Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

I'm pleased to have gotten the opportunity to be able to play on the Sony Playstation 3 at home. Actually, this is the first time that I have thoroughly played on a Sony console, by my own. It will be only temporary though, but with what short time I will be experiencing it, surely it will be interesting with the available games I have also lent (and bought some just for this period).

Starting with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, let's jump right ahead into one of the PS3's best exclusive games. Although it has been described as a cinematic game, even more than previous titles, it still uses the familiar mechanics we have grown accustomed to in earlier Solid titles.

I know that it's been five years since this was released, making it almost a retro game for me IF I played it that time ago. But bear with me, my accessibility, time and money simply weren't available back then. Hence why this sudden review, an uprising if you will.

There is a lot of storyline, a lot of conclusions heading your way as you proceed with each chapter awaiting you. By now, I have become used towards both the impressive and the wacky parts of the overall story. Nothing would had prepared me for this latest plot though, even after beating Metal Gear 1 & 2 and Solid 1 through 3.

More on that further downwards. First towards the actual gameplay, which is still intact and enhanced here and there. Your camouflage options are largely more automatical this time, as it adapts towards your current surroundings.

Next, Otacon, one of your best allies, grants you a cooperative partner in the form of Metal Gear Mk. II, a remote controlled robot with various abilities such as stealth, hacking and attacking with electricity.

The overhead camera of earlier Metal Gear games has been replaced by a third person view(over the shoulder), while an optional first person view is also available previously seen in Sons of Liberty and The Twin Snakes.

A new Psyche Meter determines Snake's mental status through the battlefields, as his psychology is tested by the dire circumstances and his foes. Because of Old Snake's physical status caused by FOXDIE, the side effects of a stressed out meter can range from back pain to moving slower in overall.

You still have to remain tactical with your espionage action. Expect to see pretty much all of the trademarks that have accompanied the titles, such as cardboard boxes, nude magazines and wacky bonus content.

The dialogue scenes combined with the amazing codec scenes(for they are the driving force of storytelling) make up for one of the most epic plots seen in the history of video games yet. I don't want to spoil much about it, but topics that are present include the evolution of war, the Patriots of course, economics and the conclusion of many major characters and a conclusion towards the franchise in overall.

Hideo Kojima deserves valuable credit for writing a rather complex plotline that cleverly connects throughout each title and is interesting enough on their own as standalones. And he is not done, no sir. As I write, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes and Metal Gear Solid 5 (Phantom Pain?) are in development.

The locations surrounding Guns of the Patriots include the Middle East, South America, Eastern Europe and finally Shadow Moses Island. The cut-scenes are done well and the presentation is superb combined with the screenplay and the music(almost as if it was just a movie).

Metal Gear Solid 4 is a great title that pushed both Konami and the Playstation 3 towards greater fame and money of course. It's an essential title because of Kojima's crazy yet very well crafted story that flows through each title chronologically.

It's also a must play for fun boss battles, adaptable infiltration situations, weird Japanese humor and memorable characters. And the epilogue was one hell of an emotional and awesome experience for me. Snake, Big Boss and Major Zero have one final conversation before departing ways.
 

Still, it's not my favorite Metal Gear title. It's very hard to pick a favourite out of them though, and I think I am not alone when I say this. Meanwhile, I'm looking very much forward towards the future titles Kojima has planned.

I am also amazed that he is still able to come up with new stories inside the franchise. And one day, I would like to play Portable Ops and Peace Walker as well, just to keep up with this intensively popular series of video games.

Rating: 8.3