MGS 4: Review

Note: There are some passages in this review that may be considered a spoiler. If that offends you, learn to deal with it and read on.

I entered playing Metal Gear Solid 4 with a great deal of skepticism. This game received a massive amount of hype, and many things with a lot of hype fail to live up to it. After playing through MGS4, here are my findings.

Graphics: There is a high standard of graphics that most games aspire to. Many games come close to that mark. Some fail miserably. A select few actually attain that high standard. Metal Gear Solid 4 is one of that select few. The cinemas look phenomenal, near photo realistic. The game environments maintain that high standard. There is one overall word to describe the graphics in Metal Gear Solid 4: Elite.

Gameplay: In the past, a principal complaint of the Metal Gear games has been the control scheme. In previous games, the control scheme felt at times to work against you, not with you. That is not the case with Metal Gear Solid 4. This control scheme is truly optimized for this type of game. The only complaint I have about the control scheme is this: When I fire a gun, I pull a trigger, not push a button.

Story: The previous Metal Gear games have laid out a lot of plot strands and laid out a whole mess of plot points. Metal Gear Solid 4 was said to deal with all of this. It does. MGS4 connects all the points, introduces some stabilizing points, takes all the strands and weaves them, not into a larger, more complicated rope, but a fine mesh blanket that is comfortable and satisfying. Unlike the games that came previously, Metal Gear Solid 4 unveils it's story like a great drama. The beginning is intriguing, the climax is riveting, and the ending is epic. This story feels complete. Also, the ability to pause any cinema is a god send. Without this feature, I'm sure I'd have missed out on some of the best cinemas in video games. This may be the end of the story of Solid Snake, however this may not be the end of the Metal Gear series. After all, this story takes place in the real world, and, despite out best efforts, the real world often cycles around to war.

Overall: Previously, I had stated, in a sarcastic tone, that there would not be an elite Playstation 3 title until 2009. Previously, I had stated, in all seriousness, that I had never had a truly great gaming experience on the PS3. Both statements are now false. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots is an elite Playstation 3 title that is a truly great gaming experience. Metal Gear Solid 4 is the best game released to date on the Playstation 3. In the future, if anyone wants to know a great game on the PS3, I will offer to lend them MGS4.

Grade: A

Additionally, it's also great to know what kind of animal I really am. My girlfriend calls me a teddy bear, but that is so cliche. MGS4 however has told me the animals that most exemplify my personality. I am an Inchworm, a Hyena, a Giant Panda, and a Scorpion.