"Kept you waitin' huh?"
Over the last twenty years the Metal Gear series has influenced and changed the action / adventure genre with every new entry in the series. Without it, stealth-action would not exist and story-telling in games would not be what it is today. Metal Gear needed a final chapter fitting of its great legacy and that's exactly what Hideo Kojima has given to it.
From the very beginning you get that special atmosphere only a Metal Gear game can create, starting with the familiar gunshot echo upon selecting a new game from the main menu. For me that has always been the moment when all the hype and expectation of the new MGS game finally comes to fruition. That feeling of, "this is it. Metal Gear is here."
After an install period which lasts around 10 minutes it's go time. During the game's installation you're treated to a real visual showcase of the Old Snake character model up-close and in-engine - your first indication that you've got something special in your hands. MGS4's character models are so far beyond any other game that its shocking. You also get some typical Kojima comedy, as smoking warnings scroll by in-between the usual video-game health warnings...while Snake stands by puffing away on his trademark cigarettes.So even while the game is installing you're still being entertained. It's worth mentioning the before each new act in the story a further 2 minute install is necessary. In most games this would be pretty intrusive but in MGS4 you'll be glad of the break to take in and absorb all that's been going on.
The visuals in the environments are just as impressive as the character models. Textures have been produced with great realism and in the larger battles the framerate very rarely dips even slightly. There is the odd flat looking texture but a game of this epic scale can be forgiven for that. The level design is slightly "old-fashioned" but you'll be so engrossed in what's going on that you'll barely notice.
If you've played previous games in the saga you'll notice that the controls have been changed considerably. The new button-layout is much more "western." The shooting and camera controls now evoke those made standard in 3rd person shooters like "Gears of War." Actions like Close-Quarters-Combat (CQC) and taking cover have also been streamlined. This makes them much more user-friendly and encourages more use of what, in previous titles, were often unnecessary and ignored additions to the control of Snake.
Once you've had time to get used to the new and improved controls you'll be introduced to Snake's most important new items, OctoCamo and the Solid Eye. OctoCamo is essentially a high-tech version of MGS3's camouflage mechanics. It allows Snake's sneaking-suit to take on the colour and texture of any surface he presses against, either by going prone or taking cover against an object. It looks great and also removes the biggest issue from MGS3 where you constantly had to pause the game to change camoflages using a menu system. The Solid Eye is an electronic eye-patch, combining binocular, night vision and analytical functions. The last of these allows Snake to see determine the nature of items and enemies in the environment before approaching them.
Determining the nature of enemy soldiers is incredibly important in the new battlefield environments. A key new gameplay mechanic sees Snake infiltrating different areas around the globe in which local militias are battling with Private Military Companies (PMCs). Neither side is truly Snake's enemy as he works towards his own goals in the war-torn regions. However, siding with one or other of the warring factions can help Snake achieve his own objectives. Taking sides is as simple as attacking a PMC or militia soldier during the battles or offering one a useful item to gain their trust. As a result, soldiers who trust Snake will offer him alternative routes and create distractions to aid his progress. It's a mechanic which is very simple to engage with and influence and allows you the freedom to fight in the battles with your chosen side (using the improved shooting controls) or adopt a more traditional stealth-based approach.
If you choose the more "run and gun" style of play you'll find it to be much more accessible than in previous MGS games. Some of this is due to the terrific improvements in control, but it's also down to the in-depth weapons customisation in the game. One character you meet early on acts as a weapons wholesaler, offering new weapons as well as upgrades and ammo, for a price. Most weapons offer at least one upgradable part, with many offering 5 or 6 customisable pieces. Considering that there are around 50 weapons in the game this is quite an achievement, overshadowing some recent FPS games like "Call of Duty 4."
Of course, even with all the amazing new things going on in MGS4 there is always going to be one thing in a Metal Gear game which rises above anything any other game can offer. The story.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is quite simply the best piece of story-telling in video-game history. The quality of the writing and direction is better than most Hollywood blockbusters. Cut-scenes flow seamlessly with the gameplay and run beautifully in real-time inside the game engine. Most importantly though, every loose end in the Metal Gear saga is explained and tied-off. I'm reluctant to say too much about the story in case I spoil it for anyone yet to finish it. Suffice to say though, that its an emotional roller-coaster and I'm certainly not ashamed to say that, as a huge MGS fan, I spent the majority of the finale in tears.
On top of the single-player story you also get "Metal Gear Online," a multiplayer game taking place in the MGS universe. It works well enough and features all the game modes you'd expect. However, the emphasis on premium downloadable content and the fact that so many better and more accessible online games exist will prevent it from being anything more than an also-ran. However, this has no detrimental effect on the overall package whatsoever, because no-one will purchase MGS4 with the online content as a priority over the single-player experience and story.
For years Hideo Kojima has been seeking to create his ultimate masterpiece, to fulfil both his own dreams and those of his fans. I can say, very confidently, that he has achieved not only this, but he has also produced comfortably the greatest video game of all time. Never before and probably never again will story and gameplay be so perfectly in tune with one another.
I realised today that, though I thought I was emotional at the game's end because of the story, deep down I had realised that gaming will never again be as good as this. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots is as close to perfect as we are ever going to see.
"I'm no hero. Never was."
- Solid Snake
