MGS4
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The secret weapons of Metal Gear Solid 4
The above video doesn't spoil anything story-wise, but it does show some of the weapons you can unlock in Metal Gear Solid 4. If that's going to bother you, don't press play. Otherwise, feel free to check out some of the incredible guns (which may or may not belong to The Patriots). We can't figure out if any of these would benefit or hurt our ability to sneak -- we'd probably just lose interest and jump in, guns blazing.(P.S. – Don't forget you can win a copy of MGS4 signed by Hideo Kojima.)[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Go on, buy a limited edition MGS4 watch - we did
Do you enjoy knowing what time it is? Do you love playing Metal Gear Solid 4? Why not combine the two with this limited edition Metal Gear Solid 4 watch. It's exclusive to the UK and only available from GameStation. When we say "limited edition," we mean it. There are only 500 of these being made available and that is reflected in the price. Each watch comes with a gift box and a certificate of authenticity, showing that Hideo Kojima has "approved" it himself. Obviously we wouldn't want it, otherwise.The watch itself is made out of stainless steel and has the Metal Gear Solid 4 logo emblazoned on the face. It's not out until the end of October, so if the price feels a little steep you've got another four months to save up. For more details check out the GameStation webpage for the item.
Play LittleBigPlanet early with PlayStation Experience
Have you been aching to play LittleBigPlanet? If you have, then perhaps you might want to check out the PlayStation Experience -- a roving 10-wheel truck of PlayStation gaming goodness -- when it swings by your town, or a town near your town. The truck will be making stops at certain events across the USA this summer and people can come up and try out LittleBigPlanet, SingStar, and Rock Band.A second mammoth truck dubbed PlayStation Patrol will also be going cross-country. This one will have kiosks and a player's lounge for playing Metal Gear Solid 4, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and tons of PSP games. For tour dates and when to expect these trucks to roll into a place near you, check here for Experience and here for Patrol. Hit up the PlayStation.Blog for some pics of the big rig sets.
MGS4 runs 12 circles around closest competitor first week in Japan
We already knew sales of Metal Gear Solid 4 were good for Japan, with Famitsu reporting earlier that 476,000 copies had been sold in the first few days of release. According to Media Create, that figure sneaks in an extra 11,000, as they're only tracking 465,000 in sales for the first week (via Gamasutra).Despite the missing units, the launch provides some interesting statistics. MGS4 moved over 12 times as many units as its closest competitor, Mario Kart Wii (38,000), and more than double that of the non-Metal Gear top 10 combined. Sorry, Snake, there's no place to hide in Japan. Snake? Snaaaake? SNAAAAAAKE! Check out our Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots page for all things Metal Gear. While you're at it, enter for your chance to win a copy of MGS4 signed by Hideo Kojima!
Metal Gear Solid 4 outsells every other game in Japan 2:1
No surprise here -- the behemoth that is Metal Gear Solid 4 has obliterated the competition in the Japanese charts. It managed to sell over 12 times the amount of the runner-up, Mario Kart Wii. But wait, there's more! MGS4 alone outsold every other game on the chart combined by more than 2 to 1. An impressive feat, no doubt. Last week's winner, Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit on the PS3, dropped down to 7th place with 18,000 copies sold. With two (!) PS3 games in the top 10 and two PSP games as well, Sony must be rather pleased by their sales in Japan. 1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) - 465,0002. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) - 38,0003. Wii Fit (Wii) - 37,0004. Powerful Pro Portable Baseball 3 (PSP) - 27,0005. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP) - 26,0006. Hisshou Pachinko Kouryaku (DS) - 22,0007. Dragon Ball Z Burst Limit (PS3) - 18,0008. DS Calligraphy Training (DS) - 17,0009. DS Misa Yamamura Suspense (DS) - 17,00010. Furai No Syren 3 (Wii) - 14,000
The incredible secret weapons of MGS4
Spoiler alert! We couldn't resist sharing this video with you once we saw it. While this video doesn't spoil any elements of the game's story, it does reveal many bonus items that you may acquire throughout the game. These items and weapons are rather extraordinary, but if you don't want to ruin the surprise of knowing what they are, please don't watch this video.For the rest of you, enjoy.[Via Three Speech]
Metal Gear Solid Database available now on Japanese PSN Store
Just in case you can't stand the few hours wait until the Metal Gear Solid Database is made available on the US Store (or, in case you're European), we're here to let you know that it's ready to download right now for those with Japanese accounts. The 77mb Database download includes Japanese, English and a few European languages, so don't worry about having to combat any language barriers. The Metal Gear Solid Database contains info on all the canonical games from the series (Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, Metal Gear Solid, MGS2, MGS3, MGS4 and Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops), including a timeline of events, character relationship diagrams and an encyclopedia of terms, places and people. To protect those that have yet to finish MGS4, all spoilerish information from the game is blacked out until the Database locates a completed MGS4 save file.For a preview of the Database, check out Siliconera. [Thanks, Mike!]
Metal Gear Solid 4 Database to be released tomorrow on PSN
For those of you who simply can't get enough of everything MGS, there's surprise for everyone tomorrow on PSN -- an official Metal Gear Solid 4 Database. The Database is a "free, downloadable interactive application that contains the official knowledge base of everything that is Metal Gear, reaching all the way back to the very beginning of the franchise." In other words, all the MGS lore you could ever want in one free official package.In consideration of those of us who haven't finished MGS4 yet, there is a feature that eliminates any and all MGS4 information for a spoiler-free experience. They also added a camouflage and a new music for the in-game iPod under EXTRAS of the main menu for immediate download. It looks like Konami has a lot of MGS4 DLC up their sleeves, we can't wait!
MGS4 Database available tomorrow on PSN
Konami will sneak in the MGS4 Database with tomorrow's PSN Store update. The free downloadable interactive program contains the "official knowledge base" of all things Metal Gear -- guess we can get rid of Ludwig now. The database will contain complete storylines, character profiles, relationship diagrams and "much more." A nice consideration in the database is that all MGS4 spoiler info is "blacked out" until the user beats the game.It's like explaining Metal Gear has become its own cottage industry. There are the actual Metal Gear games, and then there's trying to explain the Metal Gear story.
Metareview (US Edition) -- Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)
So, here's the thing about a metareview for Metal Gear Solid 4: You probably don't give a crap. Well, let us rephrase that. It's not that you don't want to hear what people are saying about the game, it's that it's probably not going to effect your purchasing decision one way or the other. But it's rare, seeing a game that garners so many 10s while scoring as low as 8 with some outlets, so we figured it was worth taking a look at. Polarization ahoy! Game Informer (100/100): "For a game as ambitious and groundbreaking as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, sticking to the formula simply isn't good enough.As the crowning achievement of the series' 20-year history, Hideo Kojima's final Metal Gear Solid title may not be what you expect, but it is everything you could hope for in a video game." 1UP (91/100): "The MGS4 conundrum is this: The further you play into the game, the less you actually play. Surrendering so much control to make way for movie sequences is galling, especially when the dialogue makes such a big deal about freedom and free will. And it's frustrating that this final chapter of the series begins so well, but ultimately fades -- because once the shock of the nonstop plot revelations wears off, the vanished gameplay leaves a nagging sense of disappointment. Despite this gradual decay, though, MGS4 is absolutely a great game." GameDaily (80/100): "Snake's epic, final act just isn't the triple A extravaganza we expected, and it's clear that if Konami intends to continue this franchise or spin off into something new, it needs to study its competition and evolve, delivering shorter cut scenes and superior shooting. But for now, this is one of the most important games in history and you'll dig its cool boss battles, at times witty dialogue and unrivaled sneaking mechanics."
Win a Kojima-signed copy of MGS4!
Couldn't make it to New York City for the launch of MGS4 and other Kojima signings? Well, you may have missed the festivities; however, you still have a chance to win a Kojima-signed copy from us! Yes, we're giving away our copy to one lucky reader. To enter, all you have to do is leave us a comment and tell us your favorite Metal Gear moment (non-MGS4 please!). Comments must be left before 5PM EST on Monday, June 23rd. Only one entry per person.One winner will be selected in a random drawing. Grand Prize Winner will receive a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (signed by Hideo Kojima and Yumi Kikuchi) for the PS3. MSRP: $60. Click here for complete Official Rules. Eligibility is restricted to the legal residents of the 50 United States (including DC) and Canada (excluding Quebec). You must be 18 years or older to enter.For another chance to win an autograph copy, visit Joystiq.
Joyswag: Win a Kojima-signed copy of MGS4
Update: A winner has been selected and contacted via e-mail. Congrats!So this "Hideo Kojima" guy totally ruined our copy of Metal Gear Solid 4. He had the nerve to scribble all over it in permanent marker. It looks like he ... signed it? Yuck!His signature has obviously tarnished our copy. It's worthless now, so we're giving it away in this latest edition of Joyswag: Garbage Edition. Go ahead, take it away from us. We don't want it! Bah!To enter this giveaway, leave a comment expressing your earnest desire to collect our garbage. Comments must be left before 5PM EST on Monday, June 23rd. Only one comment per person per calendar day -- or else! One winner will be selected in a random drawing. Grand Prize Winner will receive a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (signed by Hideo Kojima and Yumi Kikuchi) for PS3 (MSRP: $60). Click here for complete Official Rules. Eligibility is restricted to the legal residents of the 50 United States (including DC) and Canada (excluding Quebec). You must be 18 years or older to enter.For another chance to win an autographed copy, visit PS3 Fanboy.
Bad Company makes fun of Solid Snake
Whether or not you own a PS3, there's a pretty good chance you caught wind of the Metal Gear Solid 4 release last week. There's also a pretty good chance that you are at least familiar with the series. Perhaps you even know that Solid Snake, protagonist of the series, has a habit of hiding in barrels and boxes. There's one thing we know for sure though, and that is that Battlefield: Bad Company developer DICE definitely knows about the series. In a new video the soldiers of Bad Company poke fun at the longstanding Metal Gear convention. In short, it's pretty damned funny. Find the video after the break.
MGS4 is best-selling PS3 game in Japan, boosts hardware sales
It shouldn't come as a surprise that Metal Gear Solid 4 is a system-seller. The PS3 exclusive has managed to beat sales records in Japan, becoming the best-selling PS3 game in the territory. (The previous record was held by Minna no Golf 5.) MGS4 sold 476,334 copies in four days. That's slightly less than the Japanese launch of Metal Gear Solid 3, but more than the launches of MGS and MGS2. Considering PS3's smaller install base, this is a fantastic achievement.Hardware sales have jumped to over 77k in the region, an impressive feat when one considers the sluggish sales of PS3 in the region (averaging under 10k per week). This is certainly a time of celebration for Konami and Sony, and should alleviate fears that a PS3 exclusive can't be incredibly successful. However, only time will tell how long MGS4 will be a system seller.[Via Joystiq]
MGS4 sells 476K units first week in Japan; UK PS3 sales impact 'minimal'
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Here is the Metal Gear Solid 4 tale of two regions. In Japan, Famitsu reports that MGS4 sold 476,334 copies in its first few days, becoming the best-selling PS3 game to date in the region. Snake also boosted sales of the PS3 itself, with Japanese sales hovering around the 10K mark; the console sold 77,208 for the week.The UK tells a slightly different MGS4 sales tale. MGS4 is the second fastest-selling PS3 title behind Grand Theft Auto IV and was 14,000 short of MGS2's initial sales in 2002. Although the UK's Chart-Track apparently did not release actual numbers, the company's director did say that MGS4 had a "minimal impact" on hardware sales and that "there's not a lot to say about it."Unless Sony or Konami sends out a release, we're not expecting US sales figures until NPD's June report releases sometime next month.Source: Famitsu (translation) report (Via IGN)Source: Chart-Track: MGS4 had "minimal" impact on UK PS3 sales
MGS4 is the fastest selling PS3 exclusive in the UK
So apparently Metal Gear Solid 4 sold pretty well. Are you really surprised? It's currently sitting at the top of the UK charts after having knocked Lego Indiana Jones off the perch. As a result MGS4 is the fastest selling PS3 exclusive in the region and second fastest selling PS3 game (the 1st fastest being GTA IV). It's also worth noticing that the game has beat MGS3 with regards to first-week sales, but has fallen short by 14,000 when compared to MGS2's. With the PS2 having been out for three years before MGS2's release (whereas the PS3 has been out for only half that), we're very impressed with MGS4's figures so far. Long may it continue.
Snaaake? We ask Sony about 'limited-edition' MGS4 80GB PS3 supply
We've received numerous "tips" concerning the Metal Gear Solid 4 80GB PlayStation3 bundle and just how darned scarce it's become in the wilds of retail. We checked with Sony (full statement after the break) to find out when more shipments of the "limited-edition" bundle will be sneaking back into North America.Sony tells us that it's pleased with the strong interest in the bundle (system seller confirmed!) and is "working to ensure that additional shipments are provided to retailers." The company wouldn't provide specific inventory levels or give a restocking date, so if you're really aching for the bundle, you'd best keep hitting redial and pestering your local retailer.
This Week in Review is sneaking ... and stuff
No time to talk, must sneak. Check out all of our impressions and reviews from the Joystiq Network this week:Metal Gear Solid 4 Metareview Nega-review War has changed: a veteran's MGS4 experience You have rookie eyes: a first-timer's MGS4 experience
See Hideo Kojima's brain
There have been plenty of times when we've dreamed about looking into Hideo Kojima's mind, if only to leave therein the suggestion that it's really about time for another Zone of the Enders or Snatcher game. But we never took the idea quite as literally as Kojima himself, who has the above MRI of his own noggin on display at his workplace. The pic was snapped a couple of years ago by MTV.The site has a larger version of Headeo Kojima, just perfect for ... whatever dark purpose some of you have already begun envisioning.
Final Metal Gear retrospective looks back at fifty year timeline
The sixth and final piece to GameTrailers' Metal Gear retrospective sums up the entire Metal Gear saga. Starting with the beginning of the timeline with Metal Gear Solid 3, the crew goes through the entire fifty year history of canon up until the start of Metal Gear Solid 4. If you need another quick primer to get you prepared to play MGS4 (just in case for some odd reason you haven't already begun playing) make sure to check this out. If you missed any of the older ones, you can see them here.
