By Tiberius Jonez
The first reviews are out for Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of the Patriots, and it appears Hideo Kojima’s latest MGS creation is as stunning as its fans were hoping – and as frustrating and tedious as its detractors remember.
IGN UK says, “MGS 4 is simply a game that you have to experience for yourself. Because the one thing that can certainly be said, prohibited topics or not, is that Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is, without question, the ultimate Metal Gear game. It represents the pinnacle of Hideo Kojima's achievement, and it's undoubtedly one of the games of the year.”
The IGN UK author does acknowledge the (over?) abundance of cinematic cut-scenes in the game, a staple of MGS games, noting, “well, yes, you could argue that there are too many of them, that they're too long, and that the dialogue is occasionally leaden. Indeed many of the most dramatic cut-scenes might make you crave action, or wonder why they couldn't have been turned into interactive sequences. But that's because they're the work of an auteur, and if you're going to enjoy the high points of Hideo Kojima's vision, there has to be an acceptance of his excesses, too.”
The first reviews are out for Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of the Patriots, and it appears Hideo Kojima’s latest MGS creation is as stunning as its fans were hoping – and as frustrating and tedious as its detractors remember.
IGN UK says, “MGS 4 is simply a game that you have to experience for yourself. Because the one thing that can certainly be said, prohibited topics or not, is that Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is, without question, the ultimate Metal Gear game. It represents the pinnacle of Hideo Kojima's achievement, and it's undoubtedly one of the games of the year.”
The IGN UK author does acknowledge the (over?) abundance of cinematic cut-scenes in the game, a staple of MGS games, noting, “well, yes, you could argue that there are too many of them, that they're too long, and that the dialogue is occasionally leaden. Indeed many of the most dramatic cut-scenes might make you crave action, or wonder why they couldn't have been turned into interactive sequences. But that's because they're the work of an auteur, and if you're going to enjoy the high points of Hideo Kojima's vision, there has to be an acceptance of his excesses, too.”
On the other hand is the review from Eurogamer, which wraps up with the following conclusion, by the end “You're sorry to see Snake go. But should you be? Guns of the Patriots is a frustrating, fractured game that turns Metal Gear Solid's world upside down several times over, but never changes it. It just burrows deeper into what fans love and detractors hate than ever before, and it will make few converts. It's a crying shame, given how many genuinely classic gaming moments there are here, given the countless exquisite creative touches, but Metal Gear Solid 4 is its own worst enemy. You could not ask for a funnier, cleverer, more ambitious or inspired or over-the-top conclusion to the Metal Gear Solid series, but it's definitely time to move on.
Two very divergent opinions there.
MGS4 drops in North America on June 12th. I’ll have it on day one and will give my own impressions after I’ve spent a couple days with it.
