Mgs4 is my favorite game ever, which is funny cause there are so many things that I do not like (some retcons for example are bad, REALLY bad, however understandable since kojimbo never planned to do it, I also am not a big fan of overwhelming fun service).

Mgs4 nails everything that it does right:

- When it comes to gameplay act 1,2, the end of 4 and act 5 are really really good, act 1 and 2 are prolly the highlights of the game, the concept of sneaking on a warzone was so damn good I wish we had more of that, or at the very least more advanced equipment for the enemy to use, like the armour suits in the chase at the end of act 2 should have been used more. Octocamo and solid eye are the best gadgets in the series hands down. The art direction and feel of the game is so damn fucking good I spend so much time just admiring everything in this game. The gameplay is really good too and the more you know about it the more you appreciate it for how complex it tried to be. Same for gunplay, very basic but with a more in depth knowledge of enemy AI and weapons you can use everything with efficiency. The guns were realistically accurate too for the most part, but I believe there were too little stealth focused weapons (fits with the narrative, you got all these guns but realistically speaking you need none of them for your actual mission).
Drebin's shop Is a missed potential in my opinion, farming DP Is Just too Easy and After One single big boss rank you wont Need him anymore. I don't think the game should depend on the shop but This doesnt work either. In order to nail the themes of the game the shop should be a way to get restok but with very High prices or something like This so that the player either farms points or play strategically.

The sneaking is... Good, not great but it's still solid, I like it a lot but I struggle to find something unique with the enemy AI, gekkos weren't that unique too in terms of AI, just an enemy that can see through stealth and where you need to take it slow, very few unique gimmicks and that's a Shame.

Rex vs Ray and liquid ocelot fight are my favorite fights in the franchise hands down. Laughing octopus is prolly the best B&B fight in my opinion but only because they did a great job at making her fight unique, screaming mantis close second but the rest of the fights are such a wasted potential. Also way too many frog fights, the first one is great, I really like it, the second one is ok, the chase is dogshit, vamp is just a bullet sponge and the third frog fight is just bad.

So yeah gameplay wise this game has a lot going for it.

- story wise it's... Complicated, this game had should have been 2 separate games in my opinion but It couldn't so I personally believe that as of now for what we got, mgs4 story is good, but jeez I hate many things story wise such as the Patriots identities being disappointing, can't blame kojima don't get me wrong mgs2 was supposed to be the ending so I don't blame him for being cheap but still man I'm so disappointed, luckily future games did great with the retcons but still, I'm also not a big fan if Naomi here.

I dont think Drebin a bad character but we should have seen more cause he aint that memorable compared to other characters. Akiba... Ok im gonna get flamed but while he does ruin some things he aint bad either, i actually don't mind him... From act 3 onwards, in act 1 tho he Is Just... No.
The rest of rat Patrol doesnt even exist but thats the point, we know nothing about them and we do not care, but they are part of the same world we are Exploring and they have different stories and Adventures, i like that they gave them a unique design instead of a generic Balaclava character with cool uniform, they are not important but thats the point, they are Just soldiers used For war as pawns, but showing their faces and a bit of emotions (even if Little) Is a nice way to humanize characters.

I got nothing else to Say regarding characters, except For Maybe Meryl during the last cutscene in act 5 where She talks about wanting a real wedding. I think She Is not out of character with the way She talks but what She says Is the opposite of what her character has Always been. She Always wanted to be a soldier and her character Is a parallel to the player wanting to be a Legend or a Hero but Discovering over time the dark tragedies of war; that scene says the exact opposite. It doesnt "ruin" her character to me, but It Is really frustrating and dissappointing to see.

Old Snake Is probably the main reason as to why im in love with This game, he is Just so well done, both from design and character per sé.

I also love the way he interacts with characters (especially raiden my God its perfect), every time he speaks with someone that conversation becomes Splendid, props to hayter performance here.

I was disappointed with big boss coming back at First but It was handled really well and It ended up becoming One of my favorite gaming moments ever.




Now that we are getting the master collection volume 2 i really wonder if people really want This game... Cause its not a game for everyone, im not saying that you Need to be a certified Genius to love It cause you don't lmao but This game Is a unique flavour, and there Is a difference with enjoying a game playing It once and actually liking It and playing more, i think that many people Who wants the game (in terms of new fans or people that are not familiar with the series) are not really aware of what they are going to play. Its Just a complex game to enjoy overall (you Need to REALLY love the gameplay to enjoy It fully, and the story Is full of flaws, its a masterpiece but a weird One). What matters in the end tho Is game preservation so im Just Happy to see It avilable everywhere.


Sorry im late to the party, but Life has been rough lately between work and other stuff i had to deal with so finding the time to Watch all 4 hours and comment was really hard. Im Just Happy to see such a wonderful in dept analysis about my favorite game ever.

Thank you, another banger, you never disappoint.

It's been 17 years, 8 months and 12 days... and we still have 6 months and 3 days to go until the game is officially free from the PS3

4 hours, buckle up! What better way to celebrate MGS4’s grand return than to watch this.

This video is as long as the shortest cutscene in mgs 4

Still my favorite game and MGS4 holds up until the end of time

It certainly wasn't hidden, and in fact, was EXTREMELY relevant to the time period, i.e. Blackwater and their rise and fall. Things have gotten so much worse since then, the difference is it has become more and more normalized.

No game story will ever beat MGS

20:22 Small correction - MGS4 was the first in the series to implement Crouch Walking (unless you wanna throw in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake for MSX2). Peace Walker then followed suit. 3DS Snake Eater 3D followed after.

1:34:13 what the hell! I never noticed there was puppet strings on Snake before! What a detail!

MGS4 always will be special to me. First playthrough I was   deployed to Iraq and had my dad send me a ps3 and a copy so I could play it when it released. Ironic that a game with "war has become a video game" message and I would get off patrol, drop my kit and play it.

-Dad, what is this 4 hour video about?

-Nanomachines son!!!

The ending of 2 just straight up didn’t conclude the narrative he set up, wouldn’t be right to end it there. So I’m glad Hideo ended up making 4. Okok watching video now

24:27 Always happy when Resident Evil Dead Aim save room theme is used in video essays

Man, when I was younger: my brother lived with his girlfriend when I was in middle/high school. I'll never forget the times I played through the game and tried out MGO 2.... Never had such a unique experience since. MGS4 was a game I've waited for, and even experimented with on emulator: but the fact we are finally getting a release on PC? I will finally be motivated to play something again... Especially with how ahead of time this game was. The cutscene length may have been longer than gameplay time: but honestly, the gameplay in those hours make up for it. And the story was a fitting end (though I'm sure there are some plot holes, but eh: what series doesn't have plot holes anymore?) Especially with a series as complex as MGS.

That last couple seconds of the video, where Otacon wants to be there till the end. Acknowledge Snakes existence. That’s most the real of friends. “Ride or die”. If you got someone in your life that is that, maybe give them a thanks. Kinda hit me in the chest, thanks Kojima lol.

Nearly 20 years. Man, time flies!

20:12 Wait- what? No. Snake Eater 3D didn’t come out before 4. It came out way after.

I loved MGS4 since day 1. Even bought the game 6 months before I bought my PS3 back in 2012.

@ 23:30:00

The focus on Snake needing help seen through the window of Snake as Kojima may been a call of help that his own mental health was dropping and him once as the mighty leader was now needing to lean on others. And the focus on PTSD maybe a way shed light on it, while it left as context for people, lot of people dont sit on those things and miss them, most people miss the fact that Kirito in Sword Art is experiencing extreme PTSD before epi 2 watching thousands of people die, kill themselves, and later being apart of a genocide on the Rogue guild Laughing Coffin.

beautiful video! very detailed