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Metal Gear Solid 4 - Anyone else excited? (1 Viewer)

RAF

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Thanks. Wikipedia does seem to have a pretty good "back story" summary so I can readily bring myself up to speed regarding the prior episodes. Thanks for that.

While I fully understand that playing the earlier games will result in a richer gaming experience because all the references fall into place I'm not so sure that I would characterize it as being more "satisfying" (although I do see and appreciate that point.) I've played lots of games where there has been a type of flow from one numbered version to the next and while I can see the linkage I also feel that it's not critical to the story line. The excellent (but now dated) Half-life series immediately comes to mind. References to "Black Mesa" in HL2 elicit knowing glances but don't make it impossible to get the current story. Game developers would be doing their products a disservice if they made you play through the earlier efforts for a number of reasons. For one thing some of these franchises have been around so long that many of the earlier systems are now either unavailable or in our closets. For another, the tremendous leap in game technology makes the earlier efforts (aside from their back story aspects) rather quaint looking because the newer editions look, sound and play so much better. True, it is my understanding that some of the early edition MGS boss battles rank with the best of all time in terms of story, etc. and it's things like that which make them possibly appeal to me after I finish MGS4 when I get the time.

Once again, thanks for the feedback. It's appreciated. I particularly like the comment about MGS4 being an "event" rather than a game. To me, that's the type of experience that I look for in a game that I'm going to devote my time to. Clearly, those of you who have followed the MGS series from its inception (or at least since it came to the PS2) are having a great time as the story reaches a final conclusion. As a final observation, I see where most sites have been very cautious to not talk about specifics so as not to spoil the ending. But I also have a pretty good idea, as an outsider to the series, where it's headed based on the tone of the vague comments. That doesn't bother me at all because to me it's all about the world that a game creates and apparently the MGS franchise has created a magnificent one on just about every level.
 

ChadMcCallum

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Think of MGS4 as Return of the King. That movie didn't really explain what had happened in the two previous movies and MGS4 doesn't really explain what happened in the previous games. If something like Foxdie is mentioned Snake may say something like "FoxDie. You mean the..." followed by a short explanation but that serves more as a refresher to people who have played the rest of the series. You also get brief flashes back to event in the other games but if you hadn't played them you wouldn't know what was going on. If the story is something that interests then I suggest going out and picking up the Metal Gear Solid Essential Collection which has the first 3 MGS games (remember that MGS1 was a PS1 game) and play them first. They're great games and well worth playing and will enhance your MGS4 experience greatly.
 

pitchman

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Also, just posted over on PSN is a, free for download, interactive Metal Gear database that covers ALL of the games in the series.
 

RAF

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Yes, the MGS Database that's available as a free download on the Playstation Network is just what the doctor ordered - literally. It gives you an encyclopedia, a timeline and a relationship chart that covers the entire series. Another nice thing for us newbies just getting into MGS with MGS4 is how it protects spoilers for MGS4. After you install the MGS Database onto your PS3 it checks for an MGS4 save file on your PS3 HDD and adjusts spoilers accordingly in the database. Therefore, if you haven't reached a certain point in the MGS4 story line any pertinent info that wasn't known before that point is locked out of any database "reveals." I already noticed this with some of the timeline entries and I'm sure it extends to all areas of this convenient database.

Very cool (and helpful!)

Speaking of which - J&R had the MGS PS/PS2 essential collection on sale so I bought it. The first title is for the PS1, not the PS2 (even though the combo case says "PS2"). I've successfully played PS2 games on my original (60G HD) PS3 but I've never tried a PS1 game on the PS3. Any old time PS players - can you tell me if I can expect MGS1 for the PS to work on my PS2 capable PS3? Otherwise I'll be limited to MGS2 and MGS3 in this collection (and yes, I realize that chronologically MGS3 comes first).

Thanks for the continuing help. I can see why so many people get involved with the MGS franchise. It does give one some very interesting play aspects and, of course, the graphics and sound on MGS4 are absolutely state of the art.

:emoji_thumbsup: :emoji_thumbsup:
 

pitchman

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Robert, I have the same tri-pak and the PS1 game plays perfectly fine on my new 80gig PS3-MGS4 bundled machine. It should be no problem at all on yours, since with your 60gig machine, BC is done in hardware. I have to admit that I am pleasantly surprised by the amount of backwards compatibility Sony has been able to wrangle out of their software emulation. I have some fairly old (and rare) PS1 games like Klonoa and Castlevania, and so far, they all appear to play without a hitch on my PS3. Overall, I am impressed by this hardware. I think as more folks get hands-on time with the PS3, Sony's market share will change... for the better. It's a pretty elegant box IMO.
 

RAF

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Chad and Gary,

Thanks for the comeback on PS1 playability on the PS3. I always like to hear from folks who actually use this stuff rather than just having read about it. Looks like all is fine.

A couple of personal comments on this whole situation:
  • You mentioned MGS "opening a whole new world" and I have absolutely no doubt that you are correct. My biggest problem is one of time (and I've been retired for nine years!!) since I have so many titles in the queue for my 360, my Wii, my DS and even my PSP and now my PS3 that it could literally take me the rest of my life to wade through all of it. Gaming becomes more and more amazing at every turn in the road and with GTA4 and now MGS4 the bar has been set higher than ever. I can't wait to see what comes next.
  • In a related issue, what's the deal with the number "4" in game franchise cycles? It appears to be a VERY lucky number. Consider the following: Oblivion (Elder Scrolls 4), GTA4, MGS4, Call to Duty 4, Devil May Cry 4, etc. etc. etc... I'm sure I'm missing some other great ones but you get the point. I can't wait until Bioshock 4 and Fable 4. :laugh:
  • The world introduced in GTA4 is amazing (as are the graphics in MGS4) and I really hope that soon some of this technology is applied to titles that I can share with my grandkids (who now range in age fro 6 to 11). I can't even let them in the same room with me for GTA4 and the environment (if not the language) is absolutely amazing. I've heard that Fable 2 is going to incorporate a GPS mapping system similar to GTA4 and I'm hoping that at least the language will not make my kids too mad at "cool grandpa" for showing the grandkids such things. It will be amazing (at least for the pre-teeners) for today's gaming capabilities to filter down into the world of "E" or "E10+" rated titles.
  • Finally a note about the PS3. I've been a big fan of the PS3 as a kick-A$$ Blu-ray player and applaud Sony for making good on their promise to level up the performance from version 1.0 through 1.1 and now 2.0 via firmware. I have absolutely no misgivings about having purchased a PS3 on Day One. Props to Sony. I was far less enthusiastic with the performance of the PS3 as a gaming device. True, it was my first source of 7.0 sound (that intro music and a lot of the downloadable titles) but, quite frankly, the interesting games were not there. I'm serious when I say that the best gaming experience for me on the PS3 was from PS2 classics like God of War, etc. (I never got into the PS2 since I was an Xbox and PC gamer - with Nintendo as a guilty pleasure). The XBox 360 was clearly the gaming choice for me. The graphics were on a par with the PS3 and the games were much more intriguing - not to mention the online experience and the one thing that still hasn't come to the PS3 world - Achievement Points! That still tilts the scales for me in the direction of the 360 when dual platform titles (like GTA4) come out. However - after downloading the MGS Database from the Playstation Network I was pleasantly surprised how much better the Playstation store has become. I was also pleased to see that the download speeds seem to have gotten better as well. As a user of all the consoles I now feel better that Sony is finally getting their PS3 gaming act together and that Microsoft will have to respond to up the ante. That's a win-win situation for gamers because competition is a good thing. More props to Sony for future proofing their HW (at least with the PS3) and allowing a comfortable level of backward compatibility with earlier consoles. They definitely have a leg up on MS in these areas. But this isn't really meant as a PS3 vs. 360 discussion. It should be clear by now that both now-gen systems merit consideration in one's gaming arsenal. And let's not forget the last-gen (graphically) Wii which is laughing at both of them all the way to the bank. This is truly the golden age of gaming (and I've been there since before a lot of members here were born so I know what I'm talking about.)
Game on! (A phrase with multiple meanings).

:emoji_thumbsup: :emoji_thumbsup:
 

pitchman

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I still have a working ColecoVision with over 100 CV games, plus the driving module, Atari 2600 module, a Roller Controller and a pair of Super Action Controllers. So, I've been at it a while, too! :D

I agree. It's a great time to be a gamer! I don't see me getting a 360 any time soon (although up until a couple of weeks ago, I didn't see me getting a PS3, either... ;)) Even though they deliver very different gaming experiences, I find much to like about both my PS3 and my Wii. I just wish Nintendo would release more Virtual Console titles. I wonder if we'll get to see some C=64 games over here like Nintendo has released on the VC in Europe.

Getting back to MGS4... One thing puzzles me. Am I doing something wrong, or is it not very clear when you have reached a good save point for stopping in this game. Twice now, I thought I successfully completed a stage, and after saving, exited out of the game. The next time I went to play, I was kicked back to the beginning of the level I thought I had completed. Is this normal?
 

WillG

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I read somewhere that an update to the PS3 is going to introduce something called "Trophies" I don't think there was really word on what it is, but my first thought was that is was going to be something comparable to XBOX 360's achievement points. I guess we'll see.

I just recently got an XBOX 360 and have racked up some achievement points playing COD4. But what do they actually get you. Can you get free downloads with a certain amount of points, or something like that?
 

Jari K

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Just started this myself. Awesome game and no doubt one of the best out there (GTA4, move over!). Brings back the good old memories from MGS1 (PS) and MGS2 (PS2).. I never finished MGS3, though (sneaking was a bit "overkill" for me on that one back then, so I just stopped playing the game during the 1st level.. ;) ).

MGS4 is pretty much like the game-movie-hybrid. It´s something more than just a "game"..

Not that easy game, though (for a person with limited time). Already having some problems with those "frogs". Dammit! :) I guess I have to buy some weapons etc.
 

Jari K

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Not sure what Xbox 360 has gotta do with MGS4 (PS3 exclusive, baby! ;) ), but these "achievement points" are something, that many people won´t ever "need". If you´re a hardcore online-gamer, I guess they can be appealing ("Who´s the man!") etc, but I don´t fully see their purpose. I mean e.g. I have played "through" zillion games over the years etc and never needed any "achievement points" to prove something..

Snakeeeeeee! :D
 

Morgan Jolley

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Basically, achievement points are digital bragging rights. The PS3 is going to have something similar added. They don't get you anything of remotely tangible value.
 

RAF

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The achievement points can be different things to different people. True, there is no "tangible" benefit (such as MS points, free downloads, etc. - although I seem to recall that this was hinted at at the inception of the XBox360) but I still like them. I consider them another facet of gaming on the XBox 360 and I like the added impetus to move forward in a game. When I first saw them in the early days my first thought was, "Who cares?" but now that they are an integral part of most 360 titles (including the Arcade games) I've come to like them. I don't consider them bragging rights by any means although I bet a lot of younger players probably do. To me, as I use XBox Live to keep in touch with a huge number of gaming cyber-acquaintances I find the inclusion of achievement point lists for each "friend" and each game to be a very good barometer of what type of gaming that person prefers or is good at since more points usually means they got further in a particular game.

No, achievement points aren't a perfect system (especially since some games have ridiculously hard achievement tasks while others are a walk in the park) but they are something that you can involve yourself in if you are so inclined. I'm not overly impressed by huge achievement point numbers. Nor do I feel insulted if someone chooses to ignore achievement points as a matter of principle. All I'm saying is that some people might be surprised how involved they get with achievement points once they try them out. Just dismissing them out of hand without actually trying them is a bit presumptive. Trying them and not caring for them is perfectly fine. To each his/her own.

I also think that the whole achievement points concept goes hand in hand with a good online community interface (such as the XBox Live network, for example). Up until recently the Sony online interface between users was not in the same league as the XBox 360 community. However, in recent times SONY has made some huge strides in that area and the fact that people are beginning to talk about PS3 "trophies" or similar doesn't surprise me in the least. To me it comes with the territory. I feel that shortly both platforms will offer similar online interfaces and then it all becomes a question of which games appeal to you. For some of us the solution has been to have all of the platforms at our disposal rather than getting into pissing matches as to which platform is the better one. That way we have first hand experience with the games and features rather than basing our opinions on brand loyalty or some other agenda.

I repeat - this is a golden age for gaming and I wouldn't be surprised if a "platinum" age is around the corner. We've come a long way from Magnavox Odyssey and text-based games like "Zork." MGS4 is the current graphics and sound champ until a new challenger hits the market. That's what makes this so much fun (or as the younger generation would say, "So fun").

:laugh:
 

Jari K

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If I´m not mistaken (please correct me if I´m wrong), MGS4 uses 50gb Blu-ray-disc (mainly for the endless cut-scenes, I´m sure). In the future, this capacity will open big possibilities for the game industry. E.g. with PS3, many sources have stated, that now the companies have started to learn how to really "use" that potential inside the console (this wasn´t the case with the first PS3-games). So things are looking *really* bright for PS3.

I have no idea, that how much "capacity" you actually need for the good game (if you don´t have *that* many cut-scenes, etc), but I believe e.g. Xbox 360 is using max. "dual layer" DVD..

Then again, even Wii can look very nice, with SD. I love Mario-games, etc. :)
 

Jari K

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Same thing happened to me this morning. The game didn´t start for the "last cut-scene" (which I assumed was the "check point"), so I had to play one section "again" (it was easy, so no problem this time) before reaching to the point where I thought that my save would be..

The "saving" with MGS4 is a bit more difficult than with some other games (sure, some are still similar to MGS4). You can only save the game after "completing" the certain part of the game. If you mess up that section in the end (and die), you have to start it over.

So no "I-first-shoot-these-10-guys-and-then-save-just-in-case". ;)
 

Morgan Jolley

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Back to the achievements thing, I look at them as being challenges. How many times did you play through one level of a game just to get a high score? I remember going through TimeSplitters 2 and getting all of the Platinum awards, simply to say that I did. (And none of my friends even had the game, so it was purely for self-fulfillment.)

Also, I am strapped for cash and can't get MGS4 (or a PS3, for that matter) just yet. I start my new job on July 14th, so before August I should have enough money to get both.
 

RAF

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I believe that you are correct about MSG4 being a 50g Blu-ray disc (or some variant of Blu-ray). The huge number of cut scenes at high resolution would require this. I've always contended that the real power of a "next-gen" (isn't it "now-gen" by now? ;) ) gaming machine would be the inclusion of a high capacity (read: HD - either format) disc for content. Now that titles are appearing on the PS3 using all this storage space I agree that the PS3 is finally beginning to play (no pun intended) to its strengths. The fact that the XBox360 doesn't have an internal high capacity disc drive will eventually bite it in the butt now that HD, high capacity gaming is here. I guess one could work around this by loading a bunch of discs to the HDD but that reminds me of the old days of PC gaming with multiple CDs to install.

Without any inside information on the next Xbox I would be willing to wager that an internal high capacity disc player is definitely in the plans - unless they are trying to go in a direction when downloadable content plays a more important role, although I don't see it playing out that way.

While the Xbox360 and the PS3 are capable of similar graphics the integral Blu-ray capability of the PS3 will, in my estimation, cause Microsoft to answer in kind to remain competitive.

My 2 cents.
 

Steve_Tk

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The platinum age will begin when they finally remake Final Fantasy 7 for the playstation 3.
 

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