Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (メタルギアソリッド4) (commonly abbreviated to MGS4) is a stealth action video game in the popular Metal Gear series. Directed by Hideo Kojima, Shuyo Murata and Yoji Shinkawa, Guns of the Patriots was developed by Kojima Productions exclusively for the PlayStation 3 video game console. The game, designed around the motto, "No Place to Hide!", is the last Metal Gear game developed by Hideo Kojima, and the last game in the series starring Solid Snake. The game was released worldwide on June 12, 2008, 10 years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and 20 years after the first Metal Gear.

Gameplay
In Metal Gear Solid 4, the player (Old Snake) must navigate the game world in order to progress, using stealth and cunning in addition to traditional combat. It uses the series' traditional third person view with full camera manipulation, but also allows the freedom to play in first-person mode, as well as an over the shoulder view which can be switched from right shoulder to left for easy corner maneuvering. The Close Quarters Combat system has been completely revamped. The player is also able to interrogate guards for information and supplies.

Several elements from previous titles return in modified forms. Players can also use a new form of camouflage called "Octocamo", which replaces the camouflage system featured in Metal Gear Solid 3. Dark blue when disabled, the Octocamo suit allows the wearer to blend in with any surface within a few seconds. A new monocular device called "Solid Eye" replaces the various binoculars and image intensifiers from previous titles, and a steel drum complements the series' traditional cardboard box disguise. It is able to deflect bullets, and can be rolled to knock enemy soldiers over, but can lead to Snake being sick should the player roll around too much.

The game is filled with cut-scenes that explain what happened in previous MGS games and how that relates to the events of MGS4. Players will be able to choose whether to view these scenes by pressing the circle button on their controller when prompted. Although informative enough to excite the hardcore fans of the series, the cut scenes will be straight forward enough for casual gamers. Players will also have the choice of watching certain cut scenes from predetermined camera angles or exploring them with the Metal Gear Mk. II.

Snake is also partnered with a robotic drone, the Metal Gear Mk. II, which allows him to communicate with other characters, in addition to the CODEC radio system from previous games. It is also capable of engaging enemies using an electric shock, as well as providing reconnaissance. This drone is reminiscent of Gillian Seed's robotic sidekick of the same name from another Hideo Kojima game Snatcher.

Due to the lack of a rumble feature (an important part in previous titles) from the PlayStation 3 during much of the development, the game had been designed with a new feature: a white "Threat Ring," that visibly vibrates when sound is made nearby. As a series known for extensive use of rumble, when Sony announced the reintroduction of a new DualShock 3, MGS4 was announced as one of the first major games to make use of the force feedback capabilities.

Snake's health plays a small factor during gameplay. If injured on the battlefield, cuts and burns will remain on his skin. However, the developers wished to avoid putting the stress of maintaining Snake's health onto the players, so he wears a muscle suit, allowing players to move in a similar fashion to previous games.

Snake has two meters that replace the stamina bar from Snake Eater. The first meter, "Stress", is based on current fighting and climate conditions. This can cause Snake to go into a "combat high", that increases his accuracy and reduces damage sustained. However this effect will eventually wear off and could cause Snake to momentarily collapse. Smoking a cigarette calms Snake down. The second meter, "Psyche", slowly drops over time reducing Snake's accuracy. Scanning the pages of a glamor magazine will increase the meter.

There is also a "Baseline Map" which is a radar map with a dynamic circle based on Snake's "presence" to the environment. Accessible through the main menu, the Virtual Range is a test facility that allows the player to access the game's library of weapons as well as practice Snake's CQC moves.

Plot
Set in 2014, five years after the "Big Shell Incident" (the events of the Plant chapter from Metal Gear Solid 2), Metal Gear Solid 4 portrays a world where the restriction of military intervention on foreign soil has been eased, fueling the need for private military companies (PMCs) to fight proxy wars for business purposes. Nanotechnology has become prominent, both to enhance the capabilities and enforce the loyalty of mercenaries. The nanos that are in the PMCs are called "Sons of the Patriots" or "SOP". The five largest of these PMCs (Praying Mantis, Otselotovaya Khvatka, Werewolf, Pieuvre Armement and Raven Sword) are owned by a single mother company named Outer Haven, which is operated by Liquid Ocelot. Amassing an army whose manpower rivals that of the United States, Liquid prepares to launch an armed insurrection by taking control of SOP. With the world once again in crisis, a rapidly aging and disillusioned Solid Snake is deployed into the Middle East by Roy Campbell to terminate Liquid. Guns of the Patriots takes place in five locations, including the Middle East, South America and Eastern Europe.

Characters and voice cast
Many of the Japanese voice cast from Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty returned to reprise their roles in Guns of the Patriots, with the notable exception of Kōji Totani, the voice of Revolver Ocelot, who died in February 2006. Totani will be replaced by Liquid Snake's Japanese voice actor Banjō Ginga. Houko Kuwashima and Kikuko Inoue reprised the roles of Mei Ling and Rosemary respectively for the game, Inoue will also voice a new character, Sunny, the daughter of Olga Gurlukovich. Japanese film director Shinya Tsukamoto provided the Japanese voice for Vamp, replacing original actor Ryotaro Okiayu. An elderly EVA (who appears under the identity of Big Mama), from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, also appears, and her voice was provided by singer Mari Natsuki.

English voice acting work was recorded in tandem under voice-director Kris Zimmerman. David Hayter returns as Solid Snake, with Quinton Flynn (Raiden), Paul Eiding (Roy Campbell), Christopher Randolph (Otacon), Debi Mae West (Meryl Silverburgh), Jennifer Hale (Naomi Hunter), and Phil LaMarr (Vamp) all reprised their roles from previous titles. The role of EVA was voiced by actress Lee Meriwether. Cam Clarke, who performed the voice of Liquid Snake in the first two Metal Gear Solid games, will not be a part of the Metal Gear Solid 4 cast. The role of Liquid Ocelot was given to Patric Zimmerman, the voice of Revolver Ocelot. Kris Zimmerman, dismissing the suggestion of nepotism, has clarified that Kojima always intended for the character to use Ocelot's voice. Ryan Payton has stated that due to lack of space that there will be no option to switch audio to different languages.

Other new characters include Drebin 893, a self-styled "arms launderer" (notably voiced in Japanese by Keiji Fujiwara, the Japanese voice of Sigint in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater) whose Stryker acts as the in-game store; "Little Gray", a small, shaven, shorts-wearing monkey who appears to follow Drebin; a new FOXHOUND team under the command of Meryl Silverburgh; and the Beauty and the Beast Unit.

Voice actors Lee Meriwether and David Hayter appear in a specially filmed live action scene at the start of the game.

The New FOXHOUND
The four members of FOXHOUND, also known as "Rat Patrol Team 01", are sent to investigate PMC activity. The team includes Meryl Silverburgh; Ed, Meryl's second-in-command; Jonathan, a hulking soldier; and Johnny, also known as "Akiba", the team's electronics expert. Meryl, Ed, and Jonathan use the SOP (Sons Of the Patriots) system to share each other's senses via the nanomachine network inside their bodies. Meryl states that they are investigating PMC activity for the US Army CID. Ed and Jonathan are named after Ed Brown and Jonathan Ingram, the main characters of Hideo Kojima's Policenauts, from which Meryl also originally gained her name.

The Beauty and the Beast Corps
Four new bosses are also debuting in Guns of the Patriots: Crying Wolf, Raging Raven, Screaming Mantis, and Laughing Octopus, all members of The Beauty and the Beast Corps. Their animal names openly reference characters from Metal Gear Solid's FOXHOUND unit, and the emotions relating to the Cobra Unit from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. A close inspection of Screaming Mantis reveals two marionettes of previous MGS bosses: Psycho Mantis and The Sorrow, both of whom were psychics. All four of them are women who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. The only way they can cope with the damage done to their minds is to become war machines. Their inner appearance is referred to as "Beauty", while their outer appearance is referred to as "Beast". Four real-life models were chosen for their in-game appearances as their "Beauty" side: Lyndall Jarvis, Scarlett Chorvat, Mieko Rye, and Yumi Kikuchi. The English dubbing for the characters is done by having the female voice actors perform the lines while Fred Tatasciore overdubs on top of the female voices, creating a split-voice effect for the characters.

Limited Edition
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition is to be released simultaneously with the game's standard edition, as an enhanced counterpart. The release will contain Guns of the Patriots, a box with artwork by Yoji Shinkawa, a Blu-ray containing two "making of" documentaries, and the game soundtrack. The Limited Edition will be available exclusively at GameStop in the United States and EB Games in Canada, while a similar bundle with an additional 6-inch 'Olive Drab' Old Snake Figurine has been made available at Play.com in the United Kingdom.

Release bundles
In North America, a bundle containing an 80GB PlayStation 3, a DualShock 3 wireless controller, a downloadable game coupon from PSN and a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was released for US$499 on June 12,2008 to coincide with the release of the standalone edition. Japan will see the release of the Guns of the Patriots Welcome Box that contains the game itself, a DualShock 3 controller, and a 40GB PS3 in either black, white or silver.

Sony has also announced a limited edition pre-order bundle containing Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition and a matte grey (officially titled Gunmetal Grey) 40GB PlayStation 3. First announced in Japan on March 18, 2008 at a cost of ¥51,800 the bundle sold out within six days from March 20 2008 to March 25 2008. An identical bundle was available in North America for pre-order on May 19, 2008 in "very limited" supply for US$600 at Konami's official website.