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PS3 | Action | Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Boxart for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Publisher: Konami
Developer: Kojima Productions
Release Date: 06/12/2008
Genre: Action
Number of Players: 1
ESRB Rating: Mature
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Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

186 screen shots

AVG USER SCORE 4.9
AVG CRITIC SCORE n/a

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Hands-On: New hands-on with Metal Gear Solid 4

Hands-On by Sid Shuman | 04/05/2008 | 23:52:09 PM PST

GamePro gets unprecedented access to one of the biggest games of the year, and guess what? It's spectacular.

Snake runs from a PMC chopper in a war-torn Middle East.

The 4 best things about MGS4

The graphics: You thought Gears of War looked amazing? Think again. Metal Gear Solid 4 will blow you away with its ultra-detailed characters and intricate environments, painting some of the most gorgeous graphics seen this side of Crysis. In motion, the graphics look so realistic that your eyes begin to register the visuals as a movie rather than a game. From what we saw, MGS4 puts its 50GB Blu-ray disc to outstanding use.

The guns: The final game will feature over 70 weapons, from lethal assault rifles to silent tranquilizer guns, and you can outfit many of them with scopes, recoil grips, laser sights, flashlights, and more. Collecting enemy weapons will unlock new guns and "Drebin Points" for further customization. There are 70+ guns in all.

The sound: MGS4 has some of the crispest, clearest sound effects we've ever heard -- the booming gunshots will make your hair stand on end! The Hollywood-style soundtrack is also predictably fantastic, and Snake's raspy voice sounds more desiccated than ever. GamePro editor Sid Shuman went so far as to say that MGS4 has "the best sound I've ever heard in a game."

The story: MGS4 is the darkest Metal Gear game by far: Snake is in terrible physical shape, and the world seems to rest on the brink of self-inflicted annihilation. Though the mood is dark, it's not depressing: you'll find plenty of characters to care about in this war-torn world.

Nestled in the snowy heart of Nasu, Japan, Konami and Kojima Productions recently held a secret "boot camp" where the companies showed off a nearly complete version of the anticipated PlayStation 3 action-epic Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Only a handful of gaming insiders were invited, but GamePro was there to get exclusive access to an enormous portion of the game. This is our report, complete with extensive hands-on impressions.

Before delving into the Metal Gear Solid 4 experience, however, we've got one word of advice: start saving those pennies! That $499 PlayStation 3 MGS4 bundle isn't going to pay for itself, and June 12th is right around the corner....

Death Adder

From the opening scenes, a palpable cloud of doom hangs over Metal Gear Solid 4. Once an unstoppable force, the legendary stealth operative Solid Snake is starting to show his age -- literally. In a near-future world ruled by private military companies (PMCs) and enforced by microscopic nanomachines lurking inside every soldier, Snake's old-fashioned skills and sensibilities make him something of a relic. Snake is still a tough guy, but he's no longer the invincible super-stud he once was due to a mysterious case of premature aging. MGS4's story is infused with a darker, more sophisticated tone...luckily, it just feels right. Fans of the first Metal Gear Solid will doubtlessly approve of the storyline developments, but we don't dare go into too many specifics: one of the game's charms lies in its intricate, sometimes shocking, storyline twists. No spoilers here!

We can share a few details, though. As usual, Col. Roy Campbell and Dr. Hal ~~Emmerson~~ Emmerich (Otacon) press the legendary Solid Snake to undertake "one last mission." The goal: to assassinate Snake's twin brother, the power-mad Liquid Snake, and save the world from the threat of the PMCs. You might remember Liquid as the chief villain from the original Metal Gear Solid, but here, his personality has been transfused into villainous mainstay Revolver Ocelot. It's a weird, trippy setup, but trust us: it pays off in spades.

Sidewinder

The first act opens in an unnamed country in the Middle East, where Liquid Snake's PMCs are clashing with local militias in a never-ending power struggle. As Snake, you'll duck through dusty alleyways, destroy tanks using mortar turrets, and take sides with the local rebels when the situation calls for it. Several hours into the game, Snakes meets a shady black-market gun runner named Drebin. Though his motives are suspect, Drebin quickly becomes one of Snake's closest allies because he holds the key to accessing an enormous arsenal of weapons. By collecting the firearms of fallen enemies, Snake earns "Drebin Points" that he can cash in to unlock new guns, weapon mods, and extra ammo straight from the field...even in the middle of combat. This meta-game is actually quite enjoyable, and it's tempting to dart out of cover and scoop up fallen guns, stealth be damned. The formula is simple: the more guns you collect, the more you'll be able to buy.

Speaking of guns, Metal Gear Solid 4's arsenal options are already setting new standards. The game includes over 70 unique firearms, with an array of pistols, sub-machineguns, rifles, shotguns, and far, far more. Gun modifications are another bright spot in MGS4. Through a sleek 3D interface, we outfitted a basic M4 assault rifle with a laser sight, red-dot scope, flashlight, under-barrel grenade launcher (shotgun also available), plus a silencer. That's five upgrades attached to one gun -- astonishing! It's a minor miracle that the aging Snake is able to even heft that bulky, do-it-all firearm, let alone shoulder and fire it. In another realistic touch, you can set automatic weapons to single-shot, triple burst, and full-auto modes. Naturally, Snake's still got a full repertoire of close-quarters maneuvers, from basic hand-to-hand combos to silent strangleholds a la MGS3. The end result is an extremely versatile combat system that's loaded with replay value.

Outer Haven soldiers (aka "frogs") are Liquid's elite troops and boast lithe, free-running movements. Hooked talons on their hands and feet allow them to cling to walls and ceilings.