Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the most technically stunning video game ever made. It's also a fine example of storytelling prowess within its medium, combining gameplay and narrative so slickly and beautifully that it's impossible to extricate one from the other. It's likely you will emerge awestruck from your first play-through, wishing the experience would continue yet nonetheless satisfied with its conclusion. It's difficult not to sound hyperbolic when discussing MGS4 because every part of its design seemingly fulfills its vision, without compromise. There is no halfway.
Fully realized, lengthy story sequences will come as no surprise to anyone who has played a Metal Gear game. You'll spend a good half of MGS4 watching cinematics, but it would be a grave misinterpretation to assume that great gameplay takes a backseat to the story. Rather, these two elements are tightly intertwined, and this tapestry is held together by an important technical thread: Cutscenes that are rendered fully in real time within the game engine. It's impressive enough that these scenes look as good as any prerendered cinematic you've ever watched. It's even more amazing when those same scenes transition without pause into gameplay, and the same hulking mech you watched lumber about in the cinematic is looming above you. The subtle animations, the lush environments, and the rich textures are the same in and out of story sequences, and the effect is so seamless it may take your breath away. You can skip past the scenes if you prefer, but doing so would soften the experience. The story sequences carry more weight because of the intense gameplay that precedes them--and the gameplay feels more compelling because the story gives you powerful reasons to care about your mission. The high point of this fusion occurs in an exciting and memorable split-screen sequence that simply must be experienced.
Talking about what, exactly, is going on in the plot in the midst of MGS4's grand sweeping gestures is to risk spoiling each little surprise as it emerges. Snake, suffering from the rapid onset of aging, now must cope with stiff joints in addition to the looming specter of Liquid Ocelot's newest plans. This is Snake's final hurrah; yet as the story reaches one height after another, the juxtaposition of huge set piece battles and formidable bosses with Snake's deteriorating body creates tension and gravity even beyond the series' usual pretensions. Some new plot strands emerge while others get tied up, and old friends (and enemies) refuse to be forgotten. You'll also bear witness to a few reunions--some bloody, some teary, and some legitimately shocking. Parts of it are overblown, to be sure. The musical score gets heavy-handed and the voice acting and writing are frequently dogmatic, so while there are plenty of subtle moments, subtlety isn't really MGS4's strong suit. But it doesn't need to be. After all, the fate of the world hangs in the balance, and judging from a few silly attempts at humor that don't work, developer Kojima Productions was wise to err on the side of melodrama.
The gameplay proper is familiar to fans, but it's been cleaned up and expanded, holding as many twists and surprises as the story. For starters, both gunplay and close-quarters combat are more satisfying. Regarding melee, the controls have been streamlined, making it less cumbersome to grab an enemy soldier or perform a stealthy blade kill. Shooting mechanics are even more improved, so much so that shooting your way out of a pickle is just as enjoyable as sneaking around it. There are a huge number of weapons to play with; so many that you'll probably finish the campaign without using many of them. Yet, quality wasn't sacrificed for quantity: Every weapon feels just right, from your handy operator sidearm (best when upgraded with a silencer) and standard issue assault rifles to a powerful railgun. The standard over-the-shoulder view is fine for the most part, but you can gaze down the sights from a first-person perspective. Both views can be further improved with various enhancements, such as laser sights and scopes.
Not that you don't have all the tools for completely avoiding your enemies if you choose that route. Snake's got the basics covered: crawling, hugging walls, peeking around corners, and hanging from ledges, for example. Cover mechanics are tighter than ever, so you can crouch and take potshots from behind cover with ease. There are also a number of important gadgets that will make your life easier in this regard. The most obvious of these is your OctoCamo suit, which takes on the texture of your surroundings when you're prone or pressed against cover. Not only does this make it simpler to avoid watchful eyes, but it's also a cool visual effect. Eventually, you'll be able to camouflage Snake's head, and a few of the available camo options are bound to stir some fans' nostalgia. The Solid Eye is your other major tool, as it expands your compass into a sonic-sensitive radar and allows you to use night vision and a tactical first-person view. These are helpful gadgets indeed, even during boss fights, like a stirring encounter in a blinding blizzard.
Other gadgets, such as portable hiding places (cardboard boxes and rusty barrels) and the Metal Gear Mk. II (a stealthed robot that you can command as a scouting device), are useful to anyone who prefers the sneaky approach. Not every gadget is a welcome addition, though. For example, the much-ballyhooed iPod is a neat touch, but to use it, you cannot have another gadget equipped, so you'll quickly forget the option even exists. But aside from these nitpicks, one of the things that makes the core gameplay so enjoyable is that you're rarely strapped into a single style of play. Shooting your way through requires more thought and care than you'd put into a standard action game, but you never feel as though the gun mechanics are stuffed uncomfortably into a stealth game. If you'd rather sneak, you never have the impression that stealth was shoehorned into a game that's meant to be played as a shooter. Sure, you're Solid Snake--you're not supposed to get caught. But if you're stuck in a jam, breaking stealth isn't a death sentence, and in fact, facing certain enemies head-on is often a heart-pounding, challenging experience. The few levels that do force you into one style, such as one in which you shadow your target through an Eastern European city, are still great, if not quite as impactful.
You'll need to keep an eye on Snake's stress levels and psyche. Though these aspects are more peripheral than health levels, they fit nicely within the plot. When Snake gets stressed (if he gets cold or encumbered, for example), his psyche gauge starts to deplete. The lower the gauge, the slower you will move and the less quickly you replenish health. Generally speaking, the psyche meter is rarely a factor, and should you notice Snake groaning a bit more, there are items like compresses you can use for a pick-me-up. Should the meter get too low, you won't be able to hold up your weapon or rush for cover. This doesn't happen often though, and while you'll need to keep a close eye on your health for obvious reasons, you won't need to pay too much heed to psyche.
Regardless of the tactics you use, the level design and enemy artificial intelligence work in tandem to create unparalleled gameplay. If you go stealth, hiding in that rusty barrel isn't a perfect solution. Your foe may look at it suspiciously, kick it a few times, and eventually blow your cover, so don't expect to be able to trick your way through as you might in other stealth games. In full-on firefights, enemy teams will flank you, use cover to their advantage, and throw grenades with precision to force you out of hiding. Most of your surroundings, inside and out, are littered with objects and cover opportunities, from a trek through a South American jungle to a nostalgic journey through a snowy island base. Each level is more-or-less linear, but within the confines of these areas, you still have remarkable room to explore the various gameplay options and test the limits of your foes. Some enemies are standard soldiers, though many others are wonderfully imaginative. The colossal mechanical Gekkos, for example, are unpredictable and keep you on your toes, while female operatives that pounce from wall to wall intensify an early escape scene.
Later in the game, a few set piece battles deepen the core gameplay even further, including a few peerless on-rails sequences. One of these, a motorcycle chase, is as close as any game has gotten to translating the excitement of similar moments in films to a game format. Another level, which features a gigantic automaton, showcases destructible environments where walkways collapse on top of each other and the screen fills with smoke. In all of these cases, the controls are excellent, with the exception of that same mech's third-person view a bit later on (the first-person view works infinitely better). The interpretation of Metal Gear Solid as an interactive film still applies, but in a way you may not have expected: These levels make you feel like the star of your own action movie.
Boss battles are stimulating, though they aren't all that difficult. Nevertheless, a few of them are tricky and require you to put some thought into your tactics because just riddling the boss with bullets isn't going to ensure victory. Early on, it's clear that you'll be encountering the four members of the Beauty and the Beast unit--female supersoldiers that are as psychologically complex as they are fun to battle. These battles are long and normally require you to fight other enemies in addition to your primary target. In one of them, you can use your night vision to track your target's footprints and use the wind direction to your advantage. In another, you'll dodge missiles from flying creatures while taking on the main boss.
The gameplay and story would, perhaps, not be as effective if Metal Gear Solid 4 did not look and sound so impressive, but truth be told, it's an amazing piece of technology. From the gritty textures of concrete walls to the effective lighting and shadowing, there are few aspects you could reasonably fault. In the biggest battles, billows of smoke fill the screen and blood splatters against the camera--all while meticulously designed helicopters fly overhead and ad-hoc team members take potshots from behind grungy dilapidated vehicles. Yet in the midst of the visual drama, it's the little things that are likely to provoke awe. Small details, such as how Snake rubs his sore back when his stress levels get high or the authentic manner in which he ascends staircases, create as much atmosphere as cluttered underground tunnels and war-torn Middle Eastern cities. You will have to wait through some scattered install periods (just under 20 minutes worth, in total) and the occasional loading screen, and you may find some frame rate drops and low-res textures here and there, but these aren't issues in light of MGS4's impressive graphical accomplishments.
The sound design comes together nearly as well. The soundtrack on its own is rather pompous, but in context, it works just fine to create the appropriate mood for any given cutscene or battle. The voice acting follows suit but succeeds far better. Because the growling voice of David Hayter's Solid Snake is so good, the rare hamming from the mostly excellent supporting cast is easily forgotten. But the sound effects are unforgettable and excellent across the board. The Gekkos emit blood-curdling moos like gargantuan cows, explosions are outstandingly obnoxious, and everything from the clicks of the Solid Eye to the laughter and screams of the beastly bosses are top-notch.
On top of it all, Metal Gear Solid 4 offers some enjoyable online 16-player action to complement its superb single-player experience. Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are represented, of course, and they play just fine, assuming you don't approach the online component as a standard shooter. The maps are beautifully rendered and packed with detail, and while not every mechanic is as wonderful in multiplayer as it is in single-player (hiding in your cardboard box won't usually get you far, for example), it's all good fun once you adjust to the pace. The multiplayer star, however, is sneaking mode, a Team Deathmatch variant in which one player plays as Snake and another supports him as the Metal Gear Mk II. Shooting others is amusing--but sneaking enthusiasts will enjoy the violent, stealthy game of hide and seek you play as Snake. Playing support is equally entertaining because as Mk. II, you can go invisible, creep up on other players, and zap them with your electronic tentacle. It's a blast. Other modes include base mission, in which teams compete to conquer bases; a capture and defend mode; and rescue mission, which is similar to the same mode in Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence. Unfortunately, the process of creating an online account is laborious, so expect to take a few minutes to enter a litany of information (a pain if you aren't using a keyboard). Thankfully, the variety of customization options and sheer numbers of players online mean that this process is quickly forgotten.
If the story-heavy presentation of previous Metal Gear games taxed your patience, Metal Gear Solid 4 won't change your mind. For anyone who appreciates games that rise above the simple act of pushing a few buttons and pulling a few triggers, Metal Gear Solid 4 is a stimulating ride that you won't soon forget. You'll want to see what happens next, yet when its long campaign draws to a close, you'll wish it would continue. That's not just because it's a well-told tale, but because that tale is woven through a thoroughly impressive game that tops its predecessors.
Metal Gear Solid 4 Updated Impressions
TOKYO--With Metal Gear Solid 4's launch just a month away, Konami held a press conference in Japan to celebrate the game's completion. Half of the conference was about speeches and launch promotions, but with the event taking place in a cineplex, we also got to see a lot of game action on the big screen.
To make the cinema experience as real as possible, the press conference started off with a "No Smoking" MGS ad, followed by a few CGI-rendered commercials that were actually fake ads based on the Metal Gear Solid 4 world. It was an interesting way to start off the event because the ads were all supposed to be from the in-game Private Military Companies (PMCs), which subtly hints that they're a major power in the MGS4 world, even outside of the war zone.
Following the ads, the conference started off with MGS4's opening scene in the Middle East, which can be seen at MGS4's new official site together with the aforementioned ads. In the opening, Snake is seen riding on the back of a truck that's heading toward a war zone, and he's disguised in a robe to look just like the other civilian soldiers riding with him. He goes on a monologue about how the war is no longer about nations, ideologies, or ethnicities. It's become an endless series of proxy battles by hired mercenaries and machines, and the consumption of life has become a practical business in the world.
As Snake continues to talk about how the soldiers are completely controlled with nanomachines and ID-tagged weapons, he reaches the war zone and gets off the truck. He finds himself in crossfire as soon as he gets off, as the other soldiers around him are quickly picked off by well-equipped PMC mercenaries. Much to his misfortune, he finds that his gun is totally jammed before he even gets to make a shot, leaving him completely empty-handed. The game switched from the opening scene to gameplay at this point, which was impressively seamless and almost unnoticeable, had it not been for the life bar and other interfaces appearing on the screen.
This time around, Snake actually starts off with a weapon. Unfortunately for him, it totally jams up.As Snake moved forward, an elephant-like cry echoed through the sky, silencing the soldiers as they stopped shooting to figure out what was going on. After a few moments of dead silence, a hoard of Gekko units jumped from a far distance and suddenly landed in front of the soldiers, quickly killing them one by one. With Otakon telling Snake not to confront the killing machines, Snake evacuates into one of the buildings shown numerous times in previous game demos and trailers. There, he finds a cardboard box on the second floor, placed too obviously on the middle of the floor (the box ironically says "No place to hide" on one side, and "No place for Hideo" on the other). As Snake goes into hiding, two Gekkos reach the floor, search around, and decide to smash the box, causing red liquid to splatter all over the place. Fortunately, it turns out to be a bunch of watermelons rather than a mashed Snake. After the Gekkos go away, Snake powers off his camouflage and appears from the side of the room. The camera zooms in on Snake's face, Metal Gear Solid 4's logo appears onscreen, and the opening sequence ends there.
After a few words from Konami Digital Entertainment's president and director, Hideo Kojima, a fresh movie-like trailer was shown off, done completely in Hollywood style and narrated by a Don LaFontaine-like voice. The trailer featured new scenes such as Snake confronting Liquid Ocelot (and getting beaten up), a Metal Gear Ray jumping out of the water, and Snake mysteriously turning young. The trailer is viewable at MGS4's official site.
After the trailer, Kojima showed some live MGS4 gameplay and unveiled new information. The demonstration ran for about 40 minutes with an experienced staff playing the game, and Kojima mentioned that they're showing off only about one-fifteenth of the whole game.
First and foremost, Kojima revealed that, unlike any of the previous installments in the series, MGS4 will be chapter-based. Each chapter starts off with a scene in which the small, young heroine Sunny is frying eggs in her room. According to Kojima, the eggs allude to what will happen in each of the chapters, in the way that they're cracked or the way that they're fried.
Kojima showed off the first chapter, Act 1: Liquid Sun. The game started off in the same familiar area from the previous demos. Kojima explained the new changes to the game, such as the threat ring, which replaces the enemy location on the map from previous installments.
In MGS4, the area map can be displayed by pausing the game, though it doesn't show enemies. The map is rendered in 3D so it can be zoomed and rotated, giving you a more accurate judgment on the best course to take to reach a destination. Height seems to be a vital factor in MGS4, given that you can make use of building structures to evade enemy encounters.
As the game progressed, we saw the war zone changing; a vehicle sent in more PMC mercenaries, making situations worse for the civilian soldiers. It's up to you to decide whether to help the soldiers or stay neutral. For the sake of showing off to the press, Kojima decided to help them out and took out a few PMC mercenaries. He took one out by close-quarters combat and showed that your enemies can be hidden in lockers, just like in previous MGS games. He also showed that Snake could give items to the civilian soldiers and get stuff back in return. The game was played in hard mode, in which the enemies patrol in a team of two and wake up faster after they're stunned. Consequently, Kojima and his staff played carefully so as not to make any major mistakes while playing in front of the press. Kojima also took the opportunity to once again show that Snake can blend into the environment using his suit's Octo-cam capabilities. Once he blends, the pattern can be recorded for future use, which is great for gamers who like to keep a collection.
It's also worth mentioning that Kojima's team put in quite an effort to give details and a realistic feel to MGS4's world. A microphone speaker rang out in the middle of the war zone, broadcasting a PMC propaganda announcement. We were also shown the area with the statues where Snake can blend in by use of his Octo-cam. As a small Easter egg, Kojima showed that parts of the statue would eventually fall off if Snake keeps camouflaging and touching them.
As Snake went into a building, we once again saw the demo scene in which he meets up with Otakon's Metal Gear MKII for the first time. There, a small mech supplies him with some additional hardware to survive in the fierce battlefront: the Solid Eye, a gun called the Operator, and a tranquilizer gun. The Solid Eye has multiple functions and modes. It can be used to detect human emotion, detect enemy type, find items on the screen, uncover footsteps, as a telescope, and as a night goggle.
From here on, the Metal Gear MKII can also be controlled by the player. MKII is equipped with stealth camouflage, making it perfect for use in surveillance. It doesn't have any weapons, but it can stun enemies with electrocution wire.
During the dialogue scene, the screen suddenly buzzed like a broken TV when "Metal Gear" was mentioned by Otakon. Although we didn't get to see what it does, Kojima revealed that there's a flashback button that appears when something or someone from the past is mentioned during dialogue scenes. When the button is pressed, you get to see a glimpse of the past that's related to the subject.
After the scene ended, Kojima opened up the menu screen, which has a set of menus on the left side (Code, Weapons, Items, Camouflage, Drebin's Shop, Save), and the area map on the right. In particular, Kojima mentioned the new feature called the Sunny Camera. There's something that looks like a live webcam at the left bottom of the menu screen, and it shows what Sunny is doing in her room, 24 hours of the day.
Going back into the battlefield, Kojima showed that the civilian soldiers have a hideout in one of the houses, which looked pretty vacant and badly funded, with some wounded soldiers lying on the ground. We could hear dialogues between some of the soldiers, and they didn't attack Snake because he's an ally. According to Kojima, Snake can also move around in the hideout wearing the civilian-soldier robe that he starts off the game with, in which case the soldiers won't notice him even if he's made enemies with them.
Walking around a bit more in the hideout, Kojima picked up a Regain energy drink, which is a real-life product in Japan. It looks pretty yellow and gives a nice energy boost to Snake, kind of similar to the Calorie Mate snacks that were in MGS3.
Konami has collaborated with a number of companies, including Apple, to feature their products in MGS4. What was more surprising was when Snake picked up an iPod music item in the hideout. In MGS4, Snake carries around an iPod player, and he can listen to music whenever he finds a new track in the game. The tracks can be run as background music while playing the game, and what's more, when the game is paused to the menu screen, you can see Sunny dancing to the tune on the Sunny Camera.
It turns out that Konami is doing a bunch of collaborations with multiple companies in MGS4, including Triumph Motorcycles, Sony Ericsson, and Ubisoft. Triumph already collaborated with Konami on MGS3 (Eva rode one of their bikes), and it's going to happen once again. Sony Ericsson's phone is used by Vamp and Naomi during the game. Later during the conference, we were shown an impressive scene in which Vamp just wouldn't let go and stop talking on his phone, even though Snake shoots him in the middle of his forehead. Considering Ubisoft, the Assassin's Creed Altair-style robe that Snake wore in an April Fools MGS4 video on YouTube will actually be an unlockable feature.
Taking the stairs and walking up the hideout, we saw the scene in which Snake meets up with a hairless, gray monkey and the mysterious arms dealer named Drebin, who sells PMC weapons that have been ID-tag unlocked. We were shown an extended dialogue scene in which Drebin reveals that there are weapon launderers all over the world. "Drebin" is a generic name used by all of them, with him being the 893rd Drebin.
The scene continues as Drebin gives a complimentary gun to Snake in token of his new acquaintanceship. After checking to see that there's nothing suspicious with it, Snake pulls the trigger and finds out that it doesn't work. Puzzled, Drebin realizes the possibility that Snake might have an old-generation nanomachine inside his body, which can sometimes clash with even unlocked ID-tagged weapon systems. Snake, suspicious of how Drebin could have such knowledge, questions who he really is. Instead of keeping himself secret, Drebin reveals that his main job is as an employee for Arms Tech Security, which gives him access to ID-tag chips before they get registered. He also mentions that Arms Tech has two faces, just like how Snake isn't officially a soldier in the battlefield, though he's not a civilian either.
After the scene, Kojima went back to the battlefront and used his newly acquired weapon to shoot down a few PMC mercenaries. He also showed how weapons could be customized or newly purchased through the Drebin Shop option from the menu screen. For instance, you can add on a laser sight or a suppressor to a gun, or purchase a sniper rifle if an enemy's too far away. Customization and purchases are all done with Drebin Points, which can be acquired by picking up equipment and weapons in battle. On some days, the Drebin Shop has discounts.
Kojima showed off a few weapons that can be purchased from Drebin's Shop, including a M60E4 machine gun. There was also an XM25 airburst grenade launcher, which lets you adjust the distance of travel before the explosion for an accurate hit to the target.
In the closing of his presentation, Kojima showed off what he called the "ultimate weapon" that is available in Drebin's Shop. For a whopping one million Drebin Points, which should take about three to four loops through the game to accumulate, you can buy a classic Japanese Tanegashima muzzle-loaded firearm. The weapon seemed to be the most impractical firearm in this day and age, with Snake having to painstakingly push a ramrod into the gun's barrel for each reload. However, Kojima showed that, every once in a while, the gun would cause a massive typhoon, annihilating everyone in sight and making items drop all over the screen like rainfall.
After the end of the live gameplay demonstration, Kojima talked briefly about plans for a "Metal Gear Solid 4 World Tour," during which he and his staff will travel around the world to meet up with fans of the series. The tour locations include London; Madrid, Spain; Milan, Italy; Frankfurt, Germany; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Paris; New York; Los Angeles; and San Francisco.
One of the surprises at the press conference came at the very end. As the lights dimmed out for the event to end, a one-way dialogue very similar to the endings in the MGS games took place, hinting at some sort of worldwide live event and a sequel, though it was too vague to make any assumptions.
"Yes, the presentation event has ended. Everything is according to plan."
"We will proceed to the final steps of the mission. The surprise that's planned on launch date, should it be executed?
"Yes. Akihabara, New York, LA...worldwide live broadcast. Yes, there are no problems. The VIP has agreed to come. Yes, that's correct. That person. Understood. June 12."
"And what should we do about that project? Yes, that's right. That man has shattered, but...about the sequel. Yes. Yes... I see. That's understood, Mr. Company President."
Metal Gear Solid 4 Update - The Old Boy's Still Got It
We caught a live demo of Metal Gear Solid 4 at Konami's recent 20th anniversary party commemorating the franchise's longevity. Though the demo was similar to Kojima's earlier presentation of the game at a Sony event last week, it afforded us the opportunity to do a bit of dissecting. We picked up on a number of subtle elements in the game's presentation and gameplay mechanics that have left us intrigued.
The first standout was Snake's animation, which features a number of variations. Some of these are tied specifically to his new moves, and some were put in to help him move more fluidly. Crouched running, the ability to flip onto your back while crawling on your belly (to facilitate shooting fools behind you), and the ability to hang from a ledge all add to your evasive options while playing. They also feed into a system that we like to call the Agile Grumpy Old Man system (or A.G.O.M. for short). Gout, arthritis, and rheumatism be damned, Snake moves like greased (albeit occasionally creaky) lightning in the demo. We have mixed emotions about some of the frisking animations, but punching someone in the junk certainly qualifies as grumpy enough.
The second intriguing gameplay element that caught our eye is the circle that appears around Snake at all times during gameplay. In speaking with Konami reps, it sounds as though it's something players will come to use as a gauge of your surroundings, since it reacts to sounds and activity. As such, it will offer useful (and sometimes key) feedback about your surroundings based on its appearance.
We're also intrigued by the various camera options in the game, be it the standard view we expected, or the new first-person view. In some cases, the action appeared to have a camera that's almost too dynamic, making it a challenge to get your bearings, though it's nice to have so many options. Snake's little remote-controlled Metal Gear is also an interesting mechanic that might make for some unique combat solutions.
As far as the visuals go, the game continues to look better, although we're starting to get tired of the same town environment we've been seeing since the game was first unveiled. Still, the level of detail and interactivity is cool. Snake's various camouflages are rendered nicely and factor into gameplay in some very interesting ways. Particle and smoke effects are all nicely done and all add to the chaos, especially when structures are taken down. There is some of the expected performance weirdness, but we're still hopeful the frame rate will be solidified for the game's release.
There's no doubt that Metal Gear Solid 4 will be one of the most scrutinized PlayStation 3 games when it ships early next year. Given what we've seen and the team working on it, we're going to say that it has a very good chance of being able to stand up to that scrutiny. Kojima Productions is doing some interesting stuff with the gameplay, and the visuals are pretty slick, so we certainly like what we've seen so far. Look for more on Metal Gear Solid 4 later this year at Tokyo Game Show and in the months leading up to its 2008 release.
TGS 06: Metal Gear Solid 4 TGS Trailer Impressions
TOKYO--It's practically a rule at this point that every major game industry trade show needs to have some sort of explosive Metal Gear Solid trailer to get everybody talking before, during, and after the event. Developer Kojima Productions seems equally as talented at putting together amazing trailers as it is at making great games, so with this in mind, we went into this year's Tokyo Game Show eagerly looking forward to anything new on Metal Gear Solid 4 for the PlayStation 3. And, once again, Kojima Productions delivered, this time with a roughly six-minute trailer showcasing what appear to be a lot of new gameplay mechanics from this next game in its popular stealth action series. Back in May, the E3 trailer for MGS4 wowed us with lots of tantalizing new details about the characters and story, not to mention with some really impressive graphics. This new trailer doesn't show off Raiden slicing and dicing or drop any obscure clues about the plot, but instead portrays a weathered old Solid Snake doing what he does best: sneaking, fighting, and surviving against all odds.
The trailer takes place entirely in the war-torn, dusty cityscapes we've seen in previous sequences from MGS4. There's not much preamble before the bullets start flying, and the trailer mostly shows some of the ways in which Snake will be able to elude or dispatch his opponents. And there is some surprising variety on display here, including a bunch of moves never before seen in an MGS game. At first we see Snake performing by-the-numbers military maneuvers, running through the streets while keeping a low profile, ducking around corners to elude foes, and so on. We also see Snake lying prone, rolling from side to side to avoid hostile fire.
Then a surprise appears in the form of the little robot operated by Snake's friend Otacon, which we saw in the very first MGS4 trailer. It turns out this speedy little thing is more than just a recon bot, because in one sequence, it rolls on up to an unsuspecting enemy guard and delivers an electric shock that drops this guy in an instant.
As for Snake, we get to see him climbing into an empty oil barrel and rolling through the streets, plowing through and past enemy soldiers. It's almost comical but thrilling--a new spin on the old cardboard box, if you will. Flashes of first-person-perspective gunplay meanwhile suggest that Metal Gear Solid's traditional point-and-shoot controls will still be intact. Some very impressive motion-captured animations are on display as wild gunfights ensue, and all the while, the environments look completely believable. However, notably, a recent issue of Famitsu magazine revealed that MGS4 will feature a new over-the-shoulder shooting perspective that instantly brings to mind Resident Evil 4. This new perspective doesn't get much screen time during the new trailer, but it brings to mind some exciting possibilities about how MGS4 might play.
Another remarkable sequence in the new trailer has one of the new bipedal Metal Gear robots "sniffing" around with its antenna-like tentacle, apparently trying to spot Snake. Despite Snake's camouflage, he's spotted right underneath the machine's foot, so it tries to stomp him dead with its powerful legs...but of course, Snake rolls out of the way just in time and then fires straight up into the thing's belly with his assault rifle. The Metal Gear unit collapses, a scene that seems to reveal this new model's weak point. Moments later, though, it clambers back to its feet, ready to cause more destruction.
Things only seem to get worse for Snake as the trailer wears on--one of the last sequences has him crawling straight through an enemy firing zone. Here's where the game's "no place to hide" theme seems resoundingly clear--Snake seems completely pinned down and helpless. However, even while lying prone, he's able to chuck a grenade overhead, and it takes out an enemy squad just like that. The various new fighting-while-prone maneuvers seem to be the emphasis of this trailer overall, at least for those of us watching for signs of new gameplay elements.
The trailer doesn't provide a lot of context for all this action but intersperses the visuals with brief oblique phrases that fans who've been keeping up with MGS4 will note clearly tie in to the game's solemn themes:
No beginning, no end. No time, no future. No virtue, no vice. No place for heroes. No time for heroes. No place in time. No time to die. No war for Snake.
The trailer also shows Snake wearing a few variations on his sneaking suit. In one sequence he's concealed within a cloak, and we also get to see him using his new active camouflage, which lets him blend right in with his surroundings as the light refracts around him. Previous MGS games have included stealth camouflage as an unlockable bonus, but it seems to figure more prominently into the gameplay this time.
At the seeming end of the trailer, Snake mercifully holds his fire as one of the last enemy troopers flees for his life. The Metal Gear Solid 4 logo and credits appear...and then a brief epilogue sequence ensues, showing a masked man with Snake's "solid eye system" eyepatch standing in a clearing with a statue in the background, while a few guards lurk nearby. The man evades the guards by blending in with the statue by grabbing onto its, uh...anyway, the guards just walk right on by. The man unmasks as a bird on the statue takes a bit of a poop, and we see none other than the spitting image of a young Solid Snake, sans headband, and he lights up a cigarette just as Snake would. Then another bird poops on him, and he scowls. The end. Huh...? Certainly there's no easy explanation for what a young version of Snake may be doing here. The sequence doesn't appear to be a flashback or anything like that.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots won't be shipping until sometime next year, and one can only hope that it'll wind up looking as good as this latest trailer lets on. While the trailer seems to go out of its way to show sequences that might actually occur during gameplay, we'll believe it when we play it. Needless to say, we can't wait to see more of this increasingly impressive-looking game.
E3 06: Metal Gear Solid 4 Extended Trailer Impressions
OS ANGELES--Today at the Konami press conference, Konami showed off the hotly anticipated extended trailer for MGS4. While there was a three-and-a-half minute trailer on display during the Sony press conference on Monday, the big guns were saved for Konami, which dropped a full 15 minutes of apparently in-game footage on us. Stunning? Definitely, but not only for the graphics: Some of the storyline and plot points that were revealed left us reeling. Note that there is a big old SPOILER WARNING on this entire article, for those of you who are waiting for the trailer to hit the Net.
The beginning of the trailer is mostly footage that we've seen before, of ominous text overlaid on a scene of a militia-esque military force heading into battle with a PMC, or Private Military Contractor. A speaker in the background, whom we believe is Colonel Campbell, is talking about how America has exported too much military prowess to these PMC groups, which now have military manpower to rival even that of the US. Unfortunately for the US, the five largest PMC (essentially bands of mercenaries) are actually united under one dummy corporation, called Outer Heaven. And who runs Outer Heaven? None other than Liquid Ocelot himself, whom we'll remember from MGS2 as the personality of Liquid Snake from MGS1 that's inhabited the body of Revolver Ocelot. During all of this text, it's revealed that one of the militiamen who has ridden into the city and engaged the PMC in combat is in fact Solid Snake with a cloak for disguise, somewhat similar to the cloak he wore on the bridge at the beginning of MGS2.
The next few minutes of gameplay consist mostly of the text that was on display in the shorter trailer from the Sony press conference, with some extrapolations. Apparently, while all of the PMC soldiers have nanomachines in their bodies to enhance their combat abilities, they're unable to point their guns at their clients, a Robocop-esque twist of fate with unknown implications. While this text is scrolling, we see Solid Snake, who may've been officially renamed to Old Snake for this installment of the series, standing at attention, saluting at a grave that we recognize from MGS3 as the grave of The Boss. Otacon rather improperly lands a military helicopter in the graveyard, and informs Snake that they've found an old friend. Colonel Campbell (who insists that he's no longer a Colonel), who's in the plane, informs Snake that Liquid Snake has reappeared, in the Middle East. He's taken command of an army, and plans to launch an insurrection.
At this point, Snake is speaking to Naomi on his codec, and she reveals that he has only six months to live, and that his body is starting to decay. Up until this point, all of our views of Solid Snake have shown his face to be relatively normal, but of course that won't last much longer.
As this occurs, an extended action sequence occurs after one of the biomech Metal Gears happens to scout out Snake while he's hiding in a corridor, still in his disguise. Startled, he attempts to fire his rifle at it, but the bullets bounce off the metal shell harmlessly. Without anything left to do, he makes a run for it, and eventually makes it to a set of stairs set into a building. (This sequence was edited into the shorter trailer.) The Metal Gear is on the scene, though, as it grapples Snake with a extended whiplike cord, and begins to pull him down the steps. His formerly useless rifle, however, is able to cut the whip and set him free, after which the MG crashes through the weakened stairs and falls down a bit, allowing Snake to make his escape. Unfortunately, the MG manages to plant its legs into the walls here, making some movements that are distinctly uncomfortable for those of us used to seeing legs remain underneath our bodies; the legs here appear to have a full 360 degrees of rotation available to them.
As Snake hits the upper level of the building, he spots another MG off in the distance, and, startled, spits out his cigarette onto the ground. He quickly hides, but just afterward, the two MG's appear on the scene and begin their search. They quickly happen upon a box in the middle of the room, which is emblazoned with the motto "No Place for Hideo," which astute watchers will remember as one of the phrases used in the trailer for MGS4 from last year's E3. They scan it, and reveal a lumpy form inside the box; one of the MGs smashes it, but all that's revealed is a lump of watermelons. The two MGs look at each other, then apparently give up their search and leap off into the distance.
So where was Snake during all of this? Well, one of the watermelon rinds rolls across the floor and hits something, which instantly turns color to match the watermelon. The camera pulls back, revealing Snake leaning against the wall, having perfectly matched its texture. Apparently, his sneaking suit has morphed into a true camoflage suit. While not offering true invisibility, it appeared to be good enough to evade certain death in this instance.
Now we hit the list of returning characters, starting with Naomi Hunter, who was originally responsible for developing the FOXDIE virus that's been in Solid Snake's body since the original MGS game, and which may be slowly killing him in MGS4. She speaks of each generation's obligations not to leave their sins for future generations. Next up is Colonel Campbell, who says that the Patriots may be involved in Liquid's operations, although he violently opposed them in MGS2, and that Snake is the world's only hope. Meryl Silverburgh, last seen in the ending to MGS1 as she rode off into the sunset with Snake on his snowmobile, appears next, apparently as a new member of a Foxhound unit. What side this new Foxhound is on isn't immediately apparent, but given the history of the series, we'll muse on the possibilities of having Old Snake fight his former love interest Meryl at some point in the game.
Otacon makes his appearance next, telling Snake to "finish it" and asking him to make this their last battle. Liquid Ocelot appears now and compares Snake (we assuming he's addressing Snake, although he never appears in the scene) to Cain of the biblical Genesis story, who killed his own brother. This is apparently a reference to how Liquid Snake was originally infected with FOXDIE after coming into contact with Snake during MGS1. He asks if Snake is prepared to dig his own grave, which apparently sounds like a suggestion that Snake commit suicide. Crazy, right?
Well, in the next sequence, Snake appears to do just that. After brooding over his gun for a few seconds, and implying that his final mission is to erase his genes from the world, he puts a single bullet into his gun and...well, whether he pulls the trigger or not will likely be a topic of debate for the next year or so. We'll leave the speculation to you.
At this point, a fake ending to the trailer begins to play, shortly before the text "Raiden Returns!" appears onscreen. What happens next is difficult to transcribe from memory, but suffice to say that Raiden is definitely the inheritor of the quasi-unkillable Cyborg Ninja inheritance. His suit seems to embue him with superhuman strength, speed, and agility, allowing him to leap atop the six Metal Gears that initially attack him. He manages to dodge their blows, which mostly come as they attempt to kick him, while chopping their legs off and killing them in otherwise incredibly violent ways.
Our personal favorites include the moment where he leaps atop one of the Metal Gears and twists its turret so that it shoots some of its companions, as well as the moment when his sword gets knocked into the air. (Note that the sword appears to be just a normal metallic sword, not the special H.F. Blade that Raiden wielded at the end of MGS2, although we're not positive on this.) At this point, all he can do is jump around and dodge the blows coming his way, until he positions himself underneath the sword as it falls. He grabs it with his foot, and then starts to spin around, slashing at the legs of the Metal Gears until they're good and weakened. After they're stumbling around, he finishes them off by jumping onto their heads and driving the swords into their brains with his foot.
In short, the Raiden section of the trailer is wordlessly awesome, as most of you will find out on Wednesday morning, when the full trailer is supposed to hit the Web. If you've ever seen the film Casshern: The Robot Hunter, then you should have an idea of what Raiden's capable of. Until then, all we can say is that the trailer confirms MGS4 will appear in 2007, at least at this point in development. Stay tuned to GameSpot for more developments as they arrive.
TGS 2005: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Trailer Impressions
TOKYO--Fresh from the starting gate of the 2005 Tokyo Game Show, who wouldn't make a beeline straight for Konami's next-generation theater, where the first real trailer for the newly christened Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the PlayStation 3 is playing? Certainly not us. We saw the trailer just minutes ago and are happy to report on what looks like one epic stealth action game in the works at Kojima Productions.
It's like a cross between Sam Fisher and Sean Connery from The Rock. But it's all Snake. Or Big Boss. Or something.The trailer begins with a slightly baffling clip of first-person gameplay, in which an unnamed soldier patrols through a war-torn, ruined city, with futuristic helicopters soaring overhead and the muted sounds of combat ringing in the background. The soldier spies a sleek figure darting behind cover off in the distance, but upon rounding the corner, there's nobody to be seen. All the while, the letters "FPS" are appearing on the screen, forming phrases like "Finally a Policy Shift?"--perhaps indicating that Metal Gear Solid 4 is in fact a shooter. But then the camera pulls back to reveal the soldier caught in the death grip of none other than Solid Snake, who proceeds to dispatch the hapless guard with characteristic aplomb. Then we're treated to the words we've hoped to see "Not FPS - MGS!"
Then again, this might not be the Snake you were expecting. The rumors are true: Solid Snake has gone gray, and he appears to be in his declining years in Metal Gear Solid 4. This time, there doesn't seem to be any question about the placement of the game on the series' timeline, since the trailer wastes no time in announcing that the game is set "X years after Big Shell," which puts it well after MGS2, chronologically the most recent Metal Gear game. After the little first-person fake-out, the trailer fully reveals Snake, still wearing his classic sneaking suit but deeply lined, grizzled, and even sporting gray hair and a rough-looking moustache. He's also got some kind of wicked-looking future eye patch. Shades of Big Boss? At least the mullet is intact.
After his auspicious introduction, Snake stalks through the streets of the city, which has clearly been rendered unlivable by untold months or years of combat. He quickly ducks into the blasted-out shell of a nearby building to avoid the attention of an approaching caravan of foot soldiers accompanied by an imposing line of armored personnel carriers. Snake appears to be uncharacteristically intimidated by this advancing column, a point that's driven home by a title that flashes on the screen: "A new enemy created in battle." Matters only worsen as the procession approaches and it's revealed that a handful of small, bipedal Metal Gears, looking like smaller versions of the Rex model, are accompanying the troops.
As if matters aren't bad enough with this hellish enemy host right on the other side of the wall, Snake is clearly feeling his age. While he's remaining covert and attempting to formulate a plan, he's seized by a coughing spasm that doubles him over and nearly brings him to his knees. The only remedy is some sort of advanced injection system, which he delivers directly to his jugular vein and which seems to cure him temporarily. He then engages his eye patch, which we can see is actually labeled the "Solid Eye System," and we get a glimpse of Snake's own enhanced perspective, which is overlaid with a busy tactical display analyzing the armament and threat level of every major target in the area.
But Snake's not just the watcher--he's also being watched, as we see him brought into the sights of some sort of unseen robotic entity. As the potential attacker rolls up behind him and he whirls around, bringing his rifle to bear, we find that it's just a small, rather cute little robot with a screen on the side bearing none other than the image of Otacon. Yet, Otacon looks to have aged very little since MGS2. Has he been drinking at the fountain of youth? Or could it be that Solid Snake's genetically engineered background may have accelerated his aging, made him sick, and rendered him dependent on drugs to maintain his health? This will certainly be one of many mysteries yet to be revealed in MGS4.
Snake and Otacon then exchange a few pleasantries and agree that it's time to move on, but not before the little robot hands Snake a few clips to load into his advanced, modular assault rifle. It's at this point that Snake lights up his trademark cigarette and heads off through the city, little Otacon robot in tow, as he embarks on whatever his latest (and possibly last?) mission is. It's at this point that the full title of the game--Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots--is revealed, tying the game indelibly to the ending of Metal Gear Solid 2 and, indeed, the overarching storyline of the entire series. Devotees of Kojima's long-running stealth action epic will surely be fanatically interested in where the twisting storyline is going next, and we recently got a small taste of MGS4's gameplay and storyline courtesy of Famitsu magazine.
We don't need to tell you that Guns of the Patriots looks utterly incredible--the screenshots certainly speak for themselves--and unlike what we can say about some other PS3 games shown back at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, we can say with confidence that enough aliasing and pixelated textures were evident in this trailer to indicate that it was running smoothly in real time, and further live demonstrations from Kojima on the show floor at TGS confirm this to be the cast. Given that, this is pretty much one of the best-looking games we've ever seen. Whether or not this footage warrants such a grandiose statement is now for you to decide--Kojima Productions has posted the trailer for public viewing on the MGS4 site. We await further details on this game with bated breath, and we'll bring them to you as soon as we have them.
Successfully complete the game to unlock the "Password" option at the "Extras" menu. Then, enter one of the following case-sensitive passwords to unlock the corresponding bonus when a saved game is resumed or another game is started. Note: The bonuses will become available when the Mk II can first be used.
- 1911 Pistol: Enter "1aytmmymhk" as a password.
- Desert Eagle Long Barrel: Enter "deskyhstyl" as a password. Mk. 23 (SOCOM from Metal Gear Solid): Enter "mekakorkkk" as a password. Mosin Nagant: Enter "mnsoymsyhn" as a pas
- sword.
- Patriot: Enter "pkhhnwhsjt" as a password.
- Scanning Plug S: Enter "skynytktjp" as a password.
- Thor .45-70: Enter "tshsniammr" as a password.
- Type 17 Pistol: Enter "jmsotsynrn" as a password.
- Altair costume: Enter "aottrykmyn" as a password.
- Drebin Facecam o : Enter "dntkkhktmm" as a password. "Desperate Chase" iPod song: Enter "THOMAS" as a password. "Gekko" iPod song: Enter "GEORG
- E" as a password.
- "Midnight Shadow" iPod song: Enter "THEODORE" as a password.
- "Mobs Alive" iPod song: Enter "ABRAHAM" as a password.
- "Subsistence Action" iPod song: Enter "smgo2play" as a password.
In Act 4: Shadow Moses - Nuclear Warhead Storage B2, when at Otacon's office, he will ask you for the code. Enter one of the following codes instead of the one that Otacon mentions to get the corresponding bonus:
- 100,000 DP: Enter "14893" as a code.
- "Opening - Old L.A. 2040" iPod song: Enter "78925" as a code. This song increases Snake's accuracy.
- "Policenauts Ending" iPod song: Enter "13462" as a code. This song causes soldiers held by Snake to fall asleep when touched.
Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding weapon:
- Desert Eagle, Long Barrel: Get the Fox Emblem.
- MGL-140 grenade launcher: Defeat Raging Raven.
- MK 23: Search under the first truck you see in Act 4.
- Patriot Future Assault Weapon: Successfully complete the game with a "Big Boss" rank. This weapon has infinite ammunition.
- Rail Gun: Defeat Crying Wolf.
- Race Gun pistol: Successfully complete the game.
- Solar Gun: Collect the five statues (the four Battle Beauties and Frog Soldier/Haven Troopers) with non-lethal means on their respective idols.
- Thor 45-70: Get the Fox Hound Emblem.
- World War I pistol: Get the Hound Emblem.
Successfully complete the game to unlock the following ammo for purchase from Drebin:
- Emotive Cry
- Emotive Laughter
- Emotive Rage
- Emotive Scream
- Smoke Grenade Blue
- Smoke Grenade Green
- Smoke Grenade Red
- Smoke Grenade Yellow
Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding piece of equipment:
Bandanna: Successfully complete the game without killing anyone, including Bosses. Alternately, purchase it from Drebin for 5 million Drebin Points after starting another game session after completing the game. This item gives you infinite ammunition.
Digital Camera: It is found in the Nomad vehicle during the mission intermission. Note: It will contain bonus photos if you wait until Act 4 to get the camera.
Mantis and Sorrow Dolls: Defeat Screaming Mantis.
Scanning Plug S: Log more than ten hours of online play time on the same profile as your single player game to unlock it for purchase from Drebin.
Stealth Suit: Successfully complete the game without instigating an alert. Note: You can trigger a caution. Alternately, purchase it from Drebin for 5 million Drebin Points after starting another game session after completing the game.
Successfully complete the indicate task to unlock the corresponding face paint:
- Big Boss: Get the Big Boss Emblem. When you wear this mask, it causes enemies near you to cower in fear and/or run away screaming.
- Corpse: Use over 41 continues in a single playthrough.
- Crying Wolf: Defeat Battle Beauty (human form) Crying Wolf by non-lethal means.
- Drebin: Acquire and keep over 60 weapons.
- FaceCamo: Defeat Battle Beauty Laughing Octopus. This mask functions like the OctoCamo suit, but just on your head.
- Laughing Octopus: Defeat Battle Beauty (human form) Laughing Octopus by non-lethal means. Metal Gear Solid Snake:
- Successfully complete Act 3.
- Otacon: Shock or run into Otacon at high speed with Metal Gear Mk. II during an interactive mission brief.
- Raging Raven: Defeat Battle Beauty (human form) Raging Raven by non-lethal means.
- Raiden A: Shock or run into Sunny at high speed with Metal Gear Mk. II during an interactive mission brief.
- Raiden B: Shock or run into Naomi at high speed with Metal Gear Mk. II during an interactive mission brief.
- Roy Campbell: Shock or run into Campbell at high speed with Metal Gear Mk. II during an interactive mission brief.
- Screaming Mantis: Defeat Battle Beauty (human form) Screaming Mantis by non-lethal means.
- Young Snake: Successfully complete Act 2.
- Young Snake with bandanna: Successfully complete Act 2.
Successfully complete the indicate task to unlock the corresponding costume:
Altair's Rags (Assassin's Creed): Get the Assassin's Emblem.
Business Suit: Successfully complete the game.
Civilian clothes: Start the Eastern Europe level.
Corpse Camo: Have at least 51 continues in a single playthrough.
Metal Gear Solid optical camo: Successfully complete the game without going into alert phase. Alternately, purchase it from Drebin for 5 million Drebin Points after starting another game session after completing the game. This camo makes you completely invisible.
Middle East militia disguise: Go to the Middle East militia safe house.
South American militia disguise: Go to the South American cove valley village.
Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding song on Snake's iPod. Certain songs have an additional secret effect when played during the game.
Beyond the Bounds: In Act 4: Shadow Moses - Tank Hangar, after power is restored, return to the upper catwalk, and explore all the rooms. This song increases stun damage done by Snake from non-lethal weapons.
Big Boss: Get the Big Boss Emblem. This song increases stun damage and Snake's accuracy.
Bio-hazard: In Act 3: Europe - Midtown, hold-up a resistance soldier and body search him. This song causes soldiers held by Snake to scream.
Boktai 2 Theme: During the Act 2 mission briefing, go upstairs in the Nomad.
Bon Dance: Found in Act 2: South America - Marketplace.
Destiny's Call: Received randomly from an allied or neutral militia or rebel soldier after Snake gives them a healing item. This song causes soldiers held by Snake to become enraged.
Flowing Destiny: In Act 4: Shadow Moses - Canyon, before leaving the canyon area, examine the rocky walls for a hole hiding the song. This song causes soldiers held by Snake to weep.
Inorino Uta: During the Act 1 mission briefing, go upstairs with the Mk II.
Level 3 Warning: Found in Act 1: Middle East - Advent Palace.
Lunar Knights Main Theme: During the Act 4 mission briefing, go upstairs in the Nomad.
Metal Gear 20 Years History - Part 2: Found in Act 4: Shadow Moses - Warhead Storage Building B2.
Metal Gear 20 Years History - Part 3: Found in Act 2: South America at the South America Confinement Facility in the room with beds inside the house.
Metal Gear Solid Main Theme (The Document Remix): Found in Act 5: Outer Heaven under the hatch to the left at the start of the area.
MGS 4 Love Theme/Action: Received randomly from an allied or neutral militia or rebel soldier after Snake gives them a healing item. This song causes soldiers held by Snake to weep.
On Alert: Found in Act 3: Europe - Midtown N Sector.
One Night in Neo Kobe City: Found in Act 3: Europe - Midtown; hold-up a PMC soldier.
Opening - Old L.A. 2040: In Act 4: Shadow Moses - Nuclear Warhead Storage B2, input "78925" into Otacon's lab computer. This song increases Snake's accuracy.
Policenauts Ending: In Act 4: Shadow Moses - Nuclear Warhead Storage B2, enter "13462" into Otacon's lab computer. This song causes soldiers held by Snake to fall asleep when touched.
Rock Me: In Act 2: South America - Confinement Facility, search the island in the south-eastern quadrant. This song increases the amount of life recovered from items and other means.
Sailor: In Act 2: South America - Vista Mansion, look between the east wall and a cargo container. This song increases the amount of life recovered from items and other means.
Shin Bokura No Taiyou Theme: During the Act 3 mission briefing, go upstairs in the Nomad.
Show Time: Received randomly from an allied or neutral militia or rebel soldier after Snake gives them a healing item. This song causes soldiers held by Snake to scream.
Snake Eater: Get all 40 game clear Emblems. This song increases the amount of life recovered from items and other means.
Subsistence: Play one game of Metal Gear Online, starting the match with at least two players. This song increases Snake's accuracy.
Test Subject's Duality: Found in Act 3: Europe - Midtown S Sector.
The Best Is Yet To Come: Found in Act 4: Shadow Moses - Snow Field just before the "Disc Change" Codec transmission.
The Essence Of Vince: Found in Act 3: Europe - Echo's Beacon.
The Fury: In Act 2: South America - Cove Valley Village, search inside the fire-ravaged house. This song causes soldiers held by Snake to become enraged.
Theme Of Solid Snake: Found in Act 1: Middle East - Millennium Park.
Theme Of Tara: Found in Act 1: Middle East - Militia Safehouse just before seeing the unmanned flying-bomber on the table.
Warhead Storage: Found in Act 4: Shadow Moses - Tank Hanger, upper floor ventilation shaft.
Yell (Dead Cell): Found in Act 4: Shadow Moses - Casting Facility North.
Zanzibarland Breeze: Found in Act 1: Middle East - Urban Ruins before the intermission sequences.
Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding Emblem:
Ant: Shake 50 enemies for items.
Assassin: Successfully complete the game with killing more than 50 enemies with the knife, having over 50 CQC holds, and getting discovered less than 25 times.
Bear: Choke 100 enemies to death.
Bee: Use the Scanning Plug S or Syringe on 50 enemies.
Big Boss: Successfully complete the game on the Boss Extreme difficulty without dying, instigating no alerts, killing no enemies (including Bosses), using no life recovery items, using no stealth suit or bandanna special items (can possess, but not activate), and with a completion time of less than 5 hours.
Blue Bird: Give friendly soldiers 50 items.
Centipede: Get fewer than 75 alert phases, fewer than 250 kills, and use over 25 continues.
Chicken: Get over 150 alert phases, over 500 kills, use over 50 continues, use over 50 recovery items, and complete the game in over 35 hours.
Cow: Activate over 100 alerts.
Crocodile: Have over 400 kills.
Eagle: Get 150 headshots.
Fox: Successfully complete the game on the Naked Normal or higher difficulty without dying, instigating no more than five alerts, killing no enemies (including Bosses), using no life recovery items, using no stealth suit or bandanna special items (can possess, but not activate), and with a completion time of less than 6 hours.
Fox Hound: Successfully complete the game on the Big Boss Hard or higher difficulty without dying, instigating no more than three alerts, killing no enemies (including Bosses), using no life recovery items, using no stealth suit or bandanna special items (can possess, but not activate), and with a completion time less than 5 hours and 30 minutes.
Frog: Dive or roll 200 times.
Gecko: Press against walls for a total of one hour.
Giant Panda: Successfully complete the game after 30 cumulative hours of game play.
Gibbon: Hold up 50 enemies.
Hawk: Be admired by 25 friendly soldiers.
Hog: Get 10 combat highs.
Hound: Successfully complete the game on the Naked Normal or higher difficulty without dying, instigating no more than three alerts, killing no enemies (including Bosses), using no life recovery items, using no stealth suit or bandanna special items (can possess, but not activate), and with a completion time less than 6 hours and 30 minutes.
Hyena: Pick up 400 dropped weapons.
Inch Worm: Crawl on the ground for a total of one hour.
Jaguar: Get over 76 alert phases, less than 250 kills, and less than 26 continues.
Leopard: Get over 76 alert phases, less than 250 kills, and at least 26 continues.
Little Gray: Collect all 69 weapons.
Lobster: Crouch for a total of 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Mantis: Use no continues, get no alerts, and have a completion time less than 5 hours.
Octopus: Get no alert phases.
Panther: Get over 76 alert phases, over 251 kills, and less than 26 continues.
Pig: Consume over 40 food items.
Pigeon: Have no kills.
Puma: Get over 76 alert phases, over 251 kills, and at least 26 continues.
Rabbit: Look at 100 Playboy pages.
Raven: Successfully complete the game in less than five hours.
Scarab: Perform 100 dive rolls.
Scorpion: Have less than 75 alert phases, less than 251 kills, and less than 26 continues.
Spider: Have less than 75 alert phases, at least 251 kills, and at least 26 continues.
Tarantula: Have less than 75 alert phases, at least 251 kills, and less than 26 continues.
Tortoise: Hide inside a cardboard box or drum barrel for at least one hour.
Wolf: Use no continues and no recovery items.
Successfully complete the game to unlock new combat vests.
Successfully complete the game to unlock the Big Boss Extreme difficulty.
Successfully complete the game, and save when prompted to create a cleared saved game file. Start another game session, encounter Mk II in Act 1, and load the cleared saved game file to get your Drebin Points, weapons, ammunition, items, and special items from your previous game.
If you fight Mantis with a Sixaxis controller, the ending is different than if you were using a DualShock 3 controller.
First, acquire the drum can. You do this by finding the soldier that is hiding in the can and using it as a bathroom in Act 1: Middle East - Downtown. After that, go up ahead a few feet, where you will see three crates. When you have gone past them, you will see just two crates. You will also see about three rebel soldiers fighting. One is carrying an RPG and the other two have machine guns. They will die and respawn continuously. You will have a chance to pick up the RPG after the soldier has died three times. Do so because each RPG is worth 6,000 Drebin Points. The important thing is to stay anywhere behind the two crates, otherwise the trick will not work. Going further than the two crates will stop the respawning loop of the soldiers dying. The only way to get the RPG without breaking the respawning loop is to use the Mk II.
When you enter the first hangar in Shadow Moses (with all the mini-Gekkos inside), kill all of them, and proceed to the next area past the two large Gekkos outside. Once you get inside, turn around, and go back to the hangar. All the Gekkos should have respawned. You will get approximately 20,000 Drebin Points each time you clear the area, and the entire process takes about five minutes. There is a ration in the room on the other side of the railing when done on the "Naked Normal" difficulty. Do not forget to pick up the guns and kill the big Gekko outside the base on the other side as well as all the mini-Gekkos. The bandana is not required, but if you do not have it, you will use a lot of ammunition. The grenade launcher is recommended for taking out the mini-Gekkos quickly. Be careful with the grenade launcher as it has a slow reload time. If a Gekko gets too close, you will not be able to reload.
Set the PS3 system date to a Wednesday or Sunday, and Drebin will have cheaper prices. Additionally, all of Drebin's prices are cut by 50% during Act 5.
To unlock the Bandana and Stealth Suit easier, wait until Act 5 (Drebin's prices are 50% off) to get the items for 2.5 million Drebin Points each instead of the 5 million Drebin Points they normally each cost. -From: Dallas4life04
Save the game during Act 1. Go to the Mission Briefing screen, and select the saved game from Act 1. Press Square to control the Mk II while on the plane. Move the Mk II upstairs, and search for an extra battery. Collecting it will double the operating life of all battery-powered devices in the game.
The statues required to unlock the Solar Gun can be found at the following locations:
- Frog: In Act 1: Middle East - Advent Palace garage, atop the Nomad vehicle.
- Octopus: In Act 2: South America, in the Research Lab Boss room, upper right room.
- Raven: In Act 3: Europe, on the top floor of the human phase of the Boss fight.
- Wolf: In Act 4: Shadow Moses, behind Snake's starting spot in the human phase of the Boss fight.
- Mantis: In Act 5: Outer Heaven, near the northern-most door during the human phase of the fight.
Experience the following audio flashbacks to get 1,000 Drebin Points for some of them:
Find the crop circle near the river while tracking Naomi in Act 2 after the Laughing Octopus fight (flashback of the Colonel acting strangely in Metal Gear Solid 2).
Find the Hind (flashback of the end of the Hind confrontation).
The middle of the helipad (flashback of Hind D speech).
The small shack to the West of the area (flashback of "A surveillance camera?!").
Enter through either of the vents instead of the door (flashback Master Miller's introduction).
Stand near the tank hangar's door (flashback of Meryl's "Where I can see you" speech).
Stand in the decontamination room before the hallway to Otacon's office (flashback of Cyborg Ninja fighting Genome Soldiers).
Inside Otacon's lab (flashback of Grey Fox's introduction).
Stand in the filled-in trench leading up to the Comm Towers (flashback of Meryl telling Snake to continue without her).
Climb as far as you can up the Comm Tower nearest where you enter and walk around (flashback of beginning of the Hind confrontation).
In front of the other Comm Tower, facing the exit (flashback of Otacon's "What are you fighting for?" speech).
Stand near the door leading back to the room where you fought Vulcan Raven (flashback of Raven's final speech).
In Shadow Moses, near the elevator (flashback of Infiltration speech).
Return to the crashed Hind chopper after the Crying Wolf fight (flashback of Liquid Snake being shot down).
Aim the Mk.23 SOCOM while at Shadow Moses (Snake will say "Just like old times").
Move the camera view directly overhead and move around (Snake will say "Just like old times").
When starting a new game, you are shown two random commercials. You can change the channel by pressing Up and Down to get new commercials. There is also a Hideo 1 and Hideo 2 channel, which are like Video 1 and 2.
At the start of the game when the commercials are on, you can press X to cycle through different channels. You can see a segment where David Hayter is being interviewed wearing a Solid Eye.
During an intermission sequence, press D-pad Up to zoom the camera in, then use the Right Analog-stick to pan the camera around. The harder you press Up, the more zoomed in the camera view. Also, some intermission sequences have prompts to see it through Snake's eyes by holding L1 (look for the icon at the top left of the screen) or view flashback images by repeatedly tapping X when a prompt appears (look for the icon at the top right of the screen). You can also pause an intermission sequence by pressing Start.
During the following intermission sequences, press L1 to see secret events:
Laughing Octopus: Laughing Octopus quickly leaps away outside the window during one of the L1 sequences when you first meet Naomi.
Naomi's chest: In Act 2, after Snake loses his Psyche when Namoi tells him how long he has, press L1 to look at her chest and recharge Snake's Psyche.
Naomi upskirt: In Act 2, when Snake's talking to Naomi and drops his cigarette, use the hidden L1 option to look up her skirt.
Psycho Mantis' ghost: During the first intermission sequence with Beauty and the Beast, after using the option to look through L1, look to the left to see the ghost of Psycho Mantis.
Sorrow: During the Psycho Mantis intermission sequence, keep L1 held. When Psycho Mantis disappears, you will hear Sorrow say something. Hold L1 (even though you are not prompted), and you will see Sorrow. Press X to start a flashback.
During the mission briefings, touch the the radio on the table upstairs with the Mk II, and it will play music.
By switching the radio on and off in Act 4, you will get different songs, including a remixed version of the "Love Theme" from Super Smash Bros. Brawl and the ending theme from Policenauts.
Shake the Sixaxis controller to return Snake's OctoCamo to its neutral (black and blue) appearance. Note: This can also be done during intermission sequences.
When a character is first introduced, press R2 to view that character's motion capture actor instead of his or her voice actor.
Sit in a box to reduce stress faster.
If something during an intermission sequences causes Snake's Psyche gauge to decrease, rapidly tap X to replenish it.
To regain health and Psyche, hold X go into the prone position with no weapon equipped. Snake's health and Psyche gauges will begin to recover. This is useful when trying for a no rations/recovery items completion.
To switch between crawling and crouch-walking (and back) faster, move forward while pressing X. Use this trick to get prone behind cover quickly after crouch-walking past an enemy.
Shoot the tranquilizer gun at your target. Get close to the sleeping target, and go into the crouch position. An icon will appear to wake the target up. Press [Action] to wake your target. When he or she is about to wake up, position yourself at either side or the back of the target. Aim your gun, and Snake should hold-up the target. This is an easy way to do CQC and knife kills if you want to get the Assassin's Creed Emblem and costume.
There are dumpsters throughout the game which you can use to hide. Move in front of them, and press Triangle when the prompt appears. Once inside, if you have a handgun, The Operator for example, you can hold L1 to lift up the lid of the dumpster and aim your gun from inside.
While throwing a grenade, lightly hold L1 (default [Aim]) instead of holding it down completely.
PMC soldiers will ignore you when wearing Otacon's or one of the Beauty's face paints if you are not attacking or displaying a weapon. This allows you to track the Resistance easier.
Instead of rotating the Right Analog-stick to control the iPod, use Triangle, Square, Circle, and X.
Equip the Sorrow Doll, and have the camera from the Nomad. You can use that camera to find thirty ghosts in Shadow Moses. After taking pictures of them, they can be viewed in the photo album with a new option. Note: The doll is only needed to see the ghosts prior to taking the photographs.
In Shadow Moses, when you return to Otacon's office to shut down security and turn on the power, take a photograph of the area to the left of the Policenauts poster. When viewed, there will be a superimposed image of Hideo Kojima's face.
Take a picture of the wolves after the Crying Wolf battle. Sniper Wolf's face will appear in the corner.
Do not pick up the camera during the briefing when it first becomes available. Wait until Act 4 to get the camera, and it will have some funny pictures of Naomi and Sunny playing around in the kitchen.
While tracking Naomi, get to where there is a PMC soldier standing next to a claymore. Move northeast from there to find a metal plate on the ground with signatures and handprints from the game's developers. Note: Lay down on it to get the handprint design for your camouflage. Register it to memory, and you can use it whenever desired.
When you are tracking Naomi's footprints in Act 2 after the Laughing Octopus fight, you will arrive to a river. Instead of crossing the river, look to your left. You will see another set of footprints. Follow these, and they will lead you to a crop circle where you will hear some strange dialog by the Colonel about an alien abduction.
If you kill a large enough number of enemies in a conflict zone, you will hear Liquid from Metal Gear Solid say "You enjoy all the killing, that's why!", and Snake will vomit. Note: You can delay the vomiting by hugging the wall. The next time you kill someone, however, it will happen again until you finally vomit.
Use the Solid Eye with the Raiden A mask to make Snake's eyes glow.
In Act 1, go to the place with the two broken statues. Press Triangle to climb up on the empty statue pedestal in that area. Press Triangle again, and Snake will assume a statue position, and the OctoCamo will blend in. Keep pressing Triangle, and Snake will grab the crotch of the statue next to him and eventually break off that part of the statue.
When wearing the Altair costume after unlocking it, there are some changes Snake will make to his posture. First, he stands with his hands by his sides and outstretched just like Altair, as opposed to hanging down in front of him with his fists clenched. This change will only occur when you do not have a weapon equipped. Second, where Altair had the ring finger on his left hand missing, Snake bends his up to give a similar visual effect. He will even keep his finger bent during intermission sequences in which the costume you are currently wearing appears.
In Act 1, when in the underground hanger/cave, you can use the Mk II to listen to a wounded PMC soldier's conversation. He will talk about the Beauty And The Beast group before you actually meet them.
When fighting any of the Beauties, successfully complete the first Boss phase (Beast form). After that they will come out of their protective suit and try to grapple you. If you run around long enough and prolong the time (usually about five to ten minutes), the screen will fade, and you will enter a white area all alone with the Beauty. Note: A timer will appear at the top of the screen. She will attempt to grapple again. Simply equip the camera, aim it at her, and she will pose for you. Click the camera on and off to get various poses. Eventually the timer will run out (3:00), and the Beauty will die. This works well when you want a new background for your PlayStation 3 because the game allows you to take in-game photos and send them to your homepage.
Play the "Oishii ChuhanSeikatsu" Japanese pop song on your iPod while fighting a Beauty. She will start dancing. If you aim a camera at her, she will pose.
During any of the Beauties battles, lie down, and they will straddle Snake, then he will knock them off.
You can buy a magazine with pictures of the models that the Beauty And The Beast unit were based on from Drebin.
Flick the TV remote with the Mk II to get Japanese models to appear on the television.
Flick the remote for the screen Campbell talks to you on with the Mk II to see pictures of ladies in their underwear.
When Naomi is in the Nomad and on the computer talking, use the Mk II to look at Otacon's computer. His webcam is focused on Naomi's cleavage.
During the third playthrough of the game, when you first meet Rose she will be wearing a new shirt.
When you speak with Rose on the Codec, shake the Sixaxis to make her breasts move.
To look through the Playboy magazine, press R1, then go into first person view. Then, hold L1 and press Circle to go through the pages. If the game puts you in third person view, press Triangle to enter first person view to see the models.
There are two posters of Akina Minami in the Vista mansion. Look at them in first person view, and Snake will say her name and his Psyche gauge will increase.
Clear an area of all enemies in Act 1 or Act 2. All the allied soldiers will begin to cheer. No additional enemies will respawn in those areas if you return.
While fighting Psycho Mantis, CQC Meryl, and inject her with the syringe to take her safely out of the fight. Note: Mantis might take control of her again after awhile.
Shoot five tranquilizer rounds into the legs of a Gekko. It will collapse and thrash around on the floor. You can walk past without being spotted while that is happening.
When you are in the basement lab at Shadow Moses and the Gecko appears, send the Mk II to the electric console to the right of the elevator. Note: This is the same console that was destroyed with the rocket in the original Metal Gear Solid. Use the Mk II to reactivate the electric floor and destroy the Gecko.
In the first part of the battle against Vamp, after you get his health low enough, he will fall down. As he gets up, grab him in a CQC hold, and inject him with the syringe that you obtained earlier. This will disable his Nanites and make him mortal.
You do not have to deplete Vamp's health before CQC grabbing him. Hide and sneak up behind him for a CQC.
Instead of depleting his life, use a tranquilizer gun and shoot his head. He will fall down, immediately giving you the chance for the CQC.
Crawl around the vents in Shadow Moses to encounter Rats. When they see Snake, "!" will appear above their heads, accompanied with a sound. They will run away. Keep chasing them, and they will repeat the "!" alert. Following the rats is a good way to get in. If you call Otacon after you see the rats, Snake will talk about them and how they helped him before.
If you complete a chapter after 4 a.m., a message will come up during the install screen (Snake smoking), suggesting that you get up and do some stretches, and saying that you have been playing awhile.
When tailing a resistance member, if you look behind Snake, you will occasionally notice a man with a hat and trenchcoat also tailing him. This is how the Scarabs found the hideout. If you try to shoot him, he will duck away around the corner and disappear.
Wear one of the Beauty's face paints in Act 3. The Resistance will ask Snake, "Hey, are you looking for a real man?" The vehicle patrols will also honk at you as they drive by.
Call Otacon a few times in Shadow Moses at the part where Snake originally fought Vulcan Raven in the tank (and is now where two sleeping Geckos are found). Otacon will say that "Snake is the craziest bad ass who ever lived."
Try to access any feature that requires Internet connectivity while not connected. A chat menu featuring Otacon will appear, and he will try to give you technical support.
During the Act 5 mission briefing, immediately after Otacon lights Snake's cigarette, he adjusts his glasses. When he does this, you can see a reflection of Naomi on their lenses.
Play the "Oishii ChuhanSeikatsu" Japanese pop song on Snake's iPod. During that song, press Start to see Sunny dancing at the bottom left corner.
In Act 3, while you are trailing the Resistance member, listen to his whistle. It is what Sunny will hum during mission briefings.
At the third part of the final fight, when Liquid Ocelot grabs Snake by the neck, allow the controller to idle. After some time, Liquid Ocelot will kiss Snake on the cheek.
In Act 5, if you die and wait an extended period to select "Continue" or "Exit", you will hear Liquid say "It's not over yet, brother!", and the "Exit" button will change to read "Exist". Using it will move your selection over to "Continue", but then you will have the option to exit again.
After dying, call Rose to hear a conversation about Snake having dreams of being killed or a comment from Snake saying that he feels like he has died once before.
During the Act 5 mission briefing, use the Left Analog-stick to change the projection's height on the screen. This will make some of the attendees angry.
Tranq Crying Wolf, and the wolves in that area will follow you.
In Act 4, kill one of the wolves after you defeat Crying Wolf. The others will attack you. Call Otacon, and he will wince. Call Rose, and she will tell you that animal cruelty is the first sign of criminal behavior, and says that she will have you psychologically assessed if you continue to kill them.
Hold up a FROG soldier, and body search them. When you would normally ball crush a male prisoner, they will say "You men are all the same", "You're disgusting!", or "Ugh" and kick you.
When you search a FROG soldier when they have no items, she will giggle as if ticklish.
When you search a FROG soldier and touch her chest, sometime she will moan or say "You're pretty good at this".
Sneak through the first part after the opening, and go through the buildings. At the building to the right of where the APC shows up, crawl under the rubble. You will see a militia soldier get brutally shot after pleading for his life.
Whenever Snake is smoking there is always a no smoking sign behind him.
When tracking Naomi in Act 2, look to the right when crossing the river to see a guard relieving himself.
Follow the resistance member in Act 3 to see him urinating in the fountain in the small park.
In the central park during Act 3, there is a statue that Snake can interact and imitate. Stay in that pose until a resistance member appears, and he will urinate on you.
There is a gun called the "Stun Gun" which is actually a reference to one of Hideo Kojima's older games, Boktai: The Sun Is In Your Hands for the Game Boy Advance. This is confirmed when Solid Snake raises the gun towards the sun to recharge and yells out "Sunlight", much like the main character did in Boktai.
After defeating Screaming Mantis and immediately after Psycho Mantis vibrates your controller, keep pressing X to see Hideo Kojima.
If you prolong the Psycho Mantis fight long enough, the game will show the opening screen, except the word "Kojima" will replace "Konami". The game will then resume the Psycho Mantis fight.
Press L1 to examine the .50 Cal Anti-Material Sniper Rifle to see "Recommended by Hideo Kojima."
When Snake hides from the two Irvings next to the box of watermelons, the box reads "No Place For Hideo."
You can see a ghost image of Hideo Kojima in Otacon's lab using the camera. It is between Policenauts and the poster that from a distance reads "Final Fantasy VI".
On the computer, the term "Video 2" is called "Hideo 2".
When the game first begins, the channels on the television are numbered 15, 16, 23, and 42, which are part of the number sequence from the television show Lost.
The monitor for the PC used by Sunny has a Lunar Knights screensaver.
During the Act 1 FROG attack sequence, attack Meryl. She will say the same things she said when you attacked her in Metal Gear Solid.
The password Johnny puts in to disable the laser trip trap is "MERYL SILVERBURGH".
You fight Crying Wolf in the same area you fought Sniper Wolf.
You can find the Hind D still in the Snowfield where you fight Crying Wolf.
During the Mantis fight, switch your controller ports when your television switches to "Hideo 2". Otacon will come on the Codec and notify you that the trick does not work twice. You will also get a suggestion about destroying the bust.
When you die in Act 4, the "Game Over" music from the first Metal Gear Solid will play.
After you die during the final Boss battle and select "Exit", it quickly changes to "Exist". Liquid Ocelot says "Not yet Snake, it's not over yet" and it moves the pointer back to "Continue". This is a reference to a quote by Liquid in the original Metal Gear Solid.
Call Rosemary with a ration equipped to see a reference to a sequence that happened in Metal Gear Solid 2, when Raiden calls Snake on the Codec with a ration equipped and comments about Rose's cooking.
When Drebin and Little Grey jump off of the Stryker, they will land in Naked Snake's pose from Metal Gear Solid 3, when he first arrives for the Operation Virtuous mission.
Equip the Patriot gun to hear music from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
Press L1 to view the description for the Mosin-Nagant. It mentions The End and his sniper duel with Big Boss.
If you stare at Meryl's breasts, she will blush similarly to how she did in Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes.
Look at the two puppets dangling from Screaming Mantis. The two puppets appear to be Psycho Mantis and The Sorrow from previous Metal Gear Solid games.
When Snake and Naomi talk about war changing and how it used to be "just a game", all of the Metal Gear Solid titles appear in an indexed list. After MGS4, there are a few boxes titled "In Production."
When you first enter Big Mama's hideout and the guards start talking about Snake, press L1 to see posters from Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.
In the Nomad briefing missions, take control of the Mk II, and go to the right of the helicopter. There are three separately caged chickens, each with its own label: "Solid", "Liquid", and "Solidus". This is a reference to the three Big Boss clones. A further reference to those chickens happens at the very beginning of Act 1 when Sunny is cooking eggs. She says "Only two eggs? Solidus must've taken the day off."
The rubber duck in the upper gantry of the Nomad can also be found in Capture The Flag mode in Metal Gear Online; in the GA-KO camouflage in Metal Gear Solid 3; and floating in the flooded Shell Core in Metal Gear Solid 2.
When you are in the final showdown with Liquid, when it enters the third stage of the fight, Liquid will do Ocelot's signature hand gesture.
Otacon has a model of Rex beside his computer.
During a Codec transmission with Campbell, he will talk about the training PMC soldier's went through. Snake says similar to "...better than those VR missions".
Drebin sells laundered guns, called "Naked Guns". Drebin's name is a reference to Frank Drebin from The Naked Gun movies.
One of the backgrounds on Otacon's computer is a scene from Policenauts.
In the Act 1 briefing, there is a PS3 on the second floor of the plane.
During the Act 1 briefing, go upstairs on the Nomad to see Sunny unpacking her PS3 and PSP.
In the Act 2 briefing, there is a PlayStation 3 on the table.
After you defeat Crying Wolf in Act 4, Otacon will call you as you enter that building and tell you to change discs. He then catches himself and starts talking about Blu-Ray and the PlayStation 3.
When you send out the Mk 2, look over Snake's shoulder by tilting the camera. He is using a PlayStation 3 controller to control it.
Use the Codec to call Rose during the fight with Screaming Mantis. Campbell will tell you to switch controller ports. Rose will get angry and say there are not any controller ports because this is on a PlayStation 3.
If you use a Sixaxis controller against Psycho Mantis he says, "What? No vibration!" and the flashbacks show the Sixaxis.
During the Act 2 briefing, Sunny is playing a PSP. The game is Penguin Adventure, a 1986 title for the MSX computer system, which was Hideo Kojima's first game.
The suit Snake wears in Act 3 is a homage to Gillian Seed, from Snatchers.
The "Dr. Madnar" mentioned in Act 3 is a reference to a scientist from Snatchers.
In Shadow Moses when Snake is about to get on the lift to fight Vamp, watch as the camera circles around the lift area to see a Darth Vader helmet on the floor.
In the Act 5 briefing, while Mei Ling is explaining the situation to everyone she says something about it being an impenetrable fortress or something similar. Snake then says, "He has his very own Death Star."
Leeroy Jenkins' grave can be seen directly behind Big Boss's. It will come into view when the camera pans around the area before Old Snake puts the gun into his mouth. You can also see it again while Old Snake is carrying Big Boss to The Boss' grave.
When you look at the briefing scene, Otacon's computer desktop picture is the main character from Zone Of The Enders, another game directed by Hideo Kojima.
The following weapons are available in the game:
Pistols
- 1911 Custom
- Desert Eagle (originally used by Meryl)
- Desert Eagle Long Barrel
- Five Seven (gun used by Snake when he infiltrated Galuade)
- Glock 18C
- GSR (.45)
- Mk 2 Pistol (Tanq)
- Mk.23 SOCOM (Snake's main handgun from Metal Gear Solid)
- Operator (Colt .45 with extended barrel)
- PMM
- PSS
- Race Gun (fires ricochet bullets)
- Solar Gun (causes enemies to drop weapons and does extreme damage to Vamp)
- Thor .45-70 (rifle pistol)
- Type 17 (broom handle machine pistol)
Sub-machine guns
- Bizon
- M-10
- MP5sd2
- Mp7
- P90
- Patriot (The Boss' weapon; has unlimited ammunition)
- VZ. 83 Skorpion
Assault rifles
- Ak102
- An94
- FAL Carbine
- G3A3
- M4 Custom
- Mk.17
- XM8
Sniper weapons
- DSR-1
- Heavy machine guns
- HK21E
- M14EBR
- M60E4
- M82A2
- MK.46 Mod 1
- Mosin-Nagant (The End's sniper rifle)
- PKM
- RAIL GUN
- SVD
- Tanegashima (old flint lock that is very slow to reload, 33% of hits causes a whirlwind that carries off enemies making them drop items)
- VSS
Shotguns
- M870 Custom
- Saiga-12
- Twin Barrel
Grenade launchers
- MGL-140
- XM25
Rocket launchers
- Fim-92A (Stinger)
- Javelin
- M72A3
- RPG-7
Weapon modifiers
- Dot sights
- Flashlights
- Fore grips
- Grenade launchers
- Laser sights
- Masterkey (under barrel shotgun for assault rifles)
- Scopes
- Suppressors
Others
- C4
- Chaff grenade
- Claymore
- Grenade
- Knife
- Molotov cocktail
- Sleeping gas mine
- Sleep gas satchel charge
- Smoke grenades (yellow, red, blue, green)
- Stun grenade
- White phosphorus grenade
Posts
