*SPOILERS* Metal Gear Solid 4

[Kwanzabot]

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 (MGS4)

WHAT IS IT? WHAT CONSOLES IS IT ON?

Metal Gear Solid 4 is the 6th canonical (10th including the Snake's Revenge, Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel, Metal Gear Acid and Metal Gear Acid 2 spin-off games) game in the Metal Gear series (following Metal Gear 1 and 2, and Metal Gear Solid 1-3). From the beginning, these have been primarily spying games, but the MGS4 gives the player the opportunity to play the game as a shooter instead, encountering (and taking out) most of the enemies in your path. There is the usual new features that allow the player to be more sneaky than ever. In terms of what consoles, the game will (and will remain) purely be on the Playstation 3. This is mainly due to the fact that even a Blu-Ray disc is very nearly totally filled by the game, so unless Microsoft decide to fit a Blu-Ray drive, then it can't physically be put onto a Xbox 360.

WHO DO YOU PLAY AS? WHAT IS HE DOING?

Unlike the last chronological game in the Metal Gear Solid series, you play this one mainly as Solid Snake, veteran spy and general bad ass. One of three clones of legendary mercenary Big Boss, along with Liquid Snake and Solidus Snake, Solid Snake inherited his recessive genes, but is even a better soldier than his father who he has defeated twice before, in Metal Gear 1 and 2. Snake, now codenamed 'Old Snake', is suffering from FOXDIE, which will kill him at a random time in the future. He has been hired by his old boss Colonel Roy Campbell to travel around the world, putting an end to Liquid Snake, who has inhabited the body of Revolver Ocelot through his arm, which was taken after Ocelot lost his own, all during the events of Metal Gear Solid.

WHY ARE PEOPLE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS?

Well, due to Snake's old age and repeated information from Kojima, this is probably Snake's last hurrah. It also looks like one of the best games ever, in terms of gameplay and graphics, which can be seen in the Online Beta that is on it's way to wrapping up. The games, whilst sometimes hard to follow, are generally entertaining, and this will wrap up all the loose ends left open since Snake's last appearance in MGS2.

For yanks who haven't followed this series, the best way to catch up is with the MGS: Essential Collection, which is either $19.99 or $29.99, very cheap for arguably two of the best PS2 games and one incredibly good PS1 game. For British people, eBay is your best option, along with pre-owned sections at places like GAME or Gamestation (I reckon CSAMH would gladly point you in the right direction if you come along to his place).

OTHER LINKS:

I don't believe one person can do this story justice, as it is detailed, but no more than for someone entering the 6th movie in a series for the first time. Therefore, I recommend checking out The Metal Gear Wikipedia, because who are more meticulous than fanboys?

=======

Yeah, I didn't notice another thread for this. The first review came in today, by OPSM (Official Playstation Magazine) and they *shockingly* gave it a 10/10. There is an image below with their reasoning for it, but I put the image in tags since the last line could be considered proper 'spoilers'.

Spoiler: Click here to view

If this truly is the last 'Metal Gear Solid', then hopefully we can get another spying game by Kojima set in the same universe or elsewhere. Metal Gear Raiden the bad ass anyone?

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Hoorah. I must say having started getting OPM recently (they come into work so we get them for free ) I respect their ratings. Their other tens are for Oblivion, COD4 and GTAIV and they're happy to hand out 7s, 6s and 5s without being too fanboy.

I suspected that this wouldn't get lower than a 9 (from what I'd heard about it) but being good enough for a ten makes me happy.

Anything 8 or above from Edge would mean that this is an excellent game.

[Vilge Duin]

Holy fucking shit is this trailer beyond awesome.

Just watched it for the third time straight.

One month to go.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Hoorah! Cash-in and crossover delights galore!

After playing the game, Kojima revealed a number of new collaborations in Metal Gear Solid 4, the biggest being with Apple's iPod. Snake carries around an iPod in MGS4, which lets him play music tracks that he finds scattered throughout the game. Collected tracks can be played as background music during the game, with additional tracks being offered for download.

Last month on April Fool's Day, footage of Metal Gear Solid 4 featuring Snake in Altair's robe from Assassin's Creed appeared without warning on YouTube. Today, Kojima confirmed that it's more than just a prank, as the Altair costume will be an unlockable feature in the game.

Other collaborations in MGS4 include Triumph Motorcycles, Sony Ericsson, Regain, and Uniqlo. For Triumph Motorcycles, this is the second time they're collaborating with the Metal Gear series following MGS3. This time, their Bonneville T100 and Speed Triple Motorcycles will appear in a chase scene during the game.

With Sony Ericsson, their W62S model cell phone is seen in the game, used by Vamp and Naomi. What's more, the collaboration goes both ways. Sony Ericsson's mobile portal will offer a downloadable MGS4 version of "Ganbare Salary Man," a cell phone game about a middle-age salary worker.

Another product being advertised in MGS4 is Regain, a popular Japanese energy drink. The beverage is featured in-game as an item that energizes Snake when he takes a sip. This collaboration also goes both ways: Starting on June 10 in Japan, convenience stores will sell special bottles of Regain that include an original MGS4-themed cell phone cleaner or dog tag.

Uniqlo, a Japanese apparel maker with stores also in the USA and UK, France, Korea, China, and Hong Kong, doesn't have any items appearing in-game. Instead, they're collaborating with MGS4 with the release of six "Metal Gear Solid 4 UT Design" T-shirts, featuring logos and artworks inspired from the game. The shirts will be available at Uniqlo shops from June 12.

Similar to previous Metal Gear Solid installments, MGS4 will also feature a gravure girl. Minami Akina, an 18-year-old cover girl who's been a big fan of the series, appears on a poster in the game. Akina appeared during the press conference and congratulated Kojima on his game. Kojima's staff also congratulated Akina with a large MGS4 cake, as she's turning 19 in two days.

In Japan, Konami will also be releasing a variety of Metal Gear Solid merchandise near the launch of MGS4. The game's soundtrack will be released on May 28 as a two-disc set, featuring a total of 47 tracks.

"Ga-ko," a duck-shaped alarm clock that appears in the game, will be sold as a product on July 31.

A novel by Raymond Benson based on the original Metal Gear Solid will be released on May 25 (May 27 in the US), while a Japanese novel by Keikaku Ito, Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots, will be released on June 12.

In terms of launch promotions, plans for a "Metal Gear Solid 4 World Tour" are underway. Kojima and his staff will travel around the world to meet up with series fans. Tour locations include London, Madrid, Milano, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

In Japan, Konami will also be collaborating with Sony to push MGS4 on the PlayStation Network. The daily "Toro Station" show will feature three consecutive days of Metal Gear coverage, possibly with a sneak peek into the latest game's development facilities.

- Gamespot and therefore probably somewhere else first.

I'm gonna buy all this junk, just cos I can.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I read that Official Playstation Magazine review today and I'm far far too excited now. I want it so bad.

The best bit is that everything we've seen in trailers so far is turned completely on it's head after only the first quarter and everything else is new and fresh. That sounds fantastic.

[9 to 5]

This is the reason why I bought a PS3.

And the fact we get MGO with this makes it THE game I have been waiting for the most for years.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Kojima also made murmerings about his next game (nothing to do with MGS of course) and mentioned that a new Zone Of The Enders game was high up on the list *drools*

This guy is brilliant.

[New Damage]

As cool as ZOE (only played the first, and a demo of 2) was to look at and the style and what not, I found it meh. I mean, it was a good game all, but near the end the combat was feeling a bit samey. And everyone knows the reason why ZOE sold a lot was because of the MGS2 demo that came with it . I wouldn't be against buying it from the get-go though, as another proper game means one less disc that isn't Barbie's Horse Rider crap. Imagine though, with the style that was featured in ZOE and how good it came out on PS2 at the time, I imagine it'll be godly on PS3... mmm.

EDIT: Though I (kinda) can't wait for MGS4. And getting a PS3 .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPgRXIKU3IQ

The 'Revived' trailer if it hasn't been posted, complete with Hideo's best Engrish.

"Deed you rike eet!?"

Edited May 16, 2008 by TheModernWay

[Crybaby Bunting]

Oh great, in the same week my xbox breaks down this happens.

Now i'm left with a difficult decision, wait 3 weeks to get my Xbox back from repair or get a PS3 ready for this