Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

In my opinion, this is probably the best installment of the Metal Gear Solid saga. Everything that me and definitely a lot of other people hoped for in the series will be a reality. And we were right! Hideo really pulled out all the stops on this one! The graphics were top notch, the AI was excellent, the voice acting was incredible, and of course the weapons, what's a Metal Gear Solid game without the awesome weapons? But the one thing I admire most about this game is the incredibly realistic detail. The detail of this game is so amazing that you might think you are out there yourself. I mean, from big stuff like, gunshot sounds and the way people react when you bump into them to the small stuff like, a drop of rain on the camera, bent grass trampled underfoot, snow getting in your hair, hearing a train far away in the background, if you get close to a building, you can hear the people inside, that kind of stuff. The story is amazing too. Get this game! You won't be disappointed.

"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" means more to the fans of the series than anyone else, which is why some new players may look upon the game with dismay due to the long cut scenes and intensely complicated plot, but the sheer art of this game is undeniable.

It plays like an interactive movie. The game play is very well done and refined, and sometimes is intense and very challenging. Even vets of the previous titles will need to be more careful as they sneak their way through each level, but at the same time, there are more tools to utilize in order to successfully complete a mission.

The games best points are: 1) The story. Fans of the previous games will really get into the plot, because all the elements tie the older titles together as older characters and places weave their way into the story, triggering those feeling of nostalgia that make the MGS series so captivating.

2) The graphics. The game is visually stunning with intricate textures and high polygon-count models. The rendering of human faces is also second-to-none.

3) The music/audio. The musical score is very well done, featuring the spy-like orchestral/electronic hybrid soundtrack that is a signature of the MGS games. The sound effects are fantastic as well, from the firing of guns and explosions to the voices of the characters.

and finally...

4) The game play. What makes MGS4 so great is its ability to facilitate different styles of mission approach. Although the story may be linear, the path to its completion certainly is not. There are so many ways to approach each level. It is possible to run and gun your way to victory, or sneak like a ghost through each area without ever being seen, and each of these methods have their own SUB-methods that can be utilized. Simply put, the player is totally in charge of how things get done, and this thought provocation makes the game all the more satisfying.

Of course, their are all the little things, such as the cut scene controls among many more Easter eggs that make MGS4 such an interesting game. It contains all the great elements of a challenging video game, but laces it with movie-like story qualities better than any other video game series to date.

After my first completion, I was left with such a profound feeling that I couldn't get my mind off of it. It made me go back and play the entire series. This feeling can only be experienced with games that are as rich as MGS4 is, which in essence, is what makes MGS4, and its series, one of the most unique and unforgettable experiences ever.

A fantastic conclusion that should not be missed by anyone. 10/10

Positives:

• Story
• Characters
• Most of the bosses
• Musical score
• Gameplay
• Graphics
• Voice acting

Negatives:

• Some of the pacing

This game is just to good, there is no other better example of masterful cut scenes merged with the game play of perfection!!! Hideo kojima has improved every aspect of the game play and introduced the best looking and the most technically impressive game that is ever made. True this may not be every persons game but it is the hardcore fans that will remember this game the most, sure this game didn't beat the records of GTA 4 but will always be remembered as an epic not a blockbuster. There is no video game with such in-depth story line and characterisation these are the aspects hideo kojima focuses on as well as the immense game play. Evry weapon just feels right and every cqc moves leaves the player satisfying and most importantly the innovation of octacamo which is now considered to be one of the best outfits in games games in the history of game making.

Well it's here Solid Snake ha came back to us after a very lengthy break.

First of all, i have played some metal gear solid games, and vaugly know the story. But for the games release i re-played the previous games.

I'm still half way through playing metal gear but hope it wont end any time soon.

This game is almost beyond words.

When some games try to add a cinematic feel to it they normally fail or don't get the tone right etc. But this game is truly cinematic, the (very lengthy but beautifully done) cutscenes are very well done with some great dialouge and direction. Plus in the game the sound of bullets,bombs and buildings turning into debris truly capture the feel of the game.

The graphics are truly superb the best graphics i've seen in a game since uncharted.

Gameplay. Well the stealth action is still there. But the use of the otocamo is a great feature and works very well. Plus extra kudos go to the characters health. You have three meters in the game; the health meter, psyche meter and stress meter. This works amazingly, if snakes psyche is low then it will affect how quick he heals and if his stress is high it affects his psyche and his game performance. I remember at one point i'd let snakes stress reach quite high and suddenly he stopped moving and threw up. This amazaed me that they put so much thought into how realistic they were going to make this game.

Then there's enemy AI. the AI is unbelievably smart, the smartest enemies since rainbow six vegas. When your stealthing if you move loudly and make a sound then the enemy becomes aware of your presence or if they see the aiming laser from your gun. Also the dead enemies react well with the environment and so does snake. At one point an enemy threw a grenade at me and my body flew through the air and landed sitting up against a box, then my otocamo blended in with the object i was sitting against and the enemies were none the wiser.

Online play. Well once you get past the hassle of making two more accounts to play then the online play is very rewarding. You see the game everyone plays is call of duty 4 and thats it. Yes i loved call of duty for it's cinematic feel and great graphics and very good online play, but i'd become so tired of hearing about call of duty all the time and MGS4 has really stuck it to call of duty.

So. Can this game be considered art? In my opinion, yes, definitely. Not since shadow of the colossus have i loved a game so much and considered it as a piece of art but MGS4 peirces the border of video game and art.

overall:10/10 or if i could:20/10 Finally an exclusive the playstation can be proud of!