KOJIMA AT THIS BEST
Hideo Kojima was quoted about a couple months ago as saying that MGS4 was a disappointment for him.That the game turned out to be 1/10th as good as the one he had envisioned. This had all the gaming websites in an uproar, saying the PS3 was officially dead now, no more hope for Sony, etc. He later said that it was a cultural misunderstanding, that because he is Japanese his modesty was mistaken for disappointment. I completely forgot about this hubris while playing the game, and now I'm thinking "How could the game ever be 10 times better than what the final result turned out to be?"
Most of the people who don't like MGS tend to be FPS fans who don't like the controls or the long and involved story lines. This is understandable, because FPS games basically all have two things in common: they all have basically the same control functionality and they usually have absolutely no story. I've never understood why people compare MGS games to FPS games. What part of "Tactical Espionage Action" don't they get? I don't expect Rock Band to play like Madden, so why would anyone expect MGS to play like Halo or COD4? The MGS series is about sneaking around, awesome boss fights, and the best video game story ever written (nothing else is even remotely close to being as good). If none of that appeals to you don't play it. But if you give it a chance, you're in for an experience that is like no other.
I won't really go into the story. Either you're familiar with it or you're not, and Konami released an awesome add-on detailing story time lines, character relationships, etc. They could have easily charged for it because it's extremely robust, and you even unlock additional information as you complete MGS4. Basically you play as Solid Snake, and you are trying to kill Liquid Ocelot so he can't take over the world.
The gameplay is mainly standard MGS stuff, although the first person aiming mechanics have been simplified along with use of the action button. The L1 button is still used to ready your weapon, but now a quick press of the triangle button engages first person view and R1 fires weapons and engages in CQC (close quarters combat). I never had much of a problem with the controls before (except for on the PSP with MGS: Portable Ops), but this feels much more natural. Use of the action button has been simplified. Instead of having to know when to hold down triangle, the game will provide a action option whenever an action is available and you simply press the triangle button. For example, if you want to hug a wall and move across it, you simply tap triangle while close and use the left stick to walk slowly against the wall. CQC also feels more refined than MGS3: you can use it with most assault rifles now and it is a bit more intuitive.
Snake's Octo-Camo is pretty awesome. It's similar to using camouflage in MGS3, but it takes away the somewhat repetitive element of switching gear whenever you sneak to an environment that is a different pattern or different color. Now, if you lean against a wall, or stay still for a few seconds while prone, the Octo-Camo automatically mimics the surrounding environment. There are still varying degrees of effectiveness depending on color and pattern schemes, degree of movement, etc., and it makes for a very cool and almost effortless play mechanic.
Another outstanding change is the ability to sneak in a war zone and have a particular side assist you. In previous MGS games, there was simply you sneaking around the enemy soldiers, but in MGS4 you are sneaking past two different waring factions. If you help one side they will not fire at you and will actually assist your movement by firing at the enemy while you sneak. This allows for a certain amount of extra strategy, and provides additional consequences if you choose to fight everyone, only one side, or sneak by everyone.
The gameplay alone makes for an incredible game, but it wouldn't be Metal Gear without an outstanding story. MGS4 somehow manages to wrap up all previous MGS story lines together in phenomenal ways. As great as the story is, even better is the way that it is told: you continuously think you understand certain aspects and then additional information is found out. Kojima manages to wrap the story into a very tight, meaningful package. Although the story is complicated and expansive, we find out that nearly every plot point--no matter how odd they initially seem--has a purpose. Even the ending is not really a full ending, or is it? The ending credits are brief and must be watched.
The cut scenes are rather lengthy, but they are so entertaining that I can't imagine anyone not enjoying them. They are also interactive: there is a very interesting flashback dynamic that actually gives you bonus "points" for buying weapons and upgrades when you press "X" at the right time, and there are multiple cameras and character perspectives during the mission briefings. The game does download before you start and before each act of the game. This never is a very big deal though, as the time starts at 11 minutes and gets smaller each time (down to 1 minute for the last load). Also, when you play through the game again the load times are very short.
The MGS series has been a kind of barometer for each PlayStation system. MGS1 showed other developers what the PSOne was capable of, and MGS2 blew nearly everyone away with what it accomplished with the PS2 hardware. If Sony should have any worry it's that MGS4 sets the bar too high for other games on the PS3. I don't see how anything else will top it; the game is just way too good.
Finally, Metal Gear Online is a very viable and robust multiplayer game. You get to create your character, choose different weapons, and even select the music based on scores from the MGS game library. There is standard deathmatch, team deathmatch, and sneaking missions that are all very enjoyable. The best part is that Konami will be releasing additional weapons, clothing, maps, etc. in the future and it sounds as though all will be free to download (Update: some things are free but many will need to be purchased).
Metal Gear Solid 4 is everything I hoped for and more. It's a game that everyone should play at some point and that every PS3 owner should purchase. I've never played through a game in three days before or even really wanted to try: I simply could not put this game down. This game is even more than an instant classic or game of the year candidate. It's the best game I've ever played.
