Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Review
- Posted June 16th, 2008 at 04:11 EDT by Mike Harradence
- 26,213 views
- 67 Comments
Review Score
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
- PSU Review Score
- 10.0
- Avg. user review score:
- 9.7
Summary
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is a stellar entry in the series and ultimately one of the most rewarding videogame experiences of the decade. Absolutely essentially, regardless whether you are a fan or not.
We like
- The engaging and varied gameplay
- The gripping storyline
- The unprecedented audiovisual presentation
We dislike
- The minor framerate and visual inconsistencies
See PSU's review on Metacritic & GameRankings
[Editor’s note – PSU will be covering Metal Gear Online in a separate review in the near future]
As the latest installment in Konami’s critically acclaimed stealth franchise, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots arrives on the scene accompanied by a substantial weight. By this, I'm referring to the weight that manifests itself in the form of the sheer level of anticipation maintained by its adoring (if slightly rabid) fanbase, and indeed anyone consciously aware of the reputation this venerable series has sustained with each subsequent release. With that said, Metal Gear Solid 4 is unimaginably far from your rudimentary sequel.
It’s not just the importance of the game’s PS3 exclusivity; rather, that’s simply part and parcel of the whole Metal Gear Solid experience, which has remained virtually synonymous with the PlayStation brand for past decade. No, what MGS4 brings is something far more poignant, as the game represents the culmination of two decades worth of story telling chronicling the events of one of videogames’ most iconic stars in one spirited, mammoth globe-trotting finale. The question remains, however, can Kojima and his team possibly deliver on this seemingly insurmountable task?
Metal Gear Solid 4 kicks off approximately five years following the events of the Big Shell Incident, which was depicted in PS2's Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Set in the year 2014, warfare has become like a well-oiled business transition, fueled by the dominance of Private Military Companies (PMCs) engaging in an endless series of proxy battles around the world, willing to sell themselves to the highest bidder. Enter Solid Snake -- now referred as Old Snake, due to the effects of his accelerated aging process -- who infiltrates a middle eastern battle zone posing as a UN PMC inspector in his attempt to neutralize the notorious Liquid Ocelot. While we won’t spoil what lies in wait, let us divulge that the events in the game aren’t restricted to the confines of this warn-torn, dilapidated combat zone; the wheels of fate soon begin to turn, and Snake is propelled on a journey which sees him reacquainted with a number of familiar faces -- some friendly, others not -- as he visit a variety of locations across the globe, including South America and Eastern Europe.
Fundamentally, Guns of the Patriots retains many of the core elements of previous Metal Gear Solid titles, rather than completely revamping the entire gameplay mechanics (as witnessed by other popular franchises such as Resident Evil). This design philosophy has allowed Hideo Kojima and his team to utilize the best elements of previous titles, creating a sequel that is instantly accessible to both fans and newcomers alike, as well as introducing some new components exclusively for this final chapter. At its heart, though, the basic concept remains the same; Snake must get from his starting position in a given environment and reach his objective by whatever means necessary.
This time around, things aren’t so clear-cut, as the majority of locations will place Snake in the middle of an on-going battle between the PMCs and local militia, making traversing the area an extremely difficult, and more often than not, a highly detrimental task. However, therein lies one of MGS4’s most rewarding elements, allowing players to chose the manner in which they accomplish their task. Players can opt for the traditional stealthy approach, sneaking quietly past the battle without attracting any unwanted attention, or can chose to aid the militia in their efforts by dispatching any nearby PMC soldiers. While you aren’t obligated to help out at all, the militia will more than often reciprocate your actions by handing you some extra ammunition or healing items to take with you, and will acknowledge your presence in future battles – a handy feature when you need to dispose of a large contingent of enemy soldiers. On the flip side, if you chose to remain indiscriminate about how you attack, Snake will find himself under attack from both parties, making his mission all the more difficult, which may appeal to gamers seeking a greater challenge.
Regardless of your preference -- stealth or action-orientated -- Snake has a wide variety of moves to facilitate whichever method you wish to go about ... (continued on next page)
Comments
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Shin-Karazu |
shinkarazu- 9:28am BST - June 20th, 2008
- 53
I really didnt have any frame rate inconsistance, but the only -con- i would give the game is that if you want to go back and play a act that already past, you have to intall it.
@ultakin2me - How the h*ll could have you beaten the game in 11 hours if the game has slightly 10 hours in movies. If you skiped them, then you didn't focus on the story nor did you even try to enjoy the experience.
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smallvillefreak
- 5:11am BST - June 22nd, 2008
- 56
Well, I just finished beating this game. It was two days of totally awesome entertainment. I have to say that this was totally worth waiting 4 years and I don't think I could have asked for more. Here's looking to the future with MGS5 and hopefully Raiden back in the driver's seat.
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Lopaz_14
- 2:50pm BST - June 24th, 2008
- 58
To Unlock The Corresponding Emblem, You Have To Successfully Complete The Indicated Task Below:
Assassins: Complete The Game In Single Player Mode. You Must Have Killed More Than 50 Enemies With The Knife, Or Have More Than 50 Cqc Holds, Or Not Get Discovered For More Than 25 Times.
Big Boss: Complete The Game In Single Player Mode On The Hardest Difficulty Setting Without Using Any Continues, Instigating No Alerts, No Enemies Killed (which Includes Bosses), Making Use Of No Life Recovery Items, Making Use Of No Stealth Suits Or Special Bandanna Items (you May Possess The Item But Not Use It). Lastly, You Should Have Completed The Game In Not More Than 5 Hours.
Fox: Complete The Game In Single Player Mode On The Naked Normal Or Higher Difficulty Setting Without Using Any Continues, Instigating At Least Five Alerts, Without Killing Any Enemies (including The Bosses), Making Use Of No Life Recovery Items, Making Use Of No Stealth Suit Or Bandanna Special Items (you May Possess The Item But Not Use It). Lastly, You Should Have Completed The Game In Not More Than 6 Hours.
Fox Hound: Complete The Game In Single Player Mode On The Big Boss Hard Or Higher Difficulty Setting Without Having To Use Any Continues, Instigating At Least Three Alerts, Without Killing Any Enemies (including The Bosses), Making Use Of No Life Recovery Items, Using No Stealth Suit Or Special Bandanna Items (you May Possess The Item But Not Use It). Lastly, You Should Have Completed The Game In No More Than 5 Hours And 30 Minutes.
Hound: Complete The Game In Single Player Mode On The Naked Normal Or Higher Difficulty Without Using Any Continues, Instigating At Least Three Alerts, Without Killing Any Enemies (including The Bosses), Making Use Of No Life Recovery Items, Using No Stealth Suit Or Special Bandanna Items (you May Possess The Item But Not Use It). Lastly, You Should Have Completed The Game In No More Than 6 Hours And 30 Minutes. -
shazly84 |
Shazly84- 12:40am BST - June 25th, 2008
- 59
A great ending to an outstanding saga...
MGS4 is more than i expected, and has deffinately lived up to the hype.
Rumors have already started circulating on the internet about a "prequal" MG... I say this: Mr. Kojima, you have provided the public with an unforgettable saga, along with the perfect ending. Everything came together...everything was just so clear at the end. Dont ruin it. stop while you're way ahead.
Thank you Mr.Kojima....for all the Metal Gears :)
Looking forward to the movie!
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singlestrike
- 5:10pm BST - July 24th, 2008
- 62
This is the best game I've ever played by a longshot the size of the universe, and I own GTA IV. There is no experience quite like MGS4, but it can be appreciated even more if you've played through the series.
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supamariobrotha |
supamariobrotha- 5:53pm BST - July 24th, 2008
- 63
this game was a true masterpiece but truthfully i already knew this was gonna be epic i laugh at those xbox fanboys who said this game would fail LOL!!!!!!!!
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Ocelot1987 |
METSTM- 12:16am BST - July 28th, 2008
- 65
This is the best game any console has to offer. With the best protagonist ever made. This game's character development and story development is simply amazing. It has perfect graphics, sound, game play. You name it this game dishes it out. My only wish is that there will be more Metal Gear Solids. A fitting ending to one of the best series ever made.
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Nayr_Ikoljah |
Nayr_Ikoljah- 9:27am GMT - February 15th, 2009
- 66
i sold my copy of this game that came bundled with my 80gb ps3, because i hate this game, ( take that mgs4 fanboys, cry your eyes out )
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