MGS4: First impressions
2007-09-21 03:30:34 by Pipomantis
DISCLAIMER: Warning, this article is written by a real Metal Gear Solid fanboy, the kind of guy that can wait for seven hours under snow to get Hideo Kojima signing his NES copy of Metal Gear that he bought at a crazy high price. So he'll try to be as unbiased as possible, but it won't be easy.
It was here. It was waiting for me. Showing of with its 50 sparkling screens, it was defying me. "It" was the Metal Gear Solid 4 booth. This was the game I was expecting since... let's say... the end credit of Metal Gear Solid 3. In before anything, let's say it: the game will be huge for the Metal Gear saga fans. I just played for five minutes, but I was so INTO the game that it felt like 20 seconds.
So basically you play in the same environment than the Tokyo demo that Kojima made some weeks ago. Shivers. Graphically, it's plain Metal Gear. The game is not technically impressive (the textures are not bearing the close-ups so well), but there's a real aura concerning the artistic direction which helps to get into the game, although the animations are a bit stiff and the textures are not great.
About the handling, this is the same old routine, in spite of numerous changes. First big feature, it is now possible to walk while ducking ("was about time" will say the evil ones). So the game's flow is clearly better. The gamer that didn't have the occasion to taste MGS3 Subsistance will also be very surprised by the dynamic camera which adds a new dimension to the gameplay, without making the game too easy. The first person view allows the player to walk while pressing a rather complex buttons combination, but I doubt that many player will use this view for anything but sniping enemies.
Finally, I could check that the octo-camo use was fully automated, as well as you stick yourself to a wall or on the ground. If I am a little skeptical about the auto-use (I think that Metal Gear Solid 3 camo system was a lot more "strategic"), I must admit that it is quite impressive ingame since Snake can just mimic every game texture.
Now we also have the possibility of putting Snake on its back in order to hide behind safe places while having a very clear vision of the battlefield, and the possibility to toss grenades where you want. The move has many chances to be quite useful during charged guerrilla scenes. The enemy AI, once again, stays close to MG's standards. A little stupid and sometime hard to beat, the soldiers sometimes have illogic behavior which helps to be more and more careful. Still, it's a shame that no effort has been made on this flaw since Metal Gear Solid 2.
The big question about the game is about the difficulty. As he completely abandons the radar (what he started in MGS3 by the way), Hideo Kojima offers to the player a whole pack of new gadgets and moves downgrading the difficulty level to the player, who will have to deal with some stupid enemies. I must admit that I am afraid. If we were in a movie, there would be a zoom on my eyes and a few drops of sweat would be dripping on my forehead as well as I think about the game's challenge.
Well, just informing here, you know, I will play that game to death even if it's the crappiest game on Earth.
Since 841 Days
2007-09-21 23:31:29 MGS4: First impressions
Im not really concerned about the difficulty to be honest, if its challenging then cool, if not then im ok with that too. Insanely difficult games doesnt automatically make them good. Im a fellow MGS fanboy too Pipo, I doubt there's anything the game could do to keep me from playing it.
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COD 4's pre-alpha stage looks better than most game's gone gold stage.
E3 2K7- best. e3. ever.
Saying you cant find animaton in Japan is like saying you cant find food in Italy. Its simply not true.
Since 432 Days
2007-09-22 03:31:03 In reply to mkk316 (2007-09-21 23:31:29)
agreed, also you have to realise demo's on show floors are usually set on easy so all folks can tackle the game without getting frustrated...im sure the final game will have various difficulty levels including the usual european extreme which was pretty damn hard imo.
end of the day its MGS, i really couldnt give two hoots about things like difficulty. they never where partiularly hard on the standard or even hard difficulties, so meh, same as it ever was it seems.
Since 434 Days
2007-09-22 03:42:36
Awesome. :)
I am a huge MGS fanboy myself, this will be the best game EVER!
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PSN: blindrocket
Since 287 Days
2007-09-22 08:30:23
THIS WILL BE THE BEST GAME!!! I hope it doesn't fuck ps3 over...
But man...this has to win like some kind of a STORYLINE award..or the producers must get some major pussy or something.
Since 352 Days
2007-09-22 21:38:53
i agree graphically this game is a huge letdown especially going by kojimas past
Missed the
hay
Since 895 Days
2007-09-22 22:02:16
One of the best games ever.
In terms of story, art and characters!
One of my main reasons that I got a PS3 was MGS4 and Killzone 2, so bring them on!
I don't care for difficaulty, but as long as its good AI for sure I am fine with it.
I am not asking for FEAR AI or anything, as long as they react to your slight missunderstandings in terms of noise, smell, visual...etc.
I know in thegameplay demo when Kojima was showing, he said that if Snake goes somewhere were it smells like a container, the soldiers will smell the bad smell and start tracking it like sniff dogs.
In terms of graphics...amazing visuals. Peoples graphics standards are too high in terms of next-gen these day, too spoiled if you ask me.
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Playing: Heavenly Sword (Playstation 3)
PS3: Uncharted - Haze - DMC4 - Dark Sector - Killzone 2 - MGS4 - God of War 3
360: Mass Effect - Assassin's Creed - DMC4 - Ninja Gaiden 2 - Too Human - Fable 2 - Resident Evil 5
Since 287 Days
2007-09-23 08:16:02
People are hating the mGS online.....wtf? I mean imagine all the stealth actions you can use against each other. I can't wait and ps3 makes it so easy and simple to go online and play.
MY MAIN HOPE TO THE DEVELOPERS:
Make this game long...I mean long as hellll...like OMG WHEN IS THIS GONNA END, I BEEN PLAYING FOR WEEKS LONG!!!
Missed the
hay
Since 895 Days
2007-09-23 09:36:28 In reply to Anik (2007-09-23 08:16:02)
MY MAIN HOPE TO THE DEVELOPERS:
Make this game long...I mean long as hellll...like OMG WHEN IS THIS GONNA END, I BEEN PLAYING FOR WEEKS LONG!!!
I agree I hope MGS4 is a long bad ass game, but we all know how MGS games are right...loooong!
And considering its a stealth game with big story and many twists, I think its gonna be long.
I hope they add "re-watch cutscenes" so when you didn't understand a certain cutscene...which I am certain most people won't...they can always go into the cutscene menu and check that out once its unlocked.
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Playing: Heavenly Sword (Playstation 3)
PS3: Uncharted - Haze - DMC4 - Dark Sector - Killzone 2 - MGS4 - God of War 3
360: Mass Effect - Assassin's Creed - DMC4 - Ninja Gaiden 2 - Too Human - Fable 2 - Resident Evil 5
Since 988 Days
2007-09-23 19:35:55
From the movies I've seen the AI does indeed look shitty. But I'll buy it and love it anyway.
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Live: Bohemian Bob
PSN: RedPyramidThing
Playing: BioShock, Heavenly Sword
Getting: Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
Since 287 Days
2008-01-31 03:38:31
AI in MGS depends on the mode set...
Try playing on very hard and see if they dun see you.
Since 100 Days
2008-03-27 11:15:52
Another great review that i pretty much completely agree with. Some people just dont care as long as its another Metal Gear Solid game 'woo!', which is all good. But for most hardcore fans since metal gear solid who also are more conscious of creativity and quality, i dont know, MGS4 looks shaky, graphics looks decent, the art design i dont like anymore, they are using the very long legs small head trend. I dont know, a lot of good things have gone bad so i have no hope for MGS4 lol. MGS3 was somewhat good but i felt like i was playing in a big mansion that looked like it was an outside forest :/. I hate games that built levels purposely for gameplay, it really destroys the illusion that its another world and just another game to make my way through the predesigned maze.
Since 89 Days
2008-04-08 02:04:52 In reply to Doom_Bringer (2007-09-22 21:38:53)
Since 1013 Days
2008-04-08 03:02:49 In reply to RockyRobin (2008-04-08 02:04:52)
Since 89 Days
2008-04-08 03:28:37 In reply to Ronsauce (2008-04-08 03:02:49)
Since 1013 Days
2008-04-08 04:48:54
Since 89 Days
2008-04-08 05:29:07 In reply to Ronsauce (2008-04-08 04:48:54)
Since 1013 Days
2008-04-08 07:01:50 In reply to RockyRobin (2008-04-08 05:29:07)
I've no doubt this'll be a good game with good graphics, but to simply think that filling a disc means good graphics and gameplay is dumb. What if the programming is terribly inefficient and takes up more space than it needs to? Again, I'm NOT saying this is the case, but it could apply to other games.
Regardless, your original post was poor. I called you out on it, and you *tried* to cover your ass but ended up lying. I then called you out on that, and you pathetically tried to turn it around on me.
Did you want to post yet again saying how you were talking about gameplay in your original post? Maybe if you say it a few more times, it might come true...
Since 89 Days
2008-04-08 15:55:01 In reply to Ronsauce (2008-04-08 03:02:49)
Since 1013 Days
2008-04-08 17:50:49 In reply to RockyRobin (2008-04-08 15:55:01)
Since 89 Days
2008-04-08 18:12:45 In reply to Ronsauce (2008-04-08 17:50:49)
P.S. in this case im sure a full disc will mean Amazing gameplay and ALOT of it. :)
Since 10 Days
2008-06-25 02:15:59 In reply to RockyRobin (2008-04-08 18:12:45)
P.S. in this case im sure a full disc will mean Amazing gameplay and ALOT of it. :)
Since 155 Days
2008-06-26 16:51:07
in regards to the full disc space, i believe (correct me if im wrong) that is due to non-lossy format 7.1 sound...which takes LOTS of space
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.::Chill::.
[you probably wont like what i just said]