Metal Gear Solid 4
by gwh on Jun.18, 2008, under Games
I just finished MGS4 and have to say I enjoyed it a ton. The first few hours I really didn’t see why the game was getting such dazzling reviews but I do now. The game is further blurring the lines between movies and games and, while it doesn’t always succeed perfectly with every scene, it does succeed over-all and deserves respect for even attempting it in such an epic way.
I used to say I liked any book or movie that made me feel something. Sad, happy, angry, disgusted, whatever. Just not bored. Gaming, for me, is starting to become the same way. Looking back, maybe it always was. The recent crop of games that I loved all got me emotionally involved in the story. Mass Effect for it’s amazing characterization, epic world building and awesome space opera story. Grand Theft Auto 4 for its sandbox and well written crime drama (plus, the fantasy of running around a huge city, oblivious to the law, is always fun). Assassins Creed, Call of Duty 4, etc, etc, etc.
I understand why a lot of people have a problem getting into Metal Gear Solid 4. It’s Japanese story telling at its most difficult. But once I got into that mindset I started to enjoy the game much, much more. If you enjoyed Ghost in the Shell, I think you’d be right at home here.
The game could stand on it’s own and be enjoyable for someone who skipped the 90 minutes worth of cut-scenes in the game… but I’m not going to do it and find out because, unlike Tycho, I enjoyed them. Maybe not like I did Mass Effect or an R. Scott Bakker book, but enough to give the game 9 out 10 on my scale.
Losing 1 point only for the learning curve. But that’s another post.
June 19th, 2008 on 9:24 am
Nice blog man! Full of some real content here!
I agree about movies, books, and games making you feel something - but I think it goes much further than that. The stuff that sells and keeps on selling are the things that instill emotion into people. Cars, motorcycles, clothes, accessories, web sites, art, etc….the list could go forever. The stuff that doesn’t make us feel something, well, I can’t come up with an example because really - we just forget about that stuff.
Obviously this blog sold me.