Konami Asked 'MGS4' Reviewers Not To Mention Cut Scene Length And Installation Time

Superfragilistic - 576 days 23 hours ago

In regards to cutscenes.

IGN stated:

"One of those things that Konami doesn't want us to talk about is the 'total length of cut-scenes'. Hopefully it won't be bending the rules to far to reveal that they represent about half of the content of the game."

And Eurogamer:

"An unbelievably lengthy and self-indulgent epilogue - you can't call it a cut-scene, it's an entire film in its own right, and a deeply boring one too - is how Solid Snake's career comes to a close."

CVG confirmed this earlier saying it runs 90 minutes.

In regards to installs:

Eurogamer said:

"Take note, however, that there are several minutes of install time to be endured, not just at the start, but before each act - albeit graced with a fantastic animated graphic of Snake smoking next to some health warnings.)"

Install is 4.6GB based on packaging.

What amuses me is the wild fanboys in the Eurogamer review thread going beserk and saying Microsoft is doing something shifty for it to score 8/10 and here we have proof of Konami doing exactly what they've accused Microsoft of.

That's Shakespearean level irony right there! :)

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ukilnme - 576 days 23 hours ago

Eventhough I have not played any of the other MGS titles I decided to make this a day one purchase. You mention 40 minute and 90 minute cut scenes. Is that correct or is that all of them combined?

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decapitator - 576 days 23 hours ago

Whats with the sensationalist title ? Not having "sources" at the title gives this story a completely different meaning. Furthermore it's a rumor since it hasn't really been offically "confirmed" but then again,

this is N4G so it will probably get through and then a few intelligent by few intelligent posy people will be made along with bullsh!t posts as well.

Later Guys.

L. EDIT: Oh and:

WHOTHEFACKCARES.JPEG

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Superfragilistic - 576 days 23 hours ago

Well Eurogamer is the only who's let slip about the epilogue which they call "an entire film in its own right". So I'd say it's pretty reasonable to assume the ending goes for approximately 90 minutes.

Based on IGN and Eurogamer's statements. Half of the game's content is cut scenes. So I guess we're talking a lot of hours watchin the telly! :)

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madness - 576 days 23 hours ago

play mgs3 and if u have time mgs2. mgs1 may be too out dated for you if u are big on graphics

90min is rumored to be of ONE cut scene. i am guessing it is probably the last one.

there should be hours of cut scenes in MGS4 -- since the story aspect in the series is what makes it so good

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Superfragilistic - 576 days 23 hours ago

Go read the IGN and Eurogamer reviews and they both note that Konami asked them not to detail installation and cut scenes.

IGN states:

"In return for letting us play Metal Gear Solid 4 before its release, Konami issued us with a list of things that we're not allowed to discuss. This list of prohibited topics is pretty long...One of those things that Konami doesn't want us to talk about is the 'total length of cut-scenes'."

@ solid12

That's correct. You can move the camera around during many cutscenes (check out cleavage like typical Kojima) and use Metal Gear Mk II and CCTV to fly around areas while dialogue's running. Also lots of cutscenes have that "Thomas Crown Affair" split screen effect happening.

@ukilnme below

Yeah mate. Here's the best primer you'll ever find and the most amazing thread you'll ever see!

http://www.neogaf.com/forum...

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solidt12 - 576 days 23 hours ago

From what I hear you may want to keep your hand on the controller and off the popcorn during the cut scenes because you may have to interact and it may be to your benefit. that's all

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ukilnme - 576 days 23 hours ago

@ madness

Somebody mentioned a few days ago to just read up on the history that was posted on another website instead of playing through MGS 1-3. Do you think that would be better?

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HighDefinition - 576 days 22 hours ago

Cut scene length should have NO effect on the score or installs.

Mention that is crazy it`s like take points of a 360 game, cause certain one are more likely to get loud while spinning.

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madness - 576 days 22 hours ago

i recommend playing mgs3 if u had to pick one of those titles.

the reason why is that the boss fights are one just of a kind. you can also get a sense of what the game play is like. and if you at least play through one of the games, you get a better representation of the characters.

i have read up on the stories after because they can get quite weird and complicated playing through at times. thankfully mgs4 is supposedly going to be a much better story teller.

but if you do read up on the characters, make sure you read up on:

the FOUR Snakes, raiden, ocelot, vamp, merly...
and i guess any of their girlfriends/relationships

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ukilnme - 576 days 22 hours ago

Thanks madness. I'm going to pick up Metal Gear Solid: Essential Collection today along with NBA Live '08 for my son. I'm out people. Happy gaming to you.

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Silellak - 576 days 21 hours ago

I agree that install space or time shouldn't affect a review score, unless it's something absurd like 15 gigs or an hour install.

However, cutscene length is a valid thing to adjust a game's score for. A review is an opinion, and if the person writing the opinion doesn't like long cutscenes, or at least, long and (in their opinion) boring cutscenes, they have every right to adjust the score for the story (and thus the game) appropriately.

Some people just don't like sitting and watching a story vs. playing. And this is a perfectly valid argument. I highly suspect, based on Yahtzee's previous reviews, that his review of MGS4 will largely harp on the long cutsenes.

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Keowrath - 576 days 20 hours ago

Ukilnme, I'd personnaly say play all 3 if you can. From your past comments on this site, you don't strike me as a "graphics whore" (parden the expression) all three are still amazing games with incredible stories and even more incredible characters.

I feel if you were to just read the history of the games you'd miss out on a hell of a lot. The 3rd one is renouned for making grown men cry due to the strong emotions the story delivers. Having said that, the 3rd is centred around Big Boss and not Solid Snake.

You're not going to have the same amount of respect for the characters by merely reading about them.

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ukilnme - 576 days 19 hours ago

@ Keowrath

You are correct, I'm more of a "gameplay whore. I just got back with Metal Gear Solid: Essential Collection, NBA Live '08 (for my son) and God of War 2. There is no way that I will get through these before NG2 and MGS4 are released. I just don't have that kind of time. Looks like I will be going back and forth between these but maybe God of War 2 can wait until I'm done with the others. Thanks for the advice.

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deeznuts - 576 days 18 hours ago

I can't wait for this game. But 40 miins? 90 mins? That's a long time!

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juuken - 576 days 17 hours ago

Stocking up on snacks as well.

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TheSadTruth - 576 days 17 hours ago

everyone doesn't know the cut scenes are long.. I played MGS2 on the PS2 and don't remember super long cut scenes

the majority of gamers don't spend their time on gaming sites and would have no clue there's a 1 and a half hour long cut scene

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HateBoy - 576 days 1 hour ago

SO?!?!

MS asks reviewers to wait with their verdict untill they sort out issues present in review code... Get over it.

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LiQuid revOlvEr - 575 days 23 hours ago

Yea boi!!!
Long movies cos of a detailed and convoluted plotline
- im hooked

@ Superfragilistic - lets have a bit of that popcorn mate!

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zypher - 576 days 23 hours ago

well i'm a PS3-loving PS3 owner, and i can say that both installation time and length-of-cutscenes concerns me. i can deal with both, but they are still concerns, especially installation. don't mind the wait, just the space they take up. GTA IV and Oblivion together take up about 1/5 of my 55gig HDD.

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Superfragilistic - 576 days 23 hours ago

Personally I think the animosity towards Eurogamer is ridiculous and juvenile.

It's a review. They're subjective and opinionated by definition. Personally I can understand some people not wanting to sit through endless cutscenes or a 90minute epilogue. If that's a problem for them that's fine by me and I don't need to resort to name calling.

Some people like football (soccer), some people like NFL.

Eurogamer aren't freaking idiots, they just have a different opinion to yours. Opinions are not facts and nor is any review.

Get over it, get off Eurogamer and start cooking the popcorn for the best game you'll play on PS3 this year! :)

EDIT:

@BulletToothtony

I know exactly what you're saying and I view MGS the same as you, but a reviewer is not just writing for you and I he is writing for a far wider audience than MGS fans. A reviewer has to write for all gamers, not just Solid Snake fans like you and I.

I think the scores harsh, but I just don't see the point in getting worked up about it. He's writing to a broader audience than MGS fans and is entitled to his/her opinion. Quite frankly I don't mind reviews from non-fans anyway simply because they balance out the overhype of other reviews, otherwise the experience is ruined for me (GTAIV case in point).

I often have regarded Kojima in the same way as my favourite filmmaker Stanley Kubrick. Both have very distinct styles and very focused visions. People love his films or hate them. They call them masterpieces or pretentious.

I don't care, I play and watch what I enjoy, and at the same time recognise such diversity of opinion is what gave both Kojima and Kubrick the ability to make the art they have. God help us if everyone agreed, life and games wouldn't have any variety and would become quickly boring!

Now back to my popcorn preparations. :P

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BulletToothtony - 576 days 23 hours ago

i understand what you mean, and you're right not everyone is gonna like the lengthy cutscenes.

But that's what mgs is made of.. if someone doesn't like the feeling of shooting people and seeing them die and blood splatter then they shouldn't REVIEW fps games. If someone has the attention span of a 5 year old then they shouldn't review mgs4, because it's a mature game, and the strongest part of the game is the story, you cannot complain about the length of the story when that's what the game is about.

But you cannot knock down a game for being what has been for years.. mgs have always had lengthy cutscenes, so i don't know why there is a problem..

It's a different type of game, and that's what makes it so good, of course it's not for everyone, but for the people who know about the franchise simply one of the best games ever..

@ 2.1 please be honest tell me.. have you ever played an mgs game b4

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actas123 - 576 days 22 hours ago

Given the limited profits generated by having a website dedicated for reviewing games and other game related materials, I think its reasonable to think that Eurogamer and the rest of the reviewing community do take cash from game publishing companies. Some websites deal with this as a sort of a money game, their strength is the threat of bad review scores. Some publishers got this, others, inluding most of the JAP devs are yet to catch it because they are not very familiar to the overall situation.
Its safe to assume that many publishers do bribe gaming websites. but, Its not only the publishers fault.

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Capt CHAOS - 576 days 22 hours ago

I think there's a ref to install times between different scenes/levels too..

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zypher - 576 days 22 hours ago

its funny. i was actually gonna agree with your 2.3 response, until i read that little jib about me at the end. its cool though, if still funny that you would take my concerns about something you like so personal. but to answer your question: yes, i have played both MGS1 and MGS2. it is largely because of MGS2's clusterfeck of a story that i'm concerned about cutscenes. i understand that cutscenes has always been MGS' shtick, and for the most part they are enjoyable, but that still doesn't mean that i'm enthused to have to swallow my impatience to PLAY what promises to be an excellent game to sit through 50 minutes of inactivity.

as for installation times, maybe i should rephrase that. i have no problem with installation TIME, just the space it takes up. it'd be different if i had a 200 or 300 gig system, but all i have is the 60gig hdd that originally came with my system. more mandatory installs like this will render that 60 gigs paltry very soon.

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BulletToothtony - 576 days 21 hours ago

no man it wasn't a jib.. not at all.. i was really just asking..

like i said b4, the games is not for everyone, that doesn't mean you won't like it.. but in my opinion, i really liked the cut scenes in previous games..

i was wondering if you were concerned because maybe you had not played it b4, that's all. You see i am excited to hear more about the saga, it was like Lord of the Rings TRotheKing, some said it was super long and boring, i loved that it was long.. so i'm happy about the length, i was trying to see if that was the case with the game, but i guess an hour and a half (if true) would be way too long for some..

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zypher - 576 days 21 hours ago

with so much fanboyism running rampant and ruining game sites, i guess i just jumped the gun a bit and took your question as an insult. lol. sorry about that. yeah, i can't remember a whole lot about MGS1's story, other than the fact that it was good, and that it had the best boss fights (having to switch your controller to control-slot 2 when fighting Psycho Mantis because he could read your mind/control-slot 1 input was classic). MGS2 was just confusing. it started off good with Snake trying to sing the oil-tanker, but after he was blamed for the disaster that followed and when Raiden showed up to become the main character, it just went downhill from there. i couldn't even deduce what was going on with the last three or so hours; something about everything that had happened with Raiden not being real but instead a training simulation. all i know is that, with com assistance from Solid Snake, i beat Solidus using a sword. i haven't played MGS3 yet, but i do know it deals with Big Boss. MGS4's story looks miles better than MGS2 though. watching the cutscenes in that one will be bittersweet lol.

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ukilnme - 576 days 23 hours ago

I saw an incredibly gorgeous MGS4 video a few days ago and that pushed this game to a day one purchase. If the 90 minute cut scene are true, that just makes me want the game more now. I'll take an in-game movie to rest these old tired fingers.

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Alexander Roy - 576 days 23 hours ago

There are some people that make me wonder how they got so much bubbles.
You are not one of them.
I agree 100%.

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BulletToothtony - 576 days 23 hours ago

it's sad to really see the bias in some websites... it does bother me but more than anything it's just sad that they're so angry looking for dirt to try to bring good things down

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juuken - 576 days 17 hours ago

I agree with you. It seems to me that the haters will continue to find every single thing to make this game look bad.

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DarkArcani - 576 days 22 hours ago

unlike you MGS4 is my main reason for owning a PS3 and I wouldn't care it it received 5 outof 10. I am still getting this for the sole reason that I love the story and gameplay.

But you are right other games will come out that might be better. Ime will tell.

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OnslaughtX - 576 days 22 hours ago

Then skip the cutscenes, or don't play the game. But this is the 7th MGS game, if you don't know what to expect now, then its your own fault.

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predator - 576 days 22 hours ago

i do know what to expect but its stuiped having 90 minute cut scene

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OnslaughtX - 576 days 22 hours ago

I highly doubt its 90 minutes, as I highly doubt anyone timed it, and if its just the ending, what's the big deal? I've talked to a few people who were lucky enough to finish it, and none said it even approached 90 minutes.

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DarkArcani - 576 days 22 hours ago

That is how the story is conveyed. Everyone who has played MGS games knows this and anyone who likes the games doesn't care how long the cut-scenes are they could be 120 min and i still would play the game.

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Cupid_Viper_3 - 576 days 22 hours ago

dont be stupid first of all, by calling multi millionaires from their line of work stupid.

and also dont be stupid by saying stuff like: "i want to play a game not watch a bloody movie, if i wanted to watch a movie ill go to the cinema, i dont expect to watch a film playing on my ps3".

that statement implies that 1 you've never watch movies at home, so that would mean, 2 you dont a have a tv a home, which raises a question, how do you play your ps3 then? and lastly, YOU DONT EXPECT TO WATCH A FILM PLAYING ON YOUR PS3? are you serious? nevermind,

now i see why you think that it's STUPID that MGS4 of all games, might have 90 minutes cut-scenes.......

just so you know, THE REAL MGS FANBASE, COULDN'T BE HAPPIER, if this turns out to be true....THANK YOU....

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predator - 576 days 21 hours ago

viper - what the hell are you on about, get out of your dream world

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CrazzyMan - 576 days 21 hours ago

with gameplay elements.
If you don`t like THAT, then just don`t play, But don`t criticize it, just because you don`t like this piece of ART.

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PirateThom - 576 days 22 hours ago

Exactly, I've been a fan of the games for so long, I'd be disappointed if the story wasn't wrapped up and Snake isn't given a fitting swan song.

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ukilnme - 576 days 22 hours ago

Thanks for the link. It will give me plenty to read while at work on Sunday.

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SolidSnake93 - 576 days 17 hours ago

If the cutscenes are too long for me, then I skip them. I think that everyone should do that. If you want to watch them, then watch, if you don't then don't watch them.

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ravinshield - 576 days 17 hours ago

but playstaion girls dont mind WAITING for the long cutscenes.They been WAITING since the ps2.5 came out so they're used to it, dont worry konami

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Kleptic - 576 days 16 hours ago

ps2.5?...seriously man...that is the absolute lamest insult I have come across on this site...the PS3 is the ONLY current console that is way ahead of its predecessor in every single way...

the 360 on the other hand?...didn't the original Xbox have an HDD?...didn't the original Xbox have DVD?...didn't the original Xbox lack wireless built in also?...Wasn't the original Xbox actually somewhat reliable?...the 360 is an original xbox with the normal increase in ram and processing power, and pretty much nothing else...and loses some standard equipment...awesome...

you seriously need to avoid making commments on this site from now on...

the x.5 jokes are reserved exclusively for the 360...its not our fault, MS snatched the rights up back in 2005...

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EGsucksBalls - 576 days 22 hours ago

LOL HIDING SOMETHING ARE WE WHO THEY HELL DOES mesh1 think he is i heard the guy "needs" to give M$ a 4 min suck balls every hour.

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RAF-TECH - 576 days 20 hours ago

just no...

but mgs4 does kick ass.... i dont need to play it to be sure of it.. that's what reviews are for.

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pwnsause - 576 days 22 hours ago

of you course you wont, you have a 360 you dumbass. if the game was for 360 you would buy it, dont be an ignorant D**khead. BTW, HHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA
you changed your avatar HAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHAHA

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cr33ping_death - 576 days 22 hours ago

well if you arent getting then im not getting it. thanks for helping me make up my mind, i believe ill go and cancel my pre order for the LE MGS4, because if you arent getting then i along with most of you other MGS4 fans should also cancel our pre orders. wait wait...... nah i think ill risk getting this "boring" game you speak of....... i like giveing "boring" games like this a try. :)

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darx - 576 days 22 hours ago

I won't be getting it neither.

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ukilnme - 576 days 18 hours ago

That's not fear that you smell. Please check your upper lip.

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Capt CHAOS - 576 days 22 hours ago

the HD is needed to make the game playable.

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LenHart - 576 days 21 hours ago

the Blu Ray drive in PS3 is faster than DVD drive in x360

a 2x Blu Ray drive is faster a 12x dvd drive (since dvd drive runs games which are on DVD 9 slower)

arent you even ashamed to talk about XFIXME's DVD drive --a 2$ worthless piece of crap

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foodbox - 576 days 20 hours ago

@len_hart

"The PS3...requires installs...

The issue arises from differences in the reading techniques of DVD and Blu-ray. By nature, the outer and inner parts of a disc move at different speeds while a disc is spinning, regardless of format (CD, DVD, Blu-ray, HD-DVD, etc.). While DVD drives can read data at those differing speeds, Blu-ray reads at one speed

simply dumping existing DVD data onto a Blu-ray disc will inevitably result in longer load times. Installations are a way around this issue."

http://multiplayerblog.mtv....

BluRay is **DESIGNED** for the MPAA to sell movies. The PS3 requires installs because BluRay is not **DESIGNED** for data (videogames).

When playing games, BluRay is **SLOWER**.

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Kleptic - 576 days 8 hours ago

DVD9 isn't designed for gaming anymore than BD is though...so that doesn't work...a serial connected HDD is WAY faster than both optical formats...so what is your point?...

the original Xbox had an HDD standard...and the exact same DVD format as the 360...and developers used it for background caching all the time...they can't do that with the 360, because MS would rather rip their customers off left and right...saying that its weak that the PS3 has some required installs is so ridiculously lame its barely worth commenting on...

the PS3 runs currently the best looking and running UE3 game to date...with a brief install of UT3 (which is not required) there is absolutely zero texture streaming problems (you know, that awesome pop in you see in all the cutscenes and level openers for Gears and Mass Effect)...and Epic has confirmed that they will use that option for Gears 2 on the 360...

so what have we learned?...the PS3 has access to about 5Xs the capacity as the 360...and developers can use the standard HDD for whatever they want, which is not a bad thing...on the 360, it will only be optional, and will rarely make much of a difference because the game overall is still has to be designed to run on an HDD'less 360...

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LenHart - 576 days 21 hours ago

10 from OPM

10 fromm PSM3

10 from LEVEL

10 from Meristation

It willl be getting better scores than GAYLO3,GAYERS and BIOSHOCK

dont whine XTARDS

It is over for x360 on June `12th

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Dweg - 576 days 20 hours ago

Yea you're right... OH WAIT 8.5 French Magazine, 8.0 Eurogamer!

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Xlll - 576 days 21 hours ago

Milk it like they are doing with halo wars?

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darx - 576 days 20 hours ago

I can't count (at the moment) how many iterations they have of this game.

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GiantEnemyCrab - 576 days 19 hours ago

"beside's its not like MGS4 is a choppy 20FPS flop that should be ashamed of itself."

You shouldn't talk about Haze like that because you will upset your fellow fishheads.

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Nadine Coyle - 576 days 16 hours ago

lol

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pwnsause - 576 days 8 hours ago

thats what your saying now, wait till you get it, and when november hits, your going to think very different about the Dark Side, you will automatically open your eyes.

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RAF-TECH - 576 days 19 hours ago

I'm buying a PS3 straight up.
as a MGS4 player... and maybe for LBP.

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LuHawk - 576 days 16 hours ago

PS3 has everything except the games fool

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n00bPwner - 576 days 13 hours ago

exactly. and the games it does have either suck or are better on 360.

those are just the facts. Sorry, droids. U LOSE!!!111

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pwnsause - 576 days 8 hours ago

oh well, your missing out.

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