It’s Snake’s final mission, and Metal Gear Solid 4 takes every opportunity to not only remind us of this fact, but show that it has become the best that a Metal Gear Solid game can be. Not only is this incarnation of the series the most in-depth and rewarding one, it challenges the borderlines in between film and game for an ultimately successful, albeit slightly flawed, result.

Solid Snake, despite aging at an increased rate due to a disease called FoxDie that has been implanted into his genes, is still the world’s foremost soldier, and MGS4 sees him called to action once again. This time, Colonel Campbell sends him out to assassinate his now-dead brother whose arm has been grafted onto a triple agent and has possessed his body. Sound confusing? It gets even more convoluted as the game goes on, and lengthy cutscenes don’t help out there; sometimes the FMVs go on for over 60 minutes, which can be hard to sit through. In fairness, after the large number of unresolved story threads in past three games, a lot of plot is necessary to wrap up the story, and in that regard MGS4 is a great success; it manages to introduce great new characters, bring back almost every single old character, and tie everything together. After playing MGS4, you’ll want to replay the first three games so you can experience the story in a new light.

But when you do actually get to play the game, it feels like heaven – the controls are easy to adapt to and make a lot of sense, and the new weapon system is great. Although you can’t use the weapons that you find on downed soldiers, you can convert them into Drebin Points, which can be used to buy and customize weapons from a new character named Drebin. Snake can also use new forms of stealth such as hiding in drum cans, and his camouflage system is better than ever, offering a much more convenient system than MGS3 – the soldier’s new OctoCamo allows him to instantly blend into areas, and his FaceCamo helps him take on the mask of whoever he chooses. Action is also always an option; barreling your way through enemies with no remorse is much more feasible than in previous games. The graphics are gorgeous; sometimes you might find yourself just looking around at the environment, whether in South America, the Middle East, or a returning place that we won’t spoil, but should be familiar to series veterans. The music is also spectacular, adding to the presentation with epic orchestrated sound that adds to the immersion without distracting.

Although MGS4 has its flaws – dialogue can get repetitive, and the cutscenes are a little too overwhelming – it’s clear that Hideo Kojima has set a new standard for himself. You’ll want to keep playing just to watch every twist and turn, and the stealth/action gameplay is unparalleled today. Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of the Patriots is really a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

10/10

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Defender  - just wow   |Publisher |2008-06-26 20:35:10 I have to say this game is thus far the best game I've played this year. Gorgeous graphics, excellent Gameplay the story is great. Although I will agree that the Cutscenes are overwhelming.. Overall it's just a must buy classic. Reply | Quote 1   0

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