead for signs of your quarry. And, of course, you'll find yourself encountering fiendishly devised bosses. Because where would Metal Gear Solid be without bosses? As if to remind you, several of the bosses in MGS 4 are brilliantly evocative of some of the more memorable boss encounters from the series so far. They also prove to be pretty memorable encounters in themselves, too; running for cover through a research lab, while trying to locate a stealthily camouflaged femme fatale, for example.
Ocelot returns - but how will his story end?
And then there are the Kojima moments: those moments of silliness, or humour, or attention to detail, that just wouldn't make it into any other game. Remember the codec on the back of the CD in the original MGS? Or slipping over on seagull droppings in MGS 2? Or ogling women's breasts during the cut-scenes in MGS 3? MGS 4 is just as full to the brim with similar moments of seemingly inconsequential but still sublime brilliance, and it's just as densely packed with secrets as any one of the previous games. Look closely enough during some of the cut-scenes, for example, and you'll notice the mild bruising around one character's neck from where she's been spiking herself with nanomachines, or you might notice Snake ageing subtly over the course of the game. Away from the cut-scenes, listen out for birdsong and use it to work out if there are any enemies around. Or listen out for the various musical themes or melodies that evoke memories of previous games – memories of places and people and events. Even the thumbnails for your save games are first class.
Split-screen techniques add a new cinematic dimension – and the literally strength-sapping climax in particular takes interactive storytelling to new heights. Flashbacks tie into themes of post-traumatic stress, as well as reiterating themes from previous games, connecting Guns of the Patriots to the whole of Kojima's vision for the Metal Gear series. And that, really, is what it boils down to: Hideo Kojima's singular vision of gaming. One of those things that Konami doesn't want us to talk about is the 'total length of cut-scenes'. Hopefully it won't be bending the rules to far to reveal that they represent about half of the content of the game. That, for some people, will be too much to bear. But in many ways it's a vindication of Kojima's unique interpretation of the videogame medium.
Guns of the Patriots' battlefield is more malleable than its forebears.
Because in videogames, Kojima has found the perfect medium for his overblown vision. A narrative that encompasses nanomachines, premature ageing, Liquid Snake's nefarious plans, and a whole host of familiar faces and memorable places is every bit as silly and overblown and hammy as any of the previous games. It's also every bit as compelling, and stylish, and funny, and it encompasses large and relevant themes, from post-traumatic stress to global warming. It's got corny love interests, and Hollywood pastiche. It's a metaphor for the Military-Industrial Complex, and a parable for peaceful action.
It's campy and sexy, with the lingering cleavage shots that you'll remember from Snake-Eater (and the original MGS, if you insisted on following Meryl round till she ended up in her underwear). But it also recasts the whole story as nothing less than a retelling of the Messiah story, with resurrection, sins of the father and all that (and surely there's something admirable about the bravado – the sheer chutzpah – of recasting something as trifling as an action game as the story of Man). And it's a further restatement of the anti-violent themes that have percolated throughout the series.
Farewell old friend.
It probably wouldn't work as a film because it would seem both overblown and trivial. But you could say the same about certain operas, or novels. Fortunately for us, Hideo Kojima happens to be someone who has found the confidence to express an artistic vision that is wholly suited to his chosen medium – and a medium that is uniquely young enough to bend to his will. It's not fair to call him a frustrated film-maker. If he had been a film maker he might have been frustrated. Instead he has found a medium large enough to contain his unique artistic vision.
Which is a long-winded way of saying that this game rocks.
It is the ultimate in fan service, but it is also hard to see how this could be anything other than one man's uncompromised vision of what a videogame should be. The action sequences are faultless. The cut-scenes – well, yes, you could argue that there are too many of them, that they're too long, and that the dialogue is occasionally leaden. Indeed many of the most dramatic cut-scenes might make you crave action, or wonder why they couldn't have been turned into interactive sequences. But that's because they're the work of an auteur, and if you're going to enjoy the high points of Hideo Kojima's vision, there has to be an acceptance of his excesses, too.
Because this is a return to and a best of and an everything you ever loved about a Metal Gear game, all wrapped up and distilled into one, undiluted vision of gaming.
Closing Comments
If you’ve ever loved any one of the Metal Gear games, or any moments from the series, there will come a moment when MGS 4 will send your spirits soaring. If you’ve loved them all, well then there’ll be many, many more. It’s a masterpiece. But forget you read that. Go play it and find out for yourself. Because it’s the kind of game that, if you play it after being told it’s a masterpiece, might end up disappointing you because of the hype. So forget the hype. Forget that it’s a magnificent, ground-breaking, masterpiece. Just play it, and enjoy a dazzling, heart-lifting, voyage of discovery.
10 Presentation
From the opening videos to the end credits, the attention to detail throughout Guns of the Patriots is astonishing, setting new standards for production values in games.
10 Graphics
The visuals in MGS 4 are as cutting-edge as you can rightfully expect from the latest videogame blockbuster, boasting as much style as technical expertise.
10 Sound
The surround sound effects are stunning, having actual in-game effects, from using birdsong to detect enemies to choosing your own tunes.
10 Gameplay
Guns of the Patriots is the definitive MGS, taking stealth mechanics to new heights and throwing in so much more that you just have to discover it for yourself.
9.5 Lasting Appeal
Aside from the fact that the cut-scenes bear repeated viewing, you’ll want to play through MGS 4 again and again, simply to unlock ever more exotic weapons, items and player rankings.
9.9
Incredible OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)]
UK, May 30, 2008 - In return for letting us play Metal Gear Solid 4 before its release, Konami issued us with a list of things that we're not allowed to discuss. This list of prohibited topics is pretty long, and even extends as far as several facts that the company itself has already made public. Regardless of Konami's list of prohibited topics though, this review was always going to be a spoiler-free zone, because part of the pleasure of playing Guns of the Patriots lies in discovering everything it has to offer. MGS 4 is simply a game that you have to experience for yourself. Because the one thing that can certainly be said, prohibited topics or not, is that Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is, without question, the ultimate Metal Gear game. It represents the pinnacle of Hideo Kojima's achievement, and it's undoubtedly one of the games of the year.
Metal Gear... It can't be.
Surprisingly, it gets off to a pretty slow start. Oh sure, there is something uniquely satisfying about the game's opening cinematic: the gruff, distinctive tones of David Hayter's Solid Snake, and the slow, measured edit. But there are various things that give the Metal Gear games a distinct, unique 'feel', and initially, it is the absence of those things that is most striking. The absence of fixed camera angles, for example, or of extended Codec conversations, or of the distinctive PlayStation 2 textures, making the game feel less like a Metal Gear game and more like a typical action title. As the game starts, with its fairly generic next-gen textures and desert battlefield setting, you can't help feeling that you could be playing the latest Call of Duty, or Assassin's Creed.
Play on, however, and you'll soon find yourself re-immersed in Hideo Kojima's distinctive vision of gaming in what is the definitive Metal Gear Solid – tying up every loose end, reprising every notable character and location, and recasting the entire series as nothing less than a re-telling of the Messiah story. If that sounds a little grandiose, well so be it. If you've been following all of the twists and turns across the series so far, you'll gain enormous satisfaction from the multitude of cut-scenes in MGS 4 because they wrap up everything you ever knew about the Philosophers, the Patriots, The Boss, Big Boss, Solid Snake and his brothers. And if you haven't been following? Well then it does a pretty good job of recapping the whole thing: if you've never played a Metal Gear game, you'll still enjoy all the overblown drama and intrigue. But the perfect preparation for the release of Metal Gear Solid 4 would be to sit down for a week and play through each game in turn, from beginning to end. It deserves nothing less.
An older Snake finds himself tested by the battlefield.
If cut-scenes aren't your thing you can, of course, just skip right through them all. You'll be missing out on a great deal, but you will be able to cut right to the chase – or in this case, cut right to the sneak. Metal Gear was the original stealth game, but here, the mechanics of sneaking around and snapping necks are the most polished they've ever been: a refined control scheme, new gadgets, and just the sheer muscle of the PlayStation 3 take the stealth in MGS 4 to another level. Blend into the background with the new OctoCamo – an extension of Snake-Eater's camouflage system that obviates the need to mess around with menus and consequently works much more effectively. Keep track of threats with the stealth ring system (pausing or crouching to get a bead on nearby enemies). Use your Solid Eye to switch to night vision, or thermal goggles, or binoculars to spot important items. Survey the battlefield with Otacon's new Metal Gear Mk. II. And use the new Dreben Points system to scour the battlefield for salvage – salvage that can be exchanged for ammo, items and new weapons.
Even if, after playing all of the other games in the series, you're bored of simply sneaking around, MGS 4 still has something to offer, because all of these refined stealth tactics are given a further new dimension thanks to the battlefield context. As you find yourself fighting through the abandoned streets, or the South American countryside, you'll be able to interrupt gun battles or trigger flashpoints to play off one side against the other, picking and choosing sides as it suits, or ignoring the combat and using it as a smokescreen. More than any other Metal Gear game, so much of the game is full of emergent possibilities that open up like a butterfly's wings: taking different routes or using different tactics and strategies sets off a cascade of events that unfold in very different directions.
It's got the best bosses so far - not bad considering the serie's heritage.
Unusually for the Metal Gear series, one of those directions is balls-out action. Unlike the previous games, Guns of the Patriot actually provides you with a fair amount of leeway if your chosen strategy is to shoot everything in sight. For a start, you can switch to a first-person view and almost play it like a conventional FPS if you so choose. More importantly, the Dreben Points system puts a much more powerful and diverse arsenal at your disposal, and every weapon can be upgraded in a variety of ways, from bolting on a grenade launcher to improving the laser targeting system or loading it with specialised ammo. Nevertheless, if you are going to treat MGS 4 like a conventional shooter, you'll need to keep an eye on Snake's stress gage. If it's not enough that extended gunfights with enemy snipers, tanks and helicopter gunships are sufficiently dramatic to get your own heart pumping, they're just as likely to send Snake's ticker into overdrive, making him heal more slowly and function less effectively. All that running round and shooting stuff really isn't good for his old heart, you know,
Still, it is fair to say that sneaking around is just the tip of Metal Gear Solid 4's Titanic-sized iceberg of action entertainment. Brace yourself for a lot of variety as the narrative twists and turns to catapult you across the globe in a flurry of game styles and approaches to design. You'll find yourself climbing on car roofs to eliminate shambling hordes, or donning a raincoat to evade security forces while tailing a mark. One section requires you to use all of your wilderness skills to track down a target, scrutinising the way ahead for signs of your quarry. And, of course, you'll find yourself encountering fiendishly devised bosses. Because where would Metal Gear Solid be without bosses? As if to remind you, several of the bosses in MGS 4 are brilliantly evocative of some of the more memorable boss encounters from the series so far. They also prove to be pretty memorable encounters in themselves, too; running for cover through a research lab, while trying to locate a stealthily camouflaged femme fatale, for example.
Ocelot returns - but how will his story end?
And then there are the Kojima moments: those moments of silliness, or humour, or attention to detail, that just wouldn't make it into any other game. Remember the codec on the back of the CD in the original MGS? Or slipping over on seagull droppings in MGS 2? Or ogling women's breasts during the cut-scenes in MGS 3? MGS 4 is just as full to the brim with similar moments of seemingly inconsequential but still sublime brilliance, and it's just as densely packed with secrets as any one of the previous games. Look closely enough during some of the cut-scenes, for example, and you'll notice the mild bruising around one character's neck from where she's been spiking herself with nanomachines, or you might notice Snake ageing subtly over the course of the game. Away from the cut-scenes, listen out for birdsong and use it to work out if there are any enemies around. Or listen out for the various musical themes or melodies that evoke memories of previous games – memories of places and people and events. Even the thumbnails for your save games are first class.
Split-screen techniques add a new cinematic dimension – and the literally strength-sapping climax in particular takes interactive storytelling to new heights. Flashbacks tie into themes of post-traumatic stress, as well as reiterating themes from previous games, connecting Guns of the Patriots to the whole of Kojima's vision for the Metal Gear series. And that, really, is what it boils down to: Hideo Kojima's singular vision of gaming. One of those things that Konami doesn't want us to talk about is the 'total length of cut-scenes'. Hopefully it won't be bending the rules to far to reveal that they represent about half of the content of the game. That, for some people, will be too much to bear. But in many ways it's a vindication of Kojima's unique interpretation of the videogame medium.
Guns of the Patriots' battlefield is more malleable than its forebears.
Because in videogames, Kojima has found the perfect medium for his overblown vision. A narrative that encompasses nanomachines, premature ageing, Liquid Snake's nefarious plans, and a whole host of familiar faces and memorable places is every bit as silly and overblown and hammy as any of the previous games. It's also every bit as compelling, and stylish, and funny, and it encompasses large and relevant themes, from post-traumatic stress to global warming. It's got corny love interests, and Hollywood pastiche. It's a metaphor for the Military-Industrial Complex, and a parable for peaceful action.
It's campy and sexy, with the lingering cleavage shots that you'll remember from Snake-Eater (and the original MGS, if you insisted on following Meryl round till she ended up in her underwear). But it also recasts the whole story as nothing less than a retelling of the Messiah story, with resurrection, sins of the father and all that (and surely there's something admirable about the bravado – the sheer chutzpah – of recasting something as trifling as an action game as the story of Man). And it's a further restatement of the anti-violent themes that have percolated throughout the series.
Farewell old friend.
It probably wouldn't work as a film because it would seem both overblown and trivial. But you could say the same about certain operas, or novels. Fortunately for us, Hideo Kojima happens to be someone who has found the confidence to express an artistic vision that is wholly suited to his chosen medium – and a medium that is uniquely young enough to bend to his will. It's not fair to call him a frustrated film-maker. If he had been a film maker he might have been frustrated. Instead he has found a medium large enough to contain his unique artistic vision.
Which is a long-winded way of saying that this game rocks.
It is the ultimate in fan service, but it is also hard to see how this could be anything other than one man's uncompromised vision of what a videogame should be. The action sequences are faultless. The cut-scenes – well, yes, you could argue that there are too many of them, that they're too long, and that the dialogue is occasionally leaden. Indeed many of the most dramatic cut-scenes might make you crave action, or wonder why they couldn't have been turned into interactive sequences. But that's because they're the work of an auteur, and if you're going to enjoy the high points of Hideo Kojima's vision, there has to be an acceptance of his excesses, too.
Because this is a return to and a best of and an everything you ever loved about a Metal Gear game, all wrapped up and distilled into one, undiluted vision of gaming.
Closing Comments
If you’ve ever loved any one of the Metal Gear games, or any moments from the series, there will come a moment when MGS 4 will send your spirits soaring. If you’ve loved them all, well then there’ll be many, many more. It’s a masterpiece. But forget you read that. Go play it and find out for yourself. Because it’s the kind of game that, if you play it after being told it’s a masterpiece, might end up disappointing you because of the hype. So forget the hype. Forget that it’s a magnificent, ground-breaking, masterpiece. Just play it, and enjoy a dazzling, heart-lifting, voyage of discovery.
10 Presentation
From the opening videos to the end credits, the attention to detail throughout Guns of the Patriots is astonishing, setting new standards for production values in games.
10 Graphics
The visuals in MGS 4 are as cutting-edge as you can rightfully expect from the latest videogame blockbuster, boasting as much style as technical expertise.
10 Sound
The surround sound effects are stunning, having actual in-game effects, from using birdsong to detect enemies to choosing your own tunes.
10 Gameplay
Guns of the Patriots is the definitive MGS, taking stealth mechanics to new heights and throwing in so much more that you just have to discover it for yourself.
9.5 Lasting Appeal
Aside from the fact that the cut-scenes bear repeated viewing, you’ll want to play through MGS 4 again and again, simply to unlock ever more exotic weapons, items and player rankings.
9.9
Incredible OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)]
- 7,889
- SolidFro
- RRoDzaaah!
Headline: EGM refuses to review MGS4, exclusive GoW2 cover A-OK!
http://kotaku.com/5012146/egm-refuse-to-review-mgs4-because-konami-imposed-limitations
EGM says Konami imposed limitations on their comments about the game. Instead of reviewing and scoring the game, they printed a round-table discussion about the game.
Maybe EGM couldn't come to terms with "10 out of 10" and "PS3" being in the same sentence.
Kotaku shouldn't be talking about journalistic integrity either...
http://kotaku.com/5012146/egm-refuse-to-review-mgs4-because-konami-imposed-limitations
EGM says Konami imposed limitations on their comments about the game. Instead of reviewing and scoring the game, they printed a round-table discussion about the game.
Maybe EGM couldn't come to terms with "10 out of 10" and "PS3" being in the same sentence.
Kotaku shouldn't be talking about journalistic integrity either...
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Konami are perfectly entitled to request that certain areas of the game are not to be discussed because if they don't, some idiot spoils it for everyone in he first sentence of the review the way someone over at AOL did in revealing the villain's death scene in the new James Bond film Quantum of Solace. Some of the fallout from that on fan forums was incredible, and that was ten months before the film's release, not ten days ...
- 606
EDGE gave it 8/10!
For those that want it, Iv scanned in the EDGE review, converted it to PDF and upped it.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5TYMXA0R
For those that want it, Iv scanned in the EDGE review, converted it to PDF and upped it.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5TYMXA0R
- 459
Haven't played that in years but i remember several days of frustration looking for that bloody number. I have to admit i was impressed when i found it though, as simple as it is, it was the first time a game made me think outside the square, so to speak. 👍
Oh man I can't wait. I bought the Essential Collection of MGS games, (too bad MGS3 subs does not come with the 2nd disc, but I allready have it so i can play the 2 Original MGS games)
Beaten all 3 numerous times and Waiting patiently for the 4th one!
Beaten all 3 numerous times and Waiting patiently for the 4th one!
- 5,921
- Morocco
- appie17
Headline: EGM refuses to review MGS4, exclusive GoW2 cover A-OK!
http://kotaku.com/5012146/egm-refuse-to-review-mgs4-because-konami-imposed-limitations
EGM says Konami imposed limitations on their comments about the game. Instead of reviewing and scoring the game, they printed a round-table discussion about the game.
Maybe EGM couldn't come to terms with "10 out of 10" and "PS3" being in the same sentence.
Kotaku shouldn't be talking about journalistic integrity either...
Jeez, why do they make such an big fuss about it. Is the PS3 that much hated
.
- 606
Jeez, why do they make such an big fuss about it. Is the PS3 that much hated
Thats why I dont read crap magazines like that! EDGE is brilliant, because they are 100% unbiased to everything (Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, PC, Handheld, Coin-op (arcade), Online) and their website is next-gen.biz which is also brillaint, up to date, and unbiased!
- 24,553
- Frankfort, KY
- GTP_FoolKiller
- FoolKiller1979
Finally got a couple of hours to play this weekend, and in the Essentials Collection they blatantly put it in the manual, listed along with all the others, including fans that never answer your call, but call you all the time.
Of course, they don't tell you that and the game still says CD, so if you don't know it you still have to look, and the listing is not noted in the Table of Contents either. So, you actually had to read the manual to know ahead of time.
I actually have that issue and they basically said that they wanted to discuss stuff that was limited by Konami, so this month it went in the "Not in time for print" section where they don't give a full review with a score. They openly state it will be properly done in the next issue.Headline: EGM refuses to review MGS4, exclusive GoW2 cover A-OK!
http://kotaku.com/5012146/egm-refuse-to-review-mgs4-because-konami-imposed-limitations
EGM says Konami imposed limitations on their comments about the game. Instead of reviewing and scoring the game, they printed a round-table discussion about the game.
Maybe EGM couldn't come to terms with "10 out of 10" and "PS3" being in the same sentence.
Kotaku shouldn't be talking about journalistic integrity either...
Then the roundtable was interesting, as it had a huge fan of the series, a guy who hates the series, and a woman that never really got into the games at all.
The fan loved it, the woman thought it was good, but she got confused, and the hater hated it, not because it was a bad game, but because of the things that make up MGS and are very love it or hate it aspects. He still thought it was a good game, but reserved for people who like the series' style.
Fortunately, Deadpool gave it to me, but I did decide to look to make sure I had it right, and after being sure the case was different I began checking the manual.
- 19,311
- Inland Empire SoCal
- SOLID_LIFTERS
http://www.gamegrep.com/news/10171-egm_refuses_to_review_mgs4_because_of_konamis_limitations/
Same article above about EGM refusing to review MGS4.
http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/06/02/lengthy-new-metal-gear-solid-4-video-preview/
Awesome new game play clip that reveals Laughing Octopus' special abilities. Don't watch if you don't want that spoiled.
http://kotaku.com/5012139/metal-gear-solid-4-shibuya-billboards
Billboards go up in Japan.
Same article above about EGM refusing to review MGS4.
http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/06/02/lengthy-new-metal-gear-solid-4-video-preview/
Awesome new game play clip that reveals Laughing Octopus' special abilities. Don't watch if you don't want that spoiled.
http://kotaku.com/5012139/metal-gear-solid-4-shibuya-billboards
Billboards go up in Japan.
EGM cant review cuz of LIMITATIONS? buahha IGN UK did the review with no spoilers and they mention it that they had to keep an eye on that KONAMI list.
I never read EGM, and this makes me never wanna read their magazines. They need to drop some B_lls and write a good review without spoilers.
I never read EGM, and this makes me never wanna read their magazines. They need to drop some B_lls and write a good review without spoilers.
- 24,553
- Frankfort, KY
- GTP_FoolKiller
- FoolKiller1979
I'm witholding judgement until they do their review next month.
Their reviews are done slightly differently, with three people doing it and the final score averaged, and so it is possible to see the good vs the bad in their reviews.
Now if the review comes out and it is basically, 90 minute cutscenes!!!! OMGWTF!!!! I will be a tad bit upset.
Although, I will admit, they do have a 360 lean in their style. I think this past issue even had a slight fanboy fight in the letters section.
- 4,498
- Limburg,Belgium
- (GTP_) dustdriver
I pre-ordered this game, even though i haven't played any of the previous games.
I should probably read the storylines from the other games before i'm going to play this one.
I bet it wouldn't make much sense otherwise
I should probably read the storylines from the other games before i'm going to play this one.
I bet it wouldn't make much sense otherwise
- 19,311
- Inland Empire SoCal
- SOLID_LIFTERS
I pre-ordered this game, even though i haven't played any of the previous games.
I should probably read the storylines from the other games before i'm going to play this one.
I bet it wouldn't make much sense otherwise
Starting the games now to play for the stories is still a good idea. If you think you'll be pressed for time you can always use my MGS game saves and run through the game, with Stealth Camo and Infinity Bandannas (Mask for MGS3), rather quickly.
However, the game will feature cutscenes from various previous MGS games to give you an idea what's going on. Don't forget to use them. They are activated when you see an icon appear on screen and push that corresponding button.
List of GameStop stores open at midnight... http://www.gamestop.com/gs/landing/mgs4/MGS4Midnight.pdf
My town has three GameStop stores and every single one is open at midnight, and I had to pre-order my game at Best Buy. Damn.
Did anyone ever get a game mailed a day early from BB?
- 24,553
- Frankfort, KY
- GTP_FoolKiller
- FoolKiller1979
Is it confirmed as just cutscenes? I once heard a rumor it was playable flashbacks.
I preordered GT5P from Best Buy and it shipped launch day and I didn't get it until the following Monday.
thats why I preorder in person, and pick up a game in person, less then 10 minute drive for me
and no stupid handling fees
- 19,311
- Inland Empire SoCal
- SOLID_LIFTERS
Just a rumor created from the one trailer where Snake was seen at... SPOILER. But, not once have I read from official sources or recent reviews saying flashbacks were playable. I doubt they are, but you never know until you play the game.
Crap. You're not filling me up with confidence.
Although, my Saga 2 disc arrived the next day it was shipped, I have three days for MGS4 delivery before Monday. Thursday, the day it ships, Friday and Saturday, since it comes via the USPS. So, Saturday is the latest I think I'll get the game. Still, I don't want to wait that long, so I might get a second copy, return my extra copy and make sure to never order from BB again.
- 24,553
- Frankfort, KY
- GTP_FoolKiller
- FoolKiller1979
Well, my birthday is June 13th. Guess what I am asking for.
Along with a handful of other things.
Along with a handful of other things.
Well, my birthday is June 13th. Guess what I am asking for.
Along with a handful of other things.
Let me guess!
Sliced bread
HAHA
- 19,311
- Inland Empire SoCal
- SOLID_LIFTERS
12 Useful Tips For MGS4
Some basic tips we knew already, but still a good read. Only LIGHT SPOILERS so it should be safe reading.
Some basic tips we knew already, but still a good read. Only LIGHT SPOILERS so it should be safe reading.
- 319
- Éire
- GTF_Apollo
Just looked at the gamebox in my local gamestore,and this game won't be in 1080p,only 720p was on the back (dunno if its been posted before, i didn't read the thread.)
All the hype about PS3 being true high definition, and being 1080p bla bla.... when it came out.
If Hideo Kojima can't make the ps3 do 1080p then noone can.
It sucks!
I was waitin for a game to show the true power of the ps3...and this game is the game that cud stop all 360 vs ps3 wich is better threads
Anyway i know it doesn't matter, but still why no 1080p?!!!
All the hype about PS3 being true high definition, and being 1080p bla bla.... when it came out.
If Hideo Kojima can't make the ps3 do 1080p then noone can.
It sucks!
I was waitin for a game to show the true power of the ps3...and this game is the game that cud stop all 360 vs ps3 wich is better threads
Anyway i know it doesn't matter, but still why no 1080p?!!!
- 319
- Éire
- GTF_Apollo
True about GT5P being 1080p,but the game aint that impressive the cars look good and stuff but the backgrounds aint all that, anyway.
Its just a bit dissappointing it wont be 1080p, if this game doesn't blow me out of the water the same way MetalGear 2 did, then my ps3 will be collecting dust till GT5 comes out.
I remember seeing an interview with Kojima( probably on IGN), i recall him sayin
the PS3 was like going to the cinema and the 360 was like watching T.V or something along them lines,when he was asked about why Metalgear 4 wasn't coming on 360.
Its just a bit dissappointing it wont be 1080p, if this game doesn't blow me out of the water the same way MetalGear 2 did, then my ps3 will be collecting dust till GT5 comes out.
I remember seeing an interview with Kojima( probably on IGN), i recall him sayin
the PS3 was like going to the cinema and the 360 was like watching T.V or something along them lines,when he was asked about why Metalgear 4 wasn't coming on 360.
- 19,311
- Inland Empire SoCal
- SOLID_LIFTERS
Just so you know, one reviewer said COD4 video quality was "laughable" compared to MGS4.
I don't think you should worry.
I personally favor 720P over 1080p for my action/adventure/shooter games, to be honest. I don't think there's that HUGE of a difference between the two, first off. And, the designers and developers can do and add a lot more with 720p over 1080p, which is precisely what I want. Would it have been nice to have it in 1080p? Sure. Would that have been 100% practical? No.
As for what you recall, "Kojima said," you're way off the mark. Go back and re-read what he said. That should clear things up for you.
- 2,061
The PS3 still plays Blu-Ray out of the box, and that alone is hands down more valuable than any other console. I just bought 5 movies alone today.
Honestly, if MGS4 hasn't already blown you out of the water, then you're probably not going to be blown away by it, for whatever personal reason you have.
That aside, I just got the OST. *AMAZING*
Best MGS OST out IMO, closely followed by MGS2 which was absolutely amazing.
- 319
- Éire
- GTF_Apollo
Moving on, I remind him of a comment he made last year comparing each of the three current consoles to "different kinds of dinner". Did he still think that was the case, now that all three are on the market? Nope. "They're more like a movie theatre metaphor", he says.
"The PS3 is like the theatre, it's a little bit high-priced but it has to be high quality as well. The 360 is a DVD, it still needs to be high quality but you need more variations, while the Wii is almost like a TV channel, because every game you have it with your family".
Thats the comment he made regarding the consoles.
@ solid lifters
They can only do and add more stuff at 720p because the machine cant handle 1080p bassically.
and the difference between 1080p and 720p is big if your playin on t.v 46in or over
What im tryin to say is Every other game on the ps3 is a port or developed by developers not famous with playstation and that was allways an excuse for not being 1080p or shoddy performance. Even Gta4 was practically a port.
If this game isn't 1080p then all the hype about this consoles performance is bulls**t.
Because this is the first game that will and should truly test this machine.
"The PS3 is like the theatre, it's a little bit high-priced but it has to be high quality as well. The 360 is a DVD, it still needs to be high quality but you need more variations, while the Wii is almost like a TV channel, because every game you have it with your family".
Thats the comment he made regarding the consoles.
@ solid lifters
They can only do and add more stuff at 720p because the machine cant handle 1080p bassically.
and the difference between 1080p and 720p is big if your playin on t.v 46in or over
What im tryin to say is Every other game on the ps3 is a port or developed by developers not famous with playstation and that was allways an excuse for not being 1080p or shoddy performance. Even Gta4 was practically a port.
If this game isn't 1080p then all the hype about this consoles performance is bulls**t.
Because this is the first game that will and should truly test this machine.
- 19,311
- Inland Empire SoCal
- SOLID_LIFTERS
Not at all true. There are games, with 1080p output that look fantastic, available for PS3 owners who are lucky enough to own a 1080p HDTV set. If not all games are in 1080p it is so by no means the fault of the PS3, rather a CHOICE of a developer or designer. They have a dream and a vision of what their games feature and how they play. While 1080p is possible it also has limits to game play features that might infringe on a designers or developers vision. Such was the case for Hideo Kojima and his vision for MGS4.
Noticeable difference? Yes. A "big" difference, as you put it? No. I own one of the best 1080p sets money can buy. I enjoy TRUE HD games in 1080p and games in 720p equally. Again, I would love to see more games in 1080p, but not for a MGS4 type of game.
Hype? Sony said there will be games available up to 1080p which has and is happening. Just because you misunderstood not ALL games will be in 1080p is not the fault of Sony. And to repeat what has been said to you before, the clips of MGS4 game play appear to have very high quality graphics, and yet, we haven't seen them in REAL progressive HD quality. Just wait to ACTUALLY play the game on a high quality HDTV set from an original source and THEN make your comments on graphic quality.
Being the owner of both 1080p and 720p PS3 games I can honestly say I don't care if MGS4, and games like it, aren't in 1080p. Considering the XBox360 cannot display TRUE 720p and yet still has great graphic quality is more than proof Sony is not limited to a poor graphic quality with TRUE 720p, nor is it proof it cannot handle 1080p as you have incorrectly put it.
- 7,889
- SolidFro
- RRoDzaaah!
If developers designed their games for the PS3, they wouldn't have problems with performance and bugs.
Imagine the day when Grand Theft Auto no longer fits on a DVD9 disc. GTA4 will be the first and last port of GTA on the PS3.
You won't have to look far for 1080p games. Gran Turismo has been running at 1080p since GT:HD. There is no bull**** about PS3's performance.
