I believe this day marks the first time in my entire life that I just did not know how to start writing something. Seriously, there is just so much that can be said right now that I am truly at a loss. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots is without a doubt the best game I have ever had the privilege of playing. It was released on June 12, 2008 and it is the final installment of the Metal Gear Solid series.
I have been a fan of this series since I played Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes when it released back in 2004 for the Nintendo Gamecube. I was hooked. I honestly played that game a total of nine times consecutively. When I finally got my hands on a Playstation 2, I eagerly devoured Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty, and after about seven months or so of waiting, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The coolest thing about playing this series is realizing that every game in it is better than the last, which was perfect in its own right. It boggles my mind to think that someone came up with this enormous complex storyline and was able to map it out so beautifully. Hideo Kojima is that someone. He is a genius. But putting all that aside, I will get to the part everyone is waiting for: the review of this wonderful masterpiece of a game.
The game takes place five years after the "Big Shell Incident" which comprised Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty. The world is now driven by what is called the "war economy." I won't go too deeply into it, but as the name suggests, it is an economy driven completely by war. Hundreds upon hundreds of "proxy" battles fought by mercenary troops. The game starts off in the Middle East where you find yourself playing as a much older Solid Snake. (No, I am not going into why he has aged so drastically in the nine years since the first game.) He has been plunged into a heated battle between rebels of the region and mercenary troops, called PMCs, in the hopes of tracking down a "certain man." Unlike the previous games, however, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots is not limited to one area as you will find yourself at various locales all over the globe. So look forward to drastic changes in scenery ranging from the dry deserts of the Middle East to the dank streets of Eastern Europe.
Guns Of The Patriots will bring back a host of familiar faces from the previous three titles as well as a crew of new and memorable characters. The bosses, as well, are some of the most imaginative characters I have ever seen. Even more so than Metal Gear Solid 3, though in Guns Of The Patriots they are not nearly as challenging as the bosses from the other three titles. The game, being made in a fan oriented mindset, will reveal every secret and pull out every twist imaginable before the credits roll. At times you will be so caught up in the moment that you actually scream at your television. I know I did. At one point during the game's epilogue I actually pushed my chair back and gave a genuine and heart-felt salute. Seriously, there are points in this game that are so emotional that you will want to cry and times so humorous that you can't help but laugh. Not to mention the game's final battle is that of legend. Legend. I don't think I have ever seen a more cinematic fight in my entire life. On that note, the game's soundtrack is even better than that of the other games, and that is saying a lot. Seriously, if you don't download it afterward then you must have played the entire game on mute.
For the most part, this game controls the same as the three previous titles. This is good as many games make the mistake of attempting to change the game play in a way that alienates veteran players. The only thing is, in the case of the Metal Gear Solid series, that each game adds a slight twist to its style and Guns Of The Patriots is no different. This final installment builds off of the camouflage system created in Metal Gear Solid 3 and takes it to a whole new level. Snake is given the Octo-camo suit, special clothing that takes the pattern of whatever surface the Snake is resting on if he stays still for a few seconds, which allows him to essentially hide himself at all times. He can still be spotted, of course, but this makes it much more interesting as Snake now has the possibility of avoiding detection even if the enemy is mere inches away from him. Guns Of The Patriots also adds a point system that allows Snake to purchase guns, ammunition, and special items at any point in the game as well as a weapon recovery system that allows him to use weapons he picks up from enemy soldiers. This is a drastic change as all of the other games had a somewhat limited number of weapons and only minor customization options.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots is a masterpiece. Plain and simple. It is better than any game, book, or movie than I have ever played, read, or watched. Not only does it have an amazing plot, and game play, but it really feels like it was made just for the fans. It makes so many connections to the past games that only someone who had played them could fully understand the scope of what they were experiencing. It is so deep and intricate that it is almost scary. Actually, it is scary. In the years I waited for this game, I feared that the story wouldn't wrap up nicely and I was angry that this would be last chapter. Both of these were ungrounded, however, as the game ties everything together perfectly and it was revealed that there would be more Metal Gear games, but that this was Snake and co.'s final mission. I will miss each and every one of them. I went through my first play through on the normal difficulty, as usual, which leaves hard and extreme for me to complete now. I can't wait to play them and watch each and every cutscene again.
I award Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots for the Playstation 3 not only a perfect 5 out of 5, but its rightful place as my #1 favorite game of all time. Well played Mr. Kojima. Well played. *salutes*
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