Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot
Review
Are we left wanting?
by MarvellousG
reviewed on PS3
Things get political…
The final big addition to gameplay is the PMC-Militia politics. However, this is one of the game’s few failings as it’s nowhere near as comprehensive as promised. No real alliances are formed, as whoever is ‘on your side’ simply boils down to whoever you last got seen shooting, with the opposite side taking you in with them as they charge into battle. It initially seems very promising, but it’s only used in the first two Acts, and it’s not as complex as we’d have liked.
However, it’s the only real disappointment in a game that has been hyped up beyond belief, so it’s impressive that MGS4 has delivered on so many levels. But now we move onto the main reason most diehard Metal Gear fans were looking forward to the game for: the story.
Old Snake
As you will have seen if you have ever read any previews of the game, or seen screenshots or videos, Snake’s gotten old. Or at least, he now looks old. His ageing has been accelerated, by means you will find out later on in the game. The fact that Old Snake is, well, old, makes for some very touching moments. This is certainly a game that has the capacity to make Metal Gear diehards blub like a baby, with a particularly emotional ending.
And a game for the diehards this is. If you haven’t played any of the other Metal Gears, you might find yourself a little lost here, as despite the brief flashbacks which accompany every character’s entry into the plot, a lot is left unsaid. Kojima no doubt assumes that most of the people playing this will already be well schooled in the enormous Metal Gear story. And if you are, you’ll be in heaven. Almost every character still standing makes an appearance, with a lot of surprise comebacks along the way. The fact that Kojima has twenty years worth of plotlines to tie up shows in the sheer scale of the story, and he does a truly miraculous job in making sure that every single character has their story resolved, and not one story arc has an unsatisfactory ending. The last two Acts of the game are so ridiculously epic in terms of both story and gameplay, you might actually want to take a break every few minutes, simply to try and digest what you’ll just have experienced.
Acts
You’ll be experiencing a lot. MGS4 is probably the longest game in the series, but it’s not quite the thirty hour quest that some once thought. It’s about fifteen to twenty hours in length, about six hours of which is made up by cut scenes. The game is split up into five Acts, each of which requires a two minute install before they can be played; we doubt you’ll see a 360 port of this anytime soon. Act 1 is set in the much vaunted Middle East town, Act 2, arguably the standout Act in terms of gameplay, is set in South Africa. Act 3 is set in Eastern Europe, and we’ll not mention Act 4 and 5 to let you experience them for yourselves, and consequently be struck dumb by the genius of their settings and how well they’re handled. As I’ve mentioned before, Act 4 and 5 are so epic, Act 5 in particular, they might take quite a toll on you.
10
fun score
No Pros and Cons at this time
