Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008) (VG)

User Rating:

9.8/10   

Director:

Hideo Kojima

Writers:

Yuichi Abe (scripter: Metal Gear Online unit)
Kenichi Akamoto (scripter: Metal Gear Online unit)

Release Date:

12 June 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Evil is Powerful. But Courage Is Solid

Plot:

"MGS4" brings a totally new concept and situation, resulting in the toughest "Metal Gear" infiltration mission ever devised. The game is set after the events of "MGS2" and players will reprise the role of top secret agent Solid Snake.

Plot Keywords:

Snake | Mission | Near Future | Military | Liquid

Cast

David Hayter	...	Himself - Celebrity Moralist / Old Snake (voice: English version)
Christopher Randolph	...	Hal 'Otacon' Emmerich (voice: English version)
Christina Puccelli	...	Sunny (voice: English version) (as Cristina Pucelli)
Paul Eiding	...	Roy Campbell (voice: English version)
Khary Payton	...	Drebin / 7th Circle - Avatar (voice: English version)
Debi Mae West	...	Meryl Silverburgh (voice: English version)
Beng Spies	...	Johnny 'Akiba' Sasaki (voice: English version)
Patric Zimmerman	...	Liquid Ocelot / Revolver Ocelot (voice: English version)
Jennifer Hale	...	Naomi Hunter / Little John (voice: English version)
Quinton Flynn	...	Raiden (voice: English version)
Phil LaMarr	...	Vamp (voice: English version)
Lee Meriwether	...	Big Mama (EVA) / Celebrity Moralist - Host (voice: English version)
Kim Mai Guest	...	Mei Ling / Body of Armor - Satisfied Customer A (voice: English version)
James Sie	...	Jonathan (voice: English version)
Dave Fennoy	...	Ed (voice: English version)

Also Known As:

MGS4 (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
Metal Gear Solid 4 (USA) (short title)

Country:

Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:M | Australia:MA | UK:15 | South Korea:18

Company:

Kojima Productions

Trivia:

During the briefing missions on Snake and Otacon's transport plane, a limited edition MGS4 Playstation 3 is visible in the kitchen next to the radio, and Sunny sometimes plays a PSP.

Goofs:

Continuity: In this game, we're told that Para-Medic, the female doctor from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, was Dr. Clark, who Naomi mentioned several times in Metal Gear Solid. However, Naomi always referred to this person as male. This is an unfortunate translational error: the Japanese language provides many gender-neutral terms, so Clark's gender was never specified in the Japanese version of the first game. The "Metal Gear Solid Database" which Konami have released fudges this by claiming Dr. Clark was secretive, and Naomi mistakenly assumed she was male as a result.

Quotes:

Crying Wolf: Cry for me. Cry until your eyes turn red!

Movie Connections:

References Policenauts (1994) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Victory Song

An excellent finale to one of the greatest series ever.

"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" means more to the fans of the series than anyone else, which is why some new players may look upon the game with dismay due to the long cut scenes and intensely complicated plot, but the sheer art of this game is undeniable.

It plays like an interactive movie. The game play is very well done and refined, and sometimes is intense and very challenging. Even vets of the previous titles will need to be more careful as they sneak their way through each level, but at the same time, there are more tools to utilize in order to successfully complete a mission.

The games best points are: 1) The story. Fans of the previous games will really get into the plot, because all the elements tie the older titles together as older characters and places weave their way into the story, triggering those feeling of nostalgia that make the MGS series so captivating.

2) The graphics. The game is visually stunning with intricate textures and high polygon-count models. The rendering of human faces is also second-to-none.

3) The music/audio. The musical score is very well done, featuring the spy-like orchestral/electronic hybrid soundtrack that is a signature of the MGS games. The sound effects are fantastic as well, from the firing of guns and explosions to the voices of the characters.

and finally...

4) The game play. What makes MGS4 so great is its ability to facilitate different styles of mission approach. Although the story may be linear, the path to its completion certainly is not. There are so many ways to approach each level. It is possible to run and gun your way to victory, or sneak like a ghost through each area without ever being seen, and each of these methods have their own SUB-methods that can be utilized. Simply put, the player is totally in charge of how things get done, and this thought provocation makes the game all the more satisfying.

Of course, their are all the little things, such as the cut scene controls among many more Easter eggs that make MGS4 such an interesting game. It contains all the great elements of a challenging video game, but laces it with movie-like story qualities better than any other video game series to date.

After my first completion, I was left with such a profound feeling that I couldn't get my mind off of it. It made me go back and play the entire series. This feeling can only be experienced with games that are as rich as MGS4 is, which in essence, is what makes MGS4, and its series, one of the most unique and unforgettable experiences ever.

A fantastic conclusion that should not be missed by anyone. 10/10