PS3: Metal Gear Solid (4)

[Art Blade]

The first thing you might be wondering about is why a PC gamer like me starts a topic for a console game. That is simple. I watched a playthrough on youtube for JC2, which is available for both PC and console, and the guy who uploaded the vids played it on his PS3. When I had a look at the other games he played and uploaded playthroughs for, I wanted to know what Metal Gear Solid was like because I had heard of the title on different occasions.

Given that the game apparently was announced in 2007 already, I was really impressed by the graphics and cut scenes. Overall, it's one of those Japanese games that feature typical stuff they like, such as Western heroes (I mean characters that don't look Japanese, more likely what in the States is called "Caucasian" or what I'd call European or American, in contrast to Japanese), and extreme high tech stuff such as mech warriers, robots, ultra-high end computers, although "only" current modern weapons... but in general all that "next next gen" stuff :)

The gameplay reminded me instantly of Crysis(1) because of the camo suit the main character (snake) uses, which very much looks like the nano suit of Crysis. Then the weapon arsenal and environment could have been something comparable to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and similar games.

The story line and gameplay is simple: Find someone and deal with the obstacles, fight a lot of enemies, gather intel, watch cut scenes, and do some more fighting. It's mainly a TPS, although you can use a scope or aim down a barrel which makes it look like a PFS at times. The movement of both AI and your own character is impressive, they must have used truckloads of motion capture data to make it look so cool. Indeed, the game doesn't look old at all, I was amazed when I realised it was "rather old" :)

Apparently it is more or less linear, due to the nature of the story (find a bad guy) which leads you through various locations and battle zones, but it never looked boring. Those many cutscenes make it feel like watching a movie (that is why I know so much about it, I just kept watching for hours) and it is quite enthralling.

The best part of the game is when the player who recorded the playthrough had another silly moment of deviating from the story so he could hunt random animals (he did that occasionally, made me chuckle because I do that, too, like killing chicken or rats that run around on the floor). Only this time he was crouching when a guinea pig happened to cross his path, so he started shooting it and kept missing. The guinea pig stopped right in front of him, not wounded nor dead, and our guy whips out a stunning pistol, you know one of those electro-shocker thingies, and electrocuted that little beastie. Since it was meant to stun rather than to kill, the guinea pig fell over and had three stars circling around his head like you'd expect from a  comic book or cartoon. That cracked me up and I decided to post about it here ;D ;D ;D

Here is the link, jump to 6:50 to watch the guinea pig getting stunned :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MyJjI7Pstw

Oh, I want to add this: The camo suit is really cool. You can kind of soak up the textures of either a wall or the ground and make you look just the same, invisible to the naked eye and infrared as well. If you keep your suit updated like that, you are most of the time very hard to detect.

[spaceboy]

I tried a long time ago on the first PlayStation to play a Metal Gear Solid game and it just didn't resonate with me.  I liken this to the rent vs buy syndrome.  I rented it and since I didn't "invest" in it, I just didn't put the time into it.  I remember constantly getting caught during a stealth mission because I was walking too loudly.  Fast forward a few years to 2008 when I bought my PS3, the MGS4 bundle to be exact.  Of course I was very impressed with the graphics and gameplay, but not having followed the story, I was a little lost. 

I'd say I enjoyed about 85% of what I played on MGS4, but some of the bosses were just really annoying.

I also was not big on the sci-fi story too much.  I purchased BF: Bad Company right after that and it hit a real sweet spot with me.

I never did finish MGS4.  I was stuck on a boss that was just too hard to kill.  BFBC was too much fun...and then a little game called Far Cry 2 swept me away.

All in all, if the storyline interests, you won't be dissapointed with the gameplay and graphics.  It just wasn't entirely my cup of tea, but then that series never was.

[ninzza]

 I tried MGS4 (as well as other PS3 exclusives :Killzone 2, Heavenely Sword, Infamous ...) but I didnlt get into it at all (actually I bought it, got bored of it, traded it in then bought it again then traded in again!). Although some people say it allow you to play it your way: rambo or stealth but I found the rambo style was tough, unexciting and the control was not as good as other third person shooters, like Uncharted series - which are my favorite PS3 exclusives. Uncharted 2 made me buy a PS3 just to play it!). Therefore the players have only 1 choice: being stealthy, whereas I want to go rambo sometimes, being stealthy at other times. And the boss fights are annoying, too long. Not fun at all.

[spaceboy]

Actually the game I used my trade in credit for was FC2...

How was Heavenly Sword?  I adored inFamous and I thought KZ2 was a great shooter (the enemy AI was very good).  UC series also is top notch.

So not to turn this into a MGS4 hate thread, (I didn't hate, just didn't get into).  But since I loved BFBC, I thought I'd repost this awesome vid they made poking a little fun at MGS4. 

In MGS4, Snake can hide in barrels and cardboard boxes.  (He also wears a high tech eye patch).

all in fun, all in fun...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h59k8_HhcOI

[Art Blade]

that eye patch vid was funny as hell  ;D :-X

[spaceboy]

glad you liked it Art - it still makes me laugh nearly two years later.  "Maybe it's some kind of Solid, Metal, I don't know Japaneeeese thing"  hilarious.

They made another one that poked at Rainbow Six,  I have that one, Snake Eyes, and the original TV ad that made me want that game posted here:

http://mygamepages.com/index.php?topic=423.0

[Art Blade]

woo-hoo! I wish I could play games like that. On a PC  ;D

[spaceboy]

well Bad Co. 2 is out for PC now I believe, the first one was console only.  The second one does not have as much humor, but still a fun and exciting campaign with solid guns, vehicles, and destruction.

[Art Blade]

That extremely over-the-top fun part is what seems to be the trademark of the first game, if they gave up on that, the game is probably no different from any other war game. Pity, really.

[spaceboy]

I'd say the combat has the same feel with some good humor mixed in, but the overall mission is "save the world" than "figure out a way to steal some gold".  But there are still some great little discussions.  Between the 2 games, and vids like those above, the characters really come to life with distinct personalities.   And in the 2nd one they make jabs at MW2 with comments like "snowmobiles are for sissies", and "they'll just send him some special ops guys with heart rate monitors".  The tongue in cheek comments are still there.

[Art Blade]

Alright then, but you don't sound overly enthusiastic about it  ;)

[spaceboy]

lol, yes i suppose.  I enjoyed the 1st more than the 2nd, but being essentially my first PS3 game that may be understandable.  The WOW factor was high.  Both have solid gameplay, the first has more funny.

[PZ]

I was talking with my son this morning and he mentioned this title, which I thought I saw in the forum.   :)

He thinks I would like the game despite it's rather linear nature.  He says that is part linear and part open world, which means to him that as you are progressing through a mission, you can approach through almost any path you wish.

The other part that he likes is that you can modify weapons in game, for instance add a silencer to almost anything.

He is now finished with the game, and will give me his copy when I visit him this summer - now I have another game to look forward to!  I don't know if I will really like it after reading the comments in this thread, but it is worth a try.  ;)

[Art Blade]

PZ, I think it really looked cool, and if I had both a console and someone donating the game to me, I definitely would give it a go :)

[spaceboy]

PZ it's definitely worth a play and to some people it is considered a masterpiece.  The normal gun mechanics during "normal" fighting is great, the stealth is great stealth (though I'm bad at it) but I wasn't a big fan of the "supernatural" aspects to some of the bosses.  Definitely play it though once your son lends it to you.  Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

[Art Blade]

I watched the complete playthrough and it was impressive, so many details and different environments.

Bear in mind that it is typical Japanese manga style though, and their strange love for "oral feedback" such as when they turn around and see anything, they'd always make sounds like "huh" "ungh" etc, they love it. Also, despite of looking like Americans, they do the typical "affirmative" nodding when emphasising something, like when saying "this is important (nod)". Or when jumping and fighting, always with style. Also typical is, after having applied a lethal blow to an opponent, to stop moving with your face pointed where you were headed without turning back, the opponent falls over behind you; like demonstrating "I know he can't come after me any more."

If you don't mind that kind of ever-present Japanese manga style, then you'll have no problems enjoying the game, I suppose.

Edit: Manga = Anime.

[PZ]

... Or when jumping and fighting, always with style. Also typical is, after having applied a lethal blow to an opponent, to stop moving with your face pointed where you were headed without turning back, the opponent falls over behind you; like demonstrating "I know he can't come after me any more."

If you don't mind that kind of ever-present Japanese manga style, then you'll have no problems enjoying the game, I suppose.

lol, I know what you mean - Jet Li-style.  ;D

I've a good friend that is Japanese, and I always tease him regarding this characteristic - I'm lucky that he is a good sport!

@spaceboy - I'm kind of excited, and will post thoughts as soon as I've played a bit, although I'm realizing that I know very little about games, and am easily impressed by things that some would consider "old hat"  ;)

[Art Blade]

I kind of grew up under Japanese influence, so I don't mind that kind of thing, I understand it. But I think that's not true for everyone, so stuff like that might be a little annoying at times if you're not used to it ;)

As to "old hat" -- you have got all your life to get to know stuff you're not familiar with, and if it is exciting for you because it is new to you doesn't mean it is less exciting if everyone else already knows it. Just go ahead and enjoy  :)

[PZ]

Thanks, I will - there are many times that I post game impressions in an exuberant way, but it is because I'm excited and am eager to relate my stories to others  :)

[Art Blade]

I'd rather enjoy reading an exuberant impression related to an old hat than no post at all  ;D