Sign in to follow this  
Cigol

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Guns of the Saucer Men From Mars

Recommended Posts

Still a good few weeks before I'll be able to play it. :getmecoat

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Mine got here this morning

Um... you bastard? Way to beat release. Knowing I need to wait an extra 2 days just got that much tougher. :fart::(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sooo, everybody's getting it but nobody will be playing tomorrow?

I haven't pre-ordered but I think I'll be picking it up straight away. I've ordered a Dual Shock 3 from overseas and I'd rather play with that from the start, but since it isn't here yet I'll be forced to endure jiggling Snake around on the ground without any rumble for a while.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It was waiting for me when I got home.

So, so atmospheric! It just chucks you straight in. Ace!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I started one of those impromptu codec conversations, but after a few screens someone knocked on the door. Turned out to be a neighbour so after a brief exchange of words I went back to the PS3 only to find Snake and Otacon still in deep conversation, lol :clap:

But I have an important question; I've pissed off the militia and they no longer like me! Is there any way to get back their respect? I can't just walk up to them anymore and I wasted two rations previously in helping them :(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Popping in the game as soon as this comment is posted. I'm trembling a little. Game time!

EDIT: Crap, forgot there was an install...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Popping in the game as soon as this comment is posted. I'm trembling a little. Game time!

EDIT: Crap, forgot there was an install...

It also has secondary installs when you clear an act :shifty:

Best install screen ever though (besides Red Alert, obviously).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Being both Metal Gear neutral and a Metal Gear layman, I'm surprised to find one of the heaviest critiquers of the game to be Penny Arcade, in who's opinion I usually place some stock. According to Jerry, the game betrays its own core of stealth during the plentiful boss fights and becomes a clunky action game, and its narrative is overwrought and ambivalent.

Is this honest critique or a cantankerous rave by someone who doesn't "get" Metal Gear?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have found the stealth aspects a little easy - you can crawl within about a foot of a combatant and he won't spot you.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So far the stealth is pretty basic. Still quite thrilling when you're able to dodge a large group of soldiers though. I'm also dismayed by the amounts of brown. I'm hoping there are a couple of switches in environments. I miss the jungle...

Otherwise, holy crap good. There are a few things I've had to fill in for myself (these spoilers are from old Metal Gears, not IV) ]such as Sunny. She is Olga's child, right? Also, was the reveal that Campbell is Meryl's father in the "other" ending to MGS or something? I think I'd remember something like that if I'd seen it... But by and large it's fantastic. That bit with Akiba that perfectly mimics Snake's first exchange with Meryl in MGS is wonderful. It's total fan service, but I'm cool with that.

Time to get back into the game. I really want to see more of Raiden right now. If this actually is the end for Snake, I hope Hideo decides to bring Raiden in as the hero of future Metal Gears. Dude got a bad rap, but I still like him.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It was actually pointed out very early on in MGS1 that Meryl was the Colonel's daughter. I forget where exactly it was said, but it was quite prominent during an early codec conversation or something. Perhaps in the briefing videos (lots of people skip those I presume).

As for the stealth, are any of you playing it on hard? I ask because the original games were literally a different experience on hard mode, with more enemies, keener senses (can see you from an entire battlefield away, rather than having some artificial distance limit), etc.

If the normal mode is a bit simplistic I might be inclined to play it through on hard right away.

As for the boss fight critique, I obviously can't defend the game because I haven't played it, but hasn't practically every boss fight in every MGS so far been totally OTT, action-packed, and generally insane? It's one of the series' better points!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The Meryl thing ('spoilers' regarding the first MGS game) ;

as far as I know, it was pointed out she was his niece during the game, but if she died then the colonel tells you in a codec afterwards that she was really his daughter. My only play through ended with me and Meryl escaping on the bike (or whatever it was, I forget) so I never knew about the second ending (with Otacon) until I'd read it elsewhere

So far I'm finding the game very enjoyable and expect anyone who already likes MGS will too. Those who don't know what it is however will probably find it a bit mad and confusing, whilst those who already hate it will be rolling their eyes and switching the PS3 off well before the first hour is up.

That cutscene where Snake first meets Liquid is fupping great, plus did you know you can reset the camouflage by shaking the controller and that it also works during cutscenes, lol. There's quite a few things like this that aren't documented - if you've played MGS before you'll know most of the extras instinctively but it's a shame they aren't explicitly pointed out for newbies (the camera controls in cutscenes for example).

Oh yeah... used cutscene a lot in that last paragraph for a good reason :grin:

I'm disappointed in the flashback sequences though - I was expecting something far more substantial when I'd first heard about them. They are just fleeting images and the odd short-lived sound effect. It's nice having played the previous games to recognise these assets but I was really hoping they'd be less of a gimmick (in earning Drebin points) and more of a tool in tying up the references made. Still, minor quibble - perhaps they get better as the game goes along?

Regarding stealth; the normal difficulty is surprisingly easy so as an MGS regular you'll want to set it higher (and also know that there is an unlockable harder difficulty setting once you've completed the game), but saying that I think it's more a case of people resorting to violence because it's extremely viable (being a war zone) and more functional, satisfying and action orientated in approach. The latter is a blessing because now the boss fights feel less like puzzles and more like the action sequences they are purported to be during cutscenes. There's been a few action sequences which could be considered 'fights' and they benefit from the new system too - they'd have been clunky and dull in any other MGS.

The game doesn't force you to play it quietly and I think some people are just falling into the trap of running and gunning (which is especially easy, and tempting, with the array of lethal weaponry on offer). I'd say it's more likely a byproduct of the tweaks made to combat as there's always a sneaky option just around the corner. Of course upping the difficulty will help make it less of a choice and more of a necessity - but even on the easier settings combat is something you SHOULD avoid, it's just people aren't. You see?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Before I begin, I'm at the start of Act III right now, so any spoilers I give will apply to that point. Don't look if you don't want to know.

I've only experienced one boss fight, Laughing Octopus, but that one was indeed completely insane. Really cool too. The different ways that she'd hide herself to try and fuck with your head were awesome. I found it was just as crazy as the best boss fights from older MGS games. As I recall, only The End and to a certain extent The Boss ever really required stealth. Fights like the ones against Vamp where there was nowhere to hide in the arena are par for the course as far as I'm concerned. Part of making a fight unavoidable is that the enemy will have to know you exist.

Playing on normal myself, because I'm honestly not that great at these games and I love to just sit back and watch the story unfold.

Also, Raiden is a complete badass! His fight with the Geckos and Vamp was amazing. I'm a little worried that he may have died in that cutscene. He just passed out, right? RIGHT??? So cool. Can't wait to see the next bit. Unfortunately, I have other obligations tonight, so now I wait until Monday. Boo.

EDIT: Cygol's post went up while I was typing. He's right about the combat. Much better. I still find myself sneaking everywhere just because I want to though. It's especially satisfying to silently take out a defense force and clear a path for soldiers that have a similar cause as you, without either side ever knowing you're there. Sweet times. The game tells you how many you killed per act as well which, if you're at all like me and feel bad when you see a huge number, is a good way to keep your fatalities down.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Interesting! I wasn't sure if people still liked MGS. I remember playing the first one. I never made it through the second, and I never even saw the third.

So it's still good then?

I just looked at Wikipedia, I had no idea that the storyline continued through all the games:

* Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - 1964

* Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops - 1970

* Metal Gear - 1995

* Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake - 1999

* Metal Gear Solid - 2005

* Metal Gear Solid Mobile

* Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - 2007-2009

* Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - 2014

I wonder if it's worth playing through them all?

Edit: It's only on PS3? *doh!*

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah the story is pretty nice in how fleshed-out it is, which makes a change. By the end of MGS3 you feel part of something special but absolutely ridiculous. :D I assume that becomes even more so with MGS4.

Really though, you don't actually need to play them all to understand it. The MGS series was designed with the assumption that a lot of people would have missed the really early/PSP games, so you can play MGS 1, 2, 3, and presumably 4 without really feeling you've missed anything. MGS3 is a real highlight because of how detatched it is from the previous two (largely set in the soviet jungle).

Even if you don't have a PS3, I'd really recommend you play the older MGS games because they really do stand up well and offer amazing experiences for those who can enjoy the signature heavy gameplay/cutscene mixture. I'd personally say that they got increasingly better with each iteration, although I've not played MGS4 yet. The earlier MGS games still look pretty nice, too. By the time you're done there may be a cross-platform version of MGS4 anyway (MGS1 and MGS2 had them).

If you want to do a full series play this year like a lot of people have done, I recommend substituting MGS: Twin Snakes on the GameCube for MGS1. It's a remake of MGS1 with MGS2-ish graphics and some of the gameplay features brought in from MGS2. Total MGS1 zealots prefer the original, but I'll always recommend Twin Snakes because a lot of the feel of MGS1 has been lost due to its technological age. Despite being an original MGS1 fan when it came out, I prefer to replay Twin SNakes.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I only played MGS3 and absolutely fell in love with it. I guess I should play the first two at some point, but I don't think they could live up to 3.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, I've got access to a GameCube and a PS2, so I could easily play MGS1:Twin Snakes (providing I could find it) and get MGS3:Subsistence (which includes the first two Metal Gear games, officially translated into English for the first time, apparently!). I've got MGS2 for my XBox (via 360 emulation).

The thing I remember when playing MGS1 was just how long to it took to play simply because of all the cut-scene dialogue.

I guess I should add them to "Teh List"... or just get around to playing MGS2.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you have aspirations of playing MGS4 you should just dive in. Snake Eater is different enough in terms of approach that it should make the experience in MGS1/2 less jarring in terms of 'going back' technologically.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, just dive in with MGS2 I'd say. Or Twin Snakes if you don't remember much of the story, as MGS2 is tied in quite closely with it — MGS3 is pretty much a different story due to being a prequel, albeit still totally relevant and part of the time line.

MGS2 is definitely just as heavy as MGS1 on the story/dialogue, while MGS3 will be quite refreshing as they've kind of simplified things a bit (less of the insane technology, thanks to being set in the 60s) and it feels... well, just different. More action-packed, too.

I'd put the MGS series above pretty much any other games I've played in the past several years though. If you have a list, they want to be towards the top. :tup:

God I want to play MGS3 right now. ;(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wish there was a way of telling Naomi to button her fricking shirt up. Honestly, what was she thinking? It freaks me out.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Slight derailment: I've just this afternoon gotten the original PSX release of Metal Gear Solid emulated perfectly on PSP. :tup:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If the cutscenes really are an hour and a half long, they should offer downloadable versions for phones, PSP, ipod, etc.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

On the whole they're not. There is one that is almost that long and another that's about an hour, but most of the cutscenes are "normal" by MGS standards (i.e. around 15 minutes long on average).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this