Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
The white hair is showing and the wrinkles are obvious. Behind the dead eyes is a tired soldier who, in his last 20 years as a video game icon, has reshaped and revamped the stealth genre for millions of fans worldwide. But rather than simply decommissioning him, developer Konami and creator Hideo Kojima have crafted an incredible swansong for Solid Snake - one packaging great graphics, an intense storyline and formidable gameplay that culminates in an ultimate blaze of glory. The world of Metal Gear Solid is now filled with war, fought by mercenaries for hire. Old Snake is ageing prematurely (hence the new moniker) as a result of the cloning process that created the hero, but comes out of retirement to take out his nemesis Liquid Ocelot. Reunited with the majority of his supporting cast from previous outings, from Octacon, Mei Ling, Meryl and Raiden, the game also adds a plethora of gameplay elements that brings the action beyond the stealth genre, but still keeps the game firmly within its own universe. Instead of using a tranquilizer gun, Snake can now equip and use all weapons he finds and he finds plenty. Weapons can now be unlocked, upgraded and sold, via a gun-runner, enabling a seasoned combat veteran to customize guns to his advantage. Stealth still plays in conflict avoidance, but the idea is that if you are spotted in a war zone, you're more than likely to open fire rather then try to run for cover. Equipped with the Octocamo camouflage suit that mimics the color of Snake's immediate surroundings, Snake has the option of sneaking about and Kojima has balanced gameplay by peppering levels with waves of soldiers. Just because you've killed a few soldiers in an alley does not mean that more will not pop out around the corner to take their place. This freedom allows those inclined to action games to start blowing enemies away, while letting those used to sneaking around to play Metal Gear Solid 4 the way they want to.
The familiar radar has also been replaced by Mark II, a small roving robot that can be sent as an advanced scout to suss out enemy positions and even collect weapons and items. The older Snake must also contend with his age, as seen by the new Stress and Psyche meter. Keeping Snake constantly spotted or out in the open will raise his Stress meter, which in turns lowers his Psyche meter, which limits his effectiveness in combat. This is not to say that keeping both meters low is good because when they spike, Snake enters a combat "high" and takes on less damage. Whether it is escorting a team of new FOXHOUND soldiers or getting to a rendezvous unseen, gameplay constantly changes for Snake and this offers gamers a varied game to tinker with. In fact, there are many subtle changes that are too long to be listed, but rest assured, they add instead of detract from the excitement. Visually, Metal Gear Solid 4 is created to be viewed as a movie: as the well-acted and detailed cut-scenes return, each is created not merely to bridge the various levels of the game, but to form a larger narrative. Given the lengthy scenes, Kojima has added interactive elements into them, allowing players to view flashbacks during certain dialogue sequences with the press of a button. But despite the tales of death and destruction, Metal Gear Solid 4 does not strive to be a serious game with a moral tale. The game is filled with comic moments (look out for the one in which the soldier craps on himself) that remind players it's still a video game - albeit a very solid one.
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