Metal Gear Solid 4 Hands On Impressions

[Gorvi]

Gamespot (http://tgs.gamespot.com/story.html?sid=6179194&pid=926596&tag=topslot%3Btitle%3B3&page=1#) has a lengthy write up detailing their impressions of the playable demo for Metal Gear Solid 4 that was available at the Tokyo Game Show this year. The game seems to be a substantial upgrade over past entries in the series, not the least being the changes that have been made to streamline the controls.
From what we could tell, the biggest changes to MGS4's gameplay are in the shooting controls, which have never been the strongest point in the MGS series. The game uses a low third-person camera like the one first seen in MGS3: Subsistence, so it's already more like a third-person shooter than the previous, predominantly stealth-oriented outings. Furthermore, you'll have an auto-aim setting that you can turn on, which will essentially lock your aim to the enemy most directly in Snake's line of sight. (You'll see a small hovering icon indicating which enemy you're locked on to.) Then you'll hold L1 to engage the lock so that you can fire at and strafe around that enemy while you're running around.

More-skilled players will be able to toggle the auto-aim with a tap of the square button, which makes Snake unable to fire from the hip. Why would you want to do that? Because with auto-aim off, holding L1 will bring the camera down to a Gears of War-style over-the-shoulder firing mode that lets you aim precisely for headshots and the like. You can also switch which of Snake's shoulders you're looking over, depending on the surrounding cover. You lose the advantage of being able to kill enemies on the run with the auto-aim turned off, but we found the manual-aim mode let us kill enemies much more quickly by aiming for the head. You'll also get quite a satisfying rag doll effect when you take troops down this way; they look like they go down hard with the impact of your bullets.

It's being said by many that MGS4 was the game of the show this year at TGS, though it didn't really have very much competition as far as playable games are concerned. Thankfully, it's looking like MGS4 will live up to it's billing when it comes out early next year.

[karak]

It's being said by many that MGS4 was the game of the show this year at TGS.
By who? The last four main game websites I went to all registered it as 3rd or lower in their top ten lists.

[Gorvi]

By who? The last four main game websites I went to all registered it as 3rd or lower in their top ten lists.
A few podcasts that I've listened to. Just out of curiosity, what did they rank above it?

[Rune_74]

Ninja gaiden 2...I kid I kid:P To be honest I think this years tgs was pretty tame on anything really new....maybe I'm missing something?

[Sloth]

anyone see rainy woods? i saw the trailer and thought , what the hell is this? looked like some really bad david lynch rip off.

[SalaciousPuck]

I found MGS 2 & 3 vastly overrated. The back story is pretentious, told painfully slow, and the spots of game play seem tedious. Nice graphics though.

I think MGS 4 is getting a lot of attention cause it's THE game for the PS3. There is not much else to look forward to there.

[jromero]

I think MGS 4 is getting a lot of attention cause it's THE game for the PS3. There is not much else to look forward to there.

Metal Gear Solid 2: 7 million worldwide (http://www.contactmusic.com/new/home.nsf/webpages/metalgearsolid3x21x05x03)
Metal Gear Solid 3: 3.7 million worldwide (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs3_sub/uk/mgs/mgs3.html)

I think it's safe to say that it's due to it being a flat out amazing series, opinions withstanding.

[oldjadedgamer]

Metal Gear Solid 2: 7 million worldwide (http://www.contactmusic.com/new/home.nsf/webpages/metalgearsolid3x21x05x03)
Metal Gear Solid 3: 3.7 million worldwide (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs3_sub/uk/mgs/mgs3.html)

I think it's safe to say that it's due to it being a flat out amazing series, opinions withstanding.

Wow, sales almost cut in half going from the second to the third one?

[Gorvi]

Wow, sales almost cut in half going from the second to the third one?
Yeah, that's really unfortunate, too, because 3 was far superior to 2, though I don't remember 3 getting hyped up nearly as much as 2. MGS2 also got released on the XBOX and PC as well, while 3 was only on the PS2.

[Johan]

Yeah, that's really unfortunate, too, because 3 was far superior to 2, though I don't remember 3 getting hyped up nearly as much as 2. MGS2 also got released on the XBOX and PC as well, while 3 was only on the PS2.

More proof that exclusivity can hurt, even on the monster base that is the PS2...

Frankly, beyond titles developed or published by Sony or MS or Nintendo, I can't understand why ANY company would stay on just one particular platform. :confused:

[Rafer]

Yeah, that's really unfortunate, too, because 3 was far superior to 2, though I don't remember 3 getting hyped up nearly as much as 2. MGS2 also got released on the XBOX and PC as well, while 3 was only on the PS2.

I think MGS4 will do well, I'll make a prediction that MGS3 will be regarded as the Final Fantasy IX of the series (good game, but less sales than the games before and after).

I think the problem was with all the AAA games coming out in late 2004 (San Andreas, Halo 2, Half-Life 2, World of Warcraft and more) somebody was going to get squeezed out.

[oldjadedgamer]

Yeah, that's really unfortunate, too, because 3 was far superior to 2, though I don't remember 3 getting hyped up nearly as much as 2. MGS2 also got released on the XBOX and PC as well, while 3 was only on the PS2.

I forgot about those and that they would be included in the sales figures as well when it was multiplatform. I heard from a lot of people that 3 was better then 2 as well but I do find it odd that Konami cut off the MGS3 servers not even a year after it came out.

It's weird that this title is exclusive considering that Konami has whored the MGS franchise to pretty much every system including the original gameboy.

[TheEpicOfTyler]

I forgot about those and that they would be included in the sales figures as well when it was multiplatform. I heard from a lot of people that 3 was better then 2 as well but I do find it odd that Konami cut off the MGS3 servers not even a year after it came out.

It's weird that this title is exclusive considering that Konami has whored the MGS franchise to pretty much every system including the original gameboy.


Well, the online portion was only in Subsistence, the re-release with extra content, I'm going to venture a guess and say that many more people bought MGS3 rather than MGS3: Subsistence.

[D.D.D.]

All the videos of people playing it at TGS were playing like it was their 1st time at MGS. It was really annoying... I'd rather just see another trailer of it or have one of the dev guys play it to see what it's like. :confused:

[Gott]

Where are you guys finding best of TGS 2007 lists?

[Dirty Harry]

A few podcasts that I've listened to. Just out of curiosity, what did they rank above it?

Yeah id love a source to these claims aswell.

[jromero]

Wow, sales almost cut in half going from the second to the third one?

Well, on the site it said by September 2005, so I'll see if I can't find a more current sales figure.

[fatefodder]

I like the design changes they made for MGS4, particularly the camera and cover mechanics. I don't expect the story or cutscenes to do anything for me, so it'll all come down to how well the impressions hold up to actual gameplay.

[inmostlight]

Wow, sales almost cut in half going from the second to the third one?

I was one of those who bought #2 but never #3. And honestly, the reason was precisely because I played MGS2. It felt like one minute of awesome for every five minutes of boring radio communication or cutscenes. By the time MGS3 came around, I just didn't care any more. Surely I can't be the only one?

Honestly, MGS4 looks neat, but if it's going to be another one of those games where the gameplay is constantly being interrupted, I'll skip that as well.

[torrefaction]

God damnit.

Now I'm interested again. Everything sounds cool, except for the stupid magazine crap. This is MGS4's version of eating snakes.

[Dukefrukem]

Gamespot (http://tgs.gamespot.com/story.html?sid=6179194&pid=926596&tag=topslot%3Btitle%3B3&page=1#) has a lengthy write up detailing their impressions of the playable demo for Metal Gear Solid 4 that was available at the Tokyo Game Show this year. The game seems to be a substantial upgrade over past entries in the series, not the least being the changes that have been made to streamline the controls.


It's being said by many that MGS4 was the game of the show this year at TGS, though it didn't really have very much competition as far as playable games are concerned. Thankfully, it's looking like MGS4 will live up to it's billing when it comes out early next year.

"i can't wait" doesn't even begin to describe my excitement.

[TheEpicOfTyler]

God damnit.

Now I'm interested again. Everything sounds cool, except for the stupid magazine crap. This is MGS4's version of eating snakes.

MGS2 introduced the magazine as an item.

[torrefaction]

MGS2 introduced the magazine as an item.

MGS2 didn't have a "psych" meter that would cause you to pass out because you didn't look at porn.

Also, MGS2 had Raiden, so that's hardly a defense. I view that as the lowpoint of the series, with MGS3 as the high water mark. I've been playing since the getgo. This was the only game I thought may push me over the edge to buy a PS3 and for a long time that looked like it had changed.

And now I'm pissed that I may have to spend $400-600 dollars, depending on what the hell Sony does.

[scythe]

MGS2 didn't have a "psych" meter that would cause you to pass out because you didn't look at porn.

At Snake's age, I'm surprised porn still does it for him....

[SalaciousPuck]

Metal Gear Solid 2: 7 million worldwide (http://www.contactmusic.com/new/home.nsf/webpages/metalgearsolid3x21x05x03)
Metal Gear Solid 3: 3.7 million worldwide (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs3_sub/uk/mgs/mgs3.html)

I think it's safe to say that it's due to it being a flat out amazing series, opinions withstanding.

Look where that trend line is going. 50% cut in sales and MGS3 was launched on console with an installed base 5X as big. Obviously I'm not the only one who does not care for this series.

Like I said, MGS4 is getting attention cause it's the brightest star in the PS3 galaxy, not cause it deserves it.

[Gorvi]

Look where that trend line is going. 50% cut in sales and MGS3 was launched on console with an installed base 5X as big. Obviously I'm not the only one who does not care for this series.

Like I said, MGS4 is getting attention cause it's the brightest star in the PS3 galaxy, not cause it deserves it.
And that still makes you a moron for saying that. If the game was boring, it wouldn't be getting any attention. Or, conversely, if it was for the 360, it'd still be getting the attention it's getting, because it is that good.

[DangerousDaze]

Is all this stuff about the magazine just based on that first demo? I don't believe he was saying that reading skin mags cures anything, I think it was just a segway between two completely separate features he wanted to demonstrate (i.e. the barrel roll and the ability to read the magazine rather than just use it to distract enemies). Maybe I missed something.

[jromero]

Look where that trend line is going. 50% cut in sales and MGS3 was launched on console with an installed base 5X as big. Obviously I'm not the only one who does not care for this series.

Like I said, MGS4 is getting attention cause it's the brightest star in the PS3 galaxy, not cause it deserves it.

*sigh* Apparently someone doesn't like to read. As I stated on the previous page, the numbers are only through September 2005. I can't find a more up-to-date sales number, but you would need to include the sales of both the regular edition from then until now plus sales of Subsistence. So those two games are probably pretty close in sales.

My point in short, learn to read and don't be a trolling bitch.

[SalaciousPuck]

*sigh* Apparently someone doesn't like to read. As I stated on the previous page, the numbers are only through September 2005. I can't find a more up-to-date sales number, but you would need to include the sales of both the regular edition from then until now plus sales of Subsistence. So those two games are probably pretty close in sales.

My point in short, learn to read and don't be a trolling bitch.

So, that only counts sales for the first year. Do you think games double their sales in the second year? The reason you can't find sales number is cause they are insignificant beyond that point. It's not like Konami is still running the presses a year after launch, and this isn't movies...there is no rental market or something after opening day.

Wasn't Subsistence a budget title, like $20 or 30? I doubt it sold more than 200k, which is still great for a new package.

I'm not saying that MGS3 doesn't sell well or have fans or that it isn't fun if you like it. I just stated my opinion and the facts....

[Opinion] I didn't find any of the MGS games nearly as good as the hype.

[Fact] Considering MGS3 came out on a system with a MUCH larger installed base than MGS2 did, the drop off in sales is huge.

[Opinion based on fact] MGS4 gets attention cause it's the PS3's biggest name. No different than Halo 3 getting all the attention on the 360....the only difference being its sales numbers have trended upward, meaning the old fans are returning.