commonly abbreviated to MGS4, is a stealth action video game developed by Kojima Productions for the PlayStation 3. Guns of the Patriots is the latest addition to the Metal Gear series and was directed by Hideo Kojima, Shuyo Murata and Yoji Shinkawa. Its worldwide release on June 12, 2008 came ten years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and twenty years after the US release of Metal Gear. MGS4 has received wide-spread critical acclaim, garnering Game of the Year awards from several major gaming publications, including GameSpot, which hailed the game as technically flawless. The game has been a driving force behind sales of the Metal Gear franchise.
Gameplay
In MGS4, the player assumes the role of Old Snake, utilizing stealth, CQC and traditional combat techniques. The overhead camera of earlier Metal Gear games has been replaced by a third person camera, with First Person View and Over The Shoulder cameras optional. CQC has been implemented with greater detail than any other game in the series.
A further addition to gameplay mechanics is the Psyche Meter. Psyche is decreased by non-lethal attacks, and is influenced by battlefield psychology. Stressors (including temperature extremes, foul smells and being hunted by the enemy) increase Snake's Stress gauge, eventually depleting his Psyche. Adverse effects include difficulty in aiming, more frequent back pain and the possibility of Snake passing out upon receiving damage. Among the available methods of restoring Psyche are eating, drinking, smoking and reading a Playboy magazine.
Snake has a few gadgets to aid him in battle. The OctoCamo suit mimics the appearance and texture of any surface, decreasing the probability of Snake being noticed. The Solid Eye device highlights items and enemies, and can operate in Night Vision and Binocular mode. It also offers a Baseline Map, which indicates the location of nearby units. The latter function is also performed by the Threat Ring, a visualization of Snake's senses that deforms based on nearby unit proximity.
Metal Gear Mk.II, later substituted by Mk.III, offers CODEC functionality and a means to the in-game menu for a large part of Snake's mission. It can be remote controlled to stun enemies, provide reconnaissance and interact with the environment . Its design is based on the namesake robot from Snatcher, a game designed by Hideo Kojima.
Whenever the Drebin menu is available, weapons, attachments and ammunition can be purchased via Drebin Points, awarded for on-site procurement of weapons already in the inventory and by initiating specific scripted events. The conversion rate between weapons and DPs depends on current battlefield conditions.
The Virtual Range, similar to the Virtual Reality training of previous titles, functions as a test facility for weapon performance and gameplay controls.
