Fantastic, majestic, awesome – the English language could be stripped of superlatives when attempting to do justice to Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. This stealth action game, the latest in the series, has been developed exclusively for PS3 by Kojima Productions.

The storyline of many games is often an embarrassingly simplistic affair, whose plot merely provides a flimsy backdrop for the action. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is very, very, different: it is a saga on an epic scale. Its complex plot twists and turns, occasionally bewilders and often surprises. Gamers that see it through, however, will enjoy a rich and rewarding experience.

Series veterans will be familiar with most of the characters, such as Old Snake (previously Solid Snake). Old Snake and Liquid Snake are clones of the holy person, Big Boss. Unfortunately clones tend to inherit a lifetime of mutated genes from their parent, so Old Snake is now prematurely aging. MGS4: Guns of Patriots is set in 2014, in a world where private military companies are employed by big businesses to further their interests. The largest private military company is mounting an insurrection which is destabilising the world. This company is led by Liquid Ocelot, whose mind is under the control of Liquid Snake. Old Snake is dispatched to the Middle East to take on Liquid Ocelot, who is an antagonist par excellence. Further brilliant action takes place in Eastern Europe, South America, Shadow Moses Island and Outer Haven.

Series veterans will slip easily into this game. Old Snake, the game’s playable character, progresses by combining his combat skills with stealth and guile. Although Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots utilises a third-person view with full camera manipulation, you can switch to first-person view by pressing triangle when holding L1. Controlling manoeuvres that require stealth is not much of a problem, but mastering the combat controls may prove a little more difficult, particularly to newcomers.

Weapons can be obtained from an arms dealer, picked up from the field of battle or taken from an opponent. Guns maybe enhanced by a number of extra devices, so you can navigate the whole game with the same weapon, adjusting it as the need arises.

Old Snake always has the support of Otacon, a tiny Metal Gear Mech. This unobtrusive robotic drone can be used for reconnaissance or to engage the foe.

There are some superb new features, including a new camouflage system: Old Snake’s suit automatically blends in with any surface it is in contact with. There is also a monocular instrument, which is a big improvement on the image intensifiers of earlier version.

Your AI opponents are superb and canny in the extreme. You can either take them on in combat or stealthily manoeuvre around them – the choice is yours!

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots offers a multiplayer online mode (up to 16 players).

The graphics in MGS4: Guns of the Patriots can be described in one word – magnificent! The characters look better on PS3 than they ever have done before. The war zones are scattered around the world, and because they are so varied, each location seems to give a fresh impetus to the game. The cinematic cutscenes are numerous and absolutely brilliant. They are equal to anything that the movie world can offer – so don’t get frustrated by the frequent breaks from combat, just enjoy them!























The sound cannot be faulted. An excellent script is well delivered, and the battlefield sound effects equal the brilliance of the graphics. The music is as good as, if not better than, anything previously offered by the gaming world. The official soundtrack has 47 tracks on two disks, and is released by Konami Digital Entertainment.

No one will be disappointed with this game. Series veterans will find that it meets their highest expectations, while newcomers will be amazed. (A tip for newcomers, to ensure the ultimate gaming experience – play Metal Gear Solid 3 first, it is really worth it!)

10 / 10