Metal Gear Solid 4 is a unique title from the outset. It's bleak (yet simultaneously colorful, not sure how they did that) menu screen, it's "different" intro (it'll make sense when you watch it. Just don't forget to change the "channels")... And it really gives you a feeling that this is a labour of love, something which can be hard to find in games these days.
The story focuses entirely on Solid Snake, the hero of "Metal Gear Solid" 1 and 2. He's rapidly aging, and is sent on a mission in the middle east to apprehend his old nemesis. From there, Snake will become a globetrotter of sorts, visiting South America, Eastern Europe, and Alaska. Throughout, Snake will have to traverse battlefields as he sees fit, sneaking or engaging in combat. One sequence essentially forces you to sneak, which I appreciated.
This game is awesome. There are a bazzilion different weapons to choose from, evolved gameplay from previous titles which thankfully still has the same soul as they do, A great cast, varied environments, and compelling cutscenes. The boss battles, while all a little similar, are still unique an engaging. The music is generally awesome. The end serves to tie up most of the loose plot points of the first three games.
However, as a new gamer it would be unadvisable to jump headlong into MGS4. It will make far less sense if you don't take the time to play 1 and 2, if not also 3. In any case it would be good to research them on wikipedia, as MGS4 takes thier plot points in entirely new crazy directions.
This game is Japanese. It's dialog was written by a Japanese speaker, and later translated to English. While the game does not suffer visually from this (all voice cues were reanimated), there are some things, I get get the feeling, that were lost in translation. The animation seems blatantly Japanese as wel. American girls don't really move like that. Ever. But, it's a minor quibble.
The Limited Edition comes with a soundtrack CD and a special feature Blu-ray. This is pretty cool, as you can get a peek at how development of a game can be. Great for a "coffee table" disc. A must have for any Metal Gear nut, but then again if you are you probably already have it (MGS4 nuts who DIDN'T get the special edition might consider buying the special feature disc. Should be cheap here on amazon).
So... MGS4. It's wonderful. It's electrifying. Just make sure you immerse yourself in the world before popping this disc in. You'll thank yourself when the experience is complete.
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Reviews with images
Think inside the Box - Own the COMPLETE Metal Gear 4 experience.
This review is solely on the extra items included in the Metal Gear 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition.This was released at GameStop stores. In addition to the Metal Gear 4 game, it contained the following extra materials:- A limited edition box featuring artwork of Solid Snake and Liquid Ocelot.- One Blu-ray disc with the following audio tracks:1. Old Snake2. Love Theme3. Gekko4. BB Corps5. Breakthrough6. Endless Pain7. White Blood8. Midnight Shadow9. Desperate Chase10. Mobs Alive11. Next-Gen Control12. Guns of the Patriots13. Sorrow14. Father & Son15. Metal Gear Saga16. Here's to You- A Second Blu-ray disc with the following featurettes:(1) Hideo Kojima's Gene: a documentary on the man behind the Metal Gear games and the leader of the Metal Gear 4 development team.(2) 20 Years of Metal Gear: a brief description of the progression of Metal Gear games from 1988 to 2008.(a) Researching Modern Warfare: This shows the military training of the production team to produce more realistic game play.(b) The Road to Realism: A feature on the travels of Kojima's development team from Morocco to Africa and other locales, leaving no detail unnoticed.(c) Characters Come to Life: This section shows the motion capture, designs and creation of the game characters, from their Japanese and English counterparts.(d) The Sound and The Fury: This feature shows the challenges of foley artists to create accurate in-game sounds, from the crunch of gravel underfoot to missile explosions.(e) Kojima Productions Reaching Out: This section details the trips Kojima productions takes around the world to get in touch with Metal Gear fans far and near.(f) The Outsider on The Inside: This is a feature on an English-speaking jack-of-all-trades who took his love of video games and pursued a career in Japan.(g) Hello Logan: A feature on the company behind the in-game commercials(3) A selection screen for all four of the in-game commercials:(a) Bomb Shelter Buffet(b) The 7th Circle(c) Body of Armor(d) Celebrity MoralistThe featurettes can be watched with Japanese or English subtitles.This is quite a nice package of extra materials. It used to be very difficult, if not impossible, to see the trials and tribulations of video game production in a Japanese setting - and it is a real treat to see the unsung heroes behind such an epic game.Through these extra materials, we gain a deeper understand of Hideo Kojima's inner passion to deliver a video game that not only entertains, but gives players a chance to enrich their lives. It's clear that with over 200 people working for over 3 years on this game, it was a labor of love...and it shows.My only complaint is that the music in this limited edition is more of a "greatest hits" selection. However, that can be overlooked, with the other extras. If you want the complete soundtrack, you can order it HERE.If you're a Metal Gear nut like I am, this should already be in your library. If not, you're definitely missing out.Very highly recommended.
