inefficient
Veteran
The game mechanics is a strength of the game, because it's sharper than most games outthere and a lot sharper than Uncharted (which was brought up as a comparison title).
The varied range of moves and actions (CQC -> Grabing enemies, using them as human shields, interact with them, throws and attacks) that Snake can take do are not exactly few either.
And as for not being able to climb 40cm tall ledges or boxes - why would you want to climb them anyway? It's not as if there's a reason why you'd need to in the game - and it's not like every other game limits you to an almost 2d grid. Games are built around bounderies, some just offer more so than others. MGS4 is no different in that matter. It doesn't let you climb boxes (that aren't ment to) because there's no reason to. It's not a platformer, it's an action/stealth game and climbing boxes isn't part of the game.
Too bad. I wasn't talking about the cutscenes, I was refering to the fun gameplay engaging in the cat & mouse game with the enemies that the game so brilliantly enables.
Playing it on the higher difficulty settings, where the AI not only is more complex, but where the setting is a bit more realistic as well with more enemies patroling the area
The camo suit also doesn't make you invisible - it basically increases (or decreases) the level of awareness. Movement makes you more visible, as well as standing in the light or using an unappropriate camo for the scene you're in.
And this is easily achieved by the use of the camo suit.The challenge is sneaking from point A to point B without getting seen at all or trying to beat the game without killing a single enemy player.
This might not be the fun way for you to play it - but if you're honestly wanting to play the game like some random first person shooter, than yes, the game isn't for you.
Kojima did try to make the game as accessible as possible to all players (giving various options on how to play the game), but not all approaches give the same challenge, the same fun and there are bounderies as well.
We are playing the same game, but as explained above, you might be playing it different to the norm or in a way it wasn't intended (you speak of running, which obviously doesn't lend itself well to this type of game) or we might simply have a different view on what is fun.
And your last sentance basically gives away you haven't attempted to play the game on medium let alone the higher difficulty settings.
A few direct hits by enemies and you're dead, so no, engaging in fire fights will not get you anywhere.
Playing it like a FPS (like you're obviously tried too) will perhaps work on the easier difficulty settings, but the game will hardly be rewarding or fun.
Okay then, crawling from point A to B.Here we go again. It's not a running game...
...and it most definately isn't a shooter either. If you got into fire fights, you're definately not doing things right.
And you sound like a guy playing a tactical shooter/sneaking game like head-less chicken running around alone in a warzone engaging in firefights and then complaining about the lack of challenge/realism/point in the game.
Someone forgot to tell you it's (obviously) a sneaking mission... If you want to criticise the game, AT LEAST play the game how it was ment to be played.
Strangely, you seem to be the only one in this discussion babbling on about cut-scenes and storyline and I certainly don't see any MGS fans talking about it I stated some of the games strengths and pointed out why and what makes them an impressive feat. Having you point out flaws in it when you obviously didn't even attempt to play the game as it was ment to, doesn't really hold up well, I'm afraid.
... again im playing it as a stealth game.Perhaps this is the downfall of MGS4 - It's a game that can be played in so many different ways, but not all ways convey the strengths as well as others. If you want to get the best exerpience, you need to play it like a MGS game. The fact that it is possible to play it differently is perhaps it's greatest weakness.
This is the reason why IMO it's best to play it on the higher difficulty settings - it really forces you into the whole sneaking gameplay.
And now please stop trying that pisspoor argument, "im playing it wrong". Im not.
The same argument applies both ways. You won't be able to convince us who had a good experience with the game and enjoyed it's mechanics and attention to detail that we are playing it wrong or being naive to it's flaws.
I think we just have to agree to disagree.
But im not saying that your playing it wrong! I simply gave my opinions about the game, i did not say anybody played it wrong or where naive to its flaws. I did not say that my opinions where the "correct" ones. Phil's arguments are about me playing the game wrong, my arguments where about how i felt that alot of the stuff he gave the game credit for is not particularly amazing compared to other games.
The difference is vast.
Im not trying to convince you of anything, all i tried to say is for people (like me) who doesn't follow MGS games, MGS4 does not stand out as a particular masterpiece. You may think differently, thats perfectly fine with me.
The same argument applies both ways. You won't be able to convince us who had a good experience with the game and enjoyed it's mechanics and attention to detail that we are playing it wrong or being naive to it's flaws.
I think we just have to agree to disagree.
True, but his (and others) comments are important to me (and others without a love history with the series). They reflect a relatively unbiased point of view (Ostepop would hardly buy the game, if he knew he would dislike it), and to a person who seriously considered buying the game it is useful to have impressions that are untainted by hype or nostalgia.
And indeed more welcome than the outrageous lengths some on this thread have gone to defend the game, whilst giving Mormon doorknockers serious competition in the conversion business.
Ostepop said:Why the hell are you comparing MGS4 to Uncharted, they are completely different games, anything besides IQ discussions are largely irrelevant.
Ostepop said:Well, aside from CQC moves, its the same basic stuff that you can do with people in SC, i wouldn't say that having a decent selection of moves to mean that game mechanics are the strenght of the game however.
Ostepop said:It has to do with immersion, the immersion is totally ruined when suddenly your planned path is blocked because there is a small box, or a 40cm high ledge infront of you. For example act 3 (i think) at one point there was a route where there was 50cm ledges at different "levels" (of high), you had to go around every one of them, which is ridiculous, why cant he climb the most basic things? Sometimes snake can climb (when its "meant" for him to climb), and 99% of the time he cannot.
Osteopop said:I play on the hardest difficulty setting, and its still horribly easy. The only thing that matter is still pacience and 10% timing, the AI are pretty much just moving in the same scripted paths.
Ostepop said:Your ****ing amazing! Lol. YOU GAVE MGS4 CREDIT FOR BEING AN ACTION GAME NOT ME!!! I SAID IT SUCKED AS AN ACTION GAME
Ostepop said:LOl. You MGS4 fanboys are freaking amazing. Since i didn't enjoy the game as much as you, obviously i must be doing something wrong!!! You think im a ****ing retard? I understand that in stealth games your not supposed to be seen. I try to follow that when playing stealth games. You just seem so scared that somebody
Ostepop said:Your arguing semantics, Camo suit takes away all the challenges of this game, your practically invisible. Just lie down and stand still. If you got face camo aswell, then the enemies have to be very very very close to spot you. On "Big boss Hard" (or whatever is the highest difficulity avaliable from start) all i ever did near enemies was crawling around them, lying down whenever they came to close. Its not exactly particularly hard.
You can find a 'scientific' rationale for pretty much anything!Actually, that is incorrect (as I've shown with "cellular memory" and robots balancing themselves). There is PLENTY science in MGS4.
Right, but my point is that the designers did not start with science, design a game around a well researched scientific basis, and then take occassional liberties. They wrote a story, came up with funky ideas, and then after-the-fact created 'scientific explanations' for them. That's a maintay of Science-fiction, inventing your own plausible explanations . This is on the whole how the creative industries work. There may have been a designer or three with an interest in the sciences suggesting 'hey guys, I've just read about this such-and-such in Nature magazine! How's about we add some of that into MGS4?' Even then, the ideas are likely extended beyond what is realistically possible to make for a more entertaining game. eg. Nanobots repairing people, while the idea is broadly feasible on paper (nanobots could be built that could fix cells), it would require so much energy to do it in the time frames in operation here it just couldn't happen. I think you'll find what happened is the game wanted people with regenerative health, and the designers looked for an explanation that fitted in with their universe and grabbed nanobots. It you want something supernatural, you have two options for an explanations - some scientific marvel like mutations or technology, or spritual powers.However, certain liberties were taken that fall outside of science fiction or fact.
That's very true! They are all created the same way, trying to make an entertaining game without worrying about Real Life getting in the way. With some exceptions, like race simulators and sports gamesMy point was for Vanquish to not pick at those aspects that don't necessarily make sense as a reason to not like the game when it exists in EVERY game.
You can find a 'scientific' rationale for pretty much anything!
Right, but my point is that the designers did not start with science, design a game around a well researched scientific basis, and then take occassional liberties. They wrote a story, came up with funky ideas, and then after-the-fact created 'scientific explanations' for them. That's a maintay of Science-fiction, inventing your own plausible explanations . This is on the whole how the creative industries work. There may have been a designer or three with an interest in the sciences suggesting 'hey guys, I've just read about this such-and-such in Nature magazine! How's about we add some of that into MGS4?' Even then, the ideas are likely extended beyond what is realistically possible to make for a more entertaining game. eg. Nanobots repairing people, while the idea is broadly feasible on paper (nanobots could be built that could fix cells), it would require so much energy to do it in the time frames in operation here it just couldn't happen. I think you'll find what happened is the game wanted people with regenerative health, and the designers looked for an explanation that fitted in with their universe and grabbed nanobots. It you want something supernatural, you have two options for an explanations - some scientific marvel like mutations or technology, or spritual powers.
That's very true! They are all created the same way, trying to make an entertaining game without worrying about Real Life getting in the way. With some exceptions, like race simulators and sports games
That's what you were getting at, huh? I thought that was what I was mostly getting at (hence all the agreeing in his reply to my post).Thank you again Shifty, that was what I was getting at.
Crawling around enemies on the highest difficulty settings? Care to prove this somehow?
Anyone with the game is free to try this at home mind you - maybe you got the super exlusive dumbed down version from Konami, but in my retail copy, I most definately can't do this without getting seen...
so either, you haven't played on hard (let alone bigboss hard), you're getting something mixed up or you're not being very truthful here. Anyone who's attempted to play the game on hard or bigboss hard knows this much is obvious. It's certainly not an easy game under these conditions.
I have to agree with Ostepop on this one, although I admit to not having finished MGS4. I actually planned to play some of it this weekend and instead played a little bit of Left 4 Dead. I also didn't finish MGS2, but I did watch my bro-in-law complete it. I never played MGS3.
The gameplay does not offer anything significant different than past MGS games and the graphics while impressive does not strike me as genre defining.
I play on the hardest difficulty setting, and its still horribly easy.
I have to agree with Ostepop on this one, although I admit to not having finished MGS4. I actually planned to play some of it this weekend and instead played a little bit of Left 4 Dead. I also didn't finish MGS2, but I did watch my bro-in-law complete it. I never played MGS3.
The gameplay does not offer anything significant different than past MGS games and the graphics while impressive does not strike me as genre defining.
Some of the strong points that its fans would argue are a real turn-off for me (eg. long cut-scenes, convoluted and complex story-lines, AI pattern memorization). In the end, I think it comes down to matter of taste. I was really hyped for the game when it came out, but was really disappointed in the end.
My opinion may change if I ever finish it.
Most of my frustrations are from what I deem as trial and error type game-play. I guess I just don't have the patience for these kind of games. It's probably the same reason I don't play open world games like Oblivion, Fallout and the GTA games.
Additionally, the long cut-scenes really turn me off. I'm not giving up on the game (at least not yet) and I fully intend to finish it some day--I said the same thing about MGS2, but was more than satisfied watching my bro-in-law finish it. I have a few days of for the holiday break and hopefully will get some quality time in with it.
What I'm trying to say is I understand where Ostepop is coming from. This game while gold to some, is not for everybody. I'd argue that it's much more of a niche title than mainstream regardless of its sales success.