The story picks up five years after MGS2's Big Shell Incident, where the Patriots attempted to stop Solidus Snake's insurrection with their prototypical super-soldier, Raiden. Liquid Snake has shown up in the Middle East, with plans to take the reins of the world's military nanomachine technology. Otacon and Campbell once again ask Snake to stop his brother once and for all. Snake, however, may not be up to the task. His body is aging rapidly on account of genetic modification. The former tough guy is now labeled as "Old Snake." He accepts the mission, knowing that he can never settle down for good until Liquid is brought down.
Despite his age, Snake is still deadly on the battlefield. In fact, thanks to MGS4's rebuilt control scheme, he's even deadlier! Players can now sneak more effectively thanks to the Octocamo, a muscle suit which takes on the apperance and texture of whatever surrounds it. This is a streamlined approach to MGS3's camo system. In addition to blending in, Snake can find or earn specific outfits, usually local garbs, to help disguise himself in MGS4's constant din of warfare.
You see, in a sense, Big Boss' dream of Outer Heaven has come to pass. The world is engulfed in military conflict, with mercenary groups (PMCs) fighting proxy wars against local governments. The first three missions, in fact, deal with this unique scenario. Snake wanders through war-torn battlefields leveled by gunfire and mortar shells. He can choose to sneak past everybody, PMC and local alike, and not get involved in the scuffle. Or, Snake can run around, guns ablazing, and kill without favor. But the smart player will take out PMC troops to aid the local militias, who will then make Snake's life a whole lot easier.
But if you want to shoot some heads, MGS4 has you covered. The controllable camera works in tandem with the game's new Auto-Aim feature to deliver fast, satisfying gunplay. The level layout also offers plenty of sniping opportunities (especially in South America) for those of us who want to clear the road early. Snake has a few other tricks up his sleeve, too, like hiding in an old oil barrel or giving enemy mortars a test-drive. You can even scout ahead with Otacon's interesting little Metal Gear Mk. II droid, a little robot who can scavenge battlefields for items and weapons, and stun soldiers before you come across them. In short, MGS4 offers up untold amounts of freedom, so much so that the experience can be initially overwhelming. Weapons collected on the battlefield can be sold to Drebin (a monkey-loving arms dealer) for points necessary to buy new guns, unlock ID'd guns, and upgrade your current arsenal.
Unfortunately, the game's storyline drags down the overall presentation somewhat. The MGS series has always been known for cliffhangers and plot strings, and in this PS3 finale, Kojima attempts to tie everything in a nice little bow, to questionable effect. The game's main plotline, involving the Patriots and the world's military industrial complex is overdrawn. In its shadow, many potentially interesting storylines (Vamp in particular) get the shaft. And while Raiden makes several heroic appearances, we don't learn enough about him or what he's been put through in the five years following his career-defining mission.
The biggest lost opportunity, though, is with the boss characters. Fascinating through they might appear, each of the troubled members of Liquid's Beauty and the Beast Unit feels like a cardboard stand-up. I have seen really good boss character development since MGS2, and even the doomed souls of Dead Cell were less enthusiastic than Liquid's original FOX unit. I teared up when Sniper Wolf died in my arms in Twin Snakes, but I got no such feeling after Crying Wolf was shot down in the snowfield at Shadow Moses. Instead, she simply curled up in a ball, then Drebin called to tell me her backstory. Boooring!
Also, like in MGS2, the farther along in the game you get, the less you actually play. The scale tips in the favor of cinematics during the 3rd and 5th missions. After the final battle is won, be prepared to pop some popcorn because it's a loooong ending. Too long, in fact. Amazing though it may be (initially) to see a certain old friend, he quickly overstays his welcome, and you begin screaming "DIE ALREADY!" at the screen so that he'll shut the hell up.
Then the rest of the credit roll, Sunny cracks another egg over the pan, and you weep.
This is not to say that MGS4 does not have some unbelievable high points. The entirety of the 4th mission, from its trippy introduction to its jaw-dropping finale, is utterly bonerific. Seeing Meryl again is a hoot, and taking on Big Boss' role on EVA's motorcycle through the streets of London is a rush. The game includes several hilarious Codec conversations about the PS3's hardware upgrades, and a certain memorable boss pops up but seems to have lost his mojo. Finally, Snake's final confrontation with his brother will go down as one of the greatest boss fights in all of gaming. Aside from its sheer kick-assery, the fight seamlessly switches between gameplay and cinema so that, after a little while, the distinction is simply lost.
MGS4 may also be the system's best-looking (and sounding) game to date. From the crow's feet on Snake's eyes to Otacon's stubble and Sunny's dimples, not one tiny detail has been overlooked. The intricacies of Snake's muscle suit alone are mesmerizing. This careful eye extends to the environments, too. Dust whips across the sands, papers and cans go flying with the wind and explosions, smoke obscures your vision, muzzle blasts show you where enemies are...it's difficult to describe, in words, how good MGS4 looks. David Hayter needs to get some kind of voice acting award for his final turn as Solid Snake. By the end of the game, our hero is so grizzled, so worn, that you wonder if Hayter too is aging quickly. The voice cast from Twin Snakes (sorry, purists) returns here. Even Raiden's voice is technically the same, but like Snake, he has aged by the years and experiences since Big Shell. And Ocelot gives his finest performance, as he is channeling Liquid Snake. The character sounds like two people at once--the voice of The Boss' son, the attitude of Snake's blonder brother.
The game's musical score, by series veteran Henry Gregson-Williams, delivers an emotional soundtrack wrought with hopelessness, a theme which resonates throughout the game's plot. Snake and his comrades face utter destruction at every turn, moreso in this game than ever before. In fact, toward the end of the final act, you may wonder if Snake can prevail at all.
MGS4 is a beautiful, wonderful game that fans of the series need to play, and everyone else should at least try. And while a few cinema scenes overstay their welcome, that is by no means a major complaint about the game overall. MGS4 is an experience like no other.
