Metal Gear Solid 4 Preview

[Hero-of-Time]

Just found this on G-Faqs who nicked it from the Jan issue of the Official Playstation Magazine.

 

 

All questions answered?

After trailers, teasers, and countless printed column inches and disposable digital coverage you’d think we were all fully apprised of what to expect from Metal Gear Solid 4. But be it the cryptic information of dance of genius director Hideo Kojima keeping us constantly unbalanced or a simple case of being lost in translation, even some of the franchise’s most hardcore fans couldn’t definitively put a finger on how MGS4 would play.

We know how it will look, As a frontline PS3 showstopper, MGS4 has with every showing elevated itself to the position of bona fide system seller. Enthusiasts still wanting to jump on the Playstation bandwagon cite MGS4 as the tipping game. How can you not? Solid Snake, hair flecked grey by time and the accelerated aging of his cloned heritage is probably the biggest hero on the Playstation. Those teasers also introduced series characters that will play a role in this spiritual sequel to metal gear Solid 2.

As the announced final game in the metal gear series, associate producer Ryan Payton confirmed to us that the claim that Guns of the Patriots would answer every unresolved question was absolutely deadly serious. What if MGS4 is your first Metal gear game? Will this information fly over your head? Possibly, but the presentation should allow you to stay clued into the big picture progress. For series veterans, when a past scene is conjured in the story, you can hold down a button to view a quick scene from the original game. So when you hear about Metal Gear Rex, you’ll have access to flashback that plays from the earlier MG game to provide background to your current situation. You should be prepared to sit back and watch the action unfold in several areas, as the cinematic cutscenes are currently estimated as running a full four hours. â€it’s definitely more than MGS3,†Payton confirmed.

 

Hands-on playtest.

Making progress is a big deal for MGS4. For the first time, you’ll be pointed to your current mission objective on-screen. In part that’s a response to the vast world being potentially unwieldy as you manage so many skills, moves, and even remote mechanical devices. Your Octocamo suit lets you blend into any surface. It’s completely seamless as you control Snake’s movement, ducking behind cover, and blending to a patterned tile finish. Some 300 surface textures ensures that Snake’s suit will be well stocked with chameleon abilities come the conclusion of the game. (While Ryan Payton’s job as Associate Producer sounds awesome, filled with critical gameplay responsibility, he also has to name all 300 surface textures individually since once stored in the Octocamo they can be called on for whatever situation you’re in to provide critical cover.)

 

During our playtest we faced off against several enemies. They flanked, sought cover, and frankly provided the kind of challenge that gamers may well appreciate for its realism, but required all new level of awareness from us to be effective in tight situations. But then the moment occurred that sold us beyond any trailer, PR spiel, or even past familiarity could deliver.

Though hidden behind cover, our position was blown. The grenade that sailed to within a few feet was just additional detritus. So when it exploded, propelling us several feet into a prostate state of being dazed, injured, and mostly dead, the shock factor was sufficient to freeze our movements. Good job. If we’d flicked the analog stick just a smidge we’d have alerted the approaching guards that our feigned death state was more feign than death. Our breath held as tight as our lungs would allow, the guards approached, and spotting our prone body, crouched and swiped a hand over this apparent mass of worm fodder. It was magic. Confirming to their superiors that the threat was neutralized, we could jump behind cover, and plan some major payback.

Seriously, we dare you to move in that situation. It was intense, stylish and utterly realistic as animations kicked in that we didn’t even imagine they existed. With 200 staffers on the project, it’s absolutely evident where the work of the thirty animators was well utilized.

 

Ready for Launch

Payton had to rerecord a few lines of dialogue to direct players on how to deal with certain challenges. An armored Striker comes into view, and so many gamers at Tokyo game Show started lobbing grenades at it that it was clear better messaging was needed for Snake to know that this tactic wouldn’t work. But such is the complexity of MGS4’s gameplay that we’re not surprised it has required additional time to be readied for perfection. Just jumping into the game worlds, meeting with the PMC allies that you can fight alongside, trading weapons with them to ensure the good guys are always as well stocked as possible, is a deep, intense experience.

We’re waiting for all those questions to be answered. And as we wait we can tell you that MGS4 plays with such amazing acuity that the addition of MGO to the main product is merely an icing on the cake that’s cooking in the hands of such talented chefs that we have no doubt their talents will shine come release day. No doubt, no question, no argument: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (even before the metal gear Online addition) was out top choice for “must have†of 2008, and the integration of the online element simply serves to enhance that position. Pre-order. Now.

[Caris]

Will there be a Cardboard box in the game?