Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
The North American box art for Guns of the Patriots.
Developer(s)	Kojima Productions
Publisher(s)	Konami
Designer(s)	Hideo Kojima (producer, director, writer) Shuyo Murata (director, writer) Kenichiro Imaizumi (producer) Yoji Shinkawa (director, character designer)
Composer(s)	Kazuma Jinnouchi
Series	Metal Gear
Platform(s)	PlayStation 3
Release	June 12, 2008
Genre(s)	Stealth Action
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer online (Metal Gear Online only, downloadable content)

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (メタルギアソリッド4) (commonly abbreviated to MGS4) is a stealth action video game. Directed by Hideo Kojima, Shuyo Murata and Yoji Shinkawa, Guns of the Patriots was developed by Kojima Productions exclusively for the PlayStation 3 video game console. It is the seventh title in the Metal Gear series and the first in its fourth generation. The game, designed around the motto, "No Place to Hide!", is the last Metal Gear game developed by Hideo Kojima, and the last game in the series starring the protagonist Solid Snake. The game was released worldwide on June 12, 2008, 10 years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and 20 years after the US release of the first Metal Gear.

Gameplay

File:94408-10-1.jpg

Gameplay of Metal Gear Solid 4.

In Metal Gear Solid 4, the player (Old Snake) must navigate the game world in order to progress, using stealth and cunning in addition to traditional combat. It uses third person view with full camera manipulation, but also allows the freedom to play in first-person mode, as well as an over the shoulder view which can be switched from right shoulder to left for corner maneuvering. The Close Quarters Combat system has been completely revamped.

Several elements from previous titles return in modified forms. Players can also use a new form of camouflage called "Octocamo," which replaces the camouflage system featured in Metal Gear Solid 3. The normally dark-blue OctoCamo suit allows the wearer to blend in with any surface within a few seconds. Players use the Sixaxis controller's motion-sensing capability to reset the OctoCamo to its default color. A new monocular device called "Solid Eye" replaces the various binoculars and image intensifiers from previous titles, and a steel drum complements the series' traditional cardboard box disguise. It is able to deflect bullets, and can be rolled to knock enemy soldiers over, but can lead to Snake being sick should the player roll around too much.

The game is filled with cut scene "flashbacks" (although they're not actually cut scenes, but still photos of past events or characters) that explain what happened in previous Metal Gear Solid games and how that relates to the events of MGS4. Players are able to choose whether to view these scenes by pressing the X button [O button in some countries] on their controller when prompted. Players also have the choice of watching the Mission Briefing cut scenes from predetermined camera angles or exploring them with the Metal Gear Mk. II.

Snake is also partnered with a robotic drone, the Metal Gear Mk. II, which allows him to communicate with other characters, in addition to the CODEC radio system from previous games. It is also capable of engaging enemies using an electric shock, as well as providing reconnaissance. This drone is reminiscent of Gillian Seed's robotic sidekick of the same name from another Hideo Kojima game, Snatcher.

Due to the lack of force feedback (an important part in previous titles) from the PlayStation 3 during much of the development, the game had been designed with a new feature: a white "Threat Ring," that visibly shakes when sound is made nearby. As a series known for extensive use of force feedback, when Sony announced the reintroduction of a new DualShock 3, MGS4 was announced as one of the first major games to make use of the restored capabilities.

Snake's health plays a small factor during gameplay. If injured on the battlefield, cuts and burns will remain on his skin. However, the developers wished to avoid putting the stress of maintaining Snake's health onto the players, so he wears a muscle suit, allowing players to move in a similar fashion to previous games.

Snake has a meter and an index that replaces the stamina bar from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The index, "Stress," is based on current fighting and climate conditions. This can cause Snake to go into a "combat high," that increases his accuracy and reduces damage sustained. However this effect will eventually wear off and could cause Snake to momentarily collapse. Smoking a cigarette calms Snake down. The meter, "Psyche," slowly drops over time reducing Snake's accuracy. Many items in the game -- such as the iPod, muña, and adult magazines -- will increase the meter, as will consuming ReGain Energy Drinks, noodles, and military rations, or using a compress on Snake's sore back muscles.

There is also a "Baseline Map" which is a radar map with a dynamic circle based on Snake's "presence" in regards to the environment. Accessible through the main menu, the Virtual Range is a test facility that allows the player to access the game's library of weapons as well as practice Snake's CQC moves.

Plot

Characters

The cast of the game is comprised mainly of characters from previous Metal Gear Solid games, although a few new characters are introduced as well. A prematurely aged Solid Snake returns as the game's sole playable character under the new codename Old Snake. Assisting him are Roy Campbell, his former commanding officer; Otacon, his sidekick since the original Metal Gear Solid; Naomi Hunter, the scientist who injected him with the FOXDIE virus; Meryl Silverburgh, heroine of Metal Gear Solid, now the leader of Rat Patrol Team 01, a military unit sent to investigate PMC activities; Mei Ling, Snake's former data analyst and now Captain of the recommissioned USS Missouri (BB-63); Raiden, the protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, now a Cyborg Ninja; Rosemary, Raiden's former girlfriend, who now works as a psychological counselor; and EVA from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, now a resistance fighter named Big Mama.

File:FOXHOUND Unit depicted in MGS4.jpg

Left to right: Ed, Meryl, Jonathan and Johnny.

Also assisting Snake are Drebin, a gun launderer accompanied by his pet monkey, Little Gray; Sunny, Olga Gurlukovich's daughter, who was rescued from the Patriots; and the other members of Rat Patrol Team 01, which consist of Ed, the team's second-in-command, radio man, and sniper; Jonathan, a hulking soldier; and Johnny, nicknamed "Akiba", the team's electronics expert. Jonathan and Ed are named after the main characters of Hideo Kojima's Template:Vgy adventure game Policenauts, from which Meryl debuted as a supporting character. Johnny was the guard stripped naked by Meryl in MGS1.

The antagonist of the game is Liquid Ocelot, formerly Revolver Ocelot, an agent of the Patriots until his mind was apparently possessed by Liquid Snake as a result of an arm transplant. On Liquid Ocelot's side are: Vamp, a surviving Dead Cell member from Metal Gear Solid 2; The Beauty and The Beast Corps; and his private army, the Haven Troops. The ghost of Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear Solid also makes a special cameo in the game.

File:Metal-gear-solid-4-guns-of-the-patriots beauty-beast-unit.jpg

The Beauty and the Beast Corps.

The Beauty and the Beast Corps serves as the central boss characters of Metal Gear Solid 4: its members are Crying Wolf, Raging Raven, Screaming Mantis, and Laughing Octopus. Their animal names openly reference the members of FOXHOUND from MGS, their emotions relating to the Cobras from MGS3, and their weapons taken from Dead Cell members from MGS2. A close inspection of Screaming Mantis reveals two marionettes of previous MGS bosses: Psycho Mantis and The Sorrow, both of whom were psychics. All four of them are women who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder that have become war machines. Their inner appearance is referred to as "Beauty", while their outer appearance is referred to as "Beast". Four models were chosen for their in-game appearances as their "Beauty" side: Lyndall Jarvis (Laughing Beauty), Scarlett Chorvat (Screaming Beauty), Mieko Rye (Crying Beauty), and Yumi Kikuchi (Raging Beauty). The voice acting for the characters is done by having the female voice actors perform the lines while a male voice (Shozo Iizuka in Japanese and Fred Tatasciore in English) overdubs on top of the female voices, creating a split-voice effect for the characters.

Story

Set in 2014, five years after the "Big Shell Incident" (the events of the Plant Chapter from Metal Gear Solid 2), Metal Gear Solid 4 portrays a world where the restriction of military intervention on foreign soil has been eased, fueling the need for private military companies (PMCs) to fight proxy wars for business purposes. Nanotechnology has become prominent, both to enhance the capabilities and enforce the loyalty of mercenaries. The nanomachine system that PMCs use is called "Sons of the Patriots" or "SOP". The five largest of these PMCs (Praying Mantis, Otselotovaya Khvatka, Werewolf, Pieuvre Armement and Raven Sword) are owned by a single mother company named Outer Heaven, operated by Liquid Ocelot. Amassing an army whose manpower rivals that of the United States, Liquid prepares to launch an armed insurrection by taking control of SOP. With the world once again in crisis, a rapidly aging and disillusioned Solid Snake is deployed into the Middle East by Roy Campbell to terminate Liquid. Guns of the Patriots takes place in five locations: the Middle East, South America, Eastern Europe, Shadow Moses Island, and Outer Haven.

Act 1 - Liquid Sun

Snake begins his mission by infiltrating a war-torn Middle Eastern city with a local militia convoy. The militia is locked in conflict with troops from Praying Mantis, one of Liquid's PMCs. After the convoy is decimated by Praying Mantis troops and Gekko units, Snake meets up with Metal Gear Mk. II, a robotic drone Otacon developed to assist him remotely, and receives orders to meet up with Campbell's informants, Rat Patrol Team 01. On the way to the rendezvous point, Snake encounters Drebin 893, a "gun launderer" who can unlock ID-locked weapons found on the battlefield. Drebin agrees to launder the ID-locked weapons Snake obtains as long as Snake provides him with the extra firearms he acquires. After leaving Drebin, Snake meets up with Rat Patrol in the abandoned Advent Palace hotel and is shocked to learn that Meryl Silverburgh is the leader of the team. After Snake and Meryl discuss their assignments and pasts, Advent Palace is raided by Liquid's elite soldiers, the FROGs. Rat Patrol, with Snake's help, escapes the building. Snake continues towards the main Praying Mantis camp, where Liquid was last sighted, and prepares to assassinate him. Before he can carry out his objective, an unknown force causes all of the soldiers in the area to collapse in pain and begin violently attacking each other. The nearby members of Rat Patrol are also affected. As Liquid escapes in his helicopter, Snake also collapses, but as his vision fades, he is given a syringe by Dr. Naomi Hunter and is carried away to safety by Johnny Sasaki, the lone unaffected member of Meryl's team.

Act 2 - Solid Sun

Following Snake's rescue, Otacon receives an encoded message from Naomi, which explains that she is being held captive in South America. Snake plans to take advantage of a rebel uprising in the area to sneak into the base of Pieuvre Armement, another of Liquid's PMCs, where Naomi is being held. Snake infiltrates the area and meets up with Drebin, who reveals that The Patriots are actually a network of five AIs. Four AIs are named after US Presidents: GW, TJ, TR and AL. These are controlled and regulated by the 5th AI named JD (John Doe), the core AI. After Snake finds Naomi, she explains that Liquid is planning to use Big Boss's genetic information to access JD and take control of SOP (Sons of the Patriots), the system of nanomachines and ID-authentifications which allow the Patriots to monitor and control soldiers. She also explains that Snake's aging is due to intentional gene manipulation of Big Boss's clones, and that he will have a shortened lifespan. However, his shortened lifespan is less of a concern to Naomi than the fact that the FOXDIE virus in Snake's body has begun to mutate. She estimates that in 3 months the virus will have become mutated enough to attack anyone, not just the people it was programmed to target; he has become "a walking biological weapon". After Snake defeats Beauty and the Beast Corps. member Laughing Octopus, Snake and Naomi escape with Drebin, defended by Raiden, who mysteriously resurfaces as a Cyborg Ninja after disappearing for several years. Raiden holds off numerous Gekkos and a resurrected Vamp while Otacon rescues Snake and Naomi via helicopter, but is seriously wounded in the process. Raiden leaps onto the helicopter but soon loses consciousness; before he blacks out, he briefly mentions that a Dr. Madnar in Eastern Europe can help him.

Act 3 - Third Sun

On the Nomad, Naomi explains that Big Boss is in fact alive, although brain dead. His body is in the control of the resistance group Paradise Lost in Eastern Europe. While Snake locates the group, Naomi and Sunny take Raiden to get his required dialysis from Dr. Madnar. By stalking a Paradise Lost member Snake manages to find their leader, Big Mama, who reveals herself to be EVA, the surrogate mother of Solid and Liquid and former lover of Big Boss. She reveals the origins of the Patriots, founded by Major Zero forty years ago. An army led by Raging Raven suddenly attacks the group's hideout, and Snake and Mama escape on a motorcycle, along with decoy vans to keep the attackers from finding Big Boss's body. At the end of the chase, the motorcycle crashes, and Mama is wounded. Snake is attacked by Raging Raven, and is forced to fight her. When Snake returns from the battle with Raven, he and Mama escape down a sewer connecting to the Volta River, where Liquid is waiting for them, and displays his power over SOP by incapacitating an entire army of American troops mentally, through his ability to lock down the system controlling their nanomachines. He incinerates Big Boss, and Big Mama is severely burned attempting to rescue him. The left side of Snake's face is badly burned as he rescues her from the flames. As Liquid makes his escape in a gunboat down the river, Big Mama dies in Snake's arms.

Act 4 - Twin Suns

Liquid's final plan is to destroy JD, the Patriot's core AI, so that he may seize control of the Patriots' network with GW, which Liquid apparently repaired and took control of shortly after the Manhattan incident. To this end, Liquid plans to use the only WMDs not still controlled by the Patriots: the stealth warheads launched by Metal Gear REX's rail gun, to fire a nuclear warhead at JD, which is housed within a satellite disguised as orbital debris. Snake returns to Shadow Moses Island, where REX has remained in the nine years after the events of Metal Gear Solid, to stop Liquid from stealing it. After defeating Crying Wolf and a squadron of FROGs, Snake approached Metal Gear REX to find that its Rail Gun has been removed. In the hangar, Snake is attacked by Vamp until the timely arrival of Raiden. Snake fights off a unit of self-destructing Gekko while Raiden finally defeats and kills Vamp, after Snake suppresses the nanomachines which give Vamp his apparent immortality. Naomi then appears and ends her life by suppressing her own nanomachines, allowing her cancer to kill her. Otacon manages to reactivate REX, and Snake and Raiden pilot it to escape to the harbour. Raiden, defending from the rear, becomes trapped under some rubble, while Snake uses REX to fight Metal Gear RAY piloted by Liquid. After the fight Liquid reveals his ultimate weapon: a battleship based on stolen Arsenal Gear prototype blueprints, named "Outer Haven", with REX's Rail Gun mounted on it. Liquid tries to crush the crippled Snake by ramming Haven into the dockside, but Raiden cuts off his own arm to escape the rubble and is able to restrain the ship temporarily, allowing Snake to escape with his life.

Act 5 - Old Sun

Aboard the re-commissioned battleship USS Missouri, Mei Ling plans to catch up with Outer Haven, which needs to wait until it is as physically close to JD's satellite as possible in order to get the most precise shot from the Rail Gun. A strike team consisting of Snake, Meryl and Johnny is created in order to infiltrate GW's physical processor and upload a computer virus that will destroy the AI. Infiltrating the vessel, Snake defeats Screaming Mantis, who is revealed to have the implanted personality of Psycho Mantis. Snake is forced to leave Meryl, Johnny, and Raiden behind to hold off FROG units while he approaches GW through a corridor lined with microwave emitters which nearly burn him alive. Though Snake is severely weakened by the heat exposure and overwhelmed by Outer Haven security drones, the Mk. III manages to upload the virus. The virus unexpectedly uses GW as a conduit to infect the whole AI network, destroying all five Pariot AIs, disabling SOP and all military systems implementing it worldwide, including Liquid's, saving the lives of Raiden, Meryl, Akiba and all personnel aboard the Missouri who were under attack from Outer Haven. A video recording of Naomi set to play back after the destruction of the Patriots explains to Snake and Otacon that SOP was just the beginning of the Patriot's plans, and that they had intended to implement nanomachine personality control worldwide. She goes on to explain that she and Sunny designed the virus as the antithesis to FOXDIE; as the nanomachines used in SOP were technological derivatives of Naomi's FOXDIE, the new virus would atone for Naomi's mistake by shutting down the the nanomachine system. For this reason, the new virus was named 'FOXALIVE'. Sunny's programming also made sure that in destroying the Patriot AIs, SOP and the War Economy, FOXALIVE would preserve the systems controlling vital and benign world infrastructures such as water, air, telecommunications and the internet.

The U.S. Marines easily take over the now-defenseless Outer Haven, its unmanned units deactivated and its soldiers in a state of withdrawal from the SOP nanomachines. In the confusion, Liquid takes Snake to the sail of Outer Haven and thanks him for accomplishing Liquid's own goals. His plan to use REX's rail gun was just a diversion so that Snake's own attempts to bring down the system would go unnoticed by the Patriots, who had anticipated Snake protecting them by stopping Liquid. Ocelot had allowed the will of Liquid to live on within his body through the use of hypnosis and auto-suggestion, perpetuating both Liquid's own agenda against the Patriots, as well as the feud between the two sons of Big Boss. Ocelot allowed Liquid's personality to carry out it's plan against the Patriots, knowing that JD would be allocating its resources into stopping Liquid and not into preventing the upload of FOXALIVE. After this revelation, Liquid's personality declares that they have 'a score to settle', and acts upon his final wish within Ocelot's body for the sons of Big Boss engage in one final unarmed fight on top of Outer Haven. As Snake and Liquid wage thier brutal fist fight, Ocelot's personality gradually resurfaces, culminating in the use of his trademark hand gestures. His last words are "You're pretty good...", echoing his taunts against Big Boss during the events of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

Epilogue - Naked Sin

In the epilogue, Meryl and Akiba get married. Their wedding, held on an airfield, is attended by the members of Rat Patrol, Otacon, Sunny, Drebin, Mei Ling and Campbell. Meryl reconciles with Campbell. Raiden's body is reconstructed and made to look normal, and he reunites with his fiancée Rose and their son. Rose reveals that her marriage to Roy Campbell was a charade to keep her protected from the Patriots during the course of Raiden's mission. Snake attempts to commit suicide by gunshot in the graveyard housing the graves of Big Boss and The Boss in order to prevent his mutated FoxDie strain from spreading further, stating that killing himself is his "final mission." Drebin reveals to Otacon he was a child soldier who was adopted by the Patriots with the intention of raising him to become a gun launderer. He also explains that Rat Patrol 01 (RAT PT 01) is an anagram of PATR10T, showing that the Patriots had been manipulating Meryl's team from the behind the scenes as well.

Debriefing - Naked Son

Back at the cemetery, it is revealed that Snake fired the gun in another direction, and didn't kill himself. A familiar voice approaches Snake and encourages him not to kill himself. Snake turns in disbelief to find Big Boss standing before him. Big Boss tells Snake that the body burned on the Volta was actually that of Solidus, and that he was reconstructed with surgery using parts from both Solidus and Liquid's bodies, and kept alive with intensive nanomachine technology similar to that used to restrain members of the B&B Corps. He brings Major Zero along with him, now elderly and confined to a wheelchair in a vegetative state.

Big Boss explains that Zero created the Patriots as an interpretation of The Boss' will, along with Eva, Ocelot, Sigint, Para-Medic and Big Boss himself. As the Patriots became more and more influential in society, Zero became a megalomaniac, obsessed with uniformity and erasing individuality, leading Big Boss to become disaffected enough to leave the Patriots and form Outer Heaven as another interpretation of the Boss' will. Big Boss was followed out of the Patriots by EVA and Ocelot, who joined him in his struggle to end the Patriots. As Zero became elderly, control of the Patriots was increasingly left in the hands of JD and the proxy AIs, who further misinterpreted Zero's will and completely alienated themselves from the original will of The Boss. JD sought ways to control the masses through manipulation of the economy, (which lead to the War Economy), digital information (which lead to the creation of Arsenal Gear) and eventually personalities (which became the SOP system). He goes on to explain that Ocelot willingly used hypnosis, nanomachines and psychotherapy to assimilate the personality of Liquid Snake, in order to fool the system and propagate the feud between the sons of Big Boss. He takes it upon himself to "send Zero back to nothing", and euthanizes Zero by turning off his life support.

Big Boss reveals that the injection given to Snake by Drebin in Act 1 included a new strain of FoxDie, created by the proxy AIs in order to kill the surviving defectors of the Patriots, explaining the deaths of EVA and Ocelot. Big Boss also relays Naomi's message that the new FoxDie strain has neutralized the older strain, meaning that Snake is no longer in danger of becoming a biological weapon. After telling Snake this, Big Boss also reveals that the newer FoxDie is already affecting him, and that he, Big Boss, is being attacked one last time by the Patriots through Snake. He finally makes peace with Snake before dying on The Boss' gravestone, his last words being: "This is good... Isn't it?"

In the post-credits scene, Snake explains to Otacon that he will spend his remaining days attempting to simply live his life (and has also quit smoking). Otacon wishes to come with him in order to chronicle the last days of Solid Snake. Snake initially refuses but with some persuasion ultimately relents, allowing Otacon and Sunny to accompany him.

Development

Hideo Kojima announced that he would be retiring as director of the Metal Gear series after Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and would leave his position open to another person for Metal Gear Solid 4. As a joke, the new director was announced as "Alan Smithee", but in R, a 400-page book bundled with Metal Gear Solid 3's Japanese "Premium Package", the director was revealed to be Shuyo Murata, co-writer of MGS3 and director of Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner. He has also contributed humorous easter eggs to Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear: Ghost Babel. However, it was announced that Kojima would be co-directing the game with Murata after substantial negative fan reaction, including death threats.

The title was described as "essentially finished" by January 2008, and went through extensive beta testing. At Destination PlayStation on February 26, 2008, Sony announced that MGS4 would be released worldwide on June 12, 2008, along with the special MGS4 PlayStation 3 bundle.

Guns of the Patriots is the first PS3 game that uses a full 50GB dual layer Blu-ray Disc through extensive efforts in data compression.

Originally, one of Kojima's endings for the game would have had Snake and Otacon turn themselves in for breaking the law, and subsequently they would be convicted and executed, but this idea was vetoed by his team.

Soundtrack

Main article: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Original Soundtrack

The score to Metal Gear Solid 4 is being led by Harry Gregson-Williams, his third Metal Gear Solid soundtrack, and Nobuko Toda, who provided music for Metal Gear Acid and Metal Gear Acid 2. Directed by Norihiko Hibino, GEM Impact employees Yoshitaka Suzuki and Takahiro Izutani also made compositions late in the game's production. Other contributors are Konami employees Shuichi Kobori, Kazuma Jinnouchi, Akihiro Honda, and Sota Fujimori.

There are two vocal themes for the game. The opening theme, "Love Theme", is sung by Jackie Presti and composed by Nobuko Toda. The ending theme, "Here's To You", is sung by Lisbeth Scott. Before the release of the game, "MGS4 - Theme of Love - Smash Bros. Brawl Version" was provided for Super Smash Bros. Brawl in the Shadow Moses Island level.

The official soundtrack was released on May 28, 2008 by Konami Digital Entertainment under the catalog number GFCA-98/9. It consists of two discs of music and 47 tracks. A soundtrack album was also packaged with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition.

Marketing

At a press conference on May 13, 2008, Hideo Kojima announced a marketing campaign and agreements with several companies to promote the game. Apple computers and monitors feature in the game and an Apple iPod is an in-game item that Snake can use to change the background music, listen to in-game podcasts and collect hidden songs scattered throughout the game. ReGain Energy Drinks are used in the game as a Psyche gauge booster, and Sony Ericsson mobile phones are used.

Konami and Ubisoft put an unlockable costume in the game for Snake, Altaïr from the Ubisoft stealth game Assassin's Creed. Initially revealed on April Fool's Day 2008, Kojima later announced that it would actually be in the game, unlockable by doing "something special". To obtain the attire, the player must acquire the "Assassin Emblem", a nod to the game's title.

Konami had originally planned to organize grand launch events in Tokyo, but some of them were canceled with the "safety of participants in mind" in light of the Akihabara massacre on 8 June 2008.

Versions and releases

Limited Edition

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition was released simultaneously with the game's standard edition, as an enhanced counterpart. The limited edition contains Guns of the Patriots, a box with artwork by Yoji Shinkawa, a Blu-ray containing two "making of" documentaries, and the game soundtrack. The Limited Edition was available exclusively at GameStop in the United States and EB Games in Canada, while a similar bundle with an additional 6-inch 'Olive Drab' Old Snake Figurine was made available at Play.com in the United Kingdom.

Console bundles

In North America, a bundle containing an 80GB PlayStation 3, a DualShock 3 wireless controller, a downloadable game coupon from PSN and a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was released for US$499 on June 12 2008 to coincide with the release of the standalone edition. Japan will see the release of the Guns of the Patriots Welcome Box that contains the game itself, a DualShock 3 controller, and a 40GB PS3 in either black, white or silver.

Sony has also announced a limited edition pre-order bundle containing Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition and a matte grey (officially titled Gunmetal Grey) 40GB PlayStation 3. First announced in Japan on March 18, 2008 at a cost of ¥51,800 the bundle sold out within six days from March 20 2008 to March 25 2008. An identical bundle was available in North America for pre-order on May 19, 2008 in "very limited" supply for US$600 at Konami's official website. David Reeves has announced a similar bundle for Europe which includes a 40GB PlayStation 3, the game itself and instead of a DualShock 3 a regular Sixaxis

Related products

Metal Gear Online

Main article: Metal Gear Online

Metal Gear Online (commonly abbreviated to MGO) is the online component of Metal Gear Solid 4. The game features 16-player online stealth battles, encouraging players to engage heavily in teamwork. MGO is distributed with MGS4 in the form of a starter pack, and will eventually see a stand-alone release. The game will also be expanded through downloadable content via the PlayStation Network, potentially for up to 10 years.

The game was in beta testing in Japan from August 20 2007 to September 3 2007; around 3,000 people were selected to join the test sessions. A further beta test was then announced for release in April 2008. US and Canadian customers who pre-ordered Metal Gear Solid 4 in April received an "invite code" along with their documentary DVD, whilst European PlayStation 3 owners were able to download the beta from the PlayStation Store. However, due to many technical difficulties - including busy registration and login servers - it was postponed to April 25 2008 and continued until May 11 2008, promptly shutting down at midnight PST. It then returned on June 12 2008 for the world-wide release of MGS4.

Metal Gear Online is region locked and players can only play others in their own region.

Database

On 19 June 2008, Konami released the Metal Gear Solid 4: Database onto the PlayStation Store in North America and Japan. The Database is a downloadable application for PlayStation 3 that catalogues every piece of Metal Gear lore from all seven canonical entries in the series, in the form of an encyclopedia (browsable by alphabet and category), a timeline, and character relationship diagrams. Highlighted words in each article links to related articles, and it keeps track of which ones the user has already read. The Database automatically locks any items related to MGS4, in order to prevent the leaking of spoilers to those who have not beaten the game. In order to reveal these articles, the user must have a completed MGS4 game save that was created on the same console. The encyclopedia uses the same interface as the one featured in the supplemental discs for the 3DO and PlayStation versions of Policenauts, as well as in the Saturn version of the full game.

Reception

Critical reaction

Metal Gear Solid 4 Game Reviews

Aggregate scores

Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	92% (63 reviews)
Metacritic	96% (63 reviews)

Review scores

Publication	Score
Computer and Video Games	9.5/10
Edge	8/10
Electronic Gaming Monthly	A-
Eurogamer	8/10
Famitsu	40/40
Game Informer	10/10
GamePro	5/5
GamesMaster	97%
GameSpot	10/10
GamesRadar+	9/10
GameTrailers	9.3/10
IGN	10/10
PlayStation Official Magazine – UK	10/10
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine	5/5
X-Play	5/5
Crackshotgames	97%

Metal Gear Solid 4 so far has received high scores and praise from critics, with a 96% aggregate rating at Metacritic and a 92% aggregate rating on Game Rankings. The first review was a 10/10 from PlayStation Official Magazine (UK), commenting "[MGS4] shifts gears constantly, innovating again and again". The game has been awarded 10/10 from Game Informer and a 5/5 from GamePro. The game also received perfect scores from PlayStation: The Official Magazine (5/5), Japanese magazine Famitsu (40/40) and Empire Magazine. The game received a 9.9/10 from IGN UK, a 9.5/10 from IGN AU, and a 10/10 from IGN. IGN was quoted in a video review, saying MGS4 is "one of the best games ever made". Edge and Eurogamer both gave the game 8/10. GameSpot gave it a perfect 10/10 saying "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the most technically stunning video game ever made."

Reviewers were unanimous in approval of the way the title continues and concludes the series. Eurogamer stated that "You could not ask for a funnier, cleverer, more ambitious or inspired or over-the-top conclusion", and IGN AU found that the result "refines the MGS formula and introduces just enough new (or respectfully influenced) ideas to ensure that it stands on its own as a game". Edge concluded that "it is faithful to its fans, its premise and its heart, delivering an experience that is, in so many ways, without equal", while IGN UK describe it simply as "the ultimate Metal Gear game" and "a dazzling, heart-lifting, voyage of discovery".

The new control scheme ("the ideal balance of intuitivness and range"), camouflage system and shift to more free-form, "replayable" gameplay (in particular the Drebin Points system and alternatives to "stealthy" play) were particularly highly praised with a few minor annoyances. The variety of set-piece events, details such as the "psyche" meter, and healthy provision of secrets were also remarked upon. Eurogamer tempered their overall praise with concern that one of the chapters may induce "ennui", but noted that the game quickly recovered, while Edge expressed mild disappointment that the "Beauty and the Beast" unit compare poorly to the previous title's main foes, the "Cobra Unit".

The game was also lauded for its technological and artistic achievements, with Edge describing the "Otacon" character as "the real star", and "a gaming revolution" while they found the game's score to be superior to that of many Hollywood offerings. The magazine felt that the few visual shortfalls (such as texture detail) did nothing to detract from the game's overall quality. IGN UK comment that the attention to detail in both visuals and audio represent "sublime brilliance", and remark upon innovations such as the use of split-screen.

Criticism of the game was largely leveled at the storyline, which reviewers found at times to be confusing or poorly executed and with IGN UK advising players to revisit the earlier titles for clarity. However the overall result was praised as emotionally engaging and topical, and characters such as Liquid Ocelot were singled out for the quality of their depiction. It was generally conceded that although the use of cut scenes is more intrusive than it needs to be (comprising "about half of the content of the game" by one estimate, and which "might make you crave action, or wonder why they couldn't have been turned into interactive sequences"), the style is somewhat appropriate given the rest of the series ("in many ways it's a vindication of Kojima's unique interpretation of the videogame medium") and unlikely to trouble fans. The addition of a pause function for these story sequences was universally welcomed.

Edge and Eurogamer alike concluded that although the game represents an apotheosis of the series style, it ultimately fails to revitalise it, and will not win over new fans. IGN UK were concerned that the game's hype and widespread praise may lead to disappointment, but feel that objectively, the game is a "masterpiece".

Konami review limitations

Several publications have commented on limitations given to pre-release reviewers by Konami, including discussion on the length of cutscenes and size of the PS3 installation. These limitations have resulted in Electronic Gaming Monthly delaying their review. In lieu of a review, the magazine printed a roundtable discussion about the game, with a proper review expected to print in the magazine and post on 1UP.com after Konami's restrictions have been lifted. Kojima Productions spokesperson Ryan Payton has since explained more specifically what the NDA restricts, and has amended "some items [that] are outdated and require more explanation." He also listed the length of install times, noting that the restrictions were intended to prevent spoilers regarding what occurs during the installations.

Following this statement, GameSpot published an article in which they claim they will be unable to review the game either, claiming Konami have withheld review code because of non-compliance with the limitations. The article originally implied that the absence of a review was due to their refusal to attend the "Boot Camp" event at Kojima Productions' offices. However they have revised it to state that the Boot Camp was a mid-development feedback and PR exercise, and would not have led to a review in any case.

The day before Konami's restrictions were to be lifted, Electronic Gaming Monthly reviewer Jeremy Parish clarified the reasons for the self-imposed review embargo, dispelling rumors of a disagreement between Konami and EGM on the review conditions in a lengthy blog commentary. His review of the game appeared on the website shortly after.

The limitations were of particular interest due to a widely-publicised claim by CVG that the game had "cut-scenes that approach the 90 minutes mark", misattributed to PlayStation World magazine. GamePro and Ryan Payton have described this as an exaggeration. A review by Edge describes scenes "perilously close" to 90 minutes in duration, but this has not been commented upon by the publisher.

Sales

According to Enterbrain, MGS4 sold 476,334 copies in its first four days on sale in Japan, which includes copies bundled with the PlayStation 3, and caused a boost in PlayStation 3 sales. The PS3, which usually sells nearly 10,000 units in a given week, went on to sell 77,208 units in MGS4's debut week. According to Chart-Track, the game is the second fastest-selling PlayStation 3 title in the United Kingdom after Grand Theft Auto IV and was below Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty's opening weekend figure by 14,000 copies recorded in 2002; the sales of the PlayStation 3 increased by a "minimal" seven percent over MGS4's opening weekend. Konami has reported that MGS4 sold over one million copies across Europe in its first week, with 25,000 limited-edition copies "snapped up almost immediately". In the United States, MGS4 was the best-selling game in June 2008 selling 774,600 copies (nearly one million if the number of copies bundled with the PS3 were included), causing PS3 sales to double over the previous month, according to the NPD Group. As of June 262008, MGS4 has shipped 3 million copies worldwide.

External links

• Metal Gear Solid 20th Anniversary party
• Metal Gear Solid 4 Global Site

• Metal Gear Wiki, an external wiki