So, as one who has never played a game in the Metal Gear Solid (MGS) series, this may be an odd perspective, but one that you may enjoy nonetheless. A co-worker likened this to watching the Godfather Trilogy and starting at number three. While I agree that number three in the Godfather series was a complete disaster, one was clearly the best, MGS4 stands up on its own very nicely, thank you. By now you have probably read the reviews that hail this masterpiece for what it is, so I cannot add much. I will tell you that the hype is well deserved and the game is incredible. After returning home from a vacation with the family, I picked up where I left off and finished at 3:00 AM Saturday. Add it all up and this game took me about twenty hours to complete from start to finish.

My co-worker is correct that the plot lines did not always make sense. I did not comprehend all of the subtlety that Hideo Kojima and his team baked in here. With powerful plot twists, a great physics engine, stunning graphics and just the right mix of background music and hidden treasures, they had all of the ingredients to make a multi course meal that would take any gamer hours to digest. The game is a banquet from which one can certainly get their fill.

The cinematic cut scenes by themselves are a visual treat. At times it is more of a movie than a game. Some are longer than others, especially at the end, but are helpful in understanding the plot. As a novice to the series, Wiki was close at hand to assist. No spoiler here, but the flashbacks were not much help. They do illustrate just how far the series has evolved from its earliest roots. When Snake has one particular flashback, you actually get to play an older version of the game for a brief moment. I found this part particularly difficult, as I had not played the earlier versions. Fans of the series will probably enjoy it more than I.

For those of us not familiar with the game, you play as Snake. He is an older version here than in previous chapters of MGS as he was impacted earlier. Snake is referred to as “Old Snake” in the game (how very creative). Snake is part chameleon and part SWAT team. This is not a typical third person shooter as stealth, silence and strategy are the watchwords. Sure, there is the opportunity for some running and gunning in the game, but these are the exceptions to the rule.

My favorite parts of the game were the “boss” battles. Of particular note were the “Wolf” and “Vamp” conflicts. The battle with “Liquid” after the climax and before the resolution, the denouement for all of you literature buffs, was a bit of a let down. (I sure hope my high school English teacher, Mr. Kail, is reading this.) It felt like a throwback to earlier games, and research confirmed this, but was not worth the build up generated in the game.  Despite that, the single player version is exceptional and worthy of praise.

One nit to pick is how Sony and Konami handle the multi-player version in Metal Gear Online. Oh, it is a fun version, but getting there is a hassle and makes one appreciate Microsoft’s efforts in developing Xbox Live. One has to log into Konami’s site and create TWO separate identifications. Each has its own password. It is a mess. It is not a seamless experience. It should be for one of the tent pole titles for the PlayStation 3 system. Once one navigates the passwords, it is a fun experience. None of this should have been there from the beginning. Sony should have created dedicated servers to handle this game. Now, I do not know how their agreement with Konami works, but this should have happened and the experience should have been that much better. Do not let that detract you from an otherwise exceptional example of modern gaming on a console. This title, as it exists, is only possible on the PlayStation 3 system. The game even makes fun of the need to swap out a disk at about the mid point. Disc swapping is not necessary as this comes in on a BD 50 disc. The disc can hold 50 Gigs of data! Going forward, programmers will learn how to exploit the power of the cell processor even more and this depth of gaming is what we, as consumers, should expect. Great game available exclusively for the PlayStation 3 and already at a Sam’s Club near you!

Anyone else out there finish this game? What did you think of it?