The End of an Era
Some video game companies run a franchise title until consumers are wearied with the repetition. Konami is not one of them. The Metal Gear Solid Saga will end on June 12th with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Konami will release two versions: a standard edition for $59.99 and the ever so popular limited edition for $84.99. This rather steep even for a Play Station 3 game but fans will buy it. The limited edition includes the “making of” documentary and a Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Soundtrack CD. Konami has arranged for the limited edition game to be sold exclusively at Game Stop. Other than those two extras, the limited edition package mirrors the standard.
Konami’s Metal Gear Solid 4: Gun of the Patriots features the final adventure of Solid Snake. Snake squares off with his arch enemy Liquid Ocelot in final battle. Unlike earlier games, MGS 4 is nonlinear. You have more leeway in choosing which areas Snake visits first. Konami puts a lot of nice features in this last game. The use of the cut scene is one of the best. There are many moments in MGS 4 where Snake will remember an event from an earlier game. These scenes provide the back story for new franchise players and a “Do you remember when” nostalgia for die-hard MGS players. Similar to classic TV shows, Konami closes out the Metal Gear Solid Saga with style.
MGS 4 is one of the few games that admits their lead character is getting older. Snake not only has to watch his stamina meter. He has two additional meters to monitor - Psyche and Stress. Snake’s Psyche meter reflects his mental reactions to the horrors of war. When Snake’s Psyche is high, he is brutally effective on the battlefield - making the hard shot look easy. This changes as his Psyche meter declines and mental fatigue sets in. Snake will begin losing his concentration and feel physically tired and worn down. Snake’s Stress Meter measures how long he can keep going in high gear. As this drops, he will eventually fall into the “zone” and go Rambo on his enemies. This effect is temporary. After that last adrenalin surge, Snake will crash physically and emotionally. (Psyche and Stress Meters will bottom out) Snake’s health is now in danger and he is more vulnerable to enemy attack.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is a must buy game for lovers of the franchise. Mind boggling graphics and awe-inspiring music and sound effects draw players into the game world. Nostalgia and action meet in this game and fun is to be had by all.
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