A while back i wrote my first review for this site - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and i thought it was the ****. At the time I had only played that one and i adored the game. Fast forward two months, I have completed Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and about ten days ago Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. I was eagerly anticipating my copy because it was coming with my PS3, and when i saw that package on July 31st I opened it up and started playing my copy of MGS4 in a matter of minutes and let me tell you...
The game really is marvelous, everything inside it is of a high standard. From sound, graphics, story, and gameplay MGS4 hits the mark and exceeds it easily. It's just epic and by the time I finished the game, i was just astonished at how Kojima could make such a masterpiece that delivers a cinematic feel that moves you with such force you can't help but feel like you are living such a touching tale.
These graphics are really something else. The openess of each level is astounding and they pull off many different styles effectively. From a middle east warzone to a snowy Alaskan control base the graphics never different disappoint and managed to make me drop my jaw in awe at the at the sheer beauty this game beholds. Also this game has 1080p/i supported HD output which is (to my understanding) the highest picture resolution you can get which adds to the overall look of this game. Mix that with the fact this alot of games (too many) don't support 1080p/i and only go to resolutions like 720 or 640.
Now that we know that everything looks good, how does it play? The gameplay is extraordinary. Though i would have liked more of it, instead of so much cutscene time the way they ended up doing it made the game epic. The controls work really well in this game and its a huge step up from the previous Snake Eater. Also the movable camera also makes gameplay much more accessible. There are many ways you can go about completing the game, different styles that can satisfy most people. The environments you'll also explore throughout each act are all different and make you bring a new approach to the game. Just the change of scenery from one act to another is so refreshing, and you're not getting overly repetitive stuff so nothing is a chore to complete. Though the gameplay isn't balanced throughout all the acts, the vibe they give off makes the player feel immersed in the game. Also when you complete the game you earn emblems and a rank, which all have meanings behind them challenging you to complete the game differently to earn others.
Being the legendary Solid Snakes final mission, this game had so much story to cover. Some didnt like the emphasis on cut scenes and whutnot, I on the other hand loved the story and every cut scene. The characters were presented very well, and they also brought back old characters from the past games. Just about everybody got a mention and the ending was spectacular. Personally i felt the ending in to Snake Eater was better then this but this games ending was still spectacular. Very movie-esque.
As always Harry-Gregson Williams makes a masterful score for MGS4. The music is on par with every other game in the series and helps deliver the dramatic feel throughout the game p very well done. As for the voices, all the voices work marvelously and it feels good to hear some old voices again.
This is truly a masterpiece in the making and being the first game i have ever played on my PS3 it sets a gigantic standard for every other title on the PS3 to come. Being a fan of Metal Gear Solid, i had too many expectations for this game and it lived up to all of them, I actually prefer it too other Metal Gear games ranking this as my favorite one ever. Like I have said, it can appeal to the most Rambo COD4 players or those hardcore stealthy Splinter Cell fans. But somewhere in the middle you get the unique Metal Gear Solid series which can't be beat and deserves one of the top spots of the best video game franchises ever.
