Zero Punctuation: Metal Gear Solid 4

[TuxedoZombie]

Yahtzee should stop reviewing games in series he's NEVER PLAYED BEFORE. Why, you may ask? Because he's completely wrong and the games I'm referring to are Super Smash (which started the last flame war) and Metal Gear Solid.

PS- Yahtzee can't call out Raiden for being a "**** from MGS2" now that he's officially the most BAMF cybernetic ninja ever created.

 

[bobbysteelz]

good review can't agree, but I'm a metal gear fanboy since the beginning.

Hey yahtzee how about a review for Another World/Out of this world re-release?

 

[Yahtzee Croshaw]

the point is that he DID make games that were very cutscene and Duologue heavy. The games being a diffrent genre is no justification of that.

The games being a different genre is ENTIRELY the point. I don't play adventure games to bunnyhop and circlestrafe my way through a story. Neither do I play an RPG when I just want to mindlessly shoot something, and vice-versa (I'm looking at you, Shadowrun).

MGS calls itself an action game, but people looking for that action are coming away disappointed. If they're familiar with the series, then perhaps they should know better. If they're not, the game is poorly advertised.

As I mentioned previously, the story for MGS sounds interesting to me, but I'll never know because I can't stand the gameplay. If it was made like an adventure game, I might play it, but it's not. However, if it marked itself as an adventure game, and I found I had this 'tactical stealth action' game on my hands, I'd have harsher things to say than Yahtzee.

 

[KimMR251]

Yea...I disagree too, but I still love Yahtzee.

 

[TerraMGP]

the point is that he DID make games that were very cutscene and Duologue heavy. The games being a diffrent genre is no justification of that.

The games being a different genre is ENTIRELY the point. I don't play adventure games to bunnyhop and circlestrafe my way through a story. Neither do I play an RPG when I just want to mindlessly shoot something, and vice-versa (I'm looking at you, Shadowrun).

MGS calls itself an action game, but people looking for that action are coming away disappointed. If they're familiar with the series, then perhaps they should know better. If they're not, the game is poorly advertised.

As I mentioned previously, the story for MGS sounds interesting to me, but I'll never know because I can't stand the gameplay. If it was made like an adventure game, I might play it, but it's not. However, if it marked itself as an adventure game, and I found I had this 'tactical stealth action' game on my hands, I'd have harsher things to say than Yahtzee.

And its that narrow thinking that is killing the game industry. That is narrow thinking.

 

[ovset]

I'm a huge MGS fanboy (I own all of Yoji Shinkawa's MGS art books). There isn't much I don't like about this brilliant series.

That being said, Yahtzee was 100% correct. MGS4 is the most un-polished game in the series. It just doesn't hold itself to the same standard as its predecessors. The stealth was lacking and the controls were a pain in the urethra.

Please note that I also loved the game but I can always realize a game's faults. Yahtzee nailed them. I personally enjoy lengthy cutscenes, but I will agree that Hideo's writing tends to drown your ears with oceans of step-by-step explanations of stuff that doesn't really need explaining.

MGS is my favorite video game series, but even I can admit this was a disappointment. Not because it was less enjoyable, but because the experience is completely altered from the last games. Kojima took a risk that was well executed, but didn't leave me with tears of ecstasy like the previous titles.

 

[Grampy_bone]

This review is basically: "hur hur them thar's sure allota words; readin' is fo fags, hur hur hur!"

 

[Yahtzee Croshaw]

And its that narrow thinking that is killing the game industry. That is narrow thinking.

Care to back that up?

 

[(not) a fanboy]

Excellent review again Yahtzee, but i must say that i enjoyed MGS4 a lot. There definitely is a problem with the plot/game ratio, but the main reason i play the story mode is for the story and especially in a series like MGS4. I also think the the Metal Gear Solid series is very well written...maybe it's just my odd taste in games. Or maybe due to the fact that I can play almost any game and like it regardless of flaws.

 

[Dr Killpatient]

what the fuck. yahtzee dunno whats hes talkin bout. well.. he does. but the game is incredible. the story is not badly written. its the greatest ever. heh. whatever. it doesnt matter. i love it and i dont give a shit what yahtzee said.

If by "greatest ever" you mean "endless convoluted verbal diarrhea", then yes, MGS' story is the greatest ever.

 

[Darknessglow]

Wow, I've honestly never known Terra to get this fired up about an issue. I've known her for running on 6 or 7 years now and I don't believe she's ever done this.

In other news I'm one of "those girls" (variation of "that guy") who love to play the game time and time again and to call this one unpolished is inaccurate. Just because someone went the run and gun route doesn't mean you can't take the stealth route, and that's what Kojima wanted. He wanted this last game to be accessible to all in terms of game play. Storyline I admit could have been presented a little better as far as back story, however he already had quite a few answers he had to get in for the fans and that was his primary concern; answering the questions. He didn't even want to do MGS3 but fans begged him back, begged for him to continue with the series. Kojima was ready to hand MGS to his team and be free of it entirely, didn't even want to produce really.

I also believe that some of the narrative could have been handled better and taken some out of the cutscenes ala draining the sound and having like a sort of flash back conversation or something while still keeping the player in the game.

The controls I found to be spot on once you get to know them. No I didn't like the lack of a duck and cover fire system, but I got by just fine. And stealth, when you get the controls down and understand the enemy AI its easy to do. No its not going to happen first time, maybe not even second time through, but it will happen. On the harder modes stealth feels almost rewarding.

However to say that its bad writing, please. The writing was wonderfully done and with each cutscene it seemed to present a new twist to the game's story, especially if you knew the background to the game.

If you haven't played any of the previous games, DON'T pick this up. I told a friend of mine he was better off playing each game in succession rather than diving into the fourth because he would have no clue as to what's going on or why a certain scene just felt so fitting to fans even if that scenes controls were a touch weak. People who have BEATEN the game know exactly what I'm talking about, think about it.

 

[yzzlthtz]

That being said, Yahtzee was 100% correct.

you cannot be 100% correct with an opinion.
i am used to some real original thoughts yahtzee's reviews and there are none in this one.
it's just whine whine whine i have the attention span of a gnat and expect you all to have the same so i'm going to string all my blurbs together in a torrent of manically edited animation and redundant criticisms.

oh wait that's all his reviews.

i just happen to be a ps fanboy and yahtzee in recent months has clearly become a 360 addict and it's starting to come out in his reviews and it's annoying.

 

[Pliskin321]

Yahtzee, silenced pistol with infinite ammo and one shot knock out? Raise the difficulty past Liquid East please, cmon man.

I love you but, you fail to mention things like that.

 

[Monokeros]

That being said, Yahtzee was 100% correct.

i just happen to be a ps fanboy and yahtzee in recent months has clearly become a 360 addict and it's starting to come out in his reviews and it's annoying.

Correction he hasn't been a 360 addict, 360 games are AS OF NOW more around the areas of BANG BANG entertain friends and frats at drunk partys and not. EPIC STORYS OF DRAMA AND WOE WITH GRAPHICS TO BACK UP CLUNKY BAT ADQUEATE GAMEPLAY. Hell PS3 games have YET To fully utilize all of the little bits that came along with it, the reason WHY he's a given 360 better reviews is not because hes a 'fanboy' its because most gamers play games to HAVE FUN and the games coming out for Ps3/2 are in all fun but not fun in the sense that the AVERAGE at HOME gamer. Yathzee speaks honestly, and if you read my previous post you'll understand I'm in the same position at you and what he stated were FACTS so he is 100% correct. Too much dialogue and 'adequate' gameplay are what makes up MGS4, if you dont LIKE the story there isnt much to get out of the game. That is why people no not people FANBOYS are going to always complain about reviews on games where the Story holds together the game SO SHUTUP ALREADY ABOUT IT argg

Yahtzee, silenced pistol with infinite ammo and one shot knock out? Raise the difficulty past Liquid East please, cmon man.

I love you but, you fail to mention things like that.

His review comes from the standpoint of someone at the first time playing and people who are playing the game for the first time, or just want to complete the game for reviews will pick an easier path. The diffculty of the game SHOULD NOT have a drastic impact on a games review if its good THIS IS A FACT.

 

[The Sound Defense]

Metal Gear Solid 4 has to be one of the most popular, and most attacked, video game series of all time, and while the review was amusing, I'm sad to say I heard every single ounce of it before. It read like a highly unoriginal laundry list of every grievance I've ever seen. Nothing particularly wrong with agreeing with other people about problems, but it unfortunately makes for a highly predictable, and less funny, review.

 

[ovset]

you cannot be 100% correct with an opinion.

Thank God you reminded me. I completely forgot this was an internet forum full of opinions.

While I agree with Yahtzee, he needs to stop being a wuss and play on Hard. That's how you fully experience any game, especially something as detailed as MGS. Let's try wearing our big boy pants now, Yahtzee.

 

[yzzlthtz]

Too much dialogue and 'adequate' gameplay are what makes up MGS4, if you dont LIKE the story there isnt much to get out of the game.

god you people really talk like you're experts.

the game-play in mgs4 is brilliant and very open ended and the main reason i play the game.

whatever, maybe i'm a masochist or a douche who likes being shoved into small places with a bunch of cunts, but i find the game to be a fucking blast.

that's my opinion, just like when i say things like "i find Yahtzee's review of my new favorite game pedestrian and insulting" or "this review has lowered my opinion of Yahtzee's intelligence, his ability to play games, his video editing skills, his family, any bedraggled pets he might take care of, and his clothing style."

i don't know why i do it, it's mostly just release. it feels good, like dishing out a limit break.

i mean, i can understand why someone might not like this game. it's weird and hard to get into at first. i spent my first hour of playing running around like a screaming idiot bird with a target sign on his bottom. but when i finally got into it, i started to SERIOUSLY enjoy myself, more than i have in any other action game. i might have to go back and play all the other metal gears after i'm thoroughly done playing through 4 on both the top difficulties...

again, i was just hoping for something a little more original from Yahtzee. i'm sure my feelings will mend themselves in a month or so, or if Yahtzee slams NG2, which is unlikely since it's plastered all over the place on this site.

have you even played mgs4, Monokeros? if no, please don't waste our time responding to this post.

 

[Seamus8]

sry to all that said not to buy games based on his opinion, but other than the massive hype machines this is my only method of finding good games to buy.

If he likes it, I will buy it. If he doesn't like it for reasons that don't bother me, I might. If he hates it, probably not buying it. If he doesn't review it (Hellgate) I'll probably forget to buy it even if I was interested.

but this one i'm buying anyway

 

[Aptspire]

"This shit is bananas"
...b-a-n*Twomped* right, sorry!

 

[Crrato]

I love the game, but the review was still a bit funny.

His review comes from the standpoint of someone at the first time playing and people who are playing the game for the first time, or just want to complete the game for reviews will pick an easier path. The diffculty of the game SHOULD NOT have a drastic impact on a games review if its good THIS IS A FACT.

No, it's not a fact. People could say Halo 3 is piss easy, because they finished it on easy without dying once. In MGS4, you get alot less ammo/rations. You get seen ALOT easier on the harder difficulties. Plus, you die alot quicker, so it almost forces you to sneak. This changes the gameplay alot when it's either sneak or die.