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Over 10 years later, what are your thoughts on MGS4?

bar_bar12

bar_bar12

The Fallen
Oct 26, 2017
2,439
I have been replaying the MGS series lately, and more and more I've been thinking about MGS4. It was one of the games of my childhood as it was my first MGS game to play myself after watching my uncle play the other MGS games. I loved the game as a kid and replayed it a few years ago again and still had love for the game despite its numerous flaws. I also came to find out that it was a divisive game in the fanbase, with people either really loving it or thinking it's the worst game in the series by a landslide.

What are your thoughts on it, ERA?

220px-Mgs4us_cover_small.jpg
 
RyoonZ

RyoonZ

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
645
I played MGS 1-4 few years ago back to back and it's easily the worst one. My favorite is 3, it's the best. Snake Eaterrrrrrr.
 
Servbot24

Servbot24

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
43,432
I adore this game, GOTY.

It is the worst in the franchise but who cares. It's ridiculous and unbalanced in a very gripping way.
 
poptire

poptire

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
10,149
Perfect (real) ending to the series. Such a unique, weird, wonderful experience.
 
Phendrift

Phendrift

Member
Oct 25, 2017
32,429
poptire said:
Perfect (real) ending to the series. Such a unique, weird, wonderful experience.
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Yeah. I played it for the first time a couple weeks ago and damn, what an ending. It sometimes explained TOO much and kind of lacked an indentity of it's own because it focused so much on answering stuff from the first three. But man, what an experience. We'll never get anything like it again.
 
Zhukov

Zhukov

Banned
Dec 6, 2017
2,641
"One of the games of your childhood?"

God, you are making me feel so damn old right now.

Anyway, my opinion hasn't changed from my first impressions.

It's clunky, ugly, pretentious and has its head firmly lodged up its own arse. It feels like Kojima writing fanfiction about his own series.

The writing is woeful. It's almost so bad that it's good, but then gets even worse until it goes right back to being bad. The ending in particular is a hilariously bad melodrama slog that drags on for fucking ever. My defining memory of the game is it trying to get all dramatic while I continuously groaned, "Just fucking end already!"
 
Doggg

Doggg

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Nov 17, 2017
14,585
It was good overall, although not as good as it could have been and not among the very best in the series.
 
Razgriz-Specter

Razgriz-Specter

Member
Oct 25, 2017
29,749
Despite disappointing elements its one of the best games ever made and I honestly don't expect to ever see a game that over the top and packed again.

Also V made it retroactively look so much better than it already was.
 
Clowns

Clowns

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,891
Too many cutscenes, too little gameplay. Plot is ridiculous, and not in a good way. Peaks with act 2, rapidly goes downhill from there. Graphics are nice. Controls are serviceable, making it the best controlling MGS up to that point.
 
selo

selo

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
1,108
My least favorite MGS. The only part I liked was chapter 4, when you go back to shadow moses, and it was probably nostalgia. I finished the game and made up my mind immediately that it was the worst mgs I had played until then (I still rate PP over this).
 
cervanky

cervanky

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,296
It was okay. Weakest numbered MGS entry.

Gameplay pretty much ends at Act 2 outside of bosses. South America was the last part with opposing fighters with Snake caught in the middle that even tried to implement the "No Place To Hide" concept.

It took the most boring and obvious route after the bizarre postmodern surreal MGS2. The immaterial Patriots that were supposed to be the embodiment of America were reduced to a couple of servers that could be defeated - and of course that's what they were, it's what you assumed they were in MGS2, but that game didn't have to deal with it head-on. MGS4 does and it feels like fan-fiction.

It doesn't really say anything new. War has changed: now play another MGS game like all the rest.

"War has changed. It's no longer about nations, ideologies, or ethnicity. It's an endless series of proxy battles fought by mercenaries and machines. War, and its consumption of life, has become a well-oiled machine."

That quote demonstrates to me that Kojima sometimes just doesn't know what he's talking about. He had insight into the Information Age with MGS2, but his understanding of history and warfare is superficial. War hasn't changed, and it won't anytime soon.
 
Raonak

Raonak

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
2,170
I always thought it was an amazing game.
It had a ton of flaws, but gameplay wise and cinematic wise, it was excellent
and it gave the series a very satisfying conclusion and somehow managed to tie up as many lose ends as possible.
A flawed masterpiece is the best way to describe it for me.

2x GOTY 2008
 
OuijaLuigi

OuijaLuigi

Member
Oct 30, 2017
242
Finland
I like it. A bit of a let down after Snake Eater, but not a bad game in any way. Story made me constantly go "uhhh... okay?" and while I like a cinematic experience, the cut scenes were way too lengthy. There's even one where you can save in the middle of it.
 
NediarPT88

NediarPT88

Member
Oct 29, 2017
15,331
Game with lots of highs but even more lows.

Way too many cutscenes (more than 8h iirc), pacing was a mess.

Kojima had a hard life.
 
TripaSeca

TripaSeca

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,770
São Paulo
It was one of the most amazing first time experiences ever for me. I played and watched the game jaw-open all the time. And I had previously watched all the cutscenes via YT. The game was years ahead of everything that came along with it and I look forward to playing it again.
I wish I could play it for the first time again.
I LOVED all the fan service, as I teenager there was absolutely nothing else that I'd want. So, perfect.
 
The Kidd

The Kidd

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,044
I Didn't get to play the game til 2013 when I graduated, and bought a PS3 just for it.

I only heard how amazing it was whenever I looked it up beforehand, and then when I played it I was honestly disappointed. Then somehow since then I feel like every topic I read about it is negative, and wonder how I somehow missed this, and wish I hadn't built my expectations up.

Haven't played it since but do remember it fondly now, think I'll have to replay it soon.
 
Basileus777

Basileus777

Member
Oct 26, 2017
9,237
New Jersey
It's a bad game. A mediocre 3rd person shooter that doesn't really have much gameplay that isn't overtaken by the story. And it suffers from terrible writing,
 
Derrick01

Derrick01

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,289
I still think it's one of gaming's biggest embarrassments and the poster child, along with Kojima as a whole, for why game stories aren't taken seriously at all.
 
Heshinsi

Heshinsi

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,115
One of my favourite games of all times. Those whacky infomercials were awesome. So much content packed into this one game.
 
Vern

Vern

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
5,097
Killed my interest in metal gear after the high water mark that was snake eater.
 
Laser Man

Laser Man

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,683
Terrible nonsense exposition, completely overloaded and way too long, some nice choreographed action scenes that got torpedoed by split screen qte nonsense. Moody stealth section through a dark city but very mundane from a gameplay perspective. Nice nostalgia throwback to MGS1 with the Shadow Moses Island level, really liked that because I enjoyed MGS1 so much. Some interesting boss fights. Best stealth suit of any game!
I saw the potential but the final product was a mess and not very fun to play.
 

Deleted member 4869

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,753
Still my favorite game of the previous generation.

Still the best ending an insane franchise like Metal Gear could ask for.

I miss super crazy games like this.

Well deserved winner of GOTY twice on GAF. A real masterpiece.
 
Shark

Shark

Member
Oct 28, 2017
8,126
Raleigh, NC
I haven't played it in some time but I have always admired it. It's filled to the brim with the weirdness and quirks of Kojima. I've never taken the Metal Gear Solid series' writing or storytelling that seriously (especially as seriously as the detractors apparently do) or held it in high regard. It was the presentation that hooked me more than the ideas and this game has incredible presentation values that still hold up. In 2008 this felt like I was playing the future. It legitimized a platform and the potential the gen could have.

It's also one of the best sendoffs to any character in video game history and it is my favorite portrayal of Snake. David Hayter did an amazing job.

There was nothing else like it.
 

Deleted member 9100

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
3,076
robotrock said:
Pinnacle of video games
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1st post nails it. MGS is one of my favorite series of all time and this is my favorite game in the series.

I loved 2 and the cliffhanger ending left me very excited for the next game. Metal gear solid 3 was great, but still left so many questions from the ending of 2 open.

Bought a PS3 solely for this game (although I bought a bunch of games after), and played through it all in one day. What an experience.

It wrapped up all the loose threads and served as a fantastic ending to the sides.

While MGSV clearly has far far better gameplay, the story of MGS 4 elevates it as the pinnacle of the series.

Kojima's original ending was for Snake and Ottacon to turn themselves in and be executed. I wonder what the fan reaction would've been to that.
 
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Thebeast!

Banned
Mar 18, 2018
1,487
Better than mgs2 and its stupid message. I wanted to play as snake not raiden. I also didnt gave a shit about him and hes gf
 
Hardvlade

Hardvlade

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
2,447
Metal Gear Solid 4 at the time was one of the best games I ever played. I walked away amazed by the final fight, however I felt like if you didn't play the first 3, it wouldn't had been as good. I hope Konami one days decides to remake all of them (or even remaster them) and release them on current gen systems.
 
Ryouji Gunblade

Ryouji Gunblade

Avenger
Oct 26, 2017
4,151
California
Amazing callbacks, good control updates, great polygon count, terrible story, bland colors, weak characterization, weak codec, meh bosses, solid finish, maximum nanomachines.

I wanted more MGS2 or MGS3, but instead I got MGS4.
 
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