Review written by Playstation4.net staff member Steve Goodwin
From the moment the next-gen consoles were conceived, we as consumers, were guaranteed something very special. Developers and publishers alike bombarded us with promises of ’Hollywood-style’ visuals, immersive gameplay, unrivalled interaction, phenomenal levels of detail amongst many other gaming wonders. We expected big things. Very big things. With each generation of console from the original Playstation to Playstation 2 and now Playstation 3 (PS3), there has always been significant leaps and bounds made in every aspect of what each console could do; and therefore what we could come to expect in our games.
We are all aware that the PS3 didn’t really get off on the right foot when it was launched back in March 2007, but let us not forget that this was the first time that Sony’s main rival, Microsoft and the Xbox 360, has had a head start in terms of having a console on the shelf before them. However, despite Microsoft’s machine selling like hotcakes, Sony fans hung on and remained loyal knowing that their new machine would be capable of so much more. Knowing that with time, this console would provide us with all the wondrous delights I mentioned earlier.
So, here we are over a year down the line and we finally get the PS3’s killer app we all hoped for. Konami’s Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is without doubt the finest game on the PS3. In fact it’s one of the finest games ever and we have it all to ourselves due to exclusivity rights. I know in the past when a game has been released exclusively for one console, it only takes a few months wait and it gets ported to the opposing machine. Needless to say though, we will never need to worry about Solid Snake making an appearance on the Xbox 360.
Metal Gear Solid 4 (MGS4) is the first game ever to tick all the above boxes, and tick them with remarkable ease too. This game has the movie-like visuals, actually blurring the fine line between film and video game like never before. The production value of this title is very high, probably record-breaking and it’s very obvious from the offset. For it’s fourth and final instalment things have just been ramped up another few notches. Fantastic graphics, astounding audio and detailed realism have always been present in the Metal Gear Solid series.
I want to remain a little vague regarding details on story and plot elements. Mainly because the storyline provides the basis of MGS4’s backbone and to reveal something that may seem trivial could become a wrecking ball of spoilers. Basically, Snake’s outing this time round takes him to a battlefield in the Middle East on which a civil war is in full swing. Your initial goal is to infiltrate this war zone as an incognito member of the local militia, your enemy being squads of PMCs (private military companies) controlled by Liquid Ocelot. I will mention this now; for fear of writing a review of epic proportions I suggest if you are new to the Metal Gear saga then a little background reading is required. For now though, the important thing is the PMC’s are the bad guys!
You are heavily outnumbered, almost constantly, so a stealthy approach is needed. In fact it’s the whole game ethic. You will have to find ways of getting from A to B without being spotted, which is not going to be easy as this is the most intense and difficult MGS yet. If you are spotted however, don’t fret as there is a varied arsenal of firearms at your disposal, most of which can be picked up from the battlefield. Although it’s not recommended, it is possible to complete the whole game, ‘all guns blazing’. If you do chose this path, you will miss what MGS is all about; the stealth. MGS4 excels in this aspect over all other similar titles. Don’t be fooled though, MGS4 has it’s fair share of epic boss battles, with some of them bringing up faces from the past….again I wont spoil it for you.
As you’re going to be spending a lot of time moving at a slower pace, compared to say an FPS, it’s just as well that the graphics on show are truly astonishing. Everything from the scenery and environment to the character animation to the particle effects and lighting are displayed in awesome HD. The torn-apart towns at the beginning of the game just feel real and you almost find yourself coughing if the wind kicks up some dust around you. Lay over the top of this an amazing cinematic score in surround sound and you’re there in the Middle East playing your own part in some blockbuster film. Enemy AI is also unique and is very imposing. You will lose count of the times you find yourself creeping around a corner and suddenly finding yourself at the feet of an enemy; luckily facing the opposite direction. Holding your breath you decide to either take him out or remain hidden. To quote a cliché, it’s priceless, no matter how many times in happens.
Staying out of sight is key in this game and you’ve got a new toy to make it that little bit easier and a lot more fun. ‘Octocamo’ is new the MGS and it is what your suit is made of. Essentially, this suit allows you to blend in to your surroundings at ease within seconds. Stand against a wall with a particular texture/coating and your suit will mirror that texture and keep you more or less invisible. The same occurs if you lie on the ground, your whole body with mimic the flooring dramatically decreasing the chance of being spotted. It’s also amazing to watch – you wont ever get bored! Of course, despite this technology you are not at such an advantage as you might think. In MGS4 you have to be aware of many other aspects of your surroundings and actions. Enemy PMC’s will notice your shadow, so be aware of light sources. They’ll also know if you’ve moved anything like boxes and items and remember to shut doors behind you! One more thing which recalls the level of detail here is the wind. Your HUD shows wind direction and if you’re giving off a smell (no I won‘t explain it!) or for instance smoking; the wind will carry evidence of your presence in that direction. PMC’s are human; they can smell.
You’ll need your wits about you on this mission but don’t worry if things kick off when you inadvertently draw attention to yourself; the enemy has an Alert System. This system has three states; Alert, Evasion and Caution. Once you’re spotted the enemy will be at the Alert state and you’ll be attacked, lose them and after a few moments they’ll lower their readiness to Evasion where the bad guys will actively search for you. Finally the Caution state; in which the enemy give up searching but are still on guard. Each state provides you with a fair share of thrills and tension and you can even use these to your advantage to progress through the game.
Controlling Snake has never been more intuitive in my opinion. By moving the left stick you can have Snake move extremely slowly and thus making no noise or at the cost of your audible footsteps; shift at a jogging pace. The right stick controls the camera and is very useful for when spying around corners but is put to more use when in first person mode whereby the game acts as per all other FPS games. Although this is new to the series, it feels far from alien. Aiming and firing weapons is governed by L1 and R1 respectively, L2 launches your item list and R2 does likewise with your weapons list (both of which will thankfully pause the action). The face buttons control stance; walk, crawl and prone as well as reloading and perform case sensitive actions such as climb/mount, open and use. Many actions are represented with on-screen prompts although they never impede to the point where you feel like it’s holding your hand throughout the game.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was hyped like nothing that came before it, with the exception of maybe GTA4. The differences being; MGS4 actually lives up to and often exceeds expectations and this is on PS3 only and many people have waited for this title to emerge before parting with their cash and nabbing the console. Ticking all the right boxes; epic story, groundbreaking visuals and graphics, engrossing audio and immense levels of detail, MGS4 is what we’ve all been waiting for. A killer app for us PS3 owners to call our own. Hideo Kojima’s finale ends the series with a bang rather than sneaking quietly in the darkness.
Overall Score: 9/10
