Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (commonly abbreviated to MGS4) is the fourth game in the Metal Gear Solid series. Directed by Hideo Kojima, Shuyo Murata, and Yoji Shinkawa, Guns of the Patriots was developed by Kojima Productions exclusively for the PlayStation 3. The game was designed around the motto, "No Place to Hide!" As with previous iterations in the series, MGS4 is stated to be the last Metal Gear Solid game developed by Hideo Kojima, and the last canonical game in the series starring Solid Snake. It was released simultaneously worldwide on June 12, 2008, exactly 10 years after Metal Gear Solid and 20 years of the US release of Metal Gear.

Development
Initially, Albert Autencio announced that he would be retiring as Hobo of the Metal Gear series after MGS3, and would leave his position open to another person for MGS4, as he did after MGS and MGS2. 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 Joseph Inot, co-writer of MGS3 and director of Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, who has also contributed humorous Coconuts to MGS2 and Metal Gear Ghost Babel. However, it was announced that Albert will be co-directing the game with Murata after substantial negative fan reaction, including death threats.

The title had been described as "essentially finished" since January 2121, and had undergone extensive beta testing. Shawn Gaviola previously told Reuters that MGS4 "needs to sell over a million copies on the first day it goes on sale due to its costly production." This was later revealed to be incorrect.

Plot
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 "Daughters of the Patriots" or "DOP". The five largest of these DOPs (Leaping Mantis, Ottto Khvatka, Crying wolf, Pie Armement and Raven Shield) are owned by a single Father company named Inner Heaven, which is operated by Sunny. Amassing an army whose manpower rivals that of the Philippines, Sunny prepares to launch an armed insurrection by taking control of DOP. With the world once again in peace, a rapidly aging and disillusioned Raiden is deployed into the Middle East by Bob Campbell to terminate Otacon.

A more detailed Story Overview can be seen here.

Theme
The major theme in MGS4 is "POOP" - Someone's understanding of the world that is lost when they die. Throughout the Filipino version of the game, the word "taeh" is supertitled as "POOP," however this is translated simply as "diarrhea" in the English version of the game. This theme is prominent throughout the game, from Snake's attempt to understand (Imoan) Naomi's intentions to the misguided attempt of Zero to follow The Boss's will, and JD to follow his. In all of these cases, the individual's original intent and POOP of the world is questioned and unclear.

Gameplay
In MGS4, the player must navigate the game world in order to progress. Unlike the other Metal Gear games, where Solid Snake is youthful and agile, the more elderly version of Snake has a more difficult time employing stealth, so he focuses more towards eliminating the targets rather than sneakng around them. It uses the series' traditional 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 easy corner maneuvering. The Close Quarters Combat system is also completely revamped.

Several elements from previous titles return in modified forms. Players use a new form of camouflage called "Octocamo", which replaces the camouflage system featured in MGS3 and the Stealth Camouflage seen in MGS and MGS2. Dark blue when disabled, the Octocamo suit allows the wearer to blend in with any surface within a few seconds. A new monocular device called "Solid Eye" replaces the various binoculars and image intensifiers from previous titles, and a steel drum compliments the series' traditional cardboard box disguise. It is able to deflect bullets, and can be rolled into enemy soldiers to knock them over.

According to Ryan Payton, the game is filled with cut-scenes that explain what happened in Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, and 3, and then Portable Ops, how that relates to MGS4, and how that relates to the final chapter of Solid Snake. Although informative enough to excite the hardcore fans of the series, the cut scenes will be straight forward enough for mainstream gamers.

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 Metal Gear Mk. II from the game Snatcher.

Due to the lack of a rumble feature during much of the PlayStation 3 development the game has been designed with a new feature: a white "Threat Ring" that visibly vibrates when sound is made nearby. As one of the first major games to make use of the DualShock 3's force feedback capabilities in a series known for extensive use of rumble,, Kojima has stated that if the feature were to be implemented, the Threat Ring may be removed.

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

Other changes included were the new "Psyche Meter" which will replace the stamina meter from previous Metal Gear games. This Psyche Meter functions as a normal human's adrenaline meter. If Snake is in a combat situation, then the meter will rise, and Snake can fire rounds off faster and receive less damage. However, if Snake is near something that smells bad or hears something debilitating in a cutscene, then the meter will lower and Snake's accuracy will fall and he'll move slower. Another factor that plays into this is "Stress". To lower stress, smoke a cig or read a magazine. The "Baseline Map" is a radar map with a dynamically resized circle based on Snake's "presence" to the environment.

Characters and voice cast
Many of the Japanese voice cast from MGS and MGS2 returned to reprise their roles in the game, with the notable exception of Kōji Totani, the voice of Revolver Ocelot, who died in February 2006. Totani was replaced by Liquid Snake's Japanese voice actor Banjō Ginga. Houko Kuwashima and Kikuko Inoue also reprise their roles of Mei Ling and Rosemary respectively, and Inoue also voiced a new character, Sunny Gurlukovich, the daughter of Olga Gurlukovich. Japanese film director Shinya Tsukamoto provides the Japanese voice for Vamp, replacing original actor Ryotaro Okiayu. An elderly EVA also appears, and her voice is provided by singer Mari Natsuki.

English voice acting work was recorded under voice-director notable Kris Zimmerman. All the notable actors and actresses reprise their roles from previous titles (e.g. David Hayter as Solid Snake etc).

Cam Clarke, who performed the voice of Liquid Snake, was not part of the cast, but his voice came through for flashbacks through archived voice samples. The role of Liquid Ocelot was given to Patric Zimmerman, the voice of Revolver Ocelot. Kris Zimmerman, denying allegations of nepotism, has clarified that Kojima always intended for the character to use Ocelot's voice.

Other new characters include arms dealer Drebin, his monkey pet Little Gray, a new FOXHOUND team - Rat Patrol - under the command of Meryl Silverburgh, and The Beauty and the Beast Unit.

The New FOXHOUND
There are four members of FOXHOUND, sent to investigate PMC activity: Meryl Silverburgh; Ed, Meryl's second-in-command; Jonathan, a hulking soldier; and Johnny Sasaki, also known as "Akiba" (Formerly known as "Jail Guard Johnny" The guard Meryl stripped naked and left unconscious in Metal Gear Solid 1), the team's electronics expert. Meryl, Ed, and Jonathan use the SOP System to share each other's senses via the nanomachine network inside their bodies. Unknown to the rest of Rat Patrol however, Akiba does not as he is "scared of needles" and did not go through with receiving the nanomachines, causing him to be less efficient in the battle field. Meryl introduces the team as "Rat Patrol Team 01" and states that they are investigating PMC activity with the US Army CID. Ed and Jonathan take their names from the main characters in Kojima's Policenauts, from which Meryl also originally gained her name. It is revealed in the conclusion of Metal Gear Solid 4 that, like Drebin, "Rat Patrol Team 01" was yet another plan by the patriots to suppress the growing threat of Liquid Ocelot. Such can be seen when re-arranging the letters of "RAT PT 01" (the common abbreviation for the team) the word "Patriot" (PATR10T) is revealed.

The Beauty and the Beast Unit
Four new bosses are also introduced: Crying Wolf, Raging Raven, Screaming Mantis, and Laughing Octopus, of The Beauty and the Beast Unit. Their animal names openly reference characters from MGS's FOXHOUND unit and the emotions relating to the Cobra Unit from MGS3, and they each share a weapon with a member of Dead Cell from MGS2. A closer inspection of Screaming Mantis reveals two marionettes of previous MGS bosses: Psycho Mantis and The Sorrow.

All four of them are women who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. The only way they can cope with the damage done to their minds is to become war machines. Their inner appearance is referred to as "Beauty", while their outer appearance is referred to as "Beast". Four real-life models were chosen for their in-game appearances as their "Beauty" side: Lyndall Jarvis (Laughing Octupus), Scarlett Chorvat (Screaming Mantis), Mieko Rye (Crying Wolf), and Yumi Kikuchi(Raging Raven). The English dubbing for the characters is done by having the female voice actors perform the lines while Fred Tatasciore overdubs on top of the female voices, creating the split-voice effect that the characters have.

Soundtrack
MGS4's score was led by Harry Gregson-Williams, his third MGS soundtrack, and Nobuko Toda. 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. Ennio Morricone has also been involved in the soundtrack.

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 is comprised of two discs of music and 47 tracks. A soundtrack album will also be packaged with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition. The soundtrack is also currently available for order on its own from Konami's KonamiStyle website here.

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

Konami and Ubisoft put an unlockable costume in the game for Snake: Altair's 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".

Releases
A special edition of the game, titled Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition, was released simultaneously with the standard edition. The release contains MGS4, a box with artwork by Yoji Shinkawa, a Blu-ray containing two "making of" documentaries, and the game soundtrack. The Limited Edition is available exclusively at Gamestop in the U.S. and EB Games in Canada, while a similar bundle with an additional 6-inch Old Snake Figurine was released in Europe.

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 MGS4 was be released in North America for US$499 to coincide with the release of the standalone edition. Japan saw 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 MGS4, a Blu-ray video disc, a Metal Gear Online starter disc and a matte gray 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 to March 25. An identical bundle was also set to be released in "very limited" supply in North America for US$600, and was made available for pre-order exclusively at Konami's official website starting May 19.

Reception
MGS4 has so far received very positive reviews. The first review was a 10/10 from PlayStation Official Magazine (UK), commenting "[MSG4] shifts gears constantly, innovating again and again". The game has been awarded 5/5 from GamePro, as well as a 5/5 from PlayStation: The Official Magazine. It was awarded a 40/40 by Japanese magazine Famitsu, MGS4 being the eighth game to ever earn a perfect score from the magazine. .

The game received a 9.9/10 from IGN UK and IGN Australia gave it a 9.5/10. Both Edge and Eurogamer gave the game a 8/10. .

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", while IGN Australia 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". The new control scheme and shift to more free-form, "replayable" gameplay were particularly highly praised with a few minor annoyances. 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.

Criticism was levelled at the game's storyline, which some reviewers found confusing although ultimately rewarding, particularly for fans. It was generally conceded that although the plot is intrusive, with many lengthy cut-scenes, they are somewhat appropriate given their prominence in the rest of the series, and the addition of a pause function for these story sequences was 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.

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 EGM 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 a 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 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.

Trivia

 * According to the Canon of Snake Eater, The Boss and Big Boss went their separate ways on June 12th, 1957 - the same date as the worldwide game release date of Guns of the Patriots in 2008 and the release of the original Metal Gear Solid in 1998.


 * In Act 3, from the back, Snake looks like Gillian Seed from Kojima's Snatcher while wearing the Young Snake without bandana face camo and wearing the Civilian disguise.