Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Encyclopedia
is a video game developed by Kojima Productions
for the PlayStation 3
console. The game was directed by Hideo Kojima
and made its worldwide release on June 12, 2008, ten years after the release of Metal Gear Solid
and twenty years after the North American release of Metal Gear
.
Guns of the Patriots received widespread critical acclaim, garnering perfect reviews and Game of the Year
awards from several major gaming publications, including GameSpot
, which claimed that the game is "technically flawless". The game has been a financial driving force for Konami, helping the Metal Gear franchise reach 5 million units in the financial year of 2009.
.
A further addition to gameplay mechanics is the Psyche Meter. Psyche is decreased by non-lethal attacks, and is influenced by battlefield psychology. Stressors (including temperature extremes, foul smells, and being hunted by the enemy) increase Snake's stress gauge, eventually depleting his Psyche. Adverse effects include difficulty in aiming, more frequent back pain and the possibility of Snake passing out upon receiving damage. Among the available methods of restoring Psyche are eating, drinking, smoking, and reading an adult magazine.
Snake has a few gadgets to aid him in battle. The OctoCamo suit mimics the appearance and texture of any surface in a similar fashion to an octopus, or a chameleon, decreasing the probability of Snake being noticed. The Solid Eye device highlights items and enemies, and can operate in a night vision and a binocular mode. It also offers a baseline map, which indicates the location of nearby units. The latter function is also performed by the Threat Ring, a visualization of Snake's senses that deforms based on nearby unit proximity and relays them to the player.
Metal Gear Mk.II, later substituted by Mk.III, offers codec
functionality and a means to the in-game menu for a large part of Snake's mission. It can be remote controlled to stun enemies, provide reconnaissance and interact with the environment. Its design is based on the namesake robot from Snatcher
, a game designed by Hideo Kojima. It is also controlled during the beginning of each separate "Act", although the player is not able to utilize its capabilities during this time.
Whenever the Drebin menu is available, weapons, attachments and ammunition can be purchased via Drebin Points (DPs), awarded for on-site procurement of weapons already in the inventory and by initiating specific scripted events or destroying Unmanned Vehicles. The conversion rate between weapons and DPs depends on current battlefield conditions, with more-intense fighting yielding higher prices. Also, Drebin would purchase items from the player at a discounted price, especially at certain points in the story and certain days in real life.
The Virtual Range, similar to the Virtual Reality training of previous titles, functions as a test facility for weapon performance and gameplay controls.
and five years after Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
. The world economy relies on continuous war, fought by PMCs
, which outnumber government military forces. PMC soldiers are outfitted with nanomachines
that enhance their abilities on the battlefield. The control network created through these nanomachines is called Sons of the Patriots (SOP), and Liquid Ocelot is preparing to hijack the system. Snake, meanwhile, is experiencing accelerated aging due to his status as a clone, and has less than a year to live. When his former commanding officer Roy Campbell approaches him with one last mission - to terminate Liquid - Snake accepts and is dropped into the Middle Eastern war zone where Liquid is believed to be hiding.
Seeking information on Liquid's whereabouts, Snake (with remote support from Otacon and Sunny) infiltrates the area where Liquid's army is camped and is told to rendezvous with a group of U.S. Army informants posted nearby. On his way to the meeting, he encounters Drebin 893, a black market arms dealer who injects Snake with nanomachines that enable him to use the latest generation of weaponry. At the rendezvous point, Snake encounters the Rat Patrol 01 unit, led by his old comrade Meryl Silverburgh. They exchange intelligence and prepare to move on to Liquid's camp, but are suddenly ambushed by Liquid's personal troops, the FROGs. Snake continues on alone to the camp, and on the way witnesses four cyborgs wreaking havoc on a group of armed militia men. Liquid unleashes a signal that incapacitates Snake, the Rat Patrol, and all other soldiers in the area equipped with nanomachines. As he collapses, Snake catches a glimpse of Dr. Naomi Hunter, who had injected him with the virus FOXDIE in Metal Gear Solid before fleeing Shadow Moses with Liquid. The only person unaffected by the nanomachine destabilizer is Rat Patrolman Johnny Sasaki, who helps Snake up and transports him to safety.
Act 2 – Solid Sun
Via an encoded message, Naomi explains she is being forced to do research for Liquid in South America and asks for Snake's help. Snake enters the South American locale, and witnesses one of the cyborgs and Vamp turning the local rebels against him. He is then debriefed by Drebin regarding the true identity of the cyborgs: the Beauty and the Beast Corps, four female soldiers suffering from Posttraumatic stress disorder with orders to kill Snake. He also explains that the Patriots, a network of AI cores control the nanomachine-laden PMCs.
Snake reaches Naomi who explains that Liquid plans to use Big Boss' biometric data to access the Patriot's core AI and take control of SOP. Her tests indicate Snake's rapid aging is genetic, and that the FOXDIE virus will cost him his life within six months. Before that, however, Snake will start spreading a deadly mutated version of FOXDIE, effectively becoming a biological weapon. Naomi is kidnapped by FROGs, leaving Snake to battle Laughing Octopus. Snake later rescues Naomi and they make their escape out of the country with the help of Drebin and Raiden
, now a cyborg ninja. However, during extraction, Raiden is wounded by Vamp during a prolonged fight.
Safely aboard the Nomad, the team decides to get medical treatment for Raiden in Eastern Europe.
Act 3 – Third Sun
Naomi builds a friendship with Sunny and shares intimate moments with Otacon. She explains that an Eastern European resistance group possess the remains of Big Boss. Snake trails a resistance member to their leader, EVA, now under the alias Big Mama, and revealed to be the surrogate mother to Snake, and his nemesis Liquid Snake, through the Les Enfants Terribles project. True to Big Mama's prediction, the Raven Sword PMC attacks the vehicles transporting Big Boss' remains. Snake and Big Mama's motorcycle escort ends in a crash, forcing Snake to battle Raging Raven, a bird-like cyborg that fires guns and missiles. He subsequently helps Big Mama escape to the riverside, where Big Boss's remains were really kept, and is confronted by Liquid. Unfazed by the U.S. military forces ordering him to surrender, Liquid destabilizes the SOP system again, and easily claims victory in the ensuing firefight. He throws Big Boss's body to the flames, where Big Mama follows to save it. Snake's fruitless attempts to save Big Mama leave him with a burn scar. Liquid escapes with Naomi, but the Mk. II makes it onto their gunboat.
Act 4 – Twin Suns
Before it's destroyed, Mk. II sends a transmission revealing Liquid's plan. He intends to destroy the Patriots' core AI with a nuclear strike using Metal Gear REX's railgun
, then substitute it with his own core, and gain control. To this end, he needs a non ID-tagged warhead from the cache left in the Shadow Moses facility.
Snake returns to Shadow Moses Island and defeats Crying Wolf. When Snake reaches REX's hangar, he finds the railgun has been removed and Vamp waiting for him, with Naomi at his side. Snake fights Vamp one on one, and then suppresses Vamp's nanomachines and holds off suicide Gekko while Raiden fights and kills Vamp. Naomi, revealing she's riddled with cancer and tormented by her mistakes, disables the nanomachines that kept her alive. Snake and Raiden use REX to head out of the collapsing hangar, but Raiden ends up pinned under its rubble. Snake, now operating his previous nemesis, REX, is left to duel with Metal Gear RAY, piloted by Liquid. After both Metal Gears are destroyed, Liquid reveals Outer Haven, a submersible warship ready to fulfill his launch plan. Liquid uses this weapon as a ram to kill Snake, but Raiden, who cut off his arm to free himself, stalls him. Eventually, cannon fire from the forces Outer Haven to retreat.
Act 5 – Old Sun
Aboard the Missouri, Mei Ling, now a U.S. Navy Captain, orders the battleship to intercept Outer Haven. Using Outer Havens requirement to surface before launching a nuke, Snake, Meryl, and Johnny board the ship via catapult. Snake confronts and defeats Screaming Mantis. After Snake finds Meryl, FROGs storm in, and Meryl decides to hold them back while Snake proceeds. Johnny arrives to assist Meryl, and confides he isn't influenced by SOP due to him lacking nanomachines. Meryl and Johnny's romance heats up in sync with the battle, culminating in the two exchanging marriage proposals. On his way to the core, Snake is aided by Raiden. The last part of the way, filled with lethal microwave emitters, Snake traverses on his own, getting weaker as he moves along. Half dead, he finally arrives at the core, where the Mk. III uploads a computer virus programmed by Naomi and Sunny called FOXALIVE. FOXALIVE destroys all the AI cores, disables the SOP system and brings the war economy to a grinding halt. It effectively counteracts the Patriots' upcoming civilian control scheme while preserving the energy and resource networks essential to modern society, while causing a mental breakdown for the attacking FROGS.
Snake, having passed out in the core, awakes atop Outer Haven's sail where Liquid Ocelot asserts he is ready to gain control. From there, Snake and Liquid have their final showdown, a hand-to-hand combat, from which Snake emerges triumphant.
Epilogue – Naked Sin
Meryl and Johnny's wedding is underway, after Meryl accepts Roy Campbell as her father, forgiving him for their past. Meanwhile Drebin reveals his origin as a child soldier, as well as his role and Rat Patrol being pawns of the Patriots' schemes, but are now free. Raiden, hospitalized after restorative surgery, reconciles with Rose after learning that her relationship with Campbell was only a smokescreen to protect Raiden's family from the Patriots. Raiden, Rose, and their son John embrace as a family, coming to terms with starting a normal life. Snake stands before the grave of Big Boss, ready to take his own life to avert becoming a biological weapon. Snake sticks his pistol in his mouth and attempts to fire it.
Debriefing – Naked Sun
Snake cannot summon the willpower to shoot himself, and he is surprised to see a living Big Boss. Big Boss explains that the body burned in Eastern Europe was actually that of Solidus Snake and reveals that the Patriots were originally an interpretation of The Boss' will, founded by Major Zero, EVA, Ocelot, Sigint, Para-Medic, and Big Boss himself. With increasing power, two rival factions arose within the Patriots' ranks, Zero's who stood for complete control, and Big Boss', who dreamed of a soldier's world. Eva and Ocelot joined Big Boss in his cause. He also explains that Ocelot purposefully used nanomachines and hypnotherapy to implant the persona of Liquid Snake as his own. Over the years, Zero let the newly established AI network assume more control, eventually leading to dependence on the war economy, a vision far from The Boss' original will. Big Boss puts an end to the last remnant of this false vision by shutting down Zero's life support unit.
Big Boss informs Snake that the nanomachines Drebin injected into him included a new strain of FOXDIE, programmed by the Patriot AIs to kill the rival Patriot faction and eradicate the old versions of FOXDIE. Thus, Snake has no risk of becoming a biological weapon, at least before his own death. Big Boss succumbs to FOXDIE, but not before he makes amends with Snake.
When all is settled, Snake decides to live out his life peacefully, in the company of Otacon and Sunny, and vows to see this new age off.
, a Blu-ray containing two "making of" documentaries, and partial game soundtrack containing only songs written by Harry Gregson-Williams
. The Limited Edition was 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 was made available at Play.com
in the United Kingdom. It is also included in the 40GB Limited Edition PlayStation 3
Metal Gear Solid 4 bundle.
, 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 saw the release of the Guns of the Patriots Welcome Box that contains the game itself, a DualShock 3 controller, a Sixaxis controller, and a 40GB PlayStation 3 in either black, white or silver.
Sony 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 by 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. David Reeves has announced a similar bundle for Europe which includes a 40GB PlayStation 3, the game itself and a DualShock 3 controller.
2005, by means of a humorous and slightly abstract gag machinima
using characters from Metal Gear Solid 3, under the slogan of "No Place to Hide".
Hideo Kojima
wished to implement a new style of gameplay which was set in a full scale war zone. Kojima wanted to also keep the stealth elements in the game, which made the team abandon the "No Place to Hide" concept. The only announced war zone before release was the Middle East. Using several locations emphasized Kojima's original intention to portray the world in full scale conflict.
During development, the game's exclusivity was continuously questioned, even after Kojima officially confirmed the exclusivity several times. The exclusivity of the game was still in doubt from non-PlayStation 3 owners for a long period after the initial release.
Hideo Kojima announced that he would be retiring as director of the Metal Gear series after Snake Eater
, and would leave his position open to another person for Metal Gear Solid 4. As a joke, the new director was announced as "Alan Smithee
", but in R, a 400-page book bundled with Metal Gear Solid 3s Japanese "Premium Package", the director was revealed to be Shuyo Murata, co-writer of MGS3 and director of Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
. He also contributed Easter eggs
to Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear: Ghost Babel. However, it was announced that Kojima would be co-directing the game with Murata after substantial negative fan reaction, including death threat
s.
The title was described as "essentially finished" by January 2008, and went through extensive beta testing. At Destination PlayStation on February 26, 2008, Sony announced that MGS4 would be released worldwide on June 12, 2008, along with the special MGS4 PlayStation 3 bundle.
It was announced that Guns of the Patriots is the first PlayStation 3 game that uses a full 50GB dual layer Blu-ray Disc
even with the use of file compression, however, when users check the disc via PlayStation Jailbreak
or a Blu-ray disc reader inside their PC, the size is actually 30.1 GB.
Originally, one of Kojima's endings for the game would have had Snake
and Otacon turn themselves in for breaking the law, and subsequently they would be convicted and executed, but this idea was vetoed by his team.
In August 2009, Kojima Productions' Sean Eyestone, when asked about a Trophy patch, asked people to "stay patient". This has led to speculation that an updated version of the game, a tradition which dates back to the original Metal Gear Solid, will be released alongside a Trophy patch.
On November 3, 2010 an updated Greatest Hits box art of MGS4 was released, which in the top right hand corner advised one of the additions to the game was "Trophies". There has since been no further updates or new release dates for this or a patch, one website reported it was a "typo".
announced a marketing campaign and agreements with several companies to promote the game. Apple computers and monitors feature in the game and an Apple iPod
is an in-game item that Snake can use to change the background music, listen to in-game podcasts and collect hidden songs scattered throughout the game. ReGain Energy Drinks are used in the game as a Psyche gauge booster, and Sony Ericsson
mobile phone
s are used, specifically by Naomi and Vamp. In addition, the motorcycles featured in the game are a Triumph Bonneville
and Speed Triple.
Konami and Ubisoft
put an unlockable costume in the game for Snake, Altaïr from the Ubisoft stealth game Assassin's Creed
. Initially revealed on April Fool's Day 2008, Kojima later announced that it would actually be in the game, unlockable by doing "something special". To obtain the attire, the player must acquire the "Assassin Emblem", a nod to the game's title (or input a password in the Extras section).
Konami had originally planned to organize grand launch events in Tokyo, but some of them were canceled with the "safety of participants in mind" in light of the Akihabara massacre
on June 8, 2008.
On June 15, 2009, a year after its release, Konami re-released MGS4 as a part of Sony's Greatest Hits collection.
, Guns of the Patriots sold 476,334 copies in its first four days on sale in Japan, which includes copies bundled with the PlayStation 3
, and caused a boost in PlayStation 3 sales. The PS3, which at the time sold about 10,000 units in a given week, went on to sell 77,208 units in the games debut week. As of July 9, 2008, the game has sold 576,437 copies in Japan. It is the 11th best-selling game of Japan in 2008, selling 686,254 copies. According to Chart-Track
, the game is the second fastest-selling PlayStation 3 title in the United Kingdom after Grand Theft Auto IV
and was below Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
s opening weekend figure by 14,000 copies recorded in 2002; the sales of the PlayStation 3 increased by a "minimal" seven percent over the opening weekend. Konami has reported that MGS4 sold over one million copies across Europe in its first week, with 25,000 limited-edition copies "snapped up almost immediately". In the United States, MGS4 was the best-selling game in June 2008 selling 774,600 copies (nearly one million if the number of copies bundled with the PlayStation 3 console were included), causing PS3 sales to double over the previous month, according to the NPD Group
. As of December 2009, the game had sold over 5 million copies worldwide, as stated on page 5 of Konami's 3rd Quarter Financial Results. This milestone labeled it as the best-selling PlayStation 3 exclusive until the release of Gran Turismo 5.
and 93.56% at Game Rankings
. The first review was a 10/10 from PlayStation Official Magazine
(UK), commenting "MGS4 shifts gears constantly, innovating again and again". The game has been awarded 10/10 from Game Informer and a 5/5 in all categories (graphics, control, sound, and fun factor) from GamePro. The game also received perfect scores from PlayStation: The Official Magazine
(5/5), Japanese magazine Famitsu
(40/40) and Empire
. The game received a 9.9/10 from IGN
UK, a 9.5/10 from IGN Australia, and a 10/10 from IGN. IGN was quoted in a video review, saying MGS4 is "one of the best games ever made". Edge
and Eurogamer
both gave the game 8/10. GameSpot
gave it a 10/10 saying "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the most technically stunning video game ever made," making MGS4 one of only five games ever to receive a perfect "10" from both IGN and GameSpot, and one of only seven games to receive a perfect ten from GameSpot overall.
Reviewers were unanimous in approval of the way the title continues and concludes the series. Eurogamer stated that "You could not ask for a funnier, cleverer, more ambitious or inspired or over-the-top conclusion", and IGN Australia found that the result "refines the MGS formula and introduces just enough new (or respectfully influenced) ideas to ensure that it stands on its own as a game". Edge concluded that "it is faithful to its fans, its premise and its heart, delivering an experience that is, in so many ways, without equal", while IGN UK describe it simply as "the ultimate Metal Gear game" and "a dazzling, heart-lifting, voyage of discovery".
The game was also described as being unusually sad and depressing for a video game. Kotaku said, "Metal Gear Solid 4 is so unusual in that it's the rare game that asks them to be interested in something else: a march toward defeat, an interactive tragedy."
The new control scheme ("the ideal balance of intuitiveness and range"), camouflage system and shift to more free-form, "replayable" gameplay (in particular the Drebin Points system and alternatives to "stealthy" play) were particularly highly praised with a few minor annoyances. The variety of set-piece events, details such as the "psyche" meter, and healthy provision of secrets were also remarked upon. Eurogamer tempered their overall praise with concern that one of the chapters may induce "ennui", but noted that the game quickly recovered, while Edge expressed mild disappointment that the "Beauty and the Beast" unit compare poorly to the previous title's main foes, the "Cobra Unit".
The game was also lauded for its technological and artistic achievements, with Edge describing the "Otacon" character as "the real star", and "a gaming revolution" while they found the game's score to be superior to that of many Hollywood offerings. The magazine felt that the few visual shortfalls (such as texture detail) did nothing to detract from the game's overall quality. IGN UK comment that the attention to detail in both visuals and audio represent "sublime brilliance", and remark upon innovations such as the use of split-screen.
Criticism of the game was largely leveled at the storyline, which reviewers found at times to be confusing or poorly executed and with IGN UK advising players to revisit the earlier titles for clarity. However, the overall result was praised as emotionally engaging and topical, and characters such as Liquid Ocelot were singled out for the quality of their depiction. It was generally conceded that although the use of cut scenes is more intrusive than it needs to be (comprising "about half of the content of the game" by one estimate, and which "might make you crave action, or wonder why they couldn't have been turned into interactive sequences"), the style is somewhat appropriate given the rest of the series ("in many ways it's a vindication of Kojima's unique interpretation of the videogame medium") and unlikely to trouble fans. The addition of a pause function for these story sequences was universally welcomed.
Edge and Eurogamer alike concluded that although the game represents an apotheosis
of the series style, it ultimately fails to revitalise it, and will not win over new fans. IGN UK were concerned that the game's hype
and widespread praise may lead to disappointment, but feel that, objectively, the game is a "masterpiece".
, Gamezine, and PALGN
, along with a significant amount of Readers' Choice awards, and awards directed towards its story-telling, graphical, and voice-acting aspects. GameSpot praised the game significantly, and awarded it "Game of the Year", "Best PS3 Game", "Best Graphics (Technical)", "Best Boss Battles", "Best Story", "Best Voice Acting", "Most Memorable Moment", and "Best Action/Adventure Game". IGN
awarded the game "Best PS3 Game of 2008", "Best Graphics Technology", "Best Original Score", and "Best Action Game". PALGN awarded it "Game of the Year", "PS3 Game of the Year", and "Best Visuals". PC World
also heralded MGS4 with "Game of the Year". Playfire awarded the game "Game of the Year", "Best Action/Adventure Game", and "Best Graphics". MGS4 also won "Game of the Year" from the Portuguese Eurogamer
. On NeoGAF
, MGS4 was also awarded "Game of the Year". The German site 4PLAYER.de gave MGS4 "Game of the Year" also. GamePro
awarded the game "Best PS3 Game of 2008" and "Best Action/Adventure Game". 1UP.com
gave MGS4 "Game of the Year", "Best PS3 Game", "Best Action Game", and "Best Audiovisual Experience". Fox News Channel
awarded the game "Best PS3 Game of 2008" and "Best Game of 2008". GameSpy
awarded it "Best PS3 Action Game". From Gamezine, MGS4 won "Game of the Year", and "Best PS3 Game". Giant Bomb
gave it "Best PS3-Only Game", "Best Graphics", and "Most Satisfying Sequel". In the Golden Joystick 2008 awards, MGS4 was awarded "Best PS3 Game". At Tokyo Game Show
2009, Metal Gear Solid 4 received the Grand Award (alongside Mario Kart Wii
) and the Award of Excellence. The readers of PlayStation Official Magazine
voted it the 5th best PlayStation title released..
delaying its review. In lieu of a review, the magazine printed a roundtable discussion about the game, with a proper review expected to print in the magazine and post on 1UP.com
after Konami's restrictions have been lifted. Kojima Productions spokesperson Ryan Payton has since explained more specifically what the NDA restricts, and has amended "some items [that] are outdated and require more explanation." He also listed the length of install times, noting that the restrictions were intended to prevent spoilers regarding what occurs during the installations.
Following this statement, gaming site GameSpot
published a blog entry in which it claims it will be unable to review the game either, claiming Konami have withheld review code because of non-compliance with the limitations. The article originally implied that the absence of a review was due to GameSpot's refusal to attend the "Boot Camp" event at Kojima Productions' offices. However, it has revised it to state that the Boot Camp was a mid-development feedback and PR exercise, and would not have led to a review in any case.
The day before Konami's restrictions were to be lifted, Electronic Gaming Monthly
(EGM) reviewer Jeremy Parish clarified the reasons for the self-imposed review embargo, dispelling rumors of a disagreement between Konami and EGM on the review conditions in a lengthy blog commentary. His review of the game appeared on the website shortly after.
Metal Gear Online Metal Gear Solid 4 includes the Starter Pack for Metal Gear Online
(MGO). MGO features up to 16 player online tactical battles and incorporates several gameplay elements from Metal Gear Solid 4, including the SOP system that allows players to have a visual confirmation of their teammates' position and battle status.
MGO also allows fully customizable characters. The Starter Pack allows players to engage in sneaking missions, where Old Snake and Metal Gear Mk.II acquire dogtags from other human contestants, along with standard Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and several special modes.
Expansions packs, offering more maps and playable special characters (Mei Ling, Meryl, Akiba, Liquid Ocelot, Raiden, and Vamp), can be purchased via the MGO menu item "MGO Shop (PlayStation Network)", or via MGO or Konami's shop. The PlayStation Wallet is used for the first option, and a credit card for the latter two.
Metal Gear Solid Touch Metal Gear Solid Touch
for the iPhone
, iPod Touch
and iPad
is a "touch shooting" game that revisits MGS4s plot and action through the touch interface.
entries in the series released up to Metal Gear Solid 4 in the form of an encyclopedia (browsable by alphabet and category), a timeline, and character relationship diagrams. Highlighted words in each article link to related articles, and it keeps track of which ones the user has already read. The Database automatically locks any items related to MGS4, in order to prevent the leaking of spoilers to players who have not completed the game yet. In order to reveal these articles, the user must have a completed MGS4 game save that was created on the same console and with a version of the game from the same region as their account.
, Media Molecule
, released an expansion pack based on Metal Gear Solid 4 on December 23, 2008. It includes character skins for Old Snake, Raiden, Meryl, and Screaming Mantis, as well as a Metal Gear-themed set of levels.
, his third Metal Gear Solid soundtrack, and Nobuko Toda, who provided music for Metal Gear Acid
and Metal Gear Acid 2
. Other contributors are Konami employees Shuichi Kobori, Kazuma Jinnouchi, Akihiro Honda, and Sōta Fujimori. Directed by Norihiko Hibino
, GEM Impact employees Yoshitaka Suzuki and Takahiro Izutani
also made compositions late in the game's production. It was revealed in an interview with Norihiko Hibino
that the team in fact wrote 90 minutes of music for the game's cutscenes, only 15 minutes of which made its way onto the official soundtrack.
There are two vocal themes for the game. The opening theme, "Love Theme", is sung by Jackie Presti and composed by Nobuko Toda. The ending theme, "Here's to You", is sung by Lisbeth Scott. Before the release of the game, "MGS4 - Theme of Love - Smash Bros. Brawl Version" was provided for Super Smash Bros. Brawl
in the Shadow Moses Island level. The "Metal Gear Solid Main Theme", composed by Tappi "Tappy" Iwase, was notably omitted from the soundtrack, and the soundtrack of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
. In an interview with Electronic Gaming Monthly
, Norihiko Hibino stated that the company had difficulties with "Russian composers who said we stole their music", referring to an occasion when a group of Russian games journalists presented Hideo Kojima with a composition by Georgy Sviridov
and claimed this had been plagiarised to create the theme. Hibino states that "they didn't actually", however the company was "too sensitive about the situation" and elected to drop the theme.
The official soundtrack was released on May 28, 2008 by Konami Digital Entertainment under the catalog number GFCA-98/9. It consists of two discs of music and 47 tracks. A soundtrack album was also packaged with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition.
Kojima Productions
is a Japanese video game development studio under the guidance of game designer Hideo Kojima. The company is a subsidiary of Konami, and is located in Roppongi Hills in Roppongi, Tokyo. The studio had just under 100 employees in 2005 but has since grown to over 200 people for the development of...
for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
console. The game was directed by Hideo Kojima
Hideo Kojima
is a Japanese game director originally employed at Konami. He is currently the director of Kojima Productions and was promoted to Vice President of Konami Digital Entertainment in early 2011...
and made its worldwide release on June 12, 2008, ten years after the release of Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
and twenty years after the North American release of Metal Gear
Metal Gear (video game)
is an overhead military action-adventure video game originally released in by Konami for the MSX2 computer standard in Japan and parts of Europe. Considered to be the progenitor of the stealth game genre, it was also the first video game designed by Hideo Kojima, who also directed many of the...
.
Guns of the Patriots received widespread critical acclaim, garnering perfect reviews and Game of the Year
Game of the Year
Game of the Year is a title awarded by various magazines, websites, and shows to a deserving game. Many are only for PC or console video games...
awards from several major gaming publications, including GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
, which claimed that the game is "technically flawless". The game has been a financial driving force for Konami, helping the Metal Gear franchise reach 5 million units in the financial year of 2009.
Gameplay
In MGS4, players assume the role of Old Snake, utilizing stealth, CQC, and traditional combat techniques. The overhead camera of earlier Metal Gear games has been replaced by a third-person and over the shoulder camera for aiming a weapon, with an optional first-person viewFirst-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
.
A further addition to gameplay mechanics is the Psyche Meter. Psyche is decreased by non-lethal attacks, and is influenced by battlefield psychology. Stressors (including temperature extremes, foul smells, and being hunted by the enemy) increase Snake's stress gauge, eventually depleting his Psyche. Adverse effects include difficulty in aiming, more frequent back pain and the possibility of Snake passing out upon receiving damage. Among the available methods of restoring Psyche are eating, drinking, smoking, and reading an adult magazine.
Snake has a few gadgets to aid him in battle. The OctoCamo suit mimics the appearance and texture of any surface in a similar fashion to an octopus, or a chameleon, decreasing the probability of Snake being noticed. The Solid Eye device highlights items and enemies, and can operate in a night vision and a binocular mode. It also offers a baseline map, which indicates the location of nearby units. The latter function is also performed by the Threat Ring, a visualization of Snake's senses that deforms based on nearby unit proximity and relays them to the player.
Metal Gear Mk.II, later substituted by Mk.III, offers codec
Codec
A codec is a device or computer program capable of encoding or decoding a digital data stream or signal. The word codec is a portmanteau of "compressor-decompressor" or, more commonly, "coder-decoder"...
functionality and a means to the in-game menu for a large part of Snake's mission. It can be remote controlled to stun enemies, provide reconnaissance and interact with the environment. Its design is based on the namesake robot from Snatcher
Snatcher
is a cyberpunk-themed graphic adventure game produced by Konami, originally released in Japan for the NEC PC-8801 and MSX 2 computer platforms in 1988. It was followed by a CD-ROM-based remake released for the PC Engine video game console in 1992, which was subsequently ported and localized into...
, a game designed by Hideo Kojima. It is also controlled during the beginning of each separate "Act", although the player is not able to utilize its capabilities during this time.
Whenever the Drebin menu is available, weapons, attachments and ammunition can be purchased via Drebin Points (DPs), awarded for on-site procurement of weapons already in the inventory and by initiating specific scripted events or destroying Unmanned Vehicles. The conversion rate between weapons and DPs depends on current battlefield conditions, with more-intense fighting yielding higher prices. Also, Drebin would purchase items from the player at a discounted price, especially at certain points in the story and certain days in real life.
The Virtual Range, similar to the Virtual Reality training of previous titles, functions as a test facility for weapon performance and gameplay controls.
Plot
Metal Gear Solid 4 is set in 2014, nine years after the plot of Metal Gear SolidMetal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
and five years after Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....
. The world economy relies on continuous war, fought by PMCs
Private military company
A private military company or provides military and security services. These combatants are commonly known as mercenaries, though modern-day PMCs refer to their staff as security contractors, private military contractors or private security contractors, and refer to themselves as private military...
, which outnumber government military forces. PMC soldiers are outfitted with nanomachines
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
that enhance their abilities on the battlefield. The control network created through these nanomachines is called Sons of the Patriots (SOP), and Liquid Ocelot is preparing to hijack the system. Snake, meanwhile, is experiencing accelerated aging due to his status as a clone, and has less than a year to live. When his former commanding officer Roy Campbell approaches him with one last mission - to terminate Liquid - Snake accepts and is dropped into the Middle Eastern war zone where Liquid is believed to be hiding.
Synopsis
Act 1 – Liquid SunSeeking information on Liquid's whereabouts, Snake (with remote support from Otacon and Sunny) infiltrates the area where Liquid's army is camped and is told to rendezvous with a group of U.S. Army informants posted nearby. On his way to the meeting, he encounters Drebin 893, a black market arms dealer who injects Snake with nanomachines that enable him to use the latest generation of weaponry. At the rendezvous point, Snake encounters the Rat Patrol 01 unit, led by his old comrade Meryl Silverburgh. They exchange intelligence and prepare to move on to Liquid's camp, but are suddenly ambushed by Liquid's personal troops, the FROGs. Snake continues on alone to the camp, and on the way witnesses four cyborgs wreaking havoc on a group of armed militia men. Liquid unleashes a signal that incapacitates Snake, the Rat Patrol, and all other soldiers in the area equipped with nanomachines. As he collapses, Snake catches a glimpse of Dr. Naomi Hunter, who had injected him with the virus FOXDIE in Metal Gear Solid before fleeing Shadow Moses with Liquid. The only person unaffected by the nanomachine destabilizer is Rat Patrolman Johnny Sasaki, who helps Snake up and transports him to safety.
Act 2 – Solid Sun
Via an encoded message, Naomi explains she is being forced to do research for Liquid in South America and asks for Snake's help. Snake enters the South American locale, and witnesses one of the cyborgs and Vamp turning the local rebels against him. He is then debriefed by Drebin regarding the true identity of the cyborgs: the Beauty and the Beast Corps, four female soldiers suffering from Posttraumatic stress disorder with orders to kill Snake. He also explains that the Patriots, a network of AI cores control the nanomachine-laden PMCs.
Snake reaches Naomi who explains that Liquid plans to use Big Boss' biometric data to access the Patriot's core AI and take control of SOP. Her tests indicate Snake's rapid aging is genetic, and that the FOXDIE virus will cost him his life within six months. Before that, however, Snake will start spreading a deadly mutated version of FOXDIE, effectively becoming a biological weapon. Naomi is kidnapped by FROGs, leaving Snake to battle Laughing Octopus. Snake later rescues Naomi and they make their escape out of the country with the help of Drebin and Raiden
Raiden (Metal Gear)
, whose real name is , is a video game character in the Metal Gear series of stealth games by Konami. Created by Hideo Kojima and designed by Yoji Shinkawa, Raiden was introduced in the series as the main playable character of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty...
, now a cyborg ninja. However, during extraction, Raiden is wounded by Vamp during a prolonged fight.
Safely aboard the Nomad, the team decides to get medical treatment for Raiden in Eastern Europe.
Act 3 – Third Sun
Naomi builds a friendship with Sunny and shares intimate moments with Otacon. She explains that an Eastern European resistance group possess the remains of Big Boss. Snake trails a resistance member to their leader, EVA, now under the alias Big Mama, and revealed to be the surrogate mother to Snake, and his nemesis Liquid Snake, through the Les Enfants Terribles project. True to Big Mama's prediction, the Raven Sword PMC attacks the vehicles transporting Big Boss' remains. Snake and Big Mama's motorcycle escort ends in a crash, forcing Snake to battle Raging Raven, a bird-like cyborg that fires guns and missiles. He subsequently helps Big Mama escape to the riverside, where Big Boss's remains were really kept, and is confronted by Liquid. Unfazed by the U.S. military forces ordering him to surrender, Liquid destabilizes the SOP system again, and easily claims victory in the ensuing firefight. He throws Big Boss's body to the flames, where Big Mama follows to save it. Snake's fruitless attempts to save Big Mama leave him with a burn scar. Liquid escapes with Naomi, but the Mk. II makes it onto their gunboat.
Act 4 – Twin Suns
Before it's destroyed, Mk. II sends a transmission revealing Liquid's plan. He intends to destroy the Patriots' core AI with a nuclear strike using Metal Gear REX's railgun
Railgun
A railgun is an entirely electrical gun that accelerates a conductive projectile along a pair of metal rails using the same principles as the homopolar motor. Railguns use two sliding or rolling contacts that permit a large electric current to pass through the projectile. This current interacts...
, then substitute it with his own core, and gain control. To this end, he needs a non ID-tagged warhead from the cache left in the Shadow Moses facility.
Snake returns to Shadow Moses Island and defeats Crying Wolf. When Snake reaches REX's hangar, he finds the railgun has been removed and Vamp waiting for him, with Naomi at his side. Snake fights Vamp one on one, and then suppresses Vamp's nanomachines and holds off suicide Gekko while Raiden fights and kills Vamp. Naomi, revealing she's riddled with cancer and tormented by her mistakes, disables the nanomachines that kept her alive. Snake and Raiden use REX to head out of the collapsing hangar, but Raiden ends up pinned under its rubble. Snake, now operating his previous nemesis, REX, is left to duel with Metal Gear RAY, piloted by Liquid. After both Metal Gears are destroyed, Liquid reveals Outer Haven, a submersible warship ready to fulfill his launch plan. Liquid uses this weapon as a ram to kill Snake, but Raiden, who cut off his arm to free himself, stalls him. Eventually, cannon fire from the forces Outer Haven to retreat.
Act 5 – Old Sun
Aboard the Missouri, Mei Ling, now a U.S. Navy Captain, orders the battleship to intercept Outer Haven. Using Outer Havens requirement to surface before launching a nuke, Snake, Meryl, and Johnny board the ship via catapult. Snake confronts and defeats Screaming Mantis. After Snake finds Meryl, FROGs storm in, and Meryl decides to hold them back while Snake proceeds. Johnny arrives to assist Meryl, and confides he isn't influenced by SOP due to him lacking nanomachines. Meryl and Johnny's romance heats up in sync with the battle, culminating in the two exchanging marriage proposals. On his way to the core, Snake is aided by Raiden. The last part of the way, filled with lethal microwave emitters, Snake traverses on his own, getting weaker as he moves along. Half dead, he finally arrives at the core, where the Mk. III uploads a computer virus programmed by Naomi and Sunny called FOXALIVE. FOXALIVE destroys all the AI cores, disables the SOP system and brings the war economy to a grinding halt. It effectively counteracts the Patriots' upcoming civilian control scheme while preserving the energy and resource networks essential to modern society, while causing a mental breakdown for the attacking FROGS.
Snake, having passed out in the core, awakes atop Outer Haven's sail where Liquid Ocelot asserts he is ready to gain control. From there, Snake and Liquid have their final showdown, a hand-to-hand combat, from which Snake emerges triumphant.
Epilogue – Naked Sin
Meryl and Johnny's wedding is underway, after Meryl accepts Roy Campbell as her father, forgiving him for their past. Meanwhile Drebin reveals his origin as a child soldier, as well as his role and Rat Patrol being pawns of the Patriots' schemes, but are now free. Raiden, hospitalized after restorative surgery, reconciles with Rose after learning that her relationship with Campbell was only a smokescreen to protect Raiden's family from the Patriots. Raiden, Rose, and their son John embrace as a family, coming to terms with starting a normal life. Snake stands before the grave of Big Boss, ready to take his own life to avert becoming a biological weapon. Snake sticks his pistol in his mouth and attempts to fire it.
Debriefing – Naked Sun
Snake cannot summon the willpower to shoot himself, and he is surprised to see a living Big Boss. Big Boss explains that the body burned in Eastern Europe was actually that of Solidus Snake and reveals that the Patriots were originally an interpretation of The Boss' will, founded by Major Zero, EVA, Ocelot, Sigint, Para-Medic, and Big Boss himself. With increasing power, two rival factions arose within the Patriots' ranks, Zero's who stood for complete control, and Big Boss', who dreamed of a soldier's world. Eva and Ocelot joined Big Boss in his cause. He also explains that Ocelot purposefully used nanomachines and hypnotherapy to implant the persona of Liquid Snake as his own. Over the years, Zero let the newly established AI network assume more control, eventually leading to dependence on the war economy, a vision far from The Boss' original will. Big Boss puts an end to the last remnant of this false vision by shutting down Zero's life support unit.
Big Boss informs Snake that the nanomachines Drebin injected into him included a new strain of FOXDIE, programmed by the Patriot AIs to kill the rival Patriot faction and eradicate the old versions of FOXDIE. Thus, Snake has no risk of becoming a biological weapon, at least before his own death. Big Boss succumbs to FOXDIE, but not before he makes amends with Snake.
When all is settled, Snake decides to live out his life peacefully, in the company of Otacon and Sunny, and vows to see this new age off.
Limited Edition
A Limited Edition was released simultaneously with the game's standard edition, as an enhanced counterpart. The limited edition contains Guns of the Patriots, a box with artwork by Yoji ShinkawaYoji Shinkawa
is a Japanese artist. He is most famous for his character, environment and mechanical designs for the Metal Gear and Zone of the Enders series....
, a Blu-ray containing two "making of" documentaries, and partial game soundtrack containing only songs written by Harry Gregson-Williams
Harry Gregson-Williams
Harry Gregson-Williams is a prolific British composer, orchestrator, conductor, and music producer. He is best known for his film scores, of which he has composed over sixty using electronic music and orchestral pieces...
. The Limited Edition was available exclusively at GameStop
GameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
in the United States and EB Games in Canada, while a similar bundle with an additional 6-inch 'Olive Drab' Old Snake Figurine was made available at Play.com
Play.com
Play Ltd., trading as Play.com, is a Jersey-based online retailer of DVDs, CDs, books, gadgets, video games, DRM-free MP3 downloads, and other electronic products, as well as clothes and accessories. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Rakuten Group....
in the United Kingdom. It is also included in the 40GB Limited Edition PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
Metal Gear Solid 4 bundle.
Console bundles
In North America, a bundle containing an 80GB PlayStation 3, a DualShock 3 wireless controller, a downloadable game coupon for PainPain (video game)
Pain is a 2007 video game for the PlayStation 3, developed by games studio Idol Minds. It was originally released as a downloadable title available from the PlayStation Store and was first released in North America on November 29, 2007 and in Europe on March 20, 2008 and became the most popular...
, and a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was released for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
499 on June 12, 2008 to coincide with the release of the standalone edition. Japan saw the release of the Guns of the Patriots Welcome Box that contains the game itself, a DualShock 3 controller, a Sixaxis controller, and a 40GB PlayStation 3 in either black, white or silver.
Sony 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 ¥
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
51,800, the bundle sold out by 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. David Reeves has announced a similar bundle for Europe which includes a 40GB PlayStation 3, the game itself and a DualShock 3 controller.
Development
The game was publicly announced first at Tokyo Game ShowTokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
2005, by means of a humorous and slightly abstract gag machinima
Machinima
Machinima is the use of real-time 3D computer graphics rendering engines to create a cinematic production. Most often, video games are used to generate the computer animation...
using characters from Metal Gear Solid 3, under the slogan of "No Place to Hide".
Hideo Kojima
Hideo Kojima
is a Japanese game director originally employed at Konami. He is currently the director of Kojima Productions and was promoted to Vice President of Konami Digital Entertainment in early 2011...
wished to implement a new style of gameplay which was set in a full scale war zone. Kojima wanted to also keep the stealth elements in the game, which made the team abandon the "No Place to Hide" concept. The only announced war zone before release was the Middle East. Using several locations emphasized Kojima's original intention to portray the world in full scale conflict.
During development, the game's exclusivity was continuously questioned, even after Kojima officially confirmed the exclusivity several times. The exclusivity of the game was still in doubt from non-PlayStation 3 owners for a long period after the initial release.
Hideo Kojima announced that he would be retiring as director of the Metal Gear series after Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
is an award-winning stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima. Snake Eater was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2, and was released on November 17, 2004 in North America; December 16, 2004 in Japan; March 4, 2005 in Europe; and on...
, and would leave his position open to another person for Metal Gear Solid 4. As a joke, the new director was announced as "Alan Smithee
Alan Smithee
Alan Smithee was an official pseudonym used by film directors who wish to disown a project, coined in 1968. Until its use was formally discontinued in 2000, it was the sole pseudonym used by members of the Directors Guild of America when a director dissatisfied with the final product proved to...
", but in R, a 400-page book bundled with Metal Gear Solid 3s Japanese "Premium Package", the director was revealed to be Shuyo Murata, co-writer of MGS3 and director of Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, known in Japan as , is a video game that was developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2003. The sequel to Zone of the Enders, the game was produced by, and is closely associated with Hideo Kojima. The game is based around mecha combat...
. He also contributed Easter eggs
Easter egg (media)
Image:Carl Oswald Rostosky - Zwei Kaninchen und ein Igel 1861.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Example of Easter egg hidden within imagerect 467 383 539 434 desc none...
to Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear: Ghost Babel. However, it was announced that Kojima would be co-directing the game with Murata after substantial negative fan reaction, including death threat
Death threat
A death threat is a threat of death, often made anonymously, by one person or a group of people to kill another person or groups of people. These threats are usually designed to intimidate victims in order to manipulate their behavior, thus a death threat is a form of coercion...
s.
The title was described as "essentially finished" by January 2008, and went through extensive beta testing. At Destination PlayStation on February 26, 2008, Sony announced that MGS4 would be released worldwide on June 12, 2008, along with the special MGS4 PlayStation 3 bundle.
It was announced that Guns of the Patriots is the first PlayStation 3 game that uses a full 50GB dual layer Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
even with the use of file compression, however, when users check the disc via PlayStation Jailbreak
PlayStation Jailbreak
PlayStation Jailbreak, often referred to as PS3 Jailbreak, was the first USB chipset that allows unauthorised code execution, such as homebrew, on the Playstation 3. It bypasses a system security check using a memory exploit which occurs with USB devices that allows the execution of unsigned code...
or a Blu-ray disc reader inside their PC, the size is actually 30.1 GB.
Originally, one of Kojima's endings for the game would have had Snake
Solid Snake
Metal Gear, initially released in 1987, introduces Solid Snake, the rookie recruit of the elite special-forces unit FOXHOUND. Snake is sent by team leader Big Boss into the rogue nation Outer Heaven to rescue his missing teammate Gray Fox and discover who or what the "METAL GEAR" mentioned is, and...
and Otacon turn themselves in for breaking the law, and subsequently they would be convicted and executed, but this idea was vetoed by his team.
In August 2009, Kojima Productions' Sean Eyestone, when asked about a Trophy patch, asked people to "stay patient". This has led to speculation that an updated version of the game, a tradition which dates back to the original Metal Gear Solid, will be released alongside a Trophy patch.
On November 3, 2010 an updated Greatest Hits box art of MGS4 was released, which in the top right hand corner advised one of the additions to the game was "Trophies". There has since been no further updates or new release dates for this or a patch, one website reported it was a "typo".
Marketing
At a press conference on May 13, 2008, Hideo KojimaHideo Kojima
is a Japanese game director originally employed at Konami. He is currently the director of Kojima Productions and was promoted to Vice President of Konami Digital Entertainment in early 2011...
announced a marketing campaign and agreements with several companies to promote the game. Apple computers and monitors feature in the game and an Apple iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
is an in-game item that Snake can use to change the background music, listen to in-game podcasts and collect hidden songs scattered throughout the game. ReGain Energy Drinks are used in the game as a Psyche gauge booster, and Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB is a joint venture established on October 1, 2001 by the Japanese consumer electronics company Sony Corporation and the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson to manufacture mobile phones....
mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s are used, specifically by Naomi and Vamp. In addition, the motorcycles featured in the game are a Triumph Bonneville
Triumph Bonneville
The Bonneville is a range of British motorcycles, made in three different production runs from 1959 to 1983, and 1985 to 1988, by the now-defunct Triumph Engineering in Meriden; and since 2001, by Triumph Motorcycles in Hinckley. It is named after the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, where Triumph and...
and Speed Triple.
Konami and Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
put an unlockable costume in the game for Snake, Altaïr from the Ubisoft stealth game Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is an award-winning historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The bulk of the game takes place during the Third Crusade, with the plot revolving around a sect known as the Secret Order of...
. Initially revealed on April Fool's Day 2008, Kojima later announced that it would actually be in the game, unlockable by doing "something special". To obtain the attire, the player must acquire the "Assassin Emblem", a nod to the game's title (or input a password in the Extras section).
Konami had originally planned to organize grand launch events in Tokyo, but some of them were canceled with the "safety of participants in mind" in light of the Akihabara massacre
Akihabara massacre
The was an incident of mass murder that took place on Sunday, June 8, 2008, in the Akihabara shopping quarter for electronics, video games and comics in Sotokanda, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.At 12:33 p.m...
on June 8, 2008.
On June 15, 2009, a year after its release, Konami re-released MGS4 as a part of Sony's Greatest Hits collection.
Commercial
According to EnterbrainEnterbrain
is a Japanese magazine publisher established on April 1, 2000. Enterbrain magazines are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy guides. In addition, the company publishes a small selection of anime artbooks. Enterbrain is based in Tokyo, Japan...
, Guns of the Patriots sold 476,334 copies in its first four days on sale in Japan, which includes copies bundled with the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and caused a boost in PlayStation 3 sales. The PS3, which at the time sold about 10,000 units in a given week, went on to sell 77,208 units in the games debut week. As of July 9, 2008, the game has sold 576,437 copies in Japan. It is the 11th best-selling game of Japan in 2008, selling 686,254 copies. According to Chart-Track
Chart-Track
Chart-Track is a market research company that monitors music, videos and software sales in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark and was formed in 1996. In July 2008 GfK took a majority stake in the company....
, the game is the second fastest-selling PlayStation 3 title in the United Kingdom after Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...
and was below Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....
s opening weekend figure by 14,000 copies recorded in 2002; the sales of the PlayStation 3 increased by a "minimal" seven percent over the opening weekend. Konami has reported that MGS4 sold over one million copies across Europe in its first week, with 25,000 limited-edition copies "snapped up almost immediately". In the United States, MGS4 was the best-selling game in June 2008 selling 774,600 copies (nearly one million if the number of copies bundled with the PlayStation 3 console were included), causing PS3 sales to double over the previous month, according to the NPD Group
NPD Group
The NPD Group, Inc. is a leading North American market research company. The NPD Group consistently ranks among the top 25 market research companies in the independent Honomichl Top 50 report, which the media and the research industry acknowledge as a credible source of information on the market...
. As of December 2009, the game had sold over 5 million copies worldwide, as stated on page 5 of Konami's 3rd Quarter Financial Results. This milestone labeled it as the best-selling PlayStation 3 exclusive until the release of Gran Turismo 5.
Critical reception
Metal Gear Solid 4 has received universal critical acclaim, with a 94% aggregate rating at MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and 93.56% at Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
. The first review was a 10/10 from PlayStation Official Magazine
PlayStation Official Magazine
The Official UK PlayStation Magazine is a now-defunct magazine, launched in November 1995 to coincide with the launch of the PlayStation console. It ran for 108 issues, with the last hitting news stands in March 2004. The first issue sold 37,000 copies...
(UK), commenting "MGS4 shifts gears constantly, innovating again and again". The game has been awarded 10/10 from Game Informer and a 5/5 in all categories (graphics, control, sound, and fun factor) from GamePro. The game also received perfect scores from PlayStation: The Official Magazine
PlayStation: The Official Magazine
PlayStation: The Official Magazine is a magazine originally known as PlayStation Magazine . After Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine was canceled, Sony Computer Entertainment announced on October 1, 2007 that PSM would become "PlayStation: The Official Magazine"...
(5/5), Japanese magazine Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
(40/40) and Empire
Empire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
. The game received a 9.9/10 from IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
UK, a 9.5/10 from IGN Australia, and a 10/10 from IGN. IGN was quoted in a video review, saying MGS4 is "one of the best games ever made". Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
and Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
both gave the game 8/10. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave it a 10/10 saying "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the most technically stunning video game ever made," making MGS4 one of only five games ever to receive a perfect "10" from both IGN and GameSpot, and one of only seven games to receive a perfect ten from GameSpot overall.
Reviewers were unanimous in approval of the way the title continues and concludes the series. Eurogamer stated that "You could not ask for a funnier, cleverer, more ambitious or inspired or over-the-top conclusion", and IGN Australia found that the result "refines the MGS formula and introduces just enough new (or respectfully influenced) ideas to ensure that it stands on its own as a game". Edge concluded that "it is faithful to its fans, its premise and its heart, delivering an experience that is, in so many ways, without equal", while IGN UK describe it simply as "the ultimate Metal Gear game" and "a dazzling, heart-lifting, voyage of discovery".
The game was also described as being unusually sad and depressing for a video game. Kotaku said, "Metal Gear Solid 4 is so unusual in that it's the rare game that asks them to be interested in something else: a march toward defeat, an interactive tragedy."
The new control scheme ("the ideal balance of intuitiveness and range"), camouflage system and shift to more free-form, "replayable" gameplay (in particular the Drebin Points system and alternatives to "stealthy" play) were particularly highly praised with a few minor annoyances. The variety of set-piece events, details such as the "psyche" meter, and healthy provision of secrets were also remarked upon. Eurogamer tempered their overall praise with concern that one of the chapters may induce "ennui", but noted that the game quickly recovered, while Edge expressed mild disappointment that the "Beauty and the Beast" unit compare poorly to the previous title's main foes, the "Cobra Unit".
The game was also lauded for its technological and artistic achievements, with Edge describing the "Otacon" character as "the real star", and "a gaming revolution" while they found the game's score to be superior to that of many Hollywood offerings. The magazine felt that the few visual shortfalls (such as texture detail) did nothing to detract from the game's overall quality. IGN UK comment that the attention to detail in both visuals and audio represent "sublime brilliance", and remark upon innovations such as the use of split-screen.
Criticism of the game was largely leveled at the storyline, which reviewers found at times to be confusing or poorly executed and with IGN UK advising players to revisit the earlier titles for clarity. However, the overall result was praised as emotionally engaging and topical, and characters such as Liquid Ocelot were singled out for the quality of their depiction. It was generally conceded that although the use of cut scenes is more intrusive than it needs to be (comprising "about half of the content of the game" by one estimate, and which "might make you crave action, or wonder why they couldn't have been turned into interactive sequences"), the style is somewhat appropriate given the rest of the series ("in many ways it's a vindication of Kojima's unique interpretation of the videogame medium") and unlikely to trouble fans. The addition of a pause function for these story sequences was universally welcomed.
Edge and Eurogamer alike concluded that although the game represents an apotheosis
Apotheosis
Apotheosis is the glorification of a subject to divine level. The term has meanings in theology, where it refers to a belief, and in art, where it refers to a genre.In theology, the term apotheosis refers to the idea that an individual has been raised to godlike stature...
of the series style, it ultimately fails to revitalise it, and will not win over new fans. IGN UK were concerned that the game's hype
Hype
Hype may refer to:*A media circus*Hype , 1981 album by Robert Calvert*Hype , American comedy television series*Hype!, documentary about the popularity of grunge rock in the early to mid 1990...
and widespread praise may lead to disappointment, but feel that, objectively, the game is a "masterpiece".
Awards
Following the critical acclaim it received upon its release, Metal Gear Solid 4 won many Game of the Year awards from many international outlets, these including GameSpotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
, Gamezine, and PALGN
PALGN
The PAL Gaming Network is an Australian based video game news and reviews website that focuses on the videogame industry and culture in PAL territories, particularly Australia and the UK. It was launched in 2003 by a group of PAL forum members on the IGN message boards who were disenfranchised by...
, along with a significant amount of Readers' Choice awards, and awards directed towards its story-telling, graphical, and voice-acting aspects. GameSpot praised the game significantly, and awarded it "Game of the Year", "Best PS3 Game", "Best Graphics (Technical)", "Best Boss Battles", "Best Story", "Best Voice Acting", "Most Memorable Moment", and "Best Action/Adventure Game". IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
awarded the game "Best PS3 Game of 2008", "Best Graphics Technology", "Best Original Score", and "Best Action Game". PALGN awarded it "Game of the Year", "PS3 Game of the Year", and "Best Visuals". PC World
PC World (magazine)
PC World is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal-technology products and services...
also heralded MGS4 with "Game of the Year". Playfire awarded the game "Game of the Year", "Best Action/Adventure Game", and "Best Graphics". MGS4 also won "Game of the Year" from the Portuguese Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
. On NeoGAF
NeoGAF
NeoGAF is an internet forum that discusses video games, founded as an adjunct to , a video game news site. Since April 4, 2006, the site has been independently hosted and administered....
, MGS4 was also awarded "Game of the Year". The German site 4PLAYER.de gave MGS4 "Game of the Year" also. GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
awarded the game "Best PS3 Game of 2008" and "Best Action/Adventure Game". 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
gave MGS4 "Game of the Year", "Best PS3 Game", "Best Action Game", and "Best Audiovisual Experience". Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
awarded the game "Best PS3 Game of 2008" and "Best Game of 2008". GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
awarded it "Best PS3 Action Game". From Gamezine, MGS4 won "Game of the Year", and "Best PS3 Game". Giant Bomb
Giant Bomb
Giant Bomb is an American video game website and wiki that includes gaming news, reviews, commentary, and video, created by former GameSpot editors Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis in collaboration with Whiskey Media...
gave it "Best PS3-Only Game", "Best Graphics", and "Most Satisfying Sequel". In the Golden Joystick 2008 awards, MGS4 was awarded "Best PS3 Game". At Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
2009, Metal Gear Solid 4 received the Grand Award (alongside Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii
is a racing video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the sixth installment in the Mario Kart series and the second Mario Kart title to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game was released worldwide...
) and the Award of Excellence. The readers of PlayStation Official Magazine
PlayStation Official Magazine
The Official UK PlayStation Magazine is a now-defunct magazine, launched in November 1995 to coincide with the launch of the PlayStation console. It ran for 108 issues, with the last hitting news stands in March 2004. The first issue sold 37,000 copies...
voted it the 5th best PlayStation title released..
Konami review limitations
Several publications have commented on limitations given to pre-release reviewers by Konami, including discussion on the length of cutscenes and size of the PS3 installation. These limitations resulted in Electronic Gaming MonthlyElectronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
delaying its review. In lieu of a review, the magazine printed a roundtable discussion about the game, with a proper review expected to print in the magazine and post on 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
after Konami's restrictions have been lifted. Kojima Productions spokesperson Ryan Payton has since explained more specifically what the NDA restricts, and has amended "some items [that] are outdated and require more explanation." He also listed the length of install times, noting that the restrictions were intended to prevent spoilers regarding what occurs during the installations.
Following this statement, gaming site GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
published a blog entry in which it claims it will be unable to review the game either, claiming Konami have withheld review code because of non-compliance with the limitations. The article originally implied that the absence of a review was due to GameSpot's refusal to attend the "Boot Camp" event at Kojima Productions' offices. However, it has revised it to state that the Boot Camp was a mid-development feedback and PR exercise, and would not have led to a review in any case.
The day before Konami's restrictions were to be lifted, Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
(EGM) reviewer Jeremy Parish clarified the reasons for the self-imposed review embargo, dispelling rumors of a disagreement between Konami and EGM on the review conditions in a lengthy blog commentary. His review of the game appeared on the website shortly after.
Metal Gear Online Metal Gear Solid 4 includes the Starter Pack for Metal Gear Online
Metal Gear Online
Metal Gear Online, abbreviated MGO, is a PlayStation 3 exclusive online multiplayer spin-off of the Metal Gear video game series. Τhe Starter Pack of MGO is available worldwide bundled with regional versions of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, with a standalone release only for Japan...
(MGO). MGO features up to 16 player online tactical battles and incorporates several gameplay elements from Metal Gear Solid 4, including the SOP system that allows players to have a visual confirmation of their teammates' position and battle status.
MGO also allows fully customizable characters. The Starter Pack allows players to engage in sneaking missions, where Old Snake and Metal Gear Mk.II acquire dogtags from other human contestants, along with standard Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and several special modes.
Expansions packs, offering more maps and playable special characters (Mei Ling, Meryl, Akiba, Liquid Ocelot, Raiden, and Vamp), can be purchased via the MGO menu item "MGO Shop (PlayStation Network)", or via MGO or Konami's shop. The PlayStation Wallet is used for the first option, and a credit card for the latter two.
Metal Gear Solid Touch Metal Gear Solid Touch
Metal Gear Solid Touch
is a third-person shooter video game for iOS developed by Kojima Productions and published by Konami worldwide. Announced on December 16, 2008, Metal Gear Solid Touch is based on Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots...
for the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
and iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
is a "touch shooting" game that revisits MGS4s plot and action through the touch interface.
Metal Gear Solid 4 Database
On June 19, 2008, Konami released the Metal Gear Solid 4 Database onto the PlayStation Store in North America and Japan, and one week later on the European store. The Database is a downloadable application for PlayStation 3 that catalogues every piece of Metal Gear lore from all the canonicalCanon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
entries in the series released up to Metal Gear Solid 4 in the form of an encyclopedia (browsable by alphabet and category), a timeline, and character relationship diagrams. Highlighted words in each article link to related articles, and it keeps track of which ones the user has already read. The Database automatically locks any items related to MGS4, in order to prevent the leaking of spoilers to players who have not completed the game yet. In order to reveal these articles, the user must have a completed MGS4 game save that was created on the same console and with a version of the game from the same region as their account.
LittleBigPlanet
Developers of the game LittleBigPlanetLittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet, commonly abbreviated LBP, is a puzzle platformer video game, based on user-generated content, for the PlayStation 3 first announced on 7 March 2007, by Phil Harrison at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California...
, Media Molecule
Media Molecule
Media Molecule is a British video game developer based in Guildford in Surrey. The studio was founded in January 2006 by former Lionhead Studios employees Mark Healey, Alex Evans, Dave Smith, and Kareem Ettouney...
, released an expansion pack based on Metal Gear Solid 4 on December 23, 2008. It includes character skins for Old Snake, Raiden, Meryl, and Screaming Mantis, as well as a Metal Gear-themed set of levels.
Soundtrack
The score to Metal Gear Solid 4 was led by Harry Gregson-WilliamsHarry Gregson-Williams
Harry Gregson-Williams is a prolific British composer, orchestrator, conductor, and music producer. He is best known for his film scores, of which he has composed over sixty using electronic music and orchestral pieces...
, his third Metal Gear Solid soundtrack, and Nobuko Toda, who provided music for Metal Gear Acid
Metal Gear Acid
is a turn-based collectible card video game developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan for the PlayStation Portable handheld game console. The game was first unveiled at E³ 2004 in May, and was released in Japan on December 16, 2004, in North America on March 22, 2005 and in Europe on...
and Metal Gear Acid 2
Metal Gear Acid 2
is a turn-based collectible card video game developed by Kojima Productions and published by Konami for the PlayStation Portable. It is the sequel to the original Metal Gear Acid, with the story set sometime after the events of the previous game...
. Other contributors are Konami employees Shuichi Kobori, Kazuma Jinnouchi, Akihiro Honda, and Sōta Fujimori. Directed by Norihiko Hibino
Norihiko Hibino
is a Japanese video game composer and saxophonist.-Biography:After graduating from Berklee College of Music, he moved to Kansas City to start a career as a solo jazz musician...
, GEM Impact employees Yoshitaka Suzuki and Takahiro Izutani
Takahiro Izutani
Takahiro Izutani is a composer of video game music and a guitarist.- Profile :...
also made compositions late in the game's production. It was revealed in an interview with Norihiko Hibino
Norihiko Hibino
is a Japanese video game composer and saxophonist.-Biography:After graduating from Berklee College of Music, he moved to Kansas City to start a career as a solo jazz musician...
that the team in fact wrote 90 minutes of music for the game's cutscenes, only 15 minutes of which made its way onto the official soundtrack.
There are two vocal themes for the game. The opening theme, "Love Theme", is sung by Jackie Presti and composed by Nobuko Toda. The ending theme, "Here's to You", is sung by Lisbeth Scott. Before the release of the game, "MGS4 - Theme of Love - Smash Bros. Brawl Version" was provided for Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
in the Shadow Moses Island level. The "Metal Gear Solid Main Theme", composed by Tappi "Tappy" Iwase, was notably omitted from the soundtrack, and the soundtrack of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
is a stealth game directed by Masahiro Yamamoto and written by Gakuto Mikumo, with series creator Hideo Kojima acting as a producer. Portable Ops was developed by Kojima Productions and published by Konami in 2006 for the PlayStation Portable. It is the third Metal Gear title for the PSP and the...
. In an interview with Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
, Norihiko Hibino stated that the company had difficulties with "Russian composers who said we stole their music", referring to an occasion when a group of Russian games journalists presented Hideo Kojima with a composition by Georgy Sviridov
Georgy Sviridov
Georgy Vasilyevich Sviridov was a Soviet Russian neoromantic composer....
and claimed this had been plagiarised to create the theme. Hibino states that "they didn't actually", however the company was "too sensitive about the situation" and elected to drop the theme.
The official soundtrack was released on May 28, 2008 by Konami Digital Entertainment under the catalog number GFCA-98/9. It consists of two discs of music and 47 tracks. A soundtrack album was also packaged with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition.