PS3 Review – Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots
The bar has officially been raised. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots is the single most ambitious game to be released thus far. If you own a PlayStation 3, or consider yourself a fan of video games, then you OWE it to yourself to play this game.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots, is the ultimate game for fans of the series, explaining every last plot detail, and offering a perfect conclusion. Newcomers to the series should have no trouble picking up the gameplay, as this game can be played with its conventional stealth tactics, or you can choose to play it as a shooter, and run and gun through the whole game.
The game picks up 5 years after the Big Shell incident from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty and is a direct sequel. However the story will explain everything dating back to the first Metal Gear, even the prequel, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The story is told through gameplay, and the over the top cinematic cutscenes that blend together seamlessly and never take you out of the action. This time around cutscenes are fully skippable, even though we don’t recommend skipping them at all. We suggest you instead take the time to catch all of the flashbacks, which can be initiated by pressing the X button during certain parts of a cutscene. Cutscenes at points, offer a first person view from Snake so you can see things going on, that you wouldn’t normally be able to see. During “mission briefings” you can take control of the Metal Gear Mk II and inspect areas that are off limits to gameplay, netting you hidden items, and a special view of the Nomad. The characters have the biggest impact on the storyline, and no other game has done a better job of making you feel what the characters are feeling. No other game brings you closer to having a relationship with the characters, where you actually develop an emotional attachment to them. One moment you will be rooting for someone, then next moment you will be furious when they double cross you.
During the game Kojima Productions really stresses the “Final Mission” theme. You will actually feel Snake’s pain, and by the end of the game, just like an “old dog of war” you actually want to see him “put down” to end his suffering.
Another one of the game’s themes is the psychological effect of warfare, and throughout the game, they did an amazing job showing it. From letting you feel the mental anguish of the Beauty and the Beast Unit, only to hear their back story, and actually feel bad for them. To, getting a chill when you hear the call of a Gekko.
The game is broken up into 5 acts, each of which feels like a different game from the past, while also feeling completely new. The game starts with a 8 minute install, and between each act requires additional 3 minute installs. While this may sound like a bad thing, its actually great, because other than the installs, I didn’t want to put the game down at all. It provided time for a much needed break. In fact during the installs, the game itself recommends you get up and stretch, among other things.
While the game is linear, the way you go about progressing is nothing of the sort. You have many paths to travel to get to your goal. You could play each act 10 times, and it will never be the same twice. You can use your espionage tactics to stealthily sneak through each stage, or you can forgo any stealth, and run and gun your way through the stage. Stealth is the way the game is meant to be played, and you will find that using stealth to you advantage offers many rewards.
The controls are very intuitive. Series vets will feel right at home, but it they have altered the control scheme just enough so that newcomers can pick it right up and play.
This isnt the Metal Gear Solid you remember, gone are the patrolling guards of the past. The game is now set amidst a ongoing war, where you not only have to avoid guards but the rebel forces as well, that is until you can befriend them. Guards will actively seek you out, and are much more intelligent than ever before. Gekko patrol the streets giving a feeling of horror when you see how massive and devastatingly agile they can be.
The weapon system is deep, and offers some unique customizations. Each customization effects different attributes of the gun. You can only hold 5 weapons in your quick select menu, which offers the challenge of choosing the best weapon set for the enemies you are encountering. You scour dead bodies on the battlefield, trying to procure ID locked weapons so you can sell them for “Drebin points” to the game’s arms dealer Drebin. Drebin ends up playing a more important role in the game than just “arms dealer”, he fills in tid bits of the storyline you may have questions about, and even saves snakes hide a couple times.
The boss fights are just what you would expect from the MGS series, each one epic, needing a completely different strategy to take down each adversary. One particular boss fight, is THE boss fight to trump all other boss fights for now on, as you get to do something that you only dreamed of doing before in the series.
The games visuals are simply the best that any console game has to offer, and really shows what the PlayStation 3 is capable of. During the whole playthrough, I didn’t notice any screen tearing, or any frame rate drops, only smooth, breathtaking gameplay.
The audio in the game really brings the battlefield to life, espcially if you have a decent surround sound setup. The sound of bullets flying by, and people screaming are so realistic it will really give you the feeling of being there. The musical score, is the best the series has seen, every track going perfectly with the atmosphere of the game. Snake even has an iPod, where he can choose tracks discovered throughout the game.
As soon as you finish the main game, it will leave you wanting to play it again and again. It even gives you plenty of reason to play it, with many unlockables, alternative costumes, and an emblem system rewarding you for things such as, “no continues” and “no alert phases”.
Even if you were to do everything the main game has to offer, you can always swith to Metal Gear Online, with its many multi-player modes. Play with as many as 16 players and test your stealth and shooting skills online. MGO even offers the games “Drebin Points” system, and allows you to customize your weapons as well as your weapon inventory. Full clan support, and rankings are available community features.
In summary, this is the best video game I have ever played. So good, that every other game I had once considered a 10, has me reconsidering that score. Before MGS4, I didnt realize how complete a video game could be. This is the first game this generation to “wow” me, the first game to make me say” so this is what next gen is”. As I said before if you own a PlayStation 3, or are a fan of great video games, then you simply must play this game…
This is the only game I feel comfortable giving a perfect score to, Kojima Productions have given us nothing short of perfection, and I must give respect when its due.
PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score
Huge arsenal of weaponry and items. Truly epic story arch that wraps up many loose ends. |  |
32 Responses to “PS3 Review – Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots”
SPOILER……………………………………………………
this game is awesome when you get to the part where and the comes out of the . that shit is amazing.
oh and now im on big boss extreme
The whole game was amazing.
Big Boss Extreme? Wow, must be very difficult…
Think you can beat it with no saves, health items, or alerts?
If you do make sure to take a picture of the Big Boss Emblem…
Loving the review guys! this site really is up there in terms of quality. Its now one of the 1st places I check for playstation news. Keep up the awesome work guys! I’m loving it!
One thing though, could you maybe make a favicon for the site? the wordpress logo is pretty drab and it would be nice for my bookmarks.
cheers!
I just finished it over the weekend, and I honestly have to say that this is the only video game Ive ever played that actually made me cry, could you believe that; a grown man shedding tears over a videogame! WTF, but its true I actually did, why well I wont spoil it, but let me just say that it is sad…..
The game deserves all the hype it ever gained, it truly is a marvel, of which Hollywood has only ever achieved with LOTR:ROTK. Kojima is the J.R. Tolkien of videogames.
Hopefully im getting MGS4 on thursday !!! Wish me luck !!!
I really liked it, even though there wasn’t as much game play this time around. 9/10
Submitting to N4G!
I can’t wait to play this game! I’m so mad though. My PS3 broke this past week and I have to wait a few weeks before I get a new one. Somethingon the HDD is corrupted and every time I turn my PS3 on, it prompts me to “rebuild” it. I’m stuck in an endless loop of “rebuilding” and I can’t get to the XMB. With the SOCOM beta due out soon and MGS being released, it couldn’t have picked a worser time to die on me.
I feel as if MGS4 has caused a type of inflation of review scores, the same as you feel, and IGN does, that since this game is so great, and could even surpass 10 if possible, the high scores and 10′s of other games dont really seem worthy of that 10. But that inflation wont happen.
This game is the best game i ever played in my lifetime.
And iam a gamer since 1991.
This game reminds me On the Jump from 2D to 3D.
It is completly new way of Gaming in my Opinion.
This is Truly a Masterpiece, its deserves Oscars like a Movie, the best story
in a game.
I hope MGS:the movie will be directed or co-directed by Kojima himself.
I loved MGS4 i won it in just 2days. i didn’t want to win it but now i just cant seem to play it again. i would give it 10/10 to.i didn’t mind the clip scenes (they were epic) the gameplay was awesome I hope it gets game of the year
PS: sev are you on MGO? if you are can I add you as a friend?
come on thursday !!! come on !!!! *cries
I like how MGO makes up for anyone’s complaints about lack of gameplay. I still need to get this game…
oh and im now on “The Boss Extreme” sorry for the typo. and yes im going for the foxhound and big boss emblem when i get em ill send you guys a picture.
More that a review that was a praise to kojima productions
Anyway ,i expect to have it on thursday
Um…
10/10? Best game ever?
Generous. I might be in the minority but you guys couldn’t find fault with it?
I came away from the game feeling disappointed at what it could and SHOULD have been. Some cut scenes were shocking, the story was too complicated for its own good and the editing left a lot to be desired.
We’ve seen a nearly faultless example of storytelling in Bioshock – and I don’t understand Kojima’s desire to include tits and ass – a smoking and belching monkey – a soldier going for a shit in a barrel to name but a few.
The character of Johnny? Why is he even in it?
SPOILER!!!!
The marraige scene at the end? Was awful, the end went on too long – one reader compared it to Return of the King and in that sense I agree.
This game should’ve been so much more.
beauty and the beast costumes…
I’m still pretty sure some people won’t like it……
A truly masterpiece from Kojima.
Thanks for the review and thank you Mr. Kojima
meh, to me the game is to slow paced 4 my taste
to me the snow graphics are the best ever.
I really
Do love
This game.
Don’t you Sneeches?
the best MG in my opinion.. same style game play, voice acting is excellent and it still has a stealth option or engaging the enemies directly.
[...] PlayStation LifeStyle » PS3 Review – Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of … [...]
I did Big Boss Emblem last year and I’ll do it again if they release trophies. MGS4 is remarkable.
@ DGR8Mc187
do you always return 3 months later and ask a question for points or do you REALLY participate ? now i see your point whore. lol. completely lost any respect for you , i thought you were an old poster… ive manged to get the same points threw donations and commenting recent articles and creating discussions while you haven’t.
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