The Walking Dead

Telltale Games

"The normal question, the first question is always, are these cannibals? No, they are not cannibals. Cannibalism in the true sense of the word implies an intraspecies activity. These creatures cannot be considered human. They prey on humans. They do not prey on each other - that's the difference. They attack and they feed only on warm human flesh. Intelligence? Seemingly little or no reasoning power, but basic skills remain and more remembered behaviors from normal life. There are reports of these creatures using tools. But even these actions are the most primitive - the use of external articles as bludgeons and so forth. I might point out to you that even animals will adopt the basic use of tools in this manner. These creatures are nothing but pure, motorized instinct. We must not be lulled by the concept that these are our family members or our friends. They are not. They will not respond to such emotions.

They must be destroyed on sight!" - Dr. Millard Rausch (Dawn of the Dead)

Robert Kirkman's zombie comic book epic that's not actually about the zombies, The Walking Dead, has been deftly transformed into a critically acclaimed AMC television series. Now Telltale Games has taken Kirkman's opus into the interactive realm of video games. Those familiar with the television show may begin the game a little disoriented. Those familiar more with the comic will feel more at home, if only because of the art style. The game occupies the same universe as both the comic and the TV show, but follows a different set of survivors. You won't see Rick or Shane in this game. You will see a couple of familiar faces, however.

Lee and... Glen?

The story follows Lee Everett, a convicted murderer, on his way from Atlanta to his home town of Macon, GA. Along the way, Everett is carrying on idle chit chat with the police officer charged with delivering him to prison, when Lee notices several police cars (and a helicopter) speeding by in the opposite direction. The officer takes his eyes off the road to look Lee in the eyes while regaling him with his stories, when a slumped figure appears in front of the car. The officer hits the figure and swerves off the road, plowing through a barrier and crashing into a ravine below. Everett is rendered unconscious in the crash and when he comes to, he realizes that he's still handcuffed in the car, while the officer has been thrown clear and lays motionless several yards away. The player's first real goal (there are some conversation choices to make during the car ride) is to get Everett out of the car. Once that is achieved, the player is to check on the police officer. After grabbing the keys for the handcuffs, the officer stirs to life and attacks Everett. Assuming the player is able to blow the officer's head off, Lee is then faced with a group of walkers (the comic, TV show, and games' name for the zombies in the story) and is chased to a suburban home on the outskirts of the woods. Here, Everett will encounter the second constant character in the narrative, a little girl named Clementine, whose parents were in Savannah when all hell breaks loose, leaving her alone for Everett to care for.

Lee and Clementine

Graphics

As mentioned above, the graphic style in The Walking Dead apes the art style of the comic book. And, outside of perhaps the recent Naruto games, this is the most successful attempt I've seen at transferring the art from a different medium into game graphics. The line work is gorgeous and really does harken to Charlie Adlard's pencils in the comics. The color palette is also reminiscent of the covers from the comics. In short, this is as close as you'll currently be able to come to "playing" a comic book. The characters are expressive and the animation, while not silky smooth, fits the art style perfectly. The game is dark, but not overly so. In short, the game is pretty, if not in the traditional sense. This is an example of graphics serving the story and game.

Sound

In any horror-based game, sound is of utmost importance. Fortunately, Telltale knew this and the sound design is excellent. The atmosphere is solid all the way through and gives the universe a sense of solidity. But what really shines here is the voice acting. There are the occasional instances where it sounds like an actor was reading his lines alone in a booth (which I'm sure is actually the case, since that's standard operating procedure for VO work), but those examples are few and far between. The actors are nearly pitch perfect in every scene. The quality of the VO is near the top of the of the heap in games. Often approaching Uncharted. If the quality in the first chapter is any indication of the rest of the series, you're in for a treat.

Something ain't right with the babysitter

Gameplay

If you're familiar with Telltale's other adventure games (eg. Back to the Future), you'll be somewhat familiar with The Walking Dead. But this isn't a clone of their previous games at all. The premise of the game play is similar, much like a point and click adventure, but there is more actual action involved. You control both your character and an on-screen reticule. The reticule is context sensitive and allows you to interact with other characters, items, and the environment. You directly control Lee with the left analog stick (PlayStation 3 version and, I'm assuming, 360 version as well) and the reticule with the right. When you move the reticule over an object, options reveal themselves as to how you can interact with them. Pressing the corresponding button on the controller (up=triangle, left=square, down=cross, right=circle) performs the action indicated. That can be something as simple as "examine," or something as active as "attack." Many of these activities are timed.

In addition to the active reticule interface, there's an interface for actual conversations with characters. Many of the conversations give you an opportunity to choose from several options, some of which are flat out lies. You must decide whom to trust. Tell someone about your real past and it may come back to bite you in the future. You can choose to stay silent, but that just hasn't seemed like a real option to me through chapter one. More than a few of the conversations are timed events, so, just like in real life, you must sometimes choose your answers without the time to give them much thought. So you have to stay on your toes.

Using this interface, players follow Everett's story as he meets new people, kills new zombies, solves new puzzles, and protect Clementine. Decisions you make along the way fundamentally affect the way the story plays out. It's not yet clear how they affect the story on a broad scale (only chapter one has been released thus far), but they can dramatically change the game on a smaller scale. Before I had the full game (well, again, chapter one), I played through the demo a couple of times and chose different options when they were presented. On my first play through, I found myself with a completely different set of companions than in the second play thorough. In fact, one of the people I left town with the first play through turned up as a walker in roughly the same spot in the second.

If all of this sounds a little complex, trust that it's only complex in the best sense. It's not as simple as a straight up point and click adventure, but it's not so complicated as to get in the way of the story. Players that are new to this type of game should pick up on things rather quickly. Which makes this perfect for fans of the comic and/or the tv series that want to explore more in Kirkman's undead universe.

I think Lee made his point.

Bottom Line

The Walking Dead revives the point and click adventure genre for the modern generation. It propels players along an alternate path in the comic book universe. You'll meet new characters, see what's going on in other parts of Georgia, and even run into a couple of characters you recognize from the comics and tv show. You'll have to make quick decisions and think on your feet. All of this makes this a compelling entry not just in the video game world, but in the world of The Walking Dead as well.

I'll revisit this review when the entire series has been released. Something I truly look forward to.

Pass, Rent, or Buy? Buy

The Walking Dead
Telltale Games

$4.99 (or you can buy all five episodes up front for $20 and get them as they're released)
PlayStation Store, X-Box Live, and Steam

Postscript - An iOS version has been announced, but has not yet been released. I'll update this review when it has.

Treasures of Montezuma Blitz

Alawar Entertainment, Inc.

“I confide to your care my beloved children, the most precious jewels I can leave you. The great monarch beyond the ocean will interest himself to see that they come into their inheritance, if you present before him their just claims. I know your master will do this, if for no other reason, then for kindness I have shown the Spaniards though it has occasioned my ruin. For all my misfortunes, Maliche, I bear you ill will.” - Emperor Montezuma

A few weeks ago, Vita owners were tossed a nifty little bone when the free to play Treasures of Montezuma Blitz was released on the Playstation Network. This little (pardon the pun) gem is completely free. Gratis. No strings attached. Well, almost none. But we'll get to those pesky little threads in a bit. Treasures of Montezuma is a "match three" game in the vein of Bejeweled. I've been playing the original on my EVO 3D Android phone for months now and enjoy it greatly enjoy it. In fact, I consider it the best of the "pure" match three games available. I don't really consider Puzzle Quest as part of that world, since it's driven by story and RPG elements rather than simply being about the puzzle game. ToMB takes the gameplay of ToM and compresses it into bite sized, timed chunks.

For those not familiar with the basic premise, the goal is to match three of the same color gem either horizontally or vertically. This causes those gems to be removed from the board and new gems drop in from the top. Normally, the goal is either a score target or to keep playing as long as possible without running into a situation where there are no available moves. Blitz eschews these goals and replaces them with a timer. The goal is simply to amass as many points as possible within the the allotted time limit.

When you start out, the game is very straight forward. Outside of combos, there are no available bonuses. You must earn bonus items by playing the game. As you play, you earn experience points. As you gain experience, you gain levels. As you gain levels, you gain access to bonus items that you can use to enhance your score when certain conditions are met in-game. Using these bonus items costs crystals, which are collected during game play by matching gems that contain crystals. One can also purchase crystals from the PlayStation Store with real money (and so we arrive at string number one).
 

 Other twists on the traditional formula are Frenzy Mode, which kicks in when you perform enough matches back to back quickly and adds bonus points for matches made while the mode is active, Knockout Mode, which is activated when six or more gems of the same color are matched in one move and allows gems to be cleared using the rear touch panel, and Dark Mode, activated at the end of a round if both Frenzy and Knockout Modes are active. Dark Mode clouds the playing screen with dark clouds which the player must clear using the rear touch panel while also making gem matches. Dark Mode is a real pain in the ass. The upshot is that it puts a reasonable amount of time back on the clock.

There's one more string. When you first launch the game, you're granted five plays, represented by hearts. Each time you play, a heart is taken away. Once you've used up the five hearts, you can no longer play until they have regenerated. Each heart takes roughly five minutes to regenerate. In my play time, I've found that by the time I'm finished withe the fifth heart, one more has regenerated. So I basically get six plays per session, but your mileage may vary. Hearts can also be purchased from the PlayStation Store for real money.

There's a built in, weekly tournament system in ToMB. You and your top two friends from your PSN friends list show on the game's title screen. Each players score is indicated and the list is in order from highest to lowest, top to bottom. Every week, the tournament scores reset. This is a nice little motivator to play the game often, assuming you have friends that are also playing.
 

 Graphics

There isn't much to say here. The graphics serve the game and that's the most someone should expect from such a puzzler. Everything is brightly colored and has an Aztec motif. But this won't be pushing the limits of what the hardware can produce.

Sound

The same goes for the game's sound. It is serviceable, but nothing to write home about.
 

Bottom Line

Treasures of Montezuma Blitz is a match three puzzle game cut into bite-sized chunks. As such, it's highly suitable for a handheld gaming system. The built-in weekly tournament makes repeat play compelling. Hearts regenerate quickly enough that you can play many times during the day without having to spend any money purchasing replays. But the kicker is the price. Unless you've found some way to get people to pay you to play games (which would totally rule), you just can't beat free. Fun and free is a pretty good combination.

Pass, Rent or Buy? Buy (well, download... it's free, after all)

Treasures of Montezuma Blitz
Alawar Entertainment, Inc.

Free on the PlayStation Store

PlayStation Vita Review

Sony Computer Entertainment

"May not a Million of Angels fit upon a needle's point?" - William Chillingworth (paraphrase)

Released December 17, 2011 in Japan, the PlayStation Vita made its debut in the rest of the world in February of 2012. The followup to the PlayStation Portable (PSP) landed with a bit of a thud in Japan. A perceived high price point and a a lack of titles friendly to the Land of the Rising Sun were blamed for the soft launch. To date, the Vita has sold roughly 1.2 million units. And while concerns are still prolific among the gamers of the Internet, it would be folly to write the system off quite yet.

The Hardware

The heart of the Vita lies in a pair of chips - a four core ARM Cortex A-9 CPU paired with a four core SGX543MP4+ GPU. This bifurcated heart supplies life to a pair of touch panels (a five inch, qHD AMOLED front touch screen and a five inch rear touch pad), SIXAXIS motion controls, a three axis electronic compass, a standard D-pad, a full array of PlayStation buttons, and, much to the delight of gamers everywhere, a pair of analog sticks. In addition, there are two cameras - one front facing and one rear facing. Both cameras are a relatively low VGA resolution (0.3MP). These aren't cameras you'll want to use to replace even the lowest end camera phone. But they do offer some interesting gameplay options via things like Augmented Reality and Facial Mapping. The system is the most connected PlayStation ever released as well. In addition to 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, and USB, there is also a 3G version that rides atop AT&T's data network. The Vita has 512MB of RAM and 128MB.

There are a variety of ports and connections on the Vita. The two that will get the most use are the proprietary power/data transfer connection and the memory card slot. The memory cards for the Vita are also proprietary, presumably to deal with piracy, which was and is rampant on the PSP.  Memory cards are available in 4, 8, 16, and 32 GB capacities. And they're a bit pricey. Though, compared to MicroSD cards of similar speed, they're not nearly as outrageous as they've been made out by detractors. There is also a game card slot. Again, this is proprietary, but that's to be expected. All Vita titles can be purchased either on a physical game card or digitally via the PlayStation Store (at a small discount). Another anti-piracy measure is the battery. The PSP's battery was used as a back door into the device for piracy and home brew applications. The Vita's battery is safely tucked inside the machine with no user-accessible means of replacement. The 3G version also includes a SIM card slot. Finally, there's an accessory port adjacent to the game card slot. There is no known use for this port as yet, but it is reminiscent of the accessory port on the PSP, which was used for things like cameras and GPS attachments.

The Experience

When you first power up the Vita, you're presented with a simple, classy white PS logo on a field of glorious black. It's the first glimpse into how amazing the screen is on this device. That may sound peculiar, since there is no color on screen at boot, but that's the point. Like my Bravia 55HX929, the blacks on the Vita are inky. That leads to exceptional contrast which leads to great color fidelity. The Vita screen appears to leap out of your hands. You may have heard how great the screen is, but you can't fully appreciate it until you see it in action.

After the initial configuration, you'll be presented with top home screen. But don't expect to find the familiar XrossMediaBar from the PS3, PSP, and other Sony consumer electronics. The Vita OS has a touch-focused interface. Icons are "bubbles" that can be moved around by long pressing on them then dragging them around one of the home screens. If you've ever used an iOS or Android device, you'll feel right at home. The interface is quick and responsive - shockingly so. I've had two high end Android devices and they don't come close to matching the smoothness of the Vita's interface. The only drawback to the UI is that Sony has plunged in with both feet on the touch side of things. There is no way to manipulate the UI with any of the buttons. It's completely touch controlled.

Installing applications is accomplished in one of two ways. You can either download and install software directly from the PlayStation Store or, if you prefer, you can download them to a PlayStation 3 and install them via a USB connection. While this may sound like a familiar process if you're coming from a PSP, the only similarity is the USB connection. With the PSP, you would download the software to the PS3, install it on the PS3, then transfer it to the PSP. All from the PS3's interface. None of that applies to the Vita. Applications are downloaded to the PS3, but not installed. When you connect the Vita to the PS3, the PS3's screen goes dark and a Vita icon appears, effectively locking the PS3 until you've finished the operation. All interaction with the PS3 is done straight from the Vita itself. You can transfer Vita applications, Vita games, media, some PSP (Sony has released a list of compatible PSP titles, but there are some not on said list that also work) games and some Minis. There is currently no support for PS1 Classics. The PSP games that are supported need to be in their uninstalled "capsule" form on the PS3 to transfer them to the Vita. When you're finished, you disconnect the Vita from the PS3 and you're good to go.

At least, that's how it's supposed to work. Occasionally, when you connect the Vita to the PS3, the Vita doesn't recognize the connection. It's infrequent, but happens often enough that it warrants a mention. The solution is to disconnect the Vita, power it down, then repeat the connection procedure.

The supplied charging/sync cable has a standard USB connection on one end and a proprietary connection at the end that connects to the Vita. It is used for charging the device with the included power adapter or connection to any powered USB port (a computer or car charger, for instance). Although, I can't fully confirm the charging capabilities when connected to a computer. When the Vita is connected to the included charger, the battery indicator icon changes slightly to show that the device is charging. This change doesn't occur when connected to my MacBook. At the very least, the Vita doesn't charge as quickly when connected to a computer USB port as it does when connected to the charger. It's possible that it charges just as quickly when connected via USB 3, but I don't have a device with USB 3 ports to confirm this, but USB 3 does supply more power than USB 2 or 1.

Much like a cell phone, you'll leave the Vita powered on most of the time. When not in use, the Vita will stay in sleep mode. You can wake the Vita with either the power button on the top or the PS button on the face of the device. It comes out of sleep relatively quickly. The PS button also serves as the way to exit games, list which applications are currently running, etc... One of the nicer features of the Vita is, when you're running a game or application, the PS button takes you to the application's "LiveArea Screen." Every application and game on the Vita has a LiveArea Screen. It's the first screen you see when you launch an application and the first screen you see when you move to quit. When hitting the LiveArea Screen, the application goes into suspension and you're given several options. You can quit the application by dragging down the dog-eared corner at the top right, you can swipe over to the home screen and launch another application (some applications can be run simultaneously while others will close any other running applications if you confirm the action). There is also a list of application specific messages that can be accessed by swiping up. There is a link to the PS Store on some applications, the user manual, and the web page for the application in question.

One feature that sets the Vita apart from not just its PlayStation stablemates, but every other gaming system, is Near. Near is a social media system of sorts. It allows you to see other Vita players in your immediate vicinity, see what others are playing, what they think about the games they've tried, and exchange "gifts" that are earned in games. My initial reaction to Near was one of befuddlement. And that is probably what most new Vita owners will feel at first. But after using Near for a few days, I got the hang of it and it has become an integral of my Vita experience. If Apple could have done as well with Ping as Sony has done with Near, people might actually know what Ping is. As with everything, there's room for improvement, but Near is a compelling application that you'll go back to regularly. As mentioned above, some PSP games and some Minis are compatible with the Vita. Sony has a constantly updating list of digital games that will run on the device. Supposedly, PSOne Classics will eventually be compatible as well, but at the moment, they are a no-go.

Near

Applications

In addition to gaming, the Vita is a capable tablet device. The initial round of applications (some preinstalled, some available for free from the PlayStation Store) include Facebook (after a bit of a hiccup on launch), Foursquare, Twitter, Flickr, and Netflix. The Facebook application is mediocre, though useable. But Facebook doesn't have a great track record with their apps. The Twitter application, however is excellent. It's called LiveTweet and is one of the better Twitter applications I've used. The Netflix app is also quite good. Though, despite having a phenomenal AMOLED screen, I don't get the attraction of watching video on a five inch screen. But it's probably great for plane flights or car rides. The remaining apps are adequate. Which is more than I can say for the web browser. I don't know what it is about Sony and web browsers. They can't seem to put a decent one together. Despite actually being based on WebKit (which, of course, is the browser used on Android devices - like the phones and tablets that Sony manufactures), the browser on the Vita is quite bad. While it's nice to actually have a web browser on the PSP, PS3, and now the Vita, they're not especially useful. In fact, the Vita browser is actually worse than either the PS3 browser or the PSP browser. The primary reason for this is that it doesn't support Flash. Which wouldn't be a deal breaker if it supported HTML5. But it doesn't. That means no YouTube. And no YouTube is inexcusable. On top of that, the browser simply isn't fast enough. With all the horsepower in the Vita (more than any cell phone on the planet at the moment), it can't push around HTML on a web page without redrawing the entire screen when scrolling. Sony needs to get their web browser strategy straight.

Also included are a music and a video application. These are what you would expect. The interesting thing, however, is that the music app multitasks with games. That's right, the Vita has OS-level custom soundtrack support. Something even the PS3 doesn't have. Which calls to mind something else the Vita supports that the PS3 doesn't - cross game voice chat.

There are two communication apps on the Vita - Group Messaging and Party. Group messaging is a text messaging application that allows you to send and receive messages over the PlayStation Network. Party is where the magic happens, however. Group allows you to create a chat room and invite friends from your PSN friend list.

Games

It's always great to see Drake!

Specs and Internet apps are fine, but a gaming device is only as good as the games. The Vita launched with possibly the strongest lineup of any system ever. The golden child of the lineup is Uncharted: Golden Abyss. But the rest of the lineup is formidable as well. The game I keep going back to over and over is Super Stardust Delta. If you've ever played the PS3 incarnation, you'll be familiar with Delta. But it's not a clone. Delta has been refined to Super Stardust's basic elements and touch controls (configurable) have been added. Visually, Delta is spectacular. Though it isn't running at the same resolution as its PS3 counterpart, the fact that it's on a smaller screen would lead you to believe that it is. There is no apparent drop in visual fidelity from HD to Delta. The only real giveaway is that there are fewer effects on screen, however, unless you've just played the PS3 version, you wouldn't even notice that. From an audio standpoint, Delta is actually beyond HD. It includes the music from the PS3 version while adding a new soundtrack as well. You unlock these soundtracks during the course of playing the game. You can also get (and give) snippets of the soundtracks via Near.

Super Stardust Delta

Hustle Kings is also a pleasant surprise. If you've purchased the PS3 version, you'll have access to the Vita version for free. The reverse is true as well. Outside of a steep difficulty curve, the game is exquisite. You can play asynchronously with other Vita owners or PS3 players as well as directly. The graphics and sound, like those of Super Stardust Delta, are nearly indistinguishable from the PS3 version.

Another free game is Motorstorm RC. Scion decided to sponsor the Vita version of this radio controlled racer. If you purchase the PS3 version, you also get the Vita version. Any way you get it, it's well worth the download. It's not truly Motorstorm, in that it doesn't play or feel like the other Motorstorm games, but it's quite fun. And the progression ladder keeps you coming back for more.

Other launch titles of note are Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack, Rayman Origins (which is absolutely gorgeous), Escape Plan, Hot Shot Golf 6, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom, and Touch My Katamari.

Finally, Sony has provided three augmented reality games for free on the PlayStation Store: Table Soccer, Cliff Diving, and Fireworks. All require one or more of the provided AR cards. The most successful of these is Fireworks. It's an interesting diversion for a few minutes. And it only requires one of the AR cards. Just don't plan on spending too much time with it.

Bottom Line

The Vita is the most powerful handheld gaming system ever released. It addresses almost every complaint gamers and developers had about the PSP. It's fast, has a beautiful screen, enough raw horsepower to push that screen, and more control options than you could possible desire. The initial round of games are there and more games from big name developers are in the pipeline (notably a Bioshock Infinite game, Call of Duty, Gravity Rush, and Metal Gear Solid HD Collection). Near, Sony's first real foray into a social network that's not specifically the PSN, is actually very compelling. Outside of the underwhelming web browser, the available apps are quite good. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up. You won't regret it.

Pass, Rent, or Buy? Buy!

PlayStation Vita (WiFi): $249.99
PlayStation Vita (3G): $299.99Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

inFAMOUS Review

Sucker Punch/Sony Computer Entertainment

 (editor's note: This is a review I wrote shortly after the retail release of inFAMOUS.)

"All human beings are commingled out of good and evil."

-Robert Louis Stevenson

Cole MacGrath, inFAMOUS' reluctant hero

I've always had an affinity for Super Heroes®. And, with the rare exception (Batman: Arkham Asylum being the most recent example), Super Hero® games have been pretty terrible. So when Sucker Punch and Sony announced a new Super Hero® game, I was pretty excited. Alas, life got in the way and I was unable to get around to playing it until just recently, but the promise of a game that gave the user cool powers, running around a rich city full of citizens, and making moral decisions that actually affect much of the game world, character, and reactions from said citizens sounded intriguing. Especially when one considers the pedigree of developer Sucker Punch.

So it was with great anticipation that I embarked upon my first excursion into Empire City. After a short "motion comic" style cut scene, inFAMOUS drops the player into the first of three boroughs of the city. Cole MacGrath has, by virtue of delivering a package, blown part of the city to kingdom come. You start the game at the epicenter of the explosion. You're quickly prompted by the police to evacuate the area. Shortly thereafter, you meet the first NPC in the game. Unfortunately. Zeke, like the other characters in inFAMOUS, is irritating. He instantly engenders a feeling of hatred and loathing. And he really only gets worse as the game progresses. And that's a singular example of one of the game's glaring issues - characters. You don't really like any of them. There are really only two sympathetic characters in the game. One is an FBI agent that you meet later in the game. He isn't too bad. The other is your girlfriend, Trish. But, while you're supposed to see her as a sympathetic character, you eventually grow to hate her as well. Regardless of whether you choose to be "good" or "evil," (and the game pushes you to one extreme or the other) you never really like Cole, either. Cole is kind of a self-serving douche.

Graphically, there are some nice touches and lots of attention to detail, though the game is not perfect graphically, either. There doesn't appear to be any antialiasing on Cole at all. The characters are small enough within their environments and I sit far enough back from the TV that this is generally not an issue, but it is definitely there. Cole's Super Hero® name could be "Mr. Jaggy." But, as I stated above, there is a lot of attention to detail. Especially in the textures on the environments. It's unfortunate, then, that so much of the geometry (and the textures that go with it) is reused so often. As noted, there are three boroughs in the game. And each has its own personality - to an extent. But this mainly comes from one large set piece in each area, a change in enemy types (rarely do the enemies from the different areas co-exist in the same area, though it does happen a couple of times), and time of day. You really begin to notice how similar everything looks when you start going back and forth between boroughs. There were several times when I had to check the map to see  in which area I was. Like the jaggies, though, it's not a crippling problem, just disappointing.

Possibly the best aspect of inFAMOUS is the sound design. Everything sounds the way you would expect it to. The one sound you will be hearing almost constantly for the entire game is the sound of Cole's suit and it sounds fantastic. Trains sound fine, the ambient noises establish a sense of space. However, the music is completely perplexing. It makes perfect sense during spots in missions and in cut scenes. But outside of that, and you'll spend most of your time in inFAMOUS doing things other than story missions, it is confusing. First off, there is much of it. If you are one of those people that needs music while you game, prepare to break out the iPod (the game doesn't support playing music from the XMB). I'd estimate that a good 85% of the game has absolutely no music at all. And that may be too low a number. But if it were just that there were no music in the game, that would at least make sense. Instead, you'll be climbing a building, maybe grinding a rail, or some other mundane game mechanic when suddenly music will kick in. There's no explanation offered. You did not just trigger some story element. There is not a baddie around the corner on or your tail. There is just suddenly this music playing. And the piece of music is not consistent, either. And it almost never fits the situation. Just as suddenly as it appeared, it will disappear.

One of Cole's many lightning powers

As I stated above, when the game hands control over to the player, you're told to evacuate the area in which you start. Like a lot of games, this serves as a quick tutorial. First you are taught how to move, then how to fight. But you only have access to rudimentary powers at this point. The mainstay weapon is the lightning bolt. It's quick, somewhat short ranged and low powered, but it does not use up valuable energy when being fired. You are also taught how to make Cole perform his parkour-like climbing moves. You can hang from ledges and aim, only popping your head out to actually fire off a weapon. This will keep you somewhat protected, assuming you are behind adequate cover. So the main gameplay mechanics are climbing, hanging, and shooting. The shooting is competent. Hanging, too.

The first bit of gameplay problems surface with the climbing mechanic. While not as automatic as the moves in Assassin's Creed, Sucker Punch went to a lot of trouble to make moving Cole vertically as simple as possible. And when their efforts are successful, it works brilliantly. If you jump toward something onto which Cole hang grab, he will stick his hands out and automatically grab it. The same goes for jumping down onto poles, ledges, window frames, platforms, etc… When the mechanic works correctly, Cole moves with the grace of a cat. And it feels wonderful. Unfortunately, it doesn't work almost as often as it works. There are constant, frustrating issues where Cole should automatically grab something, yet instead sails right past it. Some of this has to do with a few surfaces in the game that don't support Cole grabbing or landing on them (for instance, the large cranes in the second borough have arms that drop down, but if you attempt to jump onto the extended arms, Cole magically slides down the length of them until he plummets into the water and certain death). But most of the time it is just that the system that is supposed to make him attach to things does not work correctly. Conversely, there will be multiple times when you just want Cole to drop all the way to the ground (or some other platform like a rooftop) but instead Cole will grab on to any and all ledges in eyeshot. This will get you killed at least once. The bad guys have relatively decent aim when you are stopping at every window on the way to the ground.

The game is also rather buggy. I do not know how long inFAMOUS was in testing, but the idea that testers did not find the bugs that appear regularly to even a casual gamer is a little far fetched. There is a mechanic in the game whereby after taking down an enemy, but not killing him, you can approach said enemy and perform any of three special actions on them. You can handcuff them to the ground with your lightning, you can heal them (more on this in the story section), and you can siphon their life energy into yours. This works the way it is supposed to roughly 75% of the time. The other 25% of the time, the game glitches. Either Cole stands around dancing as though he needs to relieve himself until the amount of time passes that it would normally have taken to perform the action, or there is a pregnant pause before the animation of the action begins. You are not safe from enemy fire while the glitches occur. There are little bugs and glitches like this peppered throughout the game. And, by happenstance, while I was playing the game today, I tossed a lightning grenade at the same time an NPC was beginning to talk to Cole and the game froze and locked up the PS3, requiring a hard reboot. Bottom line, inFAMOUS needed more time in the kitchen before being served.

Cole can be good... or evil. Red = Evil.

If you've ever played a generic open world game, you will feel right at home with inFAMOUS. I could blame the game itself for a lot of what I am about to rail on it for, but that might not be fair. It very well may be the case that I am simply not suited to open world games. At least not games as open as inFAMOUS or Grand Theft Auto. But rail I shall. Some of the complaints I have I didn't notice until my second play through the game. But many were there in the first and many of those became apparent quickly. The structure of the game is such that you open the world map to locate missions, take Cole to the locations where the missions are marked, walk through beam of light and, if it is an optional mission, press triangle to trigger a cut scene that explains what the mission entails. This is not a bad system inherently, but it is also nothing we haven't seen before. Not that there's anything wrong with that. The problem, however, stems from how this pushes the player into playing the game and the perception it leaves. In essence, inFAMOUS is a long string of errand boy missions. Nothing Cole does ever seems to be motivated internally.

Cole hops from one person telling him to "go here, do this" to another for the entire game. There is also very little variation in the missions. As I said above, I did not fully appreciate how limited the mission types were until my second play through as "evil" Cole. While there were a couple of new types of missions for my dastardly anti-hero to complete, I was profoundly disappointed when I discovered that some of the missions are exactly the same as the "good" Cole missions with different voiceovers. For instance, "good" Cole is charged by the police to escort (yes, there are a plethora of escort missions in the game, much to my chagrin) a horde of baddies, be they Reapers on the first island, Dust Men on the second, or First Sons on the third, to a police station where they are remanded into police custody. Every time Cole embarks upon one of these missions, two things will happen an undetermined number of times during the mission. One, some of the horde will attack Cole, so he must put down the rebellion attempt and two, some of them will attempt to escape, so Cole must apprehend them. This was repetitive just during the "good" Cole play through. But when switched to "evil" Cole, I was supremely disappointed when, upon reaching the second island, that an evil NPC charged me with escorting a horde of opposing gang baddies to the pier so they could be executed publicly and it was the exact same mission with the exact same actions taking place within it. All that had changed was the person dispatching Cole on the mission and the reason for the mission to exist.

All in all, there are roughly half a dozen different types of missions in the game. And most of them are rehashed several times per borough. In fact, one of the lynchpin mission types is one of the most reused. In order for Cole to discover new powers, he must complete a circuit at a generator in the sewers. He does this several times per level and each time it is akin to having yet another tutorial level thrown into the game to show the player how to use the new power. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, it's that the missions themselves are nearly identical. They all take place in the same environment. They all ask the exact same thing of Cole (complete circuit, run through the sewers until the power transformer is contacted, power up the transformer, mission complete). By the time the third borough is opened up, there is basically nothing to surprise or captivate he player other than the thin story of the main missions. And again, some of those are things like the sewer levels. To put it succinctly, if inFAMOUS hasn't hooked you in the first level, it's likely not going to hook you at all. Yes, you open up new powers and abilities, but overall you are doing the same missions over and over again. The same missions you do from the very beginning of the game.

None of that is to say that there are not some fun aspect to the game. Especially playing the "evil" role. When the mechanics are working properly and Cole is able to move around at the player's actual command, it is immanently satisfying to cook bad guys with electricity. Whether it's doing a power slam from on high or taking a precision (think sniper) shot from two blocks away, kicking the living hell out of the bad guys is fun. Grinding the train tracks and power lines is fun (though it's a power that doesn't open up immediately). There's not much strategy to the path one chooses to upgrade their powers and abilities. As I mentioned early in this review, the game pushes the player relatively hard to either go all out "good" or all out "evil," so you will eventually max out your abilities, anyway. But it is still fun to do the upgrades and see their effects.

Cole activating a power node

And speaking of "good" and "evil…" On my initial play through the game, I decided I'd take the "good" route. For the most part, this entails trying not to intentionally harm civilians and helping them as much as possible. I say "intentionally" because certain actions count as negative karma and certain others don't. And some of each cause direct harm to civilians. For instance, if you're in the middle of a firefight with some bad guys and you're hurling lightning bolts indiscriminately and you happen to take out a few dozen civilians in the process, no harm, no foul. But if you were to jump off of a building into a power slam in that same fire fight and took out a single civilian bystander, that counts as negative karma. So if you're trying to achieve a certain karma level, it pays to at least pay moderate attention to the actions you're performing and how they affect karma. But, it's unlikely that an incidental activity will keep you from your ultimate karma goals, because karma is mostly affected by the moral choices that are heavy handedly presented to Cole throughout the game. These choices are black and white (or, shall I say, red and blue), are mostly not optional, and tend to stop game play until the player has made a choice. For example, the police approach Cole to help them defend the police station from gang members. The screen will fade out a bit, Cole will ponder the situation in his head via internal dialogue, a choice icon appears at the top right of the screen, and the dilemma is laid out before the player. Should Cole help the police defend the station or should he walk away and let the cops deal with their own problems? If you help (attacking one gang member involved in the attack constitutes helping the cops), Cole gains positive karma. If Cole walks away, he gains negative karma. Certain power and ability upgrades are dependent on a certain level of a certain type of karma. This is what I meant when I said that the game pushes the player to the extremes of either "good" or "evil." While I'm sure it's possible to play the game and maintain a middle ground morally, it's clear from the beginning that the developers want you to pick sides. This leads to problems in the story.

Cole starts off as the de facto reason for the disaster that has befallen Empire City. But regardless of whether Cole becomes a hero or a villain, he never really seems to be all that concerned with making things right. At least not for "right" reasons. He spends the entire game running errands for other people with their own agendas. The most Cole ever brings to the table is some occasional attitude. I think this is directly due to the way the story is structured. And I think the story is structured the way it is specifically because the game is an open world game. The story cannot be allowed to unfold organically, because the player hops around the map doing random errands for random people until he is ready to move the story ahead by going on an errand for one of the major characters. So, while Cole is, in essence, at the direct center of the plot; were it not for Cole, there would be no story, he spends the entire game almost on the periphery of the plot, weaving in and out of it a the beck and call of the other characters. Contrast this with Nathan Drake, the protagonist in the Uncharted series of games, and the difference in how effectively the story is told and how the main character drives the action and narrative and you'll see a night and day difference. inFAMOUS' story is clunky by comparison.

But what is supposed to set inFAMOUS apart from most other games is the morality choices and how they affect the game, story, and characters. And they do. But it is all so superficial. The recycled missions only further expose the lack of depth here. I am about halfway through my "evil" run through the game and, while being "evil" is more fun than being "good," something that happened almost immediately after the first boss battle both confused me and completely destroyed any chance of the "evil" story line making any kind of impact on me. The first boss Cole encounters in inFAMOUS is a crazy chick (her craziness brought about by a tar concoction that was developed as part of the same program responsible for granting Cole his power) that has a thing for Cole. Or thinks he's someone that she has a thing for. Or something like that. Suffice it to say she's totally nuts and Cole hates her guts. He makes it quite clear that he loathes her. So you can imagine my surprise when, after defeating her in a boss battle (which is the last time she makes an appearance if you take the "good" route), I launch a non-critical mission and the person handing out the errand is none other than the crazy chick. And Cole goes on the mission for her. He doesn't even bat an eye. It doesn't make any sense from a narrative standpoint or a psychological standpoint or just a human standpoint. Then there are the missions that are identical whether you're going through as "good" or "evil." Some overlap would be expected. But for the life of me I can't understand why an "evil" Cole would care about half or more of the missions he embarks upon. A lot of them are saving people or protecting people. Those missions made complete sense when trying to foster a "good" Cole. But they stand out as ludicrous when being "evil" Cole.

As an aside, regardless of which path you've chosen to take, there are story based missions (as in, required) that affect your karma in either direction. So if you've chosen "good," you will end up having bad karma moments because of missions you're forced to complete. And I was never entirely sure what the criteria was that made these missions "good" or "evil." They all serve to basically drive the narrative forward. And there was never one that seemed particularly "evil." Just a curiosity, because as I mentioned, you'll end up maxing out whichever karma side you have chosen regardless.

In summary, inFAMOUS is a deeply flawed game in almost every respect. There is no single aspect of the game that is close to perfect. It's still fun. Especially in short bursts. There won't be many of those bursts, though. Despite the replay value inherent in a game in which you have to choose to be either good or evil, the game is pretty short. The fact that this will almost assuredly be the first PS3 game for which I get a platinum trophy* says something about its ability to overcome its shortcomings in ways that are important. It will also likely hold the distinction of being the first PS3 game that I trade in. Which speaks to something else, but just as loudly.

Cole's primary mode of transportation

Pass, Rent, or Buy? Rent

*speaking of trophies, one last gripe. Scattered throughout the game are hundreds of "blast shards." One of the trophies requires that the player collect all of these shards. I have nothing against the idea of that, but the shards don't appear on the world map. And they can be in some rather obscure locations. There is supposedly even one that doesn't show up during a scan (that normally shows you where nearby shards are located), because it's "too high." That's a bit much. And now that I think of it, the little map at the bottom of the screen is way too cluttered during a scan. They should have included a way to turn off power sources in the map. They're ubiquitous anyway.

inFAMOUS
Sucker Punch Productions
Sony Computer Entertainment

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Review

 (editor's note: This is a review I wrote June 28, 2008, shortly after the retail release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The rating system I used doesn't match the PRoB system.)

The octopus' fleeting dream
in the trap
the summer moon

-Matsuo Bashō

It is said the warrior's is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways. Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way. Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death.

-Miyamoto Musashi

Here comes Solid Snake... again

Act One

It seems that in our fast paced, modern society, there has been a shift away from an appreciation of craft in favor of quick thrills. As such, finely crafted things, whether it be art, cinema, television, prose, poetry, or music, appear to be few and far between. It is unfortunately rare these days to see something that was allowed the time, resources, and energy to properly come to fruition. This is particularly true of video games. While there is certainly room (as well there should be) for twitchy, shallow games that offer the player nothing more than a quick escape from reality and a rush of adrenaline, an overabundance of any one type of game is bad for all gamers. Variety is, as they say, the spice of life. And it's nice to occasionally slow things down and invest in a game as more than simple mindless killing and a way to rack up a body count.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is just such an opportunity. I chose my examples of finely crafted things above carefully. MGS4 is all of those things and, at the same time, more than the sum of its parts. I admit that I had fallen into the same trap that many gamers have. I was looking for the next quick fix of endorphins, the next mindless diversion from life's mundane and often disheartening routines. I'm cured now. And I owe it all to Hideo Kojima and the group of amazingly talented people with whom he has chosen to surround himself.

Lets get this out of the way before we go any further and have to sully the game with nits being picked and components of the experience being analyzed individually, minimizing the achievement that Kojima-san and crew have given us... MGS4 is a masterpiece. Metal Gear Solid was groundbreaking at the time of its release. It introduced a new genre of game to the masses. Metal Gear Solid 2 was a technical showpiece and a bit of post-modern social commentary that was lost on many players due to a risky decision by its creator to take control of the main character out of the players' hands. Metal Gear Solid 3 was a complex game, taking players back to cold war fears, introducing new gameplay elements to a franchise that could have very well have been stale, and pushing its console hardware to its absolute limits. Metal Gear Solid Four is all of those things and more.

With MGS4, Kojima-san has sent a love letter to fans of the Metal Gear Solid series. In doing so, however, he has also embraced gamers not familiar with the series. It's a tight rope to walk and, with Kojima-san's tendencies toward eschewing the popular for the profound, particularly treacherous for him. A misstep in either direction - too casual or too hard core - could spell disaster. And when you've invested the amount of time, money, and love that it's obvious he did in MGS4, a failure could be fatal.

In all of my roughly thirty years of gaming, I think that I have never seen a game that was handled with the level of care, née love, as is Metal Gear Solid 4. You can see it, hear it, and feel it in every detail. Which is a nice segue into...

Snake getting up close and (very) personal

Act Two

Previously, the king of console graphics was Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. I'm almost ready to hand the crown to MGS4, however. I say "almost," because there are definitely things that Uncharted does better than MGS4. However, the overall package of MGS4 squeezes out a slight victory over Uncharted. Uncharted has some of the most amazing texture work I've ever seen on a console. And it's not limited to one particular element. Every background of ever level is stunning. The character models are simply adequate, but well crafted. However, what MGS4 lacks in certain background textures, it more than makes up for with the character models, lighting, particle effects, and attention to detail. There are two cut scenes in MGS4 that are not rendered in real time. As far as I'm aware, they still use the in-game engine, but there is simply too much going on on-screen for the engine to push them in real time. You may have heard that there are a lot of cut scenes in MGS4. Keep that in mind when you mull over the two that aren't in real time. The technical accomplishment of MGS4 is thus far unparalleled in a console game.

During the remainder of the cut scenes in MGS4, you're able to control the zoom of the camera by pressing up on the d-pad. In an age when most games attempt to obscure their flaws using as much trickery as the developer can muster, MGS4 fearlessly begs you to look at it up close and personal. And you will. Because there are things you'll see that you won't think are possible. But you'll zoom in and, while you'll start to see the rough edges, they still manage to be incredibly impressive. It's obvious that a tremendous amount of resources were spent crafting the models. And it pays off constantly and consistently. I'm unsure how much headroom is left with the Playstation 3 hardware, but if there is any left, and some developers start to utilize it, we're in for some graphically mind blowing games in the future.

Graphical detail, modeling and textures, is only one part of a successful visual experience. Animation plays a large roll as well. And while certain aspects of the animation are not the leap that some had hoped for the series, many others are. Snake still has three basic animations - walking, crouching, and shimmying - but each of those animations have been expanded upon and improved. For instance, not only is there a second shimmy animation (one that, for people with their minds in the gutter, is hilarious), he can now flip over onto his back. From this prone position, Snake can shoot enemies and toss grenades. Also of note is the "play dead" option while prone. I didn't use it that often in my initial play through the game, but I've been exploring its effectiveness in my second play thorough. It's not a panacea; it won't make you completely invisible or uninteresting to all enemies, but it does serve as a valuable addition to Snake's sneaking arsenal. The boss characters have amazing animations, as do most of the main characters in the game. On a side note, during the initial introduction of any named character, when their name appears on-screen along with their voice actor's name, you can tap R2 and see the actor responsible for that character's motion capture performance. Kojima loves to give credit where credit is due.

Coupled with the superb motion capture during the cut scenes is cinematic quality direction. Although the ability of the player to control the zoom and focus on individual elements in the cut scene frame potentially obscures it, the direction in the cut scenes shows the experience and care of Kojima-san. If you play the game more than once - and you'll likely want to - make sure to set aside one play through to leave the controller alone during the cut scenes. It's worth it to see them as envisioned by their creator.

All of this sounds good, but what about the game play? Well, I'll get to game play in a moment. Having mentioned sound, it's important to examine this aspect of the game.

One of the many, dastardly bosses

Act Three

For a long time, the only way to truly experience a movie the way it should be experienced was to go to the local cinema. It wasn't just because of the gigantic screen or the movie theatre popcorn (I could tell you the secret of movie theatre popcorn and why you can't make it at home, but then I'd have to kill you). It wasn't even because of the room full of people sharing the experience. In fact, sometimes that's a detriment. It was both of those things combined with a third, equally important factor: sound. Until the last half decade or so, there wasn't really any affordable way for the average Joe Sixpack to reproduce the sound experience one gets at a good theatre. And while theatres have grown more advanced in the sound department, home theatre audio equipment has gotten mighty close to what you get in a good theatre. Admittedly, I don't have the latest, greatest audio equipment. I have a 6.1 receiver (hooked up as 5.1), in-ceiling surround speakers, a really crappy center channel (which I'll replace next), a nice sub woofer, and a pair of excellent Polk Audio front channels. And Metal Gear Solid 4 makes my system sing.

A few months prior to the release of MGS4, Hideo Kojima was quoted as saying that the development team was running into storage limitations on a fifty gigabyte Blu-Ray disc. Considering that the cut scenes in MGS games are rendered in real time (again - other than the two mentioned above), this was initially perplexing. And then a theory developed about sound. Kojima used uncompressed 7.1 digital audio on MGS4. And I can tell you that, even 5.1 the 5.1 audio I hear coming out of the game is spectacular. As beautiful as the game is to look at, the sound is actually better than the visuals. MGS4 plants the player in the middle of a war zone. And it actually sounds like you're in the middle of a war zone. There are times you don't actually need the threat ring (a circle around snake that lets the player discern the position and alert level of enemies), because you can tell where they are aurally. And there is constant audio feedback that gives the game an immersive quality that one can only hope other developers mimic. I've seen blockbuster Hollywood movies that don't measure up to the sound design in MGS4.

But the quality of the sound in the game doesn't end at the effects. Harry Gregson-Williams and Nobuko Toda have turned in a score that is outstanding. If you bought the limited edition, you have a CD that contains the soundtrack. If you didn't buy the limited edition, I recommend wholeheartedly tracking it down and buying it. I hope to hear more of these two in both movies and games in the future, as I simply can't get enough of the score they created for MGS4. Borrowing from influences from Japan, the Middle East, and the West, this duo has put together a soundtrack that, again, rivals much of what Hollywood has to offer.

One other slight mention in the sound category is the in-game iPod. During the course of the game, you can collect MP3 tracks from several of Kojima Productions' previous works in including the previous Metal Gear Solid games. You can listen to these in-game via the iPod in the items menu. But the coolest thing about the in-game iPod is that there's an exclusive MGS podcast that will be updated regularly. If you've ever listened to the Kojima Productions Report, you'll feel right at home, as Ryan Payton is the host of both that show and the one in the game. You probably won't listen to it during your first play through the game, but it's nice to have for subsequent plays.

Raiden returns and now that he's a bad ass, he's not playable

Act Four

Graphics and sound do not a good game make. There are plenty of examples of games that are pretty, but aren't fun to play. And in the end, gaming is supposed to be fun. Well, there's absolutely nothing to worry about in that regard with MGS4. As I stated previously, MGS4 takes bits and pieces from the last twenty years of MGS game play, adds some significant new twists, mashes it all up, and comes up with a concoction that should satisfy many gamers. In a broad sense, you can play the game however you want to play it. If you want to play it as a shooter (third or first person), go right ahead. The bonuses you'll get at the end of the game will take a hit - after all, MGS is about stealth - but it won't take away any of the enjoyment you'll get from playing (CQC also makes a welcome return). You can also play through the entire game without killing a single person. You can sneak and tranq your way through the whole game including the bosses. And, just as there are penalties for going on a killing spree, there are rewards for harkening back to the MGS of old.

There are multiple ways to achieve each of your goals. In my first play through, I stuck to the street levels almost exclusively. In my second play through, I've been exploring quite a bit more. And not only are there plenty of alternate paths to take, Kojima expects you to take them. Items and enemies are as plentiful on the less beaten tracks as they are on the obvious ones. In the very first area of the first level, Snake has to avoid some Gecko. Gecko are basically bio-mechanical tanks. They jump a lot. Since I played at street level the first time through, they were very planar obstacles, running around the streets, knocking down walls looking for militia (and me) to kill. I found a stairway in the second run through that took me to a balcony that was partially destroyed. There was enough left to hide behind what remained as the Gecko passed by, so I figured I was safe from them. But Kojima anticipated this, apparently, as, while I was in cover behind a bit of concrete, one of the Gecko leapt up to hang onto the balcony and surveilled it looking for me. It's moments like this during gameplay that inspire wonder at the care taken with this game.

The game starts with a monologue by Snake, now referred to as "Old Snake," rather than "Solid Snake," due to an advanced aging condition that has him looking more than a little rough around the edges, about the current state of warfare in the middle 20teens. War has become a market-based economy in and of itself. Wars are fought for profit rather than borders or ideologies. The technology of war, we're told, has changed as well. Soldiers have nanomachines implanted in their bodies that contain an ID tag. This ID tag, and the nanomachines that hold it, is used to control and enhance the soldiers. They can only fire weapons that are authorized by a centralized computer system for their specific ID tag. Their senses and abilities are enhanced. In essence, their only real purpose is to make profit for the corporations that employ them. And the corporations will do anything they can to ensure that profits stay high. Snake, being a bit of a relic in this new world, is a lone operative. As in previous games, he no longer answers to governments and certainly not to corporations. His mission, as laid out by the Colonel, is to track down and eliminate his brother, Liquid Ocelot, who has been sighted in the Middle East.

And so begins the final story of Solid Snake. Throughout the game, all of the loose ends and questions raised by previous MGS games will be tied up and answered. There are also ample nods to previous games for those with keen eyes. In fact, some of the nods don't require perfect vision (there's a great homage to the first Metal Gear Solid during that game that I couldn't possibly spoil - I'd hate myself if I did). You'll find out the origins of Liquid and Solid Snake. You'll see a lot of old friends and find out what they've been up to where they are and where they're going. You'll uncover the plans (and identities) of The Patriots. And you'll really, REALLY want to play as Raiden. But you can't. Because everyone complained about playing as him in MGS2. Let's just say that the character has grown up a lot since his debut.

One of the new characters, and easily the best and most seen, is Drebin. Drebin is an arms dealer. He, and hundreds of other "Drebins," (the name is a pseudonym) around the globe hack weaponry, stripping it of its ID tag, and sell it to the highest bidder. Once you meet him, you'll be able to unlock any weapons found on the battlefield. But it's not free. You'll need to collect Drebin Points to spend at the Drebin Store. In the past, this kind of system in an MGS game would come come complete with some difficult to navigate, arcane menu system (see: The Camo menu in MGS3). Not in MGS4. The entire sales system is automatic. Once you've picked up a weapon on the battlefield, the next time you pick up the same kind of weapon, it's automatically sold to Drebin for points. You keep the ammo, Drebin gets the gun and pays you a finder's fee. Drebin is also the source in the game for modifications to your weaponry. A lot of the guns in the game can be modified with everything from suppressors to flashlights, laser sights, dot sights, scopes, etc... All of which Drebin is more than happy to sell to you. He is also a source for some weapons you haven't found on the battlefield (there are over 60 weapons in the game) and ammunition. He, and his cigarette smoking, cola drinking monkey also happen to be interesting characters in their own rights.

Gameplay, while flexible in and of itself, is varied throughout the game. You'll have areas like the first area where it's basically a sneaking mission and vehicular areas, tracking missions, and boss fights. Again, you can choose quite a bit about how you want to play through each of these bits, so the game doesn't get old. But how much game play is there, you ask? You've seen reports on the Internet about ninety minute cut scenes and a horrible cut scene to game play ratio. There are a lot of cut scenes. There are long cut scenes. There are no ninety minute cut scenes. And most are shorter than what some would have you believe. I think a big factor in how long the cut scenes seem relates directly to how invested you are in the characters. Some people just want to blow through the game and skip the cut scenes (which is possible - you can also pause them). And that's fine. But if you care about the characters and the story of MGS that's been unfolding for twenty years, the cut scenes are like candy. You'll eat them up. And probably want more. More of an issue than the cut scenes are the installation and loading times.

Most of the intermissions, termed here as "Mission Briefings," take place aboard a secluded cargo plane. During these Mission Briefings, you'll get detailed information on the story and characters as well as an opportunity to find items for use during the game. You can control the camera or take the Metal Gear Mark II out for a spin to find hidden goodies. Trust me, you'll want to use the MK-II. These Mission Briefings normally take place after an installation between acts. Yes, you have to do an installation between each act. The initial installation (mandatory) is eight minutes. Subsequent installations, four more in total, are roughly three minutes. During the installations, Snake is on screen smoking like a stack and various, humorous tidbits flash on the screen. In addition to the installations, there is quite a bit of loading during the game. Sometimes it's not an issue, as with going from one area to another. Other times it tends to break up the momentum, as with some vehicle based scenarios. On par, while I wish they weren't necessary (the installations OR the loading screens), they're a small price to pay for such a great game. One tip, for some bizarre reason that I yet to discern, the very first Mission Briefing doesn't automatically play when you start the game. In order to see it (and get the items for use in the game from it), you'll have to check it out via the Mission Briefing menu item.

So yes, there are a lot of cut scenes and some of them are quite long. The final, post-credits scene being the longest. But at no point do they become boring or uninteresting. I wouldn't necessarily want every game to use the MGS system of storytelling, but it works really well in MGS4.

Say hello to Snake's little friend

Act Five

Pros:
• Flexible gameplay
• Beautiful graphics
• Excruciating attention to detail
• Excellent story
• Great direction
• Some of the best sound in a game ever
• Plenty of replay value
• Ties up the loose ends of the MGS saga
• Tight controls
• Very good camera system
• Includes Metal Gear Online starter pack*
• In game podcast

Cons:
• Mandatory installations - between every act
• Lots of loading, despite said installations - sometimes breaking up the pace
• May be overwhelming from a story standpoint to players unfamiliar with the series

Epilogue

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is a system-defining game. Beyond that, it's one of the absolute best games I've ever played. It isn't for everyone. Some may be completely confused by the story. For others, it doesn't offer the constant, fast paced action that many seem to crave now. But it really is refreshing to sit down in front of a game that takes its time to unfold. The languid pace is welcome in a feverish world of constant over stimulation. Which is not at all to say that the game is boring. There are some incredible action sequences that will have you on the edge of your seat. But at its heart, Metal Gear Solid will always be a stealth game and that's where it shines. And oh, does it shine. If you have a PS3, you owe it to yourself to play this game. If you don't have the system, it's time to start thinking about getting one.

10/10

*I won't review MGS Online as I've not yet launched it in the retail release, just in the beta.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Konami Productions
Konami