Feature: The 25 biggest surprises in Metal Gear Solid 4
Metal Gear Solid 4 is a huge game, but most previews have only scratched the surface. GamePro senior editor Sid Shuman has played the game: here are 25 gameplay features that surprised and delighted him.
A socially relevant storyline: Private military companies (or "PMCs") are a key threat in Metal Gear Solid 4 because they've escalated combat into a never-ending war economy. But in a case of truth being stranger than fiction, PMCs are a serious concern in modern-day Iraq. Ever heard of Blackwater? I was pleasantly surprised to see how MGS4 tackles these tough topics in a mature, yet entertaining, manner.
Upgraded graphics: Metal Gear Solid 4 gives the series its biggest visual update yet, and it's no exaggeration to say that it's easily one of the prettiest games ever made.. New-generation graphical techniques like HDR (for realistic lighting), antialiasing (for sharper visuals), and post-production filters (for color saturation effects) make Metal Gear Solid 4 an example of bleeding-edge game production. High-resolution character models add even more detail, allowing you to see skin grain and armor scratches when viewing Snake up close.
Crystal-clear sound:: Thanks to Skywalker Sound's state-of-the-art audio mastering, MGS4 has some of the crispest, clearest sound effects I've ever heard -- the booming gunshots will make your hair stand on end! The Hollywood-style soundtrack, a series hallmark, is also predictably fantastic, and Snake's raspy voice sounds more desiccated than ever. This is one game you'll want to play with headphones, or a high-end speaker setup.
The oil barrel: In addition to his trusty cardboard box, Snake can now equip an oil barrel from his inventory. It works much like the cardboard box, providing a handy hiding spot for industrial areas where a cardboard box might arouse suspicious. But the oil barrel doubles as a weapon, enabling Snake to roll over nearby enemies and send bodies flying. A handy, if overlooked, new item.
A mature new style: Prior games in the Metal Gear series have drawn equal inspiration from anime and Bruckheimer-style cinema, featuring cartoonish villains and offbeat humor. But Metal Gear Solid 4 is a different beast, drawing its look and feel from gritty films like Children of Men and games like Gears of War. That's not to say that humor is AWOL in MGS4, only that it's used more sparingly. The overall style of the game is somber, but not nihilistic.
The Outer Haven soldiers: This all-female outfit of advanced soldiers serve as Liquid's elite soldiers. Exceptionally agile and well-equipped, the "frogs" fire punishing P90 SMGs. Worse, they're equipped with long talons on their feet and hands, which enable them to cling to ceilings and walls, or bound from wall to wall. They first appear in the latter half of the Middle Eastern level during a climactic gunfight in a run-down hotel.
Blu-ray disc storage: Metal Gear Solid 4 is one of the first games to truly give the PlayStation 3's Blu-ray drive a serious workout. Using a dual layer 50GB Blu-ray disc, Metal Gear Solid 4 is easily one of the most data-intensive games ever released on any format. That translates into more game content, better-quality audio, and cleaner HD video. And to think: Kojima said that 50GB Blu-ray discs aren't big enough...
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