Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

 PlayStation 3
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: Jun 12, 2008
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4356 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,750 out of 4356
  2. Mixed: 239 out of 4356
  3. Negative: 367 out of 4356
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  1. MacAree
    Jun 1, 2022
    7
    Revisited this game in 2022. I bought it on day 1 but only played it these days. As an MGS fan I think a lot of its value comes from nostalgia. I appreciated that, but a person who is not that familiar may not enjoy it.

    Storywise it was good, I enjoyed understanding BB history and the characters are fun. The story like some others MGS is about the future wars and soldiers. It will    Revisited this game in 2022. I bought it on day 1 but only played it these days. As an MGS fan I think a lot of its value comes from nostalgia. I appreciated that, but a person who is not that familiar may not enjoy it.

    Storywise it was good, I enjoyed understanding BB history and the characters are fun. The story like some others MGS is about the future wars and soldiers. It will surely attract SiFi fans but others not so sure.

    Like other MGS there are two ways to play MGS , the pro sneaking stealth way and the casual friendly just kill everything with your guns, Drebin make the casual gameplay more accessible.

    I can say that I liked the game more before shadowmosses. Once I reached Shadowmoses it felt like the devs had to rush everything and it lost little of its fun.

    I will rank it as my least favorite MGS game, MGS2 being the most favorite.    … Expand
  2. arostislavna
    Dec 1, 2021
    7
    Still a must play, but has questionable mechanics such as turning into a fighting game for a boss fight, and far too excess in fan service.

    Story wise, it tries to *finish* the franchise's story (even though KONAMI didn't want the game to end at the time) which ends up as a mashup of ideas and even more plot holes.

    I give it 7 farts out of 10.
  3. LoveDeath
    Sep 17, 2021
    7
    Truly the start of the Kojima that we all now know him for, for better or for worse.
  4. genesisdoes
    Oct 2, 2020
    5
    This is the first Metal Gear game I didn't exactly enjoy. I guess it's a competent enough game from a gameplay standpoint but this story is just... annoying, for lack of a better term. I didn't need this game, I didn't want this game... but here it is anyway. It answers questions that I didn't ask, it sloppily puts in convenient plot points for the sake of fan service and it takes awayThis is the first Metal Gear game I didn't exactly enjoy. I guess it's a competent enough game from a gameplay standpoint but this story is just... annoying, for lack of a better term. I didn't need this game, I didn't want this game... but here it is anyway. It answers questions that I didn't ask, it sloppily puts in convenient plot points for the sake of fan service and it takes away almost all the charm that I fell in love with from the first 3 games. The best thing I can say storywise is there were a few parts that made me chuckle and if you ignore this one, it doesn't really take away from the original 3.

    The only part of this game that I legitimately enjoyed was Shadow Moses. It was the only fan service moment I enjoyed and it was honestly just really cool to see that iconic area in HD. It's probably the only part of the game I think I would ever want to revisit. Most of the game is inferior stealth, easy boss battles and incredibly annoying on rail shooting sections. Not to mention more forced combat segments than any Metal Gear game before it. Basically, everything I don't like about the Metal Gear series is brought to the forefront here.

    At least I'll always have the first 3.
    I beat this game in December of 2019.    … Expand
  5. punkblud
    Jul 31, 2020
    6
    This game isn't bad, its disappointing. There's not as much freedom of gameplay as the previous entries and it takes itself way too serious, there's technically more freedom of gameplay when compared to the previous entries but you're still pushed to go about the objective in a certain way. Stealth isn't as vital to the gameplay which was one of the core mechanics that drew in many playersThis game isn't bad, its disappointing. There's not as much freedom of gameplay as the previous entries and it takes itself way too serious, there's technically more freedom of gameplay when compared to the previous entries but you're still pushed to go about the objective in a certain way. Stealth isn't as vital to the gameplay which was one of the core mechanics that drew in many players to the series in the first place, the ability to buy ammo whenever, wherever takes away the incentive to avoid conflict and it makes it feel more like a shooter rather than what I knew as MGS. A lot of what they choose to retcon seems very unnecessary and forced, unlike MGS3 it feels like it relies on the popularity and critical acclaim of the previous entries to trick players into thinking its a worthy entry simply because it has the characters and plot we've grown to love.… Expand
  6. fernadoJadan
    Jun 26, 2020
    6
    El peor juego de Kojima, un gameplay solido pero tampoco sin nada que destacar, el verdadero problema llega en la historia. El menor de sus problemas es que las cinematicas sean extremadamente larga, sino el sin sentido que es la historia. La mayores dudas que habia dejado las entregas anteriores se explican con una excusa tan barata como ´NANOMAQUINAS´, y lo peor de todo es cada momentoEl peor juego de Kojima, un gameplay solido pero tampoco sin nada que destacar, el verdadero problema llega en la historia. El menor de sus problemas es que las cinematicas sean extremadamente larga, sino el sin sentido que es la historia. La mayores dudas que habia dejado las entregas anteriores se explican con una excusa tan barata como ´NANOMAQUINAS´, y lo peor de todo es cada momento busca la referencia barata y el fanservice para contentar a los fans, reanima a personajes solo para matarlos despues y solo para la satisfaccion de los fans. Beauty&Beast es lo peor del juego, desde su combate y diseño. Al final llega a ser un juego de momentos, de momentos basado en puro fan service barato y que carece de un desarrollo logico para llegar a esos momentos.… Expand
  7. SMBW
    Nov 8, 2019
    5
    Playing it, I felt disgusted by the gameplay, this stealth game? Wretched arcade, compared with splinter cell series. The game is just bad all ... except for some cutscenes
  8. Dperks
    Feb 23, 2019
    7
    First off a 7 is good in my book second this game is messy but enjoyable. The whole plot is dumb filled with callbacks exposition dumps unnecessary characters and way too many cutscenes like thats how metal gear games are but nearly half my game time was cut scenes but the game play is fairly fun although the aiming is a bit sluggish and I could talk about this game for awhile but justFirst off a 7 is good in my book second this game is messy but enjoyable. The whole plot is dumb filled with callbacks exposition dumps unnecessary characters and way too many cutscenes like thats how metal gear games are but nearly half my game time was cut scenes but the game play is fairly fun although the aiming is a bit sluggish and I could talk about this game for awhile but just give it a try if you have played a MGS game if not probably stay away.… Expand
  9. MasterGames
    Jan 8, 2019
    7
    This should have been the last Metal Gear. Overall it's a good game but it has too many cinematics and perhaps the amount of fanservice scenes is a little bit exagerated.
  10. canceRnya
    Oct 29, 2018
    7
    Первая и пока единственная моя игра в вселенной МГС, да и стэлз я не люблю. Долгие катсцэнки с теми кого я не знаю очень доставляли.
  11. LoBo2181
    May 8, 2016
    7
    juego entretenido, con un argumento interesante, como en todos los metal gear solid, te penalizan si no realizas las misiones en sigilo, el argumento se salta bastantes años de sus antecesores, por lo que metal gear solid rellena parte de la historia
  12. MetaKiller
    Mar 25, 2016
    6
    It's game play is simple and easy to get behind, but Metal Gear Solid 4's lengthy cut scenes and short amount of interactivity make it less of a game and more of a way to wrap up the complicated story line of the series.
  13. Avodeskorm
    Aug 12, 2015
    7
    I look and at the reviews and wonder... is this really what impresses the metal gear solid fans? A tedious, sub-par action game? This is not what Metal Gear is about. What we really have here is Kojima recognizing that all gamers want nowadays want is giant dumb robot battles, cool cybernetic robot ninja dudes, fan service, and comic relief characters? If you want a true metal gear gameI look and at the reviews and wonder... is this really what impresses the metal gear solid fans? A tedious, sub-par action game? This is not what Metal Gear is about. What we really have here is Kojima recognizing that all gamers want nowadays want is giant dumb robot battles, cool cybernetic robot ninja dudes, fan service, and comic relief characters? If you want a true metal gear game spun from Kojima's own personal direction and imagination, play MGS:2.… Expand
  14. stooovie
    Mar 25, 2015
    6
    Only two Acts out of five offer interesting gameplay. Stealth options are being increasingly taken away or not needed. I don't mind lengthy cutscenes, but there's just not too much game to talk about. Bad game design galore (Drebin's shop available mid-battles?).
  15. JamesCannon
    Feb 21, 2015
    7
    I would easily give this game a 9 or possibly 10, if not for egregiously overlong cut scenes. This seems like a case of talented game maker and no one reeling him when has clearly gone a little overboard. This how this plays out. You go from checkpoint to checkpoint with about 10-15 mins of actual gameplay (which is excellent). Once you reach a checkpoint you are treated to then 10-15I would easily give this game a 9 or possibly 10, if not for egregiously overlong cut scenes. This seems like a case of talented game maker and no one reeling him when has clearly gone a little overboard. This how this plays out. You go from checkpoint to checkpoint with about 10-15 mins of actual gameplay (which is excellent). Once you reach a checkpoint you are treated to then 10-15 minute detailing you into the story. But the worst part is when you actual complete an act. At the end of the act lies a 10-15 minute cutscene then you have treated to a pre cut scene before your mission brief. Then you are given the mission brief. Then you are treated to another 10-15 minute before the next act starts. Then you must go through your codec briefing with ottocon. If you do not cut out any of the cut scenes you are literally not playing game for almost 30 minutes a stretch at times. Its mind boggling how someone thought this was a good idea. I do not buy a game to watch second rate actors read off second rate dialogue. That being the said the game itself is quiet addictive and all technology gizzmos you get are great..and the story itself is interesting.… Expand
  16. Underpants158
    Dec 2, 2014
    6
    I was a huge MGS fan back in the day and this game makes me scared to go back and play them because honestly I don't find the gameplay fun and trying to understand what is going on in the story is about as hard as reading 18th century literature when you're in American high school. The pacing of gameplay to cutscene is terrible. I don't mind the amount and length of cutscenes as much asI was a huge MGS fan back in the day and this game makes me scared to go back and play them because honestly I don't find the gameplay fun and trying to understand what is going on in the story is about as hard as reading 18th century literature when you're in American high school. The pacing of gameplay to cutscene is terrible. I don't mind the amount and length of cutscenes as much as other people but what gets to me is you watch a cutscene, walk down a hallway, and bam; another cutscene. Cutscenes are rewards for completing levels. These cutscenes are like giving trophies to kids who came in last place and declaring that we are all winners. I played about 10 hours. I probably won't play anymore. Maybe I'll watch the rest of youtube so I can have closure.… Expand
  17. AA99
    Oct 5, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. WARNING: I will try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible. However, I may give away some story details so, SPOILER ALERT

    Metal Gear Solid 4 is a good game. Don't get me wrong, I like the game. But is it as good as that Metacritic score of 94/100 makes you believe? No.

    Let's start off with the pros. First of all, this game looks great. Yeah some of the textures are a bit off, but if THAT is the decisive factor that makes you go "Ugh, this game sucks", then you need to get out of gaming. Now. The animations are very fluid, the character models are great, and even the lip sync isn't all that bad. Yeah, there are a few instances were you notice that the mouth doesn't move according to the word, but this game came out in 2008. It did a fantastic job with what it had. (Some of) The gameplay elements are worthy of commendation as well. Snake can (FINALLY) move while crouched, and a lot of the problems in MGS3 are greatly streamlined in MGS4. Camouflage is handled brilliantly in this game, with the new automatic OctoCamo system. No more fiddling around in menus in this one. The Solid Eye is also a great addition, combining multiple functions in one handy gadget. The enviroments are (for the most part) pretty creative and well realized, and even like the concept of the story. War has become a business that holds the global economy together, and through war The Patriots have essentially achieved world domination. It's a very good summary. Couple that with some interesting ideas, such as Snake's accelerated aging, and there is a lot to like about this game.

    Sadly, not everything is good. Let's start off with one of my biggest problems with the game: The Story. Im one of the people who play Metal Gear games for their story first and foremost. And unfortunately the story does not deliver on a lot of different levels. While some of the ideas are good, their execution is sloppy at best, and at worst it's just terrible. On top of that, there are several plot holes that really take away from the experience. For example, Meryl states that she can communicate with her team through the nanomachines in their bodies. However it is later revealed that Johnny does not have nanos. That's fair enough, but why does Meryl look so surprised? She should have known that Johnny didnt have nanos the mometn she couldn't communicate with him. While we're on the subject, why is Johnny even in the game? I mean, I understand that his inclusion is tradition at this point, but Jesus Christ, he doesn't need to be in the game to the extent that he is. This brings me to another topic I would like to discuss. A lot of the returning characters in MGS4 have no reason to be there. Im not talking about people like Raiden or Naomi, Im talking about the likes of EVA and Vamp. Think about it. The whole point of going to Eastern Europe in the first place is to get the equipement that can heal Raiden. However once you get there, Otacon calls you and says "Oh Raiden is fine. We got the equipement from this completely unecessary returning character, that most people don't even know to begin with. Still, go meet Big Momma, because... REASONS".

    Another thing that bothers me big time about this game is the fan service. It's one thing to be self referential (like the previous games were) but it's another to go all out and bring every character under the sun, and make every possible reference, and have ridiculous bits (like Snake going into Eastern Europe in a Young Snake disguise) just to please fans.

    Last but not least let's talk about the cutscenes. Before I get started, let me tell you that I LOVE the cutscenes of MGS1, 2 and 3. They are super entertaining, and I never skip them. MGS4 has a lot of cutscenes, yes, but that's not the problem. The problem is how BORING some of them are. Im giving Act 3 a hard time, but it's my review so shut up. Take the final cutscene of Act 3 for example. It is 72 minutes long. That's a very long time, but the problem isn't the 72 minutes, the problem is the fact that this thing could have been trimmed down by about 50/60 minutes, without any detrimental impact to the story. Another particular pet pieve of mine is the final "Epilogue" Act. It takes 75 minutes to wrap things up in a nice bow. The problem is that, by my estimative, it could have been trimmed down to around half an hour.

    So overall, MGS4 is a good game. It looks very good, It has some nice ideas, and the gameplay for the first two acts is very "Solid" (sorry, I couldnt resist). BUT, from Act 3 onwards, the gameplay takes a backseat to a poor story and a load of fan service, and it suffers because of it. It's a damn shame, because this could have been the best game in the series. As it stands though, it's a nice "tribute" with a few good ideas.

    VEREDICT: 7 out of 10    … Expand
  18. Carlitoxic
    Oct 2, 2014
    6
    Tengo un problema con esta saga. MGS y Snake Eater me parecen obras maestras, sin embargo cuando recuerdo MGS2 o este MGS4 veo muy poquito de esa genialidad. Hablando de esta cuarta entrega. La mayoría del juego se basa en abusar de personajes de otras entregas, que para colmo vuelven para fastidiar el buen recuerdo que tenías de ellos. Las cinemáticas larga, interminables y muchas vecesTengo un problema con esta saga. MGS y Snake Eater me parecen obras maestras, sin embargo cuando recuerdo MGS2 o este MGS4 veo muy poquito de esa genialidad. Hablando de esta cuarta entrega. La mayoría del juego se basa en abusar de personajes de otras entregas, que para colmo vuelven para fastidiar el buen recuerdo que tenías de ellos. Las cinemáticas larga, interminables y muchas veces pesadas. Momentos de vergüenza ajena o franco ridículo que pretenden ser emocionantes. Y en definitva una película- juego bastante rollo. Con cosas buenas, a veces brillantes, pero con mucha ida de olla de humor tonto y barato, desarrollo lento y pesado.… Expand
  19. archonome
    Mar 30, 2014
    6
    Honestly i don't mind cutscenes as long as they are ALL about being EPIC(kojima style) and are very important. The problem however is this game has so many cutscenes where there is pointless chatter about technical details of no utmost importance... considering they are 90% of all cutscenes and that the game is itself 90% cutscenes = tedious game.

    I was disapointed as MGS1 was truly    Honestly i don't mind cutscenes as long as they are ALL about being EPIC(kojima style) and are very important. The problem however is this game has so many cutscenes where there is pointless chatter about technical details of no utmost importance... considering they are 90% of all cutscenes and that the game is itself 90% cutscenes = tedious game.

    I was disapointed as MGS1 was truly epic and there were maybe 3-4 cutscenes with this kind of pointless ramblings about sciencific facts. In contrast, this game, the whole experience is like this!!
    I find myself being unmotivated to start after taking 1 day breaks.

    Also, the game has turned from being stuck in the middle of nowhere trying to infiltrate bases....into a boring action game where there's too much action on the screen going on at the same time... it killed the whole espionage aspect that I liked the most about this series.

    I hate developpers these days, they keep changing things that weren't broken to begin with and end up changing everything I liked about the series.    … Expand
  20. drlowdon
    Mar 19, 2014
    6
    I’ll be honest, after about an hour or so of playing Metal Gear Solid 4 I decided I was just going to skip all the cut scenes. Maybe I just don’t have the patience I used to but I just couldn't face sitting through hour after hour of Hideo Kojima’s ramblings. Of course it meant that I had virtually no idea what was going on most of the time but I could at least get on with actually playingI’ll be honest, after about an hour or so of playing Metal Gear Solid 4 I decided I was just going to skip all the cut scenes. Maybe I just don’t have the patience I used to but I just couldn't face sitting through hour after hour of Hideo Kojima’s ramblings. Of course it meant that I had virtually no idea what was going on most of the time but I could at least get on with actually playing the game and, for the most part.

    In all honesty the basic mechanics have generally changed very little since the Playstation One days and, while many would argue that it hasn't really needed to, it does mean that it is behind other stealth games like Deus Ex or Dishonored in terms of the level of freedom offered. Fortunately Kojima’s ability to conceive ideas and set pieces that very few other game designers can, means there are always surprises just around the corner and this is largely what kept me playing all the way to the end. If Kojima can accept he is a game designer not a film director then maybe we’ll be treated to a true classic again one day but for now this will do.    … Expand
  21. Empyreance
    Feb 8, 2014
    7
    I finish this game, so I believe I can write a review. This game is OK. I don't think it deserves above 8 on the User Score because the graphics is at 1080 but it looks like 720. I think the cut scenes are way way too long and If I want to watch a movie, I will watch a Blu-ray movie; not MGS4 movie. I game play is very good if you like single players.
  22. elitefour
    Oct 18, 2013
    5
    Im sorry. i tried to liked this game. but i cant
    its horrible.
    i missed the stealth gameplay
    Metal gear solid is "TACTICAL ESPIONAGE ACTION"
    NOT A "FUTURE WARFARE ACTION"
    the bosses aren deep
    the dialogs are so stupid
    and the plot is very absurd.
    kojima what did you smoke? you spent.
    this games is overrated just for being a ps3 exclusive
    and the last game of the story
  23. gyigyo2
    Jun 30, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The good:Graphics,Music,Story,Old Snake pessimistic,Ocelot., last boss fight with ocelot.
    Bad:Ending Naomi,Otacon,Sunny.Places,Big Boss,Big mama,patriots.
    First of all im a big mgs fan my childhood hero was Solid Snake but:
    Ending was pretty bad because if i recall that wasn't supposed to be the original ending,the original ending was when snake and otacon die by pentagon that would be much,much better what mr kojima wanted,But he's staff members ruined this game this is pretty shame and sad the last game whit solid snake is ruined,All that thing otacon and snake done in mgs2 timeline (terrorism,hacking) was forgotten by pentagon?
    Naomi is a irritating character in this game just like otacon was, otacon was baddass back of MGS1 and MGS2 is now totally gone he is pretty different character.Sunny ughh why japanese people love genius kids? its just irritating,Places was pretty bad except middle east,South America shadow moses.Why why bring big boss back to live and telling idiot things to snake? and big mama? just ridiculous,Patriots was mgs3 characters another ridiculous thing.Yeah snake was puting down the weapon and cigar forever and he don't need to smoke? just like that he changed after 10 minute? Im sorry to say this but this game is ruined its like a bad hollywood movie.    … Expand
  24. HitmanRm95
    Jun 9, 2013
    7
    First metal gear solid game I ever played, I bought this in 2013 and think its good for a 2008 game as many games I own that are from 2008 no longer impress me. The game was difficult to play at first as I progressed through the first mission but I eventually got the hang of it before I reached the end of that first mission. There is a lot of options while trying to be stealthy and I meanFirst metal gear solid game I ever played, I bought this in 2013 and think its good for a 2008 game as many games I own that are from 2008 no longer impress me. The game was difficult to play at first as I progressed through the first mission but I eventually got the hang of it before I reached the end of that first mission. There is a lot of options while trying to be stealthy and I mean a lot which makes missions more fun.
    The cut scenes are very long and even the shortest of them go on for a few minutes but the cinematic's are interesting even if I did not get it at first i eventually understood what was happening. If your into games that give you a load of options I recommend trying it.    … Expand
  25. matroycem
    Apr 29, 2013
    6
    Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots is very much into its own self importance. This does not really feel like a game but more an interactive movie. Out of the 22 hours to complete the game, I only spent 7 hours actually moving. I know this because at the end of the game there are stats of how long you spend prone, crouching and walking etc. The action in the game is very much whatMetal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots is very much into its own self importance. This does not really feel like a game but more an interactive movie. Out of the 22 hours to complete the game, I only spent 7 hours actually moving. I know this because at the end of the game there are stats of how long you spend prone, crouching and walking etc. The action in the game is very much what Metal Gear fans like with the classic formula still intact. Its just a shame that these are broken up by LONG video sequences that CANNOT be skipped. One scene i had to watch two or three times at 20 minutes each because I died. It was just painful. There is one really genius moment which fans of the original will spot and hopefully enjoy as much as I did.
    I cannot say this game is bad because it wasn't. But the story really took over what is meant to be a game. At times I began to really switch off to the story just because it felt like my life was being sucked away from the LONG LONG backwards and forwards conversations throughout the game.
    The serious serious fans of the series are likely to not have a bad word to say but if like me you just want to play a game then this just goes on for far to long. Playing only one third of a game does not sound right does it?
    I had such hopes of this game and its the reason i brought a PS3, but it left me very disappointed.    … Expand
  26. Caestus
    Mar 9, 2013
    5
    This game is overhyped. The story becomes ridicilious with all the Nano things, the bosses are boring and you do watch more than play, which is a big failure if you thinking about, that this actually is a game. Its big fan service with things like shadow moses included, has good graphics and also the gameplay is good but the things that i mention above just ruins a part of the game.
  27. josincano
    Oct 15, 2012
    7
    Los primeros actos son soberbios, plagados de escenarios increibles y objetivos variados.
    El problema llega a partir de Europa ya el juego se convierte en un video interactivo en el que, para explicarte la enrevesadisima trama del juego, se suceden y suceden secuencias de video, algunas de ellas tan innecesarias como vergonzosas o pateticas (la boda, por ejemplo).
    Los gráficos son    Los primeros actos son soberbios, plagados de escenarios increibles y objetivos variados.
    El problema llega a partir de Europa ya el juego se convierte en un video interactivo en el que, para explicarte la enrevesadisima trama del juego, se suceden y suceden secuencias de video, algunas de ellas tan innecesarias como vergonzosas o pateticas (la boda, por ejemplo).
    Los gráficos son de lo mejorcito aun hoy en día y el sonido no se queda atrás así como los controles, completamente renovados y con muchas posibilidades.
    Al final del juego te da la impresión de que te has pasado casi tanto tiempo viendo videos como jugando aunque si eres fan de la saga lo sabrás perdonar ya que se cierran muchos interrogantes de la trama que nos enganchó ya desde PSone. A Kojima se le ha ido totalmente la mano pero aun así los seguidores de la saga lo disfrutaran y mucho.
    GRAFICOS: 10 SONIDO: 8 DIVERSION: 7,5 DURACION: 7    … Expand
  28. Regal4point1
    Jul 4, 2012
    7
    A great homage to the whole series. The bosses were familiar while interesting, and the gameplay was refined to a tee. Unfortunately, the gameplay takes a back-seat to the story, which makes up the bulk of what should have been a much longer and better paced game. Simply making this game longer or perhaps releasing it later would have provided a much more sufficient game to movie ratio.
  29. Tokyochuchu
    Apr 11, 2012
    6
    Metal Gear Solid 4 is a descent game, but one with some huge faults. The good stuff first: Great graphics, fun stealthy gameplay, epic boss fights... Basically, all the same stuff that made the old MGS games good. However, this is truly the game where you watch more then you play. Ten minutes of gameplay = thirty minutes of cut-scene or more. The older games had a good balance of play toMetal Gear Solid 4 is a descent game, but one with some huge faults. The good stuff first: Great graphics, fun stealthy gameplay, epic boss fights... Basically, all the same stuff that made the old MGS games good. However, this is truly the game where you watch more then you play. Ten minutes of gameplay = thirty minutes of cut-scene or more. The older games had a good balance of play to watch ratio. Metal Gear Solid 4 unbalances it to ridiculous proportions. That's not the only problem, either. The story and dialogue that you're forced to endlessly watch is ham-fisted, convoluted and confusing. It gets so wrapped up in it's own intricacies and technical details, that the bigger picture becomes diluted and difficult to understand. In the end, I found MGS4 to be a fun game with infuriating story components that came close to unraveling the whole package. I really think that Hideo Kojima needs to reel himself in and go back to basics for the next Solid Snake outing.… Expand
  30. firstevil87
    Mar 7, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overrated. That's one word to describe the experience I had with this game. It's not bad, mind you but it has some "identity crisis". Having the game split in chapters with different locations is a bad idea because instead of having places that feel like places, we have areas that look like levels of a game, with conveniently placed walls.
    Take the jungle of mg3, the whole world feels connected, you feel like you are "exploring" the area and not just "move from point A to point B".
    I mentioned "identity crisis" because this game seems to not be able to decide whether it's trying to tell a new tale or it's trying to mimic key moments from previous games. I felt like I was watching a bad scripted series finale of a tv show in which all the actors available appear for no reason other that:"it's the ending I want to be there". Trying to connect all the people involved could have been great but it feels forced, some plot points happen just because they need to make supporting characters do something.
    Then we have cutscenes, dear lord, really, I would have edited out at least 15 minutes from each cutscene, or at least I would have made playable somehow.
    The worst offenders are the boss fights with B&B, the game expects us to feel sympathetic towards the enemy but... after a boss fight where my first thought is "save, I want to save!" I must suffer a stock "tragic backstory" via Codec. This is not how you make a character likable or multi dimensional, this is how you make a character even more boring.
    Another thing that I just didn't get is Psycho Mantis, why does he show up? What's his purpose? I thought he became good in mgs1 why he is saying generic monologues? In the end I didn't get half of what' was going on,events for me happened just because they needed to include other characters or because they wanted to make cool action scenes.
    Even the ending could have been heartwarming instead I got an extremely boring and confusing summary of the plot in which the world "zero" was repeated so many times that i stopped caring after a few minutes.
    In the end, I don't hate this game, but I can enjoy it if I don't mind some weird design/plot choices. It's just not the masterpiece everybody is praising about.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PS3 Game of 2008
2
#2 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2008
2
#2 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 82 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 82 out of 82
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 82
  3. Negative: 0 out of 82
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    100
    Guns of the Patriots is almost intimidating in the consistent quality of its ideas, invention, and execution...Even by the series' stratospheric standards, MGS4 is a remarkable high point. [June 2008]
  2. IGN UK
    99
    If you've ever loved any one of the Metal Gear games, or any moments from the series, there will come a moment when MGS 4 will send your spirits soaring. If you've loved them all, well then there'll be many, many more. It’s a masterpiece.
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  3. Eurogamer
    80
    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.
    Read full review
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