Metal Gear Solid 4

16.06.08

That is the nice thing about weekends. You have the time to do what you want. And on the last five weekends I only wanted to play Metal Gear Solid parts one to three. Maybe it was "destiny" that I had not occupied myself with MGS, so that I have finished MGS 3 only last weekend. The story was not really present when I started MGS 4 and that is direly necessary. The spectacle from the hands of Hideo Kojima solves all the cliff-hangers there are in MGS – anyone who does not know the story and the characters, at least in parts, misses an incredible lot of what the game represents. And will not entirely be able to follow the story – the flashbacks triggered at the press of a button by the cut sequences don't help.

But first the game has to be installed. It was known in advance that Kojima Productions had to make some deductions, so the game fits on a Double-Layer Blue-Ray-Disc – who is surprised about an installation? Pleasant - the game is separated into acts – five of them – for the first time. This saves the player an installation of 20 - 30 minutes. A short installation is done before each act. Interestingly every act is installed only temporarily. Anyone who starts a new game has to go through the 2 minute installation again.

Anyone who has already played a MGS knows that it is 50% sneaking gameplay and 50% cinematic presentation. The MGS series was – and probably still is – the reference for bombastic productions in the field of video games. That does not change in MGS 4 – it is even raised to a higher level. Sometimes that is due to the beautiful presentation – because what may look like a rendered cut sequence in MGS 4 is in reality in-game graphics – MGS looks that good. Anyone who does not believe it will see it when the game zooms away from the main character after the intro with a camera movement soft as butter and the HUD fades in gently. What? Can I play already? Yes – let's go!

Not much has changed in the gaming principle since MGS 2. Not being seen is still the highest priority. Although MGS 4 leaves it up to the player and it is possible with an (to my personal pleasure) optimised control to thrash through the levels like Rambo. This is not nearly as much fun as sneaking up to an opponent from behind, forcing him to raise his hands with a drawn pistol, and to then search him for equipment. Anyone who does this gets at least four objects per opponent. If you shoot the opponent down you only get one object. Sneaking in MGS 4 is an optimised version of MGS 3. You remember the camouflage in MGS 3. If you are wearing the right camouflage in the matching terrain, the enemy is only able to see you when they practically fall over you. In MGS 4 this is solved a bit more practically. Instead of clicking through the menu to change the camouflage, Snake wears a high-tech suit. This OctoCamo suit automatically assumes the pattern of the surroundings if you press yourself against a wall or lie on the ground for a few seconds. Nice. With time, Snake also gets facial camouflage, which allows you to blend with the surroundings even more – don’t compare it with the camouflage makeup of MGS 3. You will be surprised.

Even if you have not seen the trailer previous to MGS 4, so not to spoil anything, with one look on the package you see how Snake has aged. He is a real grandpa. Why? – this of course won't be told here. But this is clear to the fan – that exactly is the reason for Hideo Kajima to bring a few sayings and jokes into play. If you are in the way of a befriended fighter for example, you quickly hear an "Out of the way granddad" or "Watch out old man". Not just the sayings point out Snake's age, but also the animations. If you crouch down without moving for a short time, Snake will groan and massage his back a little. Despite his age, Snake is able to do as much or even more than he could do previously. Besides the well-known movements the old man can do, he is finally able to move forward while crouching. Rolling sideways and shooting while lying down on the back make life as an agent much more pleasant.

But new moves are not the only thing: Snake has some gadgets with him that are similar to those seen in a James Bond Film. Among them are the snake eye, which can be set to either zoom, night view, or an "enemy detection" mode and Otacon gives us their own development called "Metal Gear MK 2" along. The thing looks like Metal Gear Rex in a model size. The thing can be controlled by snake, can make itself invisible, and sends out electric shocks as you wish to shock opponents to sleep. This is extremely practical if there are so many enemies in an area that sneaking around is not worth it. A really terrific thing, this MK2. When a few enemies are stunned by electric shocks, you just change back to Snake and keep on sneaking. Should you be seen, for once it does not automatically mean game over. If you do it right, you can hide. Be it in a barrel – sort of a further developed version of the carton in which Snakes like to hide, the carton itself or he simply presses against a wall and hopes that he is not discovered. If that is a bit cumbersome for you, there are plenty of rubbish bins standing around in which you can hide. But, be careful. As normally experienced in rubbish bins, the smell is awful. If you rummage around for too long in the dirt of other people, you take on that smell for a while and the opponents will be able to smell that!

Apart from the fact that the AI is approximately what you are used to from Metal Gear, you see footprints and blood trails. They also are able to hear you if you move too loudly or they realize that colleagues are missing or wake up stunned colleagues. In a direct confrontation they are only a challenge because a gun salvo drains a lot of life energy and the boys usually storm at you in a group. They are not really "clever". Therefore, you are on the safe side with sneaking. If you have no possibility to hide after being uncovered, then Snake can fall back on an immense arsenal of weapons, which can all be bought directly via the menu. A further novelty is that Snake automatically takes up the weapons of fallen opponents. If he is already packing an AK, of course he does not take another one, but grabs the ammunition and sells the second to his trusted weapons dealer. Ammunition and accessories such as telescopic sights, silencers, or shotgun attachments can also be obtained via the menu and at any time throughout the game. You therefore should never lack ammunition. Of course, this makes the game a bit easier than its predecessor.

As already mentioned, MGS 4 looks fantastic. From the sound and the atmosphere it is probably exactly what is expected or even more. Small faults, such as weak textures or occasional frame drops (when there is a lot happening on the screen) can be forgiven without problem. The characters are incredibly detailed and lovingly implemented. The movements recorded via motion capturing and the typically fantastic synchronisation do the rest and leave most other games far behind. Also for the first time in a MGS – the game doesn't takes place in only one environment, but sends Mr Snake from Eastern Europe via South America to Alaska. I guarantee variety and fantastic moments of recognition. Oh yes; boss fights are there as well of course. More won't be said, so I don't spoil anything :)