Metal Gear Solid 4 » ChannelFlip

games: Metal Gear Solid 4

June 17 2008 | WilHarris

Hello there!

Last Thursday saw the release of the epic Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, an incredibly important title on the 2008 calendar, and sure to be a console seller for Sony.

Let me tell you, it is impressive stuff! I’m still working my way through this gargantuan beast, but take a look at my first impressions, and keep your eyes peeled for a full review in a couple of weeks (after I’ve emerged from watching all the cut-scenes, which might take a while!)

- Katharine

comments

Norbit

June 17th, 2008 - 5:35pm

I finished act 3 literally 5 mins ago and it is jaw droopingly brilliant

Russell

June 24th, 2008 - 3:50am

I adore this game. Finishing last monday (16th) after playing for a 9hrs session I immediately started a new game to try and find all he hidden stuff. I must get Altier’s robes. It’s rare that I’ll play a game more than once but this game is exceptional. Any faults are small and inconsequential. Semi-destructible environment would have been nice though.

If you haven’t played MGS1 Act 4 won’t have the same meaning to you as it does for some.

Let us know how much trouble you had with Vamp and Screaming Mantis. A lot of people are getting stuck on those two if they don’t listen to what they say.

P.S Good to see you back.

Mike From Defiance

July 9th, 2008 - 5:08am

Looka like a purchase in in order
for me. I haven’t played any of the prequels, should I do that 1st?

Norbit

July 9th, 2008 - 11:07am

@ Mike

I would advise you to at least play MGS1 before MGS4.

Match

September 4th, 2008 - 4:29pm

rented the game shortly after its release as I was rather skeptical about it, after trying MGS1 and 3 and not really liking them. I have to admit that MGS4 really took me by surprise: I like it. I really do.
The changes may be small, but for me, the controls felt a lot better than in the predecessors.
The cutscenes are great, although the facial animation, especially for Otacon, is rather disappointing, to say the least. Also, I was somewhat disappointed that some ugly things, that shouldn’t exist in a AAA espionage game nowadays, are present:
The AI is pretty ridiculous. When there are three corpses lying on a street, anybody with a brain would be clever enough, not to go there, kneel down and check them without having a look around first. It’s far too easy to have a hilariously large amount of dead bodies piling up on one spot, thanks to respawning enemies and that stupid behaviour.
Also, while one of the bosses uses a believable version of the OctoCamo (i.e. he is really hard to see when it’s on), Snake’s version is pretty ridiculous, especially when an enemy practically steps on your back and still doesn’t notice you. The change of the material does look nice, but I wish they would have gone the extra mile and made an effort to make it believable visually.

Still, it’s a pretty good game, although it gets a bit too melodramatic towards the end for my taste, but I guess that’s just MGS.