(This review is written to avoid any sort of spoiler reveals)
Metal Gear Solid 4 presents an inner dilemma for me. Part of me wants to tell each and every person in the world who has a modicum of interest in video games that they need to go out and buy it immediately. The other, more reasonable part of me says to be more reserved in my recommendation.
I’ll do both.
Let me start by saying that MGS4 is without a doubt one of the best experiences I have had with a single player video game. If I had to rank it, it would probably be in my top 5 single player games of all time. Like many other people, I bought a $599 USD Playstation 3 for this game (and Final Fantasy XIII). If this was all the PS3 was good for, I’d say it was worth it. You heard me, MGS4 was worth $685 to me.
The problem is that it’s not going to have as a great of an impact on you if you’re new to the series. An analogous comparison might be that of Lost. The season 4 finale of lost was amazing and even if you don’t follow the show, you could see why. But you won’t get some of the references, and you won’t fully appreciate the events that take place simply because you don’t have the historical reference points that you would have if you followed the show from the beginning.
If you’ve played through any of the previous games in the series and enjoyed them, what are you waiting for? Go finish off the previous 3 games in the series and buy this one – you’ll have an unforgettable experience.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is essentially a game of getting from point A to point B without being seen. While this may seem pretty straightforward, the game gives you a surprising amount of freedom in deciding how you accomplish your goal. You can go in guns blazing like you’re playing Call of Duty, or you can try to sneak by without killing or alerting anyone, or you do a combination of both if you’re like me. The controls are much improved from previous entries in the series. Like Grand Theft Auto IV, it is much easier to aim in third person mode and you can actually play the game entirely in first person if you choose to do so.
There’s so many nuances and options in each gameplay segment that you’d be hard pressed to discover them all on your first playthrough. While I think this is very cool, I do wish that the game would give you better fundamentals instruction so you have the tools to discover them on your own. For example, if you shake the controller when a certain female character is on the screen you can make her tits jiggle. How the hell am I supposed to figure this out on my own unless I’m using the Dualshock 3 in a self-pleasuring way?
The strength of the Metal Gear series has always been in mixing in a scintillating narrative with the gameplay. As such, there are going to be lots of cutscenes and narrative exposition. The cutscenes are the most beautifully directed and rendered non-interactive game sequences ever created. There’s no debate over this, it’s just fact. It can get a little melodramatic and overblown at times, but by and large, I have to hand it to Kojima-san for having a specific vision for this game series and seeing it through.
The game itself, though, is not exactly casual friendly. The controls are fairly complex still, even with the intuitive improvements. As much as I hate to use the term “hardcore,” I have trouble seeing, say, the Wii Sports audience succeeding with MGS4.
Going back to the Lost analogy, I would be absolutely thrilled if the final season of Lost offered the same gratifying conclusion that MGS4 did. Virtually every loose end and plot questions that have arisen over the past decade have been answered or addressed in a satisfying way. Imagine if the X-Files actually ended in a satisfying manner and you have an inkling as to the narrative scope and payoff of this game.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is the video game equivalent of a “page-tuner” book. Once i really got into it around the second act, or so, I simply could not put it down. Mind you, not putting it down meant 6-7 hour stretches where time went unnoticed. This game is truly the first experience to make me feel like I’m truly the star of an action movie. Cutscenes seamlessly blend into gameplay, and with the quality of the presentation in this game, that’s a Big Deal.
With the recent sellouts of the MGS4 bundled 80 gb Playstation 3’s, it’s obvious that this game is the first true “system seller” for Sony’s newest console. I’m curious as to what the percentage of those sales were to previous MGS players. Should you spend $500 on a PS3 just to play this game if you’ve never played the others? I’d reluctantly tell you “no,” unless money is not an issue for you.
If you haven’t played the previous games in the series I implore you to do so if you can deal with the awkward controls and the complex narrative. If ever there was an example for the “entertainment relationship effect” I’ve talked about before, this series is it. Act 4 of MGS4 is the payoff you get. My jaw was literally on the floor the entire act. I ran the gamut of emotions from almost being in tears to mouthing “Holy Fucking Shit this is amazing.” It’s got to be the most amazing gameplay sequence ever.
Along with some plot melodrama and histrionics, there are some slight technical annoyances such as a couple of frame rate dips and the 3 minute installations between each act. Let’s be honest here, one could spend hours nitpicking the game, but the same could be said for anything. I’d rather spend the time enjoying one of the greatest video game experiences ever created. If it makes sense for you, I suggest you do the same.
