An Argument For Metal Gear Solid 4 Being the Best in the Series
The Metal Gear Solid Master Collection was announced and with Metal Gear Solid 4 being part of the bundle, it is time to look back at its legacy
The Metal Gear Solid Master Collection: Volume 2 was announced at the Sony State of Play on March 12th. The collection includes Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. This marks the first time Guns of the Patriots will be available on a console other than the PlayStation 3 that it was first relesaed on in 2008.
The game was met with very positive reviews, as most of the main entry Metal Gear Solid games have. However, it is not always in the conversation for the best Metal Gear Solid Game. That honor is normally given to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, which was just recently remade as Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
As well-received as Metal Gear Solid 4 was, it is not without criticism. The lengthy cut scenes and confusing storyline that heavily relied on gamers being up to speed on the three previous main console entries in the series drew criticism upon release.
No video game is perfect, but Metal Gear Solid 4 has more pros than cons, and with the game coming back into the mainstream thanks to the upcoming re-release, I would like to argue that it is the best game in the series.
Metal Gear Solid 4 Deserves to be in the Conversation for Best in Series
Snake Was Vunreable
The Metal Gear Solid series is largely built around Solid Snake being built as a legendary soldier, and the only one who could surpass the legendary soldier Big Boss. Gamers have been put into Snake’s boots while he takes down Metal Gear units and thorted terroist plots that boosted his status to legendary inside and outside of the United States millitary.
Gamers played through Snake’s toughest moments, such as the infamous Ocelot torture scene in Metal Gear Solid and the tanker sinking in Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty. We have seen him in tough situations, but nothing compared to his challenges in Guns of the Patriots.
The beginning of Metal Gear Solid 4 introduces a much older Snake than we saw at the end of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Despite the game taking place just five years after Sons of Liberty, Snake is rapidly aging due to his genetic coding as a clone of “Big Boss”. Both Solid and Liquid Snake were genetically coded to rapidly age in order to decrease the likelihood of them being used as weapons or being cloned further.
This brings a new element to the series. Gamers are used to seeing Snake in good shape and easily able to out run his enemies. The rapidly aged version of Snake in Guns of the Patriots sees Snake having reduced stamina and constantly being in a more vulnerable state. Stress now has a stronger impact on Snake, and being hunted by the enemy will increase the stress on Snake’s body and deplete his psyche meter, making it harder for him to aim a weapon, make his back hurt, and more likely to pass out after suffering damage.
For the first time in the mainline Metal Gear Solid series, we see the legendary Solid Snake in a vulnerable position. It changes the way gamers approach the game as being tailed by the enemy becomes more dangerous than ever. This difference in Snake’s abilities leads to a different story arc for gamers to enjoy. It adds a unique challenge to the game and gives gamers the chance to step into Snake’s boots when he is not at his physical best. This complete change in Snake’s appearance and endurance changes things up for gamers, making the game different for gamers to experience without giving up the core Metal Gear Solid elements.
Raiden’s Rebirth
Speaking of character evolutions, Metal Gear Solid 4 saw a rebirth of the controversial character from Metal Gear Solid 2. Raiden was introduced in the second part of the story of Sons of Liberty and was met with a very mixed reception. Fans and critics felt that the game was falsely advertised as Raiden was not in any of the promotional material for the game, but was the playable protagonist for more than half the game. His appearance and personality were critiqued, and many felt that he did not live up to the same status as Solid Snake (and later Big Boss) as a Metal Gear Solid mainline protagonist.
Fast forward to 2008 and the release of Guns of the Patriots. Raiden’s appearance was heavily overhauled to that of a cyborg ninja similar to the Gray Fox appearance from the first Metal Gear Solid game.
His emotional story arc was also heavily overhauled as his partner from Metal Gear Solid 2, Rose, left him for Colonel Roy Campbell, and the pregnancy revealed at the end of Sons of Liberty ended in a miscarriage.
The first codec conversation that Raiden and Snake have in Guns of the Patriots has Raiden say that “I am Raiden, Jack is no more,” referring to Raiden’s real name, Jack, and signifying that the Raiden from Metal Gear Solid 2 is long gone.
The Raiden character evolved massively in the game and was much better received by fans and critics alike. The character starred in a spin-off game, Metal Gear Rising Revengeance that saw the new arsenal of weapons and modifcations on Raiden in action.
His character arc came full circle in the final act when he helped clear a path for Snake to get to the control room and upload a vrius to take down the Patriot AI network. The endgame cut scene also shows Raiden getting his personal life rebuilt.
The drastic overhaul of the character after the backlash from Sons of Liberty showed the evolution of the series, and the creative feedback was taken by game creator and director Hideo Kojima and the character and his story arc were rewritten into more favorable creative angles.
Wrapped up the Series and Storylines
In a way, the game felt like a big family reunion. The game features appearances from characters Roy Campbell, Meryl Silverbaugh, Johnny (yes, that Johnny), Olga’s daughter Sunny, Naomi Hunter, EVA, Major Zero, Vamp, Mei Ling, and even Big Boss himself.
The characters are reintroduced to gamers through flashbacks to the last three mainline games as Snake encounters each of them in the campaign of Metal Gear Solid 4.
Many of the characters get closure to their storylines. Roy and Meryl reconcile as she marries Johnny. Raiden finally gets is revenge on Vamp, Naomi gets a chance to help Snake after the FOXDIE incident, EVA gets to meet her “son” in Snake, and Snake finally gets a face-to-face with Big Boss and Major Zero.
The game also has many moments that pay tribute to pivotal moments from earlier in the franchise, such as Snake and EVA escaping on a motorcyle similarlly to how Big Boss and Eva did so in Metal Gear Solid 3. Snake and Ocelot (who has been taken over by phsyqe of Liquid Snake) duke it out similarly to how Solid and Liquid did at the end of Metal Gear Solid, and Snake has another showdown with Psycho Mantis (don’t switch controller ports this time).
It felt like a true goodbye to many characters and story arcs that gamers enjoyed for a decade prior to the release of Guns of the Patriots. The conclusions didn’t feel forced or campy. The tribute moments were different enough to feel unique while still honoring the moments that inspired them.
More From Heart as Art
Guns of the Patriots is not without its flaws. However, the pros far outweigh the cons, and the game is a near-perfect wrap-up to a beloved character and story arc. The game more than deserves to be in the discussion for best Metal Gear game as we prepare for its rerelease later this year.
How do you feel about Guns of the Patriots? Which Metal Gear game is your favorite? Sound off in the comments below.
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