This article contains spoilers
In 1998, Hideo Kojima and Konami released Metal Gear Solid, an action-adventure, stealth game that started a legacy. Though not the first title in the Metal Gear franchise, Metal Gear Solid innovated not just the action-adventure genre but video games in general, introducing fully voiced cinematic cutscenes rendered with the in-game engine. With its success with Metal Gear Solid, Konami released its sequel Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and prequel Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater on the PlayStation 2.
In 2008 Konami launched Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, taking place nine years after the events of Metal Gear Solid. MGS 4 sees the return of Solid Snake, now gray-haired and middle-aged due to his accelerated aging, on a final mission to stop Liquid Ocelot and his newly formed Outer Haven. Metal Gear Solid 4 sees the return of many fan-favorite characters, including Meryl Silverburgh and Dr. Naomi Hunter from MGS, Vamp and Raiden from MGS2, and Eva and Big Boss from MGS3. Hideo Kojima promised to wrap up Solid Snake’s story along with answering many questions that were left unanswered, such as Vamp’s immortality and Liquid Snake’s possession of Ocelot at the end of MGS2.
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Metal Gear Solid 4 retooled the mechanics of the franchise, and going with a more standard over-the-shoulder shooting camera allowed Snake to take out his enemies with more precision. Taking away the camo swapping that was introduced in MGS3, Snake comes equipped with a state of the art OctoCamo suit, which takes the texture of any surface that Snake is leaning on and mimics its appearance, similar to an octopus or chameleon. Snake also has the option to buy and customize his weapons and equipment. And with a black market arms dealer named Drebin, Snake is able to buy sniper rifles and sub-machine guns and customize his arsenal with scopes, silencers, and many other options.
Doing away with the traditional codec messages from past MGS titles, Snake is accompanied by Metal Gear Mk. II, a small robot that follows Snake around collecting ammo and stealthily eliminating enemies with its taser while providing communication between Snake and Otacon. Metal Gear Solid 4 once again featured the music of Harry Gregson-Williams, along with Metal Gear Acid composer Nobuko Toda, bringing to life battles with the Beauty and the Beast bosses and street battles in a fictional European city.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots has an average Metacritic score of 94/100. The game won multiple "Game of the Year" awards from major publications and sold over 5 million units in its first financial year. PSU gave Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots a perfect 10 with an average user score of 9.7.
The Metal Gear Solid franchise has become a mainstream name in the gaming industry. From Hideo Kojima’s gripping storytelling to its memorable and tear-filled moments, MGS 4 left its mark this generation. Watching Snake’s tired body crawling though a microwave tunnel left a memorable impression on me, but it was just one of many unforgettable moments, from a motor bike chase down the streets of Europe to a massive duel between Metal Gear Rex and Metal Gear Ray on the deserted island of Shadow Moses.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is just one "PS3 Game of the Generation." Stay tuned to PSU as we showcase more of what we consider the best on PS3. If you agree or disagree with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, let us know in the forums or comments below.