I’m the first to admit that as I get older, it gets easier and easier to get set in my ways. I might even use the word “comfortable” to describe it. Lately though, I’ve been at odds with myself. I’d decided I didn’t really care about something that’s growing more and more hyped in the gaming press. After reading a couple things today, I think the end of that comfort is near. To quote from of a past generation (here’s the Wikipedia entry kids), “I can’t fight this feeling anymore…” I’m officially excited for Metal Gear Solid 4. There… I said it. All signs point to it being the real deal.
I hate unnecessary hype. The only thing I hate worse than unnecessary hype is unwarranted hype. I got that vibe from just about every discussion about MGS4 over the past year. I hate having my excitement built up only to be ultimately let down. It’s happened quite a few times over the last year or so to the point I’d started honing my anti-hype skills. I managed to avoid the Heavenly Sword and Lair hype cycles. After a few times of riding that roller coaster, the best thing I’ve found to do is to just step out of line and let someone else ride while I idly stand by the exit area happily munching on some popcorn waiting to see if they emerge greenfaced and ill or even more excited than ever. Well folks, it looks like the first batch of riders just got off the roller coaster and they can’t seem to contain just how exciting the ride was.
1UP’s Shane Bettenhausen has written a preview for MGS4. In between the parts where he brags about being sequestered multiple times by Konami for exclusive first hands-on looks at Metal Gear games and waxing poetic about late night fireside chats with Kojima himself (I kid you not), he seems to imply he has genuinely underestimated MGS4 even though he was (expectedly) very optimistically anticipating its release.
The other person to talk about their hands-on experience with MGS4 today was IGN’s Jeff Haynes. I think Jeff’s two-word summary of the game is about as good as it gets and I’m betting he spent a lot of time maximizing the possible effect he could generate with only two words. In the end, he settled with “freaking amazing.” He goes on to say “this is the system seller that we’ve all known Metal Gear Solid 4 was going to be.” These are the words of someone that has seen, played, and beaten the game. Stack up 10,000 MGS fanboys, have them write up their best reasons why I should care about MGS4 and those two statements from Jeff Haynes pretty much trumps them all. Having said that, I have no idea who Jeff Haynes is, nor am I familiar with his writing style or reaction to games. I’m much more familiar with Shane’s style and I can tell from reading these two previews that MGS4 has the “WOW” factor very well defined.
I’m still waiting to get that “I feel fine to freely be excited and express my anxious anticipation” feeling about other games, like say GTA IV and I’ve still not come completely to grips with my newfound feelings for MGS4, but I’ve taken a big step today. I encourage you all to read the two previews from Shane and Jeff. From the sounds of it, there are 12-14 more previews you might be seeing before long (oddly, the number of attendees conflicted between their two reports… maybe two folks actually died during the event from “freaking awesome” overload, who knows?)
What are your thoughts on MGS4? Have you always been anticipating it? Were you like me and didn’t really care to allow the hype to get you excited for it? If something you read in those two previews changes your mind, tell me what it was and why it changed your mind. I surely can’t be the only one.
UPDATE: It looks like GamePro’s preview it up now now and in true “Name That Tune” fashion, they claim they can best IGN’s description of MGS4 by “Naming That Game” in one word. That word is “Spectacular.”
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Yeah, I’m very excited for MSG4. This game has been shaping up to be “freakking amazing” since the beginning; and with the track record of the past three games, its looking good.
Might this be the first nail in the coffin of the 360?
I am going to go out on my own limb here. Never played any of the MGS stuff. So quite expectedly I have no hype reserved for any MGS title. This may be the first time I have ever been excited enough to buy a gam ein this series. That and the whole poop factor of course.
this is the year of the ps3 and good old snake (emphasis on old ) is the one rounding up the troops
yep i too got the hype
i hope is not the end of the 360 `cuz i dont have money to afford it 
bugt the game looks awesome thats true …
I got on the MGS bandwagon pretty late (MGS3), and I have been told I MGS2 is a cult classic, but I am pretty stoked for this game.
It’s been talked about for at least 3 years and is the supposed conclusion to all this madness. I haven’t seen enough…or really any gameplay yet so I want to restrain myself somewhat.
Also, the release date is perfect on June 12 as it is the beginning of the summer where there is usually a lul in quality games and its a few weeks after finals.
I like MGS but I never jump on the BanWagon to early. I ussualy by the game a year or if not two years after its release. I did that for all 5 titles? I’m think there were 5.
Why wait years to play a game? Something of MGS quality and calibur surely derserves a rent at the very least sometime early on after release. Especially if it is already on your radar.
I have been playing MGS since the 8bit days of “Metal gear” and I will be sure to pick MGS4 up ASAP.
With that being said, I will be playing my 360 in the meatime.
MGS4 is not going to be the 360 killer, no…… it will be the PS3 saviour.
The article has been updated to reflect GamePro’s one-word summary of MGS4. “Spectacular”
been expecting it since the first trailer
It looks to be a good game but usually what Shane B. likes I hate so that is not a good sign.
Btw – Is this game in black and white? Everything I’ve seen of this game lacks of any color whatsoever. Anyway, MGS4 = meh I will probably give it a rent unless I start seeing a string of 10/10 reviews then I might go buy it.
Well, from the reactions of the 14 selected journalists that have already played the game in full, those 10/10 reviews seem to have already been booked.
I would not expect no less from Hideo. I played every MGS game there is today and if you haven’t been there from the start then I don’t know what to tell you. (Go pick up the Essentials Colection.)
Everything from random codec moments to taking pictures of ghosts randomly placed in peculiar areas would describe some of the things Hideo has “Hidden within the game.”
There is so much more! Box humor, Dirty Magazines, Stealth Camo, Throwing Snakes, Character Interactions (Meryl in MGS1. Keep staring at her “woo-hoo’s” for about a minute and she’ll slap you!), Microphone moments, Etc etc…. I really don’t know where you have been but MGS is a roller coaster filled with easter eggs and run-in’s that are never forget-able. (Volgin and the Raiden Mask in MGS3! Snake and the bottle of Ketchup in MGS1. Raiden in the girls Bathroom!)
Come on man where have you been?
I hope Hideo breaks the 4th wall in this game. Where the bosses mess with your system. Like the game plays a sound that is EXACTLY like your game get scratched up in the drive….or something like the Mantis fight.
That kind of stuff is always welcomed in my book.
@ beebop
of course it isnt in black and white where did u get that? however i will admit that the place looks extremly middle eastish