Metal Gear Solid 4

I’m not a big fan of writing long posts, nor do I like reading them, so I’ll keep this brief. MGS4 is by and far the best of the series, and the is definitely in my top 5 favorite games of all time. I haven’t been utterly wowed about every aspect of a game since Half Life 2 and MGS4 is simply put, amazing.

Any negative reviews about this game (if any even exist) are likely about the rather “weighty” cut scenes and complicated plot, and while this is definitely true, to fully appreciate the game you need to look at it as far more than a game, but more of an sensory experience. Hideo Kojima is a master director, the Martin Scorsese of video games. The attention to detail, character development, and plot depth are astounding in MGS4, to the point where comparing it to other games is like comparing The Departed to Transformers.
Gameplay, always strong point of the Metal Gear series, is miles ahead of its predecessors in MGS4, and the boss fights are some of the most engrossing battles I’ve ever played. I really don’t want to go into depth here (but check this review), other than to say if you appreciate shooters or action games of any kind, you will love MGS4’s gameplay.

The sound is fantastic, especially the voice acting. There are so many ways to go wrong with voice acting in a game, especially with the complex terminology and sometimes confusing plot of Metal Gear Solid 4. Regardless, the voice actors are not only perfect for their characters, but they are believable, something sorely lacking in almost all video game scripts. The score draws from classic Metal Gear pieces and new compositions, all of which are perfectly chosen for the game.

If you don’t own a PS3, MGS4 is justification enough to drop the cash for the system. It is the strongest PS3 title available, and I would be surprised if it doesn’t win Game of the Year.

Summer Plans

So I’ll be up in Bham all summer working at my internship and REI. I’ll have a pretty busy schedule all summer, so that means no backpacking trip, and likely fewer trips down to Seattle as well. No big deal though, this summer is pretty important for the internship, and this way I can save a lot of money on gas. Probably won’t be playing a ton of new games this summer, mainly because there isn’t much I am interested in until next fall (read: Gears and Resistance).

I’ll post my thoughts on MGS4 once I finish it, I think I am just about to begin the last act, so I should be done later this week, if not tomorrow.  After Metal Gear is done I need to finish Assassin’s Creed and GTA 4, then I will probably just play a lot of call of duty (when I am even around).

I also want to try learning a bit of web design this summer, though I once said I wanted to learn German and that really lasted long. I think it would be really cool to make a bad ass themed template for this blog, plus I think web design skills are probably a plus for the resume.

Assassin’s Creed

My roommate is borrowing his cousin’s copy, so I have finally gotten a chance to try the game out. First off, it has some pretty awesome game play elements, and while most of the negativity in the game’s mainstream reviews stem from the repetitiveness of the missions, I really enjoy them so far. Just running around and stabbing people in the streets, then trying to escape is a ton of fun for me, and has a distinct GTA: Jerusalem feel to it.

The controls are some of the best I have see in awhile, and the jumping around on buildings is definitely my favorite feature. If nothing else, Assassin’s Creed shows off some awesome gameplay that I will look forward to seeing in the planned sequels. By then they will have figured out some more varied missions without the rather tedious recon involved, hopefully akin to Hitman, or even Splinter Cell.

I haven’t finished the game yet, as I only started it yesterday, and I probably won’t get a chance to pick it up again soon since MGS4 comes out tomorrow. I also haven’t touched GTA4 in awhile, and so the list of summer games grows. All these games will take me awhile to get through on account of my busy summer plans.

I also haven’t figured out if I will be able to go on my backpacking trip yet. It is planned to fall on the days between July 22 and August 2, and I feel bad that I keep flip-flopping on my hiking buddies. First I told them I couldn’t because of potential internships, then I told them I could when I failed to secure an internship and took the REI job in Bham, and now I am afraid  I won’t be able to commit, as I have finally secured the marketing internship at WWU.

I will just have to see how everything plays out in the next couple weeks, I have no doubt that I can get the time off from REI, but depending on when events occur for this internship, I may be out of luck. Oh well, I won’t be hugely disappointed if I cannot go; this internship is really important for my future, and if nothing else I can meet up with the other guys for a couple days on the trail.