Difference in Opinion

With each Playstation that has been released, there has been a game that comes along early in the system’s life that defines what the system is about. For the original Playstation it was Final Fantasy VII. For Playstation 2 it was Grand Theft Auto III. Now with the Playstation 3 almost 2 years old, Metal Gear Solid 4 is released. Just as Final Fantasy VII and Grand Theft Auto III raised the bar for video games, Metal Gear Solid 4 has raised the bar again. Metal Gear Solid 4 finishes a franchise that reaches all the way back to 1987, brought major change to the gaming universe every time a new installment was added, and has grown to be one of the top video game franchises of all time. As the father of Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima set out to deliver a game experience in Metal Gear Solid 4 that was worthy of an ending to his franchise that is loved by millions.

Visuals:

The first thing that you will notice about Metal Gear Solid 4 are the amazing graphics of the cinematic. It really does look like you are watching a movie, except you have a controller in your hands rather than popcorn. A major problem that I have with video games are that the cinematics during a game look so much better than the actual game play, that it leaves me wanting more. That does not happen in Metal Gear Solid 4, the game play looks just as good as the cinematics. During game play you can watch and see the hair on top of Snake’s head move in the breeze, sweat beads roll down his forehead and watch his clothes get dirty as you move over the ground. When you give Snake a cigarette, the smoke moves with the wind, it look like actual smoke, not some pre-rendered image that just repeats. I remember when Gears Of War came out for the Xbox 360 and the commotion that it created based on its graphics. I will agree that Gears Of War looked very good, but it just didn’t seem like it actually portrayed real life, it looked too computerized and shiny. That is where Metal Gear Solid 4 shines, it is dirty enough to give that real life look, something that a lot of games try for, but end up falling short. I could sit here all day giving you examples of how amazing this games looks, and it still won’t do it justice. The visuals alone should be enough to make this the greatest game ever, but the visuals are just the beginning of the triumph that is Metal Gear Solid 4.

Sound:

Each Metal Gear Solid game is known for the deep and emotional music that is playing through the game. Metal Gear Solid 4 keeps the level of quality that we have come to know from the series, and then blows it out of the water. Almost all of the songs that you will hear throughout the game are of original work using an entire orchestra. You will remember a lot of the songs from the past Metal Gear Solid games, all of the original music makes an appearance in the game, or in the iPod that you can use during game play. There are a plethora of games that use whole orchestras to create original pieces for a game, but they always seem to not fit the feel of the story. Metal Gear Solid 4 breaks that trend and gives players songs that adds to the suspense of the game. With so much time spent on making the background music as good as possible, there wouldn’t be any time left to make the sound effects top notch, right? Wrong. Along with the breath taking background music, the sound effects are just as good. Everything sounds exactly as it should be. With over 60 different weapons in the game, all with their own unique sound, shows just how much time Kojima’s team spent on making this the best game ever. No two guns sound the same. If you listen closely enough to the game, you can even hear birds chirping. Something as little as a bird chip in the background makes the game come to life so much more. It is the little noises that we hear in our every day life that when put together in the game gives a sense of reality that is hard to find in other titles.

Gameplay:

Metal Gear Solid is known for its stealthy game play. It was the first game to introduce the art of hiding from the enemy using buildings, walls and cardboard boxes. Each installment of Metal Gear Solid has offered a new and exciting addition to the art of stealth game play. Just as Kojima has done before, he introduces a new form of hiding that gives a whole new dimension to the game. The Octocamo suit gives Snake the ability to blend in with any background. The implementation of the Octocamo suit is seamless, just make Snake lay down by holding in the X button or go up against a wall and press triangle and the suit will automatically change to match the ground or wall. If you find a design that you really love, there is even an option in the camouflage menu to save the look so you can put it back on when ever you feel like it.

Even though Metal Gear Solid 4 is a stealth game at heart, there is nothing stopping the player from becoming Rambo and plowing down the enemy with the big machine guns. In fact there are places that you will find where it is easier to get through if you go at it with guns blazing rather than trying to sneak through.

The truly remarkable thing about Metal Gear Solid 4’s game play is that even if you do choose to run in like Rambo, shooting everything that moves, the game is allows for you to do just that. Unlike all the other stealth games out there, you are rewarded with killing the enemy. In Metal Gear Solid 4 you are rewarded for killing the enemy by being able to pick up the gun they were using. So kill all you want.

Story:

One thing that has always been an exciting element of Metal Gear Solid are the stories that Kojima creates. As Metal Gear Solid 4 is the last of Snake’s adventures, this story had to be something that was worthy of ending the saga for such a loved character. The story in Metal Gear Solid 4 is astounding. Even some of the best writers in Hollywood could not think of the stuff that is found within this game. Lying, deceit, love, hate and friendship are just a few of the themes found in the story. All of the questions that are surrounding Metal Gear Solid have been answered by the end of the game. Besides just having the main plot of the Guns of the Patriots, there are smaller (but equally important) stories woven into the main storyline. You are pulled into Kojima’s alternate world right from the start of the game. With a tale of such magnitude, the actors behind the voices of the characters had to be just as good, which they delivered on. The amazing voice acting pulls you even deeper into the story. You feel exactly what the characters are feeling. I hate to admit it, but there was a part in the game where the characters where crying, and it actually made my eyes water. I have never been that drawn into a game before, and it is something that I can not forget. I have never really followed the story lines of games, but for some reason, Metal Gear Solid 4 pulled me in and I could not stop it.

Overall:

After spending many hours playing Metal Gear Solid 4, I can safely say that it is perfection in every way. From the opening cinematic to the ending credits, you are drawn to the screen and can not look away. Kojima has created a game that has truly raised the bar for video games. I could go on for weeks about how amazing this game is. If you own a Playstation 3 and you don’t own this game… shame on you. If you don’t own a Playstation 3, go buy it and get Metal Gear Solid 4. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Click here to buy Metal Gear Solid 4.