If it looks like a snake and sounds like a snake...In part one of this epic post I I was still buzzing from the various methods of dispatching the enemy and combinations of weapons and tactics in MGO. I think I should say a little about the graphics and sound. Some people have been a little disappointed with the graphics. The maps in the beta were a little washed out and gritty looking but for me that only added to the game. The same people rave about how gorgeous Gears Of War looks when that's far greyer and grittier! The expectations are very high for MGS4 so I guess it's inevitable that gamers are going to be hyper critical.
One of my favourite maps in the beta was Midtown Maelstrom. This Middle Eastern battleground features avenues crisscrossed with alleyways (mine anyone?). It's a really nice looking map, full of hot, dusty, sun bleached streets and dark, shady nooks and crannies, perfect for a sniper or a CQC nut. Dust particles fill the air and when you zoom down the street through your sniper scope the air shimmers with a heat haze.
The sound too is outstanding. All around artillery shells or grenades boom in the distance and gun fire echoes from a street or two over. You really get the feeling that you're in the middle of a warzone. It keeps the tension up as you creep down a deserted street looking for the enemy.
Another great thing about the sound is that it can reveal the enemy. Many times I have been standing around a corner, heard the echo of running feet, getting closer. A quick check of the map lets me know it's not one of my guys, they appear as blue triangles. Sure enough an enemy soldier runs right by my location. Heh heh, that really was a good location to put a mine.
I tricked an enemy soldier into a mine using sound too. I spotted him at the end of an alley, running to a dark nook to wait for an unwary passer-by. I ran up to the corner, just short of being seen, and planted a mine. I ran back down the alley, my footsteps echoing loudly. Hrm, he didn't take the bait. I ran up again, just short of my mine at the corner, paused as if unsure, then ran away again. This time he dashed around the corner, gun blazing. Boom!
Sound effects have always been top notch with Metal Gear Solid. The weapons all sound realistic and convincing. Bullets ricochet off walls, grenades clink-clink to the ground in front of you, barrels explode and the enemy screams in varying degrees of agony. Actually the best sound effect in the whole game as far as I'm concerned is the one you hear when a soldier has stumbled across a girly mag. He chuckles crazily, like Butthead of Beavis and Butthead. It cracks me up every time. XD
The music is a mixed bag. Luckily every time you're about to respawn after being offed, which is often, you're given the chance to choose new weapons and to turn on or off the music. I prefer it off as you can hear those enemy sound cues better and some of the music gets pretty annoying. There's more tension without the music too, in some maps anyway. The sound of battle is a symphony. Hrm, sounds like something a MGS bad guy might say.
Well, looks like there will be a part three to this epic post. I have thoughts and theories about some of the other skills available to players such as 'aware' and 'target alert' and combinations of skills and weapons. Stay tuned!
- L1
