Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Playstation 3, 2008)

It's been a story nearly twenty years in the making, and now it is coming to a close.
The Metal Gear Solid franchise has been amongst the most powerful franchises in the industry especially since the release of the playstation one game Metal Gear Solid, unofficially subtitled "Twin Snakes."
Many people were worried about the amount of issues this game had to cover in order to satisfy true fans of the series, but take it from a true fan of the series: producer Hideo Kojima and his crew deliver.
Chocked full of nostalgia, plot twists, tied ends, and more, this game is worth playing for the story alone.
For those who have never played a Metal Gear Solid game, it would be this reviewer's recommendation to approach it with caution. For a popular title the series is considered more "hardcore" than many other popular games, and the steep learning curve may turn off some players. Metal Gear Solid 4, however, does a great job of cleaning up the control system to allow for easier, more fluid play. In addition, the game can be played a variety of ways depending on how stealthy or run-and-gun the player wants to be.
The gameplay is simply fantastic, taking the usual quiet, undisturbed environments of the Metal Gear series and adding in frantic battlefields through which the player can sneak through unnoticed, or help out either faction. There is something visceral and extremely satisfying about making it around a battlefield while bullets whiz overhead without being noticed by any of the soldiers on either side.
Before you take into account my rating and review, it is ESSENTIAL that you know that there are tons of cinematics in this game, in other words videos which the player watches in between action sequences. Several of these scenes last over a half an hour, and without timing each individual scene I know of one for sure which goes over an hour.
For players who do not have the time to invest more than an hour or two per gameplay session, this really is not the game for you; which is a shame.
If skeptical, give the game a rent, but be patient with its challenging controls and unforgiving, yet satisfying action.
All in all this is a spectacular game with superb production values, blurring the lines between gaming, movies, and literature. An extremely deep story with biblical, political, and philosophical references, there is little this game doesn't have.

HAVING PLAYED A DEMO OF THIS AT E3 2006,IT BLEW MY EXPECTATIONS AWAY.EVEN THOUGH SNAKE HAS HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THE BATTLEFIELD,IT STILL DOESN'T MATTER WHEN YOUR PLAYING A GAME FROM 1 OF THE MOST CRITICLY ACCLAIMED SERIES IN GAMING HISTORY.WATCHING VIDEOS IS JUST NOT ENOUGH.PLAY THIS GAME FOR YOURSELF WHEN IT COMES OUT.

I had never been a big MGS fan at first. I decided to give MGS4 a try and it is now one of my top 5 favorites of all time.

The storyline is very compelling, it draws you in and always leaves you wanting more. The gameplay is complex yet simple to pick up and play. Its got a great learning curve. Music is fantastic. Its got a lot of replay value.

I would say the one draw back is the extremely lengthy and numerous cut-scenes.
Though they do a very good job of unfolding the story.

10/10 hands down.

MGS4 is, in essence, an experience. True, it is a video game...but a game like no other. While playing the conclusion to the MGS series, of which I have been playing since I was in 9th grade back in '99, there were emotions that arose that no other form of entertainment has ever even come close to stirring. MGS4 is one of the most depressing games ever created, mix that with its amazing ability to raise nostalgia within long term fans, and you have yourself one of the most powerful pieces of entertainment this decade. In short: the story's conclusion is sure to not disappoint.

Of course gameplay is ultimately the most important aspect in (most) video games. It just so happens that MGS4 also tends to excel in this area, as well. If comparing the gameplay most closely to a past title, I would have to say that it most resembles MGS3. Snake will not find himself often limited within corridors with enemies with cone shaped fields of vision. Instead, he will be hiking through battlefields, trying to sneak past as two factions battle it out. Camo makes another appearance, although thankfully it is done automatically by the game, destroying the need for constant start-menu interruptions, as was the case in MGS3. Although at times MGS4 at times feels closer to a 3rd person shooter than a stealth game, at its core the stealth elements remain. On easier difficulty settings, however, you may find it possible to Rambo your way through enemies...

If I had to find a complaint in MGS4, it would only be that there were actually, in my opinion, too many weapons. It was hard to manage all of the weapons I was collecting, as you are only allowed to equip a set number at any given time. Furthermore, you have the ability to customize your weapons with silencers, laser sights, grenade addons, etc. I eventually found the weapons I felt most comfortable with, and just stuck with those...but this ultimately allows for more replayability.

Graphically speaking, the game is phenomenal. It is the best graphical product I have seen this generation. The level of detail for every element of the game is amazing, from generic enemies, to main characters, to major villains, to weapons, to dust, to vehicles, to terrain, and etc.

Then there's the online component...

I could rave about MGS4 for many more paragraphs, but let me conclude with a tl;dr...

-in depth gameplay, with multiple possibilities in completing objectives
-extremely details high definition graphics, some of the best seen this generation
-one of the most powerful emotional rides found in entertainment (really only applies to long term fans, however, due to its strong reliance on nostalgia)
-absolutely amazing conclusion, which manages to tie up pretty much every loose end left from previous installments
-an excellent online multiplayer experience

MGS fans: you are surely not going to be disappointed.
Newcomers: well, the story won't make much sense without playing 1-3...

at first i wasnt interested at this game because of past MGS games too slow of gameplay but damn this game is sick, so sick i think it has a flu. well anyways this game and the movies in the game are so interesting that makes me want to watch the whole thing instead of fast forwarding it.

This game is unbelievable

ITs action packed, its so realistic it scares me.

it made me sweat, swear, and even cry.
I love it ive played it over and over now.

i hope They make more of these games..

Hideo Kojima is now in my top list


Get this game or youll miss out on the next big thing like the matrix

just what I expected...challenging...I like the 1080p/High definition and the sound track/effects are awesome.

simply put - it's a great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great game!

great story, cinematic, wonderful gameplay, seamless transitions, maximum use of ps3 hardware...must buy!!!

Marking the return of Hideo Kojima's legendary tactical espionage action series, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots features a cinematic experience and visual masterpiece that will redefine this landmark franchise as a revolutionary game for the PLAYSTATION3 system. The game is the final chapter in the saga of Solid Snake that sends him around the world in pursuit of his arch nemesis, Liquid Ocelot. Armed with new gadgets and abilities, Solid Snake must shift the tides of war into his favor, using the chaos of the battlefield to infiltrate deep into enemy territory. In his globetrotting final mission, Snake must sneak deep into enemy locations in the Middle East, South America, and other corners of the earth to foil Liquid Ocelot's. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots includes Metal Gear Online "Starter Pack", which is the full and complete multiplayer component of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

The single player game of MGS4 is superb, one of the best in the series of the MGS generation. The explanations that go along with the storyline, cut-scenes and anything else you can think about are explained fully in this part of the game.

Metal Gear Online (2) on the other hand, is a love/hate relationship. MGO is a very enjoyable game sometimes, but that can either go along with or against according to your connection. The reward shop is cool, but it will take you a very decent time to get some gear that you will like since getting reward points is a bigger grind than games like World of Warcraft, or any other type of MMORPG you can think of.

But if you're looking for the solid MGS story you've been looking for, you can not go wrong at all here, this game is absolutely thrilling with some of the best voice work, story line, musical theme and artwork. Simply a masterpiece.

I had never played a Metal Gear Solid game before. But I read other reviews of this game, and it is singlehandedly one of the best game I have ever played. The graphics are amazing, the controls are easy, and the replay value is great. In my opinion it smashes Halo 3 and Bioshock, two of my most favorite games of all time. Unlike Bioshock, MGS4 has a memorable and "epic" ending. So if you have 60 dollars to spend, MGS4 is your best investment.
---krimsnjustice---

The gameplay online is so sick even better than COD4 and that is a pretty hard thing to say since i love COD4....This game is a must buy...Camo in this game is the best you will ever see...Metal Gear has a hudge following online there are hundreds of matches going on at any given moment...My friends and I can't get enough of it and Ebay is the best place to purchase this game...Way too much in the stores..

One of, if not the best action/shooter games I have played. Metal Gear series continues to impress.

I'm impressed in prices as inexpensive to buy the game in here, because stores are very expensive. The CD is like new no SCRATCHES.
thank you.

I absolutely love this game. I wanted to buy it, but didnot want to spend $60. Found a great deal on ebay and won the bid. The seller even threw in the strategy guide. This is the best that has ever been put out. The graphics and attention to detail are amazing! PS3 Rocks!

Jason Montgomery - Lorain, OH

if your a fan of the series then this wouldn't want to be the game to miss. The metal gear solid series has been going on for longer than i would like to remember and this was definitely worth the pruchase. There are alot of hilarious references and the idea for the flashbacks was amazing. If your totally new or know the series very well you will still enjoy this game.

This game was the highlight, I think, of the PS3 era in 08, it is the best graphic wise game I have ever seen, it will keep you on the edge of your seat. Amazing gameplay, the end of the Metal Gear saga is at hand, and it is epic, maybe too epic, it blew me away, and also besides the game, it comes with MGO (Metal Gear Online), which after you beat the game you are going to want to keep the feeling of the game going, you get to create your own character, and battle with your freinds, and peeps you dont even know online, trust me its addicting when you get to go up in levels, and create your own clans. Buy it!!!!

I decided to buy based on the wonderful reviews of the game. The game is fun. However, there is a HUGE storyline behind the game. You will literally spend hours watching the storyline. I prefer a simpler setup that doesn't require watching a movie. Even though it is a well-made game, I get bored with the never-ending storyline.

Let's start off with the graphics what can I say besides WOW this game pulls you right into it with these graphics. They did not down grade the staory line to fill the game with killer graphics. The story is GREAT it fills in all the weird blanks that people who have played MSG since NES on up have had going through their minds. And let's just say this game is a solid 5 ouuta 5 if I could I'd go higher!!!!

MGS4 is the best game of all of the MGS series. I think i is also one of the best video games on the market. It has graphics, the sound quality is great and I love the online play . This game , in my book, should be the Game of he Year. The online play is great . The graphics for this game are to the extreme. Only the best for the final game that has been a great series.

I am blown away. Having waited outside Gamestop for my copy of MGS4 premier night, needless to say I was excited to play when I got home. The game blew my expectations out of the water. Seriously. Its hard to describe the game w/o sounding like I'm exaggerating. This game very well may be the best game ever, and is certainly the best of all modern systems.

About half of the game is filled with long videos that are in real time so they seem completely seemless from the gameplay - to the point of mind blowing. The gameplay/movie transitions aren't even noticable because there is no delay between the two. That was one of the first things I noticed.

The graphics are absolutely supurb, to match the wonderful sound and music. Everything works. The crackles of gunfire, the explosions and falling structures - it all sounds and looks great. Once again, I've NEVER been more impressed with a game. (this is coming from an avid gamer :P)

The controls are easy to get used to, and very tight - meaning they do what you want them to, when you want them to! There are a few new additions to Snake's arsenal including tons of new guns (so many that most of them will go unused by the end of the game), an eyepatch that acts as a nightvision and zoom scope, a cool little robot that you can control, and other slight things such as an iPod and whatnot that are new to the series.

All-in-all, I was amazingly impressed. And I don't impress too easy :) GTA4 didn't impress, Halo 3 did to a point, Bioshock was good - but Metal gear solid 4: guns of the patriots tops them all - hands down.

I'm deeply impressed of the impact of the game and what it delivery to me as a player. It's worth every penny & I'm glad I tried it out.