Metal Gear Solid 4 is a Masterpiece (page 2 of 4)

The mission briefings in MGS4 are lengthy, but ADD-afflicted gamers can fiddle with the camera angles or drive the Mk. II mech around to scavenge for special items (note the top-right window).

The mission briefings in MGS4 are lengthy, but ADD-afflicted gamers can fiddle with the camera angles or drive the Mk. II mech around to scavenge for special items (note the top-right window).

War Has Changed

First, erase all expectations of what you think Metal Gear is and how it plays. Kojima and company have gone back to the drawing board to craft a radically improved interface, and the result feels like a mix of Gears of War and Call of Duty 4, with a dash of classic Metal Gear stealth for flavor. This is an intense action game, but you'll need to think fast and stay cool to survive.

The beauty of MGS4's gameplay is that it gives the player options. As in the other Metal Gear games, you'll be charged with infiltrating heavily defended enemy installations and the method you use is entirely up to you. You can choose the direct approach (shoot first, hide later), the indirect (hide always, shoot when you must) and everything in between. There's no "wrong" way to play MGS4. If you want to play the game as a Gears of War-style shooter, prepare yourself for one of the best shooters you've ever played. If you'd rather creep and crawl to avoid enemies as in the earlier Metal Gear games, you'll be overjoyed by the game's tactical depth.

The game's masterstroke lies in Snake's octo-camo armor, an active camouflage suit that mimics Snake's surroundings. Octo-camo makes basic hiding and sneaking an automatic affair, and lets trigger-happy players focus on the action while still maintaining a semblance of stealth. Kojima deserves major credit for updating the classic Metal Gear gameplay with so many modern elements, from the over-the-shoulder aiming style to the optional first-person camera, and integrating them seamlessly with a control scheme that's simple yet deep. To play the core of the game, you only need to use four main buttons: aim, shoot, crawl, and use. That the game squeezes so much functionality out of such a simple interface is one of its crowning achievements.

Who's The Boss?

Of course, no Metal Gear game would be complete without an array of memorable boss battles, and even here MGS4 surpasses the loftiest expectations. The chief villain is Solid Snake's brother, Liquid Snake, who is residing in the body of another classic foe, Revolver Ocelot. But the most prominent boss battles are between Snake and The Beauty & The Beast Unit, a squad of grotesque cyborg abominations who are more than they first seem. You'll need more than raw firepower to take out these metal-clad monsters, and each battle plays out in entirely unique, unexpected ways; thankfully, the element of frustration that plagued past MGS boss fights has been eliminated. And by the end of the game, the boss battles become so epic and so shocking that you'll literally be pumping your fist in the air, wide-eyed and delighted by the spectacle. These are the moments that will have Hollywood directors like Michael Bay shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Why watch the latest big-budget action movie when you can play a game as powerful as this?

The stealth options in MGS4 are better than ever, but are purely optional. The game works brilliantly as a Gears of War-style shooter.

The stealth options in MGS4 are better than ever, but are purely optional. The game works brilliantly as a Gears of War-style shooter.

If the core shooting and sneaking is the steak of MGS4, then the weapon customization is the gravy. Kojima is a Pokemon addict who has reportedly collected every Pokemon in every game ever, and you can see that influence extend to MGS4's extensive suite of weapons. You can find over 70 guns in the game, from non-lethal tranquilizer pistols to grenade launchers and double-barrel shotguns. Some guns are literally handed to you, others are hidden, and still more are scooped off enemies or unlocked at the end of the game. Shopping is convenient, too, after you meet a weapons launderer who will supply Snake with high-end firearms and ammo -- for a price, of course.

In order to purchase these exotic weapons, you'll need to scoop up the fallen guns of enemies and allies and cash them in for "Drebin Points." But it doesn't end with weapons. You can buy dozens of modifications, from laser sights and flashlights to under-barrel grenade launchers and recoil-control grips. This weapon customization system is brilliant for two reasons. First, it allows you to convert sub-par firearms into more specialized weapons, such as adding a rifle scope and silencer to a stock carbine to create a silent sniper rifle. Second, it encourages you to replay the game again and again -- not that you need to be encouraged -- in order to unlock the highest-end weapons that cost literally millions of Drebin Points. Even scooping weapons off of fallen enemies is addictive, and it's often tempting to dart out of safety to grab nearby guns.

Raising Hell With Cell

But as impressive as MGS4 is on a gameplay level, it also amazes on a technical level. MGS4 is one of the most visually striking games ever released, and also the first game to show off the hidden power of the PlayStation 3. Technically speaking, the game is a marvel of production. Artistically speaking, it's a triumph.

Metal Gear Solid 4 renders some of the finest-looking graphics ever seen. Its visual variety is a major high point - just wait until you see some of the later acts.

Metal Gear Solid 4 renders some of the finest-looking graphics ever seen. Its visual variety is a major high point - just wait until you see some of the later acts.

You won't need an HD TV to appreciate the game, either. Kojima has always famously downplayed the importance of hi-def visuals, once telling me that he wasn't interested in HD because he prefers a "dirty" look, which he feels gives his games a livelier atmosphere. This is probably why MGS4 goes in the complete opposite direction of other new-gen games whose graphics look almost too clean and clinical. The world of MGS4 is smeared with dust, soot, and grime, giving the game a rich, tactile texture that plays well on even standard definition TVs. Color is also used to great effect, with post-production filters that saturate the game in deep greys, greens, and golds. This is a visually striking game, even if you're stuck with a standard-def TV.

But if you have access to an HD TV, MGS4 will show you the bleeding edge of video game graphics. Leveraging the power of the PlayStation 3's octopus-like Cell processor, MGS4 renders some absolutely phenomenal environments. The first act takes place in the dusty slums of the Middle East, and the second act moves to the sweltering jungles of South America. Visual variety is a hallmark here, and thanks to Snake's globe-trotting journey, the game never repeats the same look twice. The environments are not only shockingly detailed, but also massive in scope: when you see the soaring peaks of South America, you'll swear you're watching archival film footage. MGS4 has that effect on players, effectively blurring, if not erasing, the line that divides games and cinema. It's absolutely remarkable.

Comments [278]

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Banjo_and_Kazooie

No suprise it's awesome, we all expected it. So have fun Spiky, Dareal and the rest of you.

pixelsword

Anyways, could Gamepro do us lowly gamers a favor?

If the Stress concept is confusing at first, could you explain that dynamic in detail?

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