Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is an upcoming video game with a release date of Q2 2008. Just s with previous installments in the Metal Gear series, it is a stealth shooter. The game, directed by Hideo Kojima, Shuyo Murata and Yoji Shinkawa, is being developed exclusively for the PlayStation 3 console.

Development and theme

Hideo Kojima said that he was going to stop directing Metal Gear games after Metal Gear Solid 3. During the first Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer, the words "No Place for Hideo?" came up on screen. This was a play on the game's theme: "No Place to Hide" . However, he decided to co-direct Metal Gear Solid 4, after the negative reaction he received when he announced that he was not going to direct it. Some fans even sent him death threats . The director was announced as being Alan Smithee - a made up name used by film producers, when they want to disassociate themselves from a film.

Plot

The game follows Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty chronologically, since Metal Gear Solid 3 was a prequel to the other Metal Gear Solid games.

Solid Snake has aged more rapidly than other characters, due to the fact that he is a clone of Big Boss. He is ill, and is seen to be having a coughing fit during one of the trailers. Characters confirmed to be returning in the game are:

• Raiden (now as a ninja)
• Otacon (aka Hal Emmerich)
• Liquid Ocelot (Revolver Ocelot controlled by Liquid Snake's arm)
• EVA (now named "Big Mama")
• Naomi Hunter
• Colonel Campbell
• Meryl Silverburgh
• Vamp
• Mei Ling

There will be a new FOXHOUND team made up of Meryl Silverburgh, Ed and Jonathan (two characters from Hideo's Kojima's game Policenauts) and Johnny Sasaki (a joke character who had appeared in previous Metal Gear Solid games suffering from diarrhea.

There will be a new group of enemies named the "Beauty and the Beast" unit. They are women who were destroyed mentally be war and become "war machines". Their inner person is the "Beauty" and their outer armor is the "Beast". There are five members of the unit: Crying Wolf, Raging Raven, Screaming Mantis and Laughing Octopus. Their first names are all the same as the emotions of the bosses in Metal Gear Solid 3 (Crying - The Sorrow; Raging - The Fury; Screaming - The Fear; Laughing - The Joy). Their second names refer to members of the FOXHOUND squad in the original Metal Gear Solid (Sniper Wolf, Raven, Psycho Manits and Decoy Octopus). All the units have a thick exoskeleton, but have different powers.

Throughout the game, a war is being fought. Mercenaries are being hired by countries to fight wars, and the four largest PMCs are led by Liquid Ocelot. Colonel Campbell sends in Solid Snake to stop Liquid Ocelot.

Gameplay

The gameplay will be similar to that of her games in the Metal Gear series. The game involves using stealth to advance. However, there will be several improvements to the previous system.

The camouflage system introduced in Metal Gear Solid 3 is being replaced by an "Octocamo". After a few seconds, Snake's suit will match the color of the surface underneath him.

There will also be new camera views. The new view introduced in Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence will be available. There will also be a new "over-the-shoulder" camera view.

Snake wears a device on his eye called the "Solid Eye". This acts like the binoculars in previous Metal Gear Solid games.

There will also be a "Psyche Meter". The level of Snake's Psyche Meter can be affected by external factors. One example in the trailer was Snake looking at a book full of photos of women. This caused his Psyche level to increase.

Trailers

• Trailer shown at the Tokyo Game Show 2005
• Trailer shown at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2006
• Trailer shown at the Tokyo Game Show 2006
• Trailer shown at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2007
• Trailer shown at the Leipzig Games Convention 2007
• Gameplay demonstration shown at the Metal Gear 20th Anniversary Party