Even though this game is more forgiving for balls to the wall action, it doesn't change the fact that sneaking through a warzone, completely undetected by either side, is fucking bad-ass.
Now we just need some VR/Alternative Missions (like MGS2S) up in this bitch.
- The difficulty. Way too easy.
- Boss battles felt un-epic except for the final one with Liquid.
- Lack of people to call on the codec. Only two? For the whole game? Bah. Hassling people via codec was probably my favorite aspect of MGS1-3.
- The fact that it was a war game and not at all a stealth game. I mean, not really. It felt more like Gears of War to me than an infiltration game.
If you're not playing it like a stealth game you're probably not doing it right. You can muscle your way through most areas but it's generally much more rewarding to sneak through, since, after all, that's what the game's designed around.
Sorry, but I don't agree at all.
MGS4 is, tonally, a severe departure from the previous games. Basically, the world exploded into all out war. The war economy. War everywhere. Hell, no mention is made of "hey, Snake, wtf - go sneak through," by Otacon or anyone else, which is completely unlike the other games where they berate you as soon as you get an alert status. Alert status isn't even a big deal here. It hardly matters.
Yeah, you can sneak through (I guess? I wouldn't even know where to begin in some acts). But with the ability to purchase weapons, the addition of NPC soldiers you can fight alongside and actually take over enemy installations with, and the chaos of war going on around you at every step, plus the vast "monetary" reward you get for destroying things and from killing/knocking people out and taking their weapons, I wouldn't agree at all that stealth is the focus of this installment whatsoever. It's possible, but I think Kojima was trying to show how pervasive war is. I don't know. I felt like this game was the opposite of the others. Hell, half the time you can wander around in the open while people shoot at each other and you won't get an alert status.
Hell, Otacon specifically urges you to kill, multiple times. Not just Vamp, but PMC soldiers too, from Act I through to the end. The non-lethal/sneaking mission philosophy seemed to have been dropped. In fact, I don't think the phrase "sneaking mission" was uttered once. It was in MGS1, MGS2, and MGS3. The only exception is during the resistance part, of course. Which also lends credence to my point. They had one part of one act specifically require sneaking. That wasn't a part of any of the previous games either. I mean, sneaking was heavily suggested, but you could run around shooting people. Here, one section is a required sneaking section (similar to how Shenmue and Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit have a specific sneaking section). And it is followed by a violent motorcycle chase. The juxtaposition is telling in my opinion.
I would not call MGS4 a stealth game at all. Beyond all the above, stealth doesn't really make sense. Why bother? Considering all the plot elements, considering everything people are telling you, and considering the ambiance, stealth is not very relevant to the context.
*shrug*
Just my opinion.
As for my "not doing it right," I don't agree with that for obvious reasons - while I don't think Hideo expects you to be a bloodthirsty murderer throughout the game, I do think he wanted players to feel like they've been dropped into a war zone.
"Sneaking Mission" is said right at the beginning of the game by Otacon. "Remember, this is a sneaking mission, so don't get tangled up in unnecessary conflicts."
The game is still very much stealth, just a different kind of stealth. Instead of ducking cameras and crawling past guards, you're manipulating the battlefield to create distractions that allow you to pass through undetected. Incapacitating a sniper might let the insurgents advance further, and while the PMC is focused on killing them, you can easily sneak behind their lines. Just gun-hoing your way through them will work, but it'll ultimately most likely be a more difficult and tedious process.
That said, there are definitely more combat options in this game, but I think that rather than removing the focus on stealth, the extra weapons are there to make the game less punishing on players who have a hard time sneaking.
Right now I'm doing a no kills/alerts run and it really helps to highlight just how much every area is a well-crafted puzzle designed around sneaking.
You are told multiple times to sneak through areas, not get involved with fire-fights, and so on.
I don't know what game you played, but I rarely gained an alert status of any kind throughout my first playthrough.
Also, where the hell does Otacon tell you to kill anyone other than Vamp? I don't remember this either.
It's like you played a different game.
Uh...
Like when you're on Drebin's truck and Otacon tells you to kill the marines (as well as the unmanned weapons) to get through? Because he does.
And it is merely suggested that you not get entangled in the conflict - a suggestion that does exist but does not invalidate any of my points - and not that you sneak through, which is what we're talking about. As Mushroom Pie just stated, you can, in fact, manipulate the proxy war to help you slip around without getting into all-out battles. The AI was tailored for this. It's obvious when you zone into a new area and BAM there are four PMC agents waiting there, ready to follow you. This is different than the sneaking mission game type I am referring to. The MGS1/2/3 type where you need to stay undetected, not "hidden in plain sight" like you can in this game.
I don't know what to tell you. I mean, I guess it could seem like we were playing "a different game" if you weren't paying much attention to what was going on. Are you really going to tell me that this doesn't have a vastly different tone and style than the previous games, that the action isn't much more in your face? Come on. Even though stealth is an option, it's certainly not the gist of this game, not by a longshot.
Hell, you said yourself, you rarely got an alert status. Neither did I. Because it's not very difficult not to. You don't really have to work at sneaking around. That's my entire point.
- The difficulty. Way too easy.
- Boss battles felt un-epic except for the final one with Liquid.
- Lack of people to call on the codec. Only two? For the whole game? Bah. Hassling people via codec was probably my favorite aspect of MGS1-3.
- The fact that it was a war game and not at all a stealth game. I mean, not really. It felt more like Gears of War to me than an infiltration game.
If you're not playing it like a stealth game you're probably not doing it right. You can muscle your way through most areas but it's generally much more rewarding to sneak through, since, after all, that's what the game's designed around.
Sorry, but I don't agree at all.
MGS4 is, tonally, a severe departure from the previous games. Basically, the world exploded into all out war. The war economy. War everywhere. Hell, no mention is made of "hey, Snake, wtf - go sneak through," by Otacon or anyone else, which is completely unlike the other games where they berate you as soon as you get an alert status. Alert status isn't even a big deal here. It hardly matters.
Yeah, you can sneak through (I guess? I wouldn't even know where to begin in some acts). But with the ability to purchase weapons, the addition of NPC soldiers you can fight alongside and actually take over enemy installations with, and the chaos of war going on around you at every step, plus the vast "monetary" reward you get for destroying things and from killing/knocking people out and taking their weapons, I wouldn't agree at all that stealth is the focus of this installment whatsoever. It's possible, but I think Kojima was trying to show how pervasive war is. I don't know. I felt like this game was the opposite of the others. Hell, half the time you can wander around in the open while people shoot at each other and you won't get an alert status.
Hell, Otacon specifically urges you to kill, multiple times. Not just Vamp, but PMC soldiers too, from Act I through to the end. The non-lethal/sneaking mission philosophy seemed to have been dropped. In fact, I don't think the phrase "sneaking mission" was uttered once. It was in MGS1, MGS2, and MGS3. The only exception is during the resistance part, of course. Which also lends credence to my point. They had one part of one act specifically require sneaking. That wasn't a part of any of the previous games either. I mean, sneaking was heavily suggested, but you could run around shooting people. Here, one section is a required sneaking section (similar to how Shenmue and Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit have a specific sneaking section). And it is followed by a violent motorcycle chase. The juxtaposition is telling in my opinion.
I would not call MGS4 a stealth game at all. Beyond all the above, stealth doesn't really make sense. Why bother? Considering all the plot elements, considering everything people are telling you, and considering the ambiance, stealth is not very relevant to the context.
*shrug*
Just my opinion.
As for my "not doing it right," I don't agree with that for obvious reasons - while I don't think Hideo expects you to be a bloodthirsty murderer throughout the game, I do think he wanted players to feel like they've been dropped into a war zone.
"Sneaking Mission" is said right at the beginning of the game by Otacon. "Remember, this is a sneaking mission, so don't get tangled up in unnecessary conflicts."
The game is still very much stealth, just a different kind of stealth. Instead of ducking cameras and crawling past guards, you're manipulating the battlefield to create distractions that allow you to pass through undetected. Incapacitating a sniper might let the insurgents advance further, and while the PMC is focused on killing them, you can easily sneak behind their lines. Just gun-hoing your way through them will work, but it'll ultimately most likely be a more difficult and tedious process.
That said, there are definitely more combat options in this game, but I think that rather than removing the focus on stealth, the extra weapons are there to make the game less punishing on players who have a hard time sneaking.
Right now I'm doing a no kills/alerts run and it really helps to highlight just how much every area is a well-crafted puzzle designed around sneaking.
Compare MGS1, 2, and 3, to MGS4. Yes, everything you say is correct. Otacon does warn you against getting tangled up in conflict. However, when you get an alert or start shooting the shit out of people and codec Otacon in MGS4, he doesn't berate you, he doesn't yell at you, he just gives you a default nod in the right direction. "Head North, Snake!" This is completely different than when you are in some alert phase in any of the previous games with Otacon will cycle through 20 or so panicky comments or offer a dozen pieces of advice on how to get out of alert status. None of that seems to exist in this game.
Hell, Snake often refers to himself as a warrior, a killer; he says this at multiple points in the game. Drebin calls Snake "war itself." I really, truly think Hideo was trying to put Snake into more of a warrior role and less of a spy role in this game. You don't have a directional mic. You don't have to listen in on conversations. I mean, I really don't see how I'm the only person seeing how completely different this is. Then again, MGS3 started to swing away from espionage too. But not to this degree. This didn't feel like much of an espionage game to me. It was a war game, and I think Hideo meant it to be a war game. I don't fault him for it. I think he went in the right direction, tonally. And I think it works on this level. And I can see why he swung it this way. But there's more to the stealth/espionage aspect of the "Metal Gear Solid" series than just getting from place to place undetected. I just don't feel that MGS4 has much of that.
And I don't deny that every single zone has a method of getting through without blasting through. But I'm not talking about the mechanics alone. I'm talking about the general tone of the game, the story itself, and how this all ties into the gameplay changes MGS4 offers over its predecessors. I think Hideo wanted to thrust fans into chaos. And I think he wanted to put Snake right in the middle of it, as a super warror. Maybe I'm wrong, but this is my interpretation. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to play this game, but I think the director's intentions wasn't for Snake to slink around this time, at least not as much as in the past.
Way before this game came out they were saying that there was "no place to hide" i.e. you would be sneaking through a battlefield. Yeah it's different from the previous games.
I'm going to stay out of the stealth argument, but honestly Drez.
Final boss is the only epic boss?
codswallop i say!
Rex Vs Ray?!?
I think I played this on the wrong difficulty (Normal) because I felt absolutely no challenge throughout. I thought that was a fun fight, but over way too quick. Not at all like the epic Metal Gear fights of the past.
And the final battle was really easy too. But so, so well done from a cinematographic/directional perspective.
- The difficulty. Way too easy.
- Boss battles felt un-epic except for the final one with Liquid.
- Lack of people to call on the codec. Only two? For the whole game? Bah. Hassling people via codec was probably my favorite aspect of MGS1-3.
- The fact that it was a war game and not at all a stealth game. I mean, not really. It felt more like Gears of War to me than an infiltration game.
If you're not playing it like a stealth game you're probably not doing it right. You can muscle your way through most areas but it's generally much more rewarding to sneak through, since, after all, that's what the game's designed around.
Sorry, but I don't agree at all.
MGS4 is, tonally, a severe departure from the previous games. Basically, the world exploded into all out war. The war economy. War everywhere. Hell, no mention is made of "hey, Snake, wtf - go sneak through," by Otacon or anyone else, which is completely unlike the other games where they berate you as soon as you get an alert status. Alert status isn't even a big deal here. It hardly matters.
Yeah, you can sneak through (I guess? I wouldn't even know where to begin in some acts). But with the ability to purchase weapons, the addition of NPC soldiers you can fight alongside and actually take over enemy installations with, and the chaos of war going on around you at every step, plus the vast "monetary" reward you get for destroying things and from killing/knocking people out and taking their weapons, I wouldn't agree at all that stealth is the focus of this installment whatsoever. It's possible, but I think Kojima was trying to show how pervasive war is. I don't know. I felt like this game was the opposite of the others. Hell, half the time you can wander around in the open while people shoot at each other and you won't get an alert status.
Hell, Otacon specifically urges you to kill, multiple times. Not just Vamp, but PMC soldiers too, from Act I through to the end. The non-lethal/sneaking mission philosophy seemed to have been dropped. In fact, I don't think the phrase "sneaking mission" was uttered once. It was in MGS1, MGS2, and MGS3. The only exception is during the resistance part, of course. Which also lends credence to my point. They had one part of one act specifically require sneaking. That wasn't a part of any of the previous games either. I mean, sneaking was heavily suggested, but you could run around shooting people. Here, one section is a required sneaking section (similar to how Shenmue and Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit have a specific sneaking section). And it is followed by a violent motorcycle chase. The juxtaposition is telling in my opinion.
I would not call MGS4 a stealth game at all. Beyond all the above, stealth doesn't really make sense. Why bother? Considering all the plot elements, considering everything people are telling you, and considering the ambiance, stealth is not very relevant to the context.
*shrug*
Just my opinion.
As for my "not doing it right," I don't agree with that for obvious reasons - while I don't think Hideo expects you to be a bloodthirsty murderer throughout the game, I do think he wanted players to feel like they've been dropped into a war zone.
"Sneaking Mission" is said right at the beginning of the game by Otacon. "Remember, this is a sneaking mission, so don't get tangled up in unnecessary conflicts."
The game is still very much stealth, just a different kind of stealth. Instead of ducking cameras and crawling past guards, you're manipulating the battlefield to create distractions that allow you to pass through undetected. Incapacitating a sniper might let the insurgents advance further, and while the PMC is focused on killing them, you can easily sneak behind their lines. Just gun-hoing your way through them will work, but it'll ultimately most likely be a more difficult and tedious process.
That said, there are definitely more combat options in this game, but I think that rather than removing the focus on stealth, the extra weapons are there to make the game less punishing on players who have a hard time sneaking.
Right now I'm doing a no kills/alerts run and it really helps to highlight just how much every area is a well-crafted puzzle designed around sneaking.
Compare MGS1, 2, and 3, to MGS4. Yes, everything you say is correct. Otacon does warn you against getting tangled up in conflict. However, when you get an alert or start shooting the shit out of people and codec Otacon in MGS4, he doesn't berate you, he doesn't yell at you, he just gives you a default nod in the right direction. "Head North, Snake!" This is completely different than when you are in some alert phase in any of the previous games with Otacon will cycle through 20 or so panicky comments or offer a dozen pieces of advice on how to get out of alert status. None of that seems to exist in this game.
Hell, Snake often refers to himself as a warrior, a killer; he says this at multiple points in the game. Drebin calls Snake "war itself." I really, truly think Hideo was trying to put Snake into more of a warrior role and less of a spy role in this game. You don't have a directional mic. You don't have to listen in on conversations. I mean, I really don't see how I'm the only person seeing how completely different this is. Then again, MGS3 started to swing away from espionage too. But not to this degree. This didn't feel like much of an espionage game to me. It was a war game, and I think Hideo meant it to be a war game. I don't fault him for it. I think he went in the right direction, tonally. And I think it works on this level. And I can see why he swung it this way. But there's more to the stealth/espionage aspect of the "Metal Gear Solid" series than just getting from place to place undetected. I just don't feel that MGS4 has much of that.
And I don't deny that every single zone has a method of getting through without blasting through. But I'm not talking about the mechanics alone. I'm talking about the general tone of the game, the story itself, and how this all ties into the gameplay changes MGS4 offers over its predecessors. I think Hideo wanted to thrust fans into chaos. And I think he wanted to put Snake right in the middle of it, as a super warror. Maybe I'm wrong, but this is my interpretation. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to play this game, but I think the director's intentions wasn't for Snake to slink around this time, at least not as much as in the past.
I get what you're saying, and for the most part agree, I just think that it still caters towards a stealth approach, just not MGS1-3 style stealth.
Well, Act 5's stealth section is a lot like the other 3. But other than that.
I'm going to stay out of the stealth argument, but honestly Drez.
Final boss is the only epic boss?
codswallop i say!
Rex Vs Ray?!?
I think I played this on the wrong difficulty (Normal) because I felt absolutely no challenge throughout. I thought that was a fun fight, but over way too quick. Not at all like the epic Metal Gear fights of the past.
And the final battle was really easy too. But so, so well done from a cinematographic/directional perspective.
Yeah, the boss fights didn't feel quite as epic on normal. I had a lot of fun fighting them on Big Boss on my second run, it felt just right. Also, me and my friend took turns on the final boss for a laugh (we both had already completed), there really is a lot of depth to the final fight.
On big boss, i had a lot more difficulty bringing down ray. Really one of my favorite bosses (and the main inspiration for the mech thread i have running).
I'm going to stay out of the stealth argument, but honestly Drez.
Final boss is the only epic boss?
codswallop i say!
Rex Vs Ray?!?
I think I played this on the wrong difficulty (Normal) because I felt absolutely no challenge throughout. I thought that was a fun fight, but over way too quick. Not at all like the epic Metal Gear fights of the past.
And the final battle was really easy too. But so, so well done from a cinematographic/directional perspective.
Yeah, the boss fights didn't feel quite as epic on normal. I had a lot of fun fighting them on Big Boss on my second run, it felt just right. Also, me and my friend took turns on the final boss for a laugh (we both had already completed), there really is a lot of depth to the final fight.
On big boss, i had a lot more difficulty bringing down ray. Really one of my favorite bosses (and the main inspiration for the mech thread i have running).
I'm going to play through again on a harder difficulty, but I plan on playing some Metal Gear Online first.
My PS3 name is "Drezdar" by the way, if anyone wants to add me.
God, I swear I'm going to slam the fucking controller through my television. This last fight pretty much ruins the entire fucking game. Jesus christ Kojima, why can't you make a fucking ending to a game without it being a goddamned
hand to fucking hand fight.
Edit: Bah, beat it. I still feel it's stupid because I feel like the only way to beat it is to just wail on the hard bunch move over and over and over.
God, I swear I'm going to slam the fucking controller through my television. This last fight pretty much ruins the entire fucking game. Jesus christ Kojima, why can't you make a fucking ending to a game without it being a goddamned
hand to fucking hand fight.
Edit: Bah, beat it. I still feel it's stupid because I feel like the only way to beat it is to just wail on the hard bunch move over and over and over.
This was probably the most awesome if not one of the awesomest parts for me.
I just mad sidestep/ducked his attacks until he would do a strong punch, while he was recovering I would then combo/throw my way to victory and awesome Fight Night'esque cut scenes.
Okay, having started a new game to get the Stealth item (no alerts) I find myself to get half way through act one only to realise I have to start the game, from my last save file. SIGH.
I do this, and manage to finish act one. I then am presented with 1 alert. I don't even know where this came from.
Am I missing something? Is it easier just getting the 4 mil drebin points?
Also, everytime you get an alert, is there another way other than "exit to title screen" etc...?
Also, everytime you get an alert, is there another way other than "exit to title screen" etc...?
I don't think so. I wish there was, because that gets pretty time consuming.
Regarding the final boss:
There is a block button, right? I think its L1. Makes the entire thing very easy. I just blocked, the countered with snake’s punch - kick combo. I won it the first time. Was that just a fluke?
Yellow Ranger on
0
MorninglordI'm tired of being Batman,so today I'll be Owl.Registered Userregular
edited June 2008
Myself, I'm just planning to get the solar gun since I some guide for the BB say it's easier to get through act 3 with it. And try to collect as many of the special songs and items I missed the first time round.
I'm going to do a minimum alerts/try not to go rambo run to get more practise at the situations since the first time I didn't do very well at it, but for now I wont be bothering with stressing about no alerts at all. I still don't know the game well enough. Need to get in practise with the mosin too. I barely used sniper rifles before.
Apparently if you wait till act 5 Moo
Everything is half price so you can buy stealth/bandanna for 2.5 mill
Morninglord on
(PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
0
MorninglordI'm tired of being Batman,so today I'll be Owl.Registered Userregular
Also, everytime you get an alert, is there another way other than "exit to title screen" etc...?
I don't think so. I wish there was, because that gets pretty time consuming.
Regarding the final boss:
There is a block button, right? I think its L1. Makes the entire thing very easy. I just blocked, the countered with snake’s punch - kick combo. I won it the first time. Was that just a fluke?
On Big Boss hard, on the third form, he started mixing up an unblockable uncounterable headbutt to break your block. You couldn't stand still he would do a couple of punches then CQC headbutt you to the ground. I even had him dash up and do it to my block without warning.
Real pissoff.
Morninglord on
(PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
Okay, having started a new game to get the Stealth item (no alerts) I find myself to get half way through act one only to realise I have to start the game, from my last save file. SIGH.
I do this, and manage to finish act one. I then am presented with 1 alert. I don't even know where this came from.
Am I missing something? Is it easier just getting the 4 mil drebin points?
Also, everytime you get an alert, is there another way other than "exit to title screen" etc...?
No, do a No Alert run for the stealth, it's much easier and much more rewarding.
Here's some tips:
Ironically, I'd say I had the most trouble not being spotted on Act 1 and during the Crying Wolf battle. But once I figured out a method for Crying Wolf, it was easy. Just remember to take your time in Act 1.
Ah, thanks. I was kinda going through it a little fast I believe. I had the mindset of "well, if I can't do act 1 easily, I won't be able to do the others". I shudder at the thought of act 5.
However, because I only had one save, I am just going through it again killing everything and anything. Once I play through this time, I'll do it again with no alerts I guess.
It's just so frustrating. Especially when you get seen when no ones around. I got seen, but I killed him before the timer came up. I think that's where my 1 alert came from .
How many Drebin points is it possible to acquire in one playthrough?
Does everything count against your time when playing this game? Are there any known exceptions? I heard even the (unskippable) credits count for your time. What about pausing, or after the load is done and you have to press the start button?
Does everything count against your time when playing this game? Are there any known exceptions? I heard even the (unskippable) credits count for your time. What about pausing, or after the load is done and you have to press the start button?
Pausing counts toward time. The flashback scene and loading/install times do not count towards your time. Says the guide. All hail the guide. OOOOHHHMMMMM
Edit: The Wednesday/Sunday discounts do not stack with the Act 5 discount.
It's honestly easier to just get a no alert/no kill run, plus more fun than trying to figure out ways to farm for points. I say this because you get the most bonuses at the end of each act/end of the game for playing it "right" ie. no alerts no kills. Even with all the bonuses, etc, I ended up with just under a million points on my super stealth run. Therefore, just play it that way, because amassing that many points (2.5 mil at the LEAST) without playing that way will just be tedious for you.
Does everything count against your time when playing this game? Are there any known exceptions? I heard even the (unskippable) credits count for your time. What about pausing, or after the load is done and you have to press the start button?
Pausing counts toward time. The flashback scene and loading/install times do not count towards your time. Says the guide. All hail the guide. OOOOHHHMMMMM
I was just curious if I would be able to take breaks at the load screen, or if the clock started again as soon as the load was finished and "Press Start Button" appeared on the screen.
Dirty on
0
MorninglordI'm tired of being Batman,so today I'll be Owl.Registered Userregular
Does everything count against your time when playing this game? Are there any known exceptions? I heard even the (unskippable) credits count for your time. What about pausing, or after the load is done and you have to press the start button?
Pausing counts toward time. The flashback scene and loading/install times do not count towards your time. Says the guide. All hail the guide. OOOOHHHMMMMM
I was just curious if I would be able to take breaks at the load screen, or if the clock started again as soon as the load was finished and "Press Start Button" appeared on the screen.
The BB Emblem faq I read stated it does.
Morninglord on
(PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
Does everything count against your time when playing this game? Are there any known exceptions? I heard even the (unskippable) credits count for your time. What about pausing, or after the load is done and you have to press the start button?
Pausing counts toward time. The flashback scene and loading/install times do not count towards your time. Says the guide. All hail the guide. OOOOHHHMMMMM
I was just curious if I would be able to take breaks at the load screen, or if the clock started again as soon as the load was finished and "Press Start Button" appeared on the screen.
Nope, because I did just that. And my end time was 4:03
xWonderboyx on
XBL - Follow Freeman
0
MorninglordI'm tired of being Batman,so today I'll be Owl.Registered Userregular
edited June 2008
Ooooh. Really.
That's neat to know.
Morninglord on
(PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
The guide only says (in the bb emblem walkthrough) "First things first: the game clock only pauses during loading, on the results screen, and throughout the
MGS1
dream sequence. The rest of the time it never stops ticking."
Take that as you will.
Edit: Just to be safe, take your break by saving immediately and exiting to the title screen. That is my plan on my BB emblem run.
I'd actually go so far as to say that Act 5 on Solid Normal trying to do a No Alert run is one of the easiest parts of the game.
Just stick to one side going slowly down, shotting FROGs as they drop. At the end when you get to the part where a second Gekko appears, just stop, hide and wait. Eventually he'll be hit by a missile from the Missouri. When the original Gekko turns right around (I think there's a point where he jumps away temporarily), make a break for the door. You're done. The part with the FROGs before Mantis don't trigger an Alert when they spot you, so you're pretty much done.
I'm going to stay out of the stealth argument, but honestly Drez.
Final boss is the only epic boss?
codswallop i say!
Rex Vs Ray?!?
I think I played this on the wrong difficulty (Normal) because I felt absolutely no challenge throughout. I thought that was a fun fight, but over way too quick. Not at all like the epic Metal Gear fights of the past.
And the final battle was really easy too. But so, so well done from a cinematographic/directional perspective.
Yeah, the boss fights didn't feel quite as epic on normal. I had a lot of fun fighting them on Big Boss on my second run, it felt just right. Also, me and my friend took turns on the final boss for a laugh (we both had already completed), there really is a lot of depth to the final fight.
On big boss, i had a lot more difficulty bringing down ray. Really one of my favorite bosses (and the main inspiration for the mech thread i have running).
I'm going to play through again on a harder difficulty, but I plan on playing some Metal Gear Online first.
My PS3 name is "Drezdar" by the way, if anyone wants to add me.
Drez, I'll agree with you, but for a different reason. The same is still more or less essentially a sneaking game, it's just way too easy to tranq everyone, since you can buy all the mk22 ammo you need, and the silencer never degrades.
That doesn't take away from the fact that I still think the story sucked ass.
I wonder if you can use smoke grenades to get past geckos and scarabs. I used them a couple of times in Act 1 and 2 on PMCs for my no alert run with good results. I'm guessing probably not, but I still wonder. If only Drebin sold chaff grenades.... (well I suppose it would be too easy.)
Also is there a way to take down the the PMCs with power armor without killing them? I'm pretty sure I've shot tranq darts into their head with no results.
I’ll tell you what happens in Demon’s Souls when you die. You come back as a ghost with your health capped at half. And when you keep on dying, the alignment of the world turns black and the enemies get harder. That’s right, when you fail in this game, it gets harder. Why? Because fuck you is why.
I wonder if you can use smoke grenades to get past geckos and scarabs. I used them a couple of times in Act 1 and 2 on PMCs for my no alert run with good results. I'm guessing probably not, but I still wonder. If only Drebin sold chaff grenades.... (well I suppose it would be too easy.)
Also is there a way to take down the the PMCs with power armor without killing them? I'm pretty sure I've shot tranq darts into their head with no results.
Automatic shoty with v-ring ammo takes about 3 shots to the head and they take a nap.
I'd actually go so far as to say that Act 5 on Solid Normal trying to do a No Alert run is one of the easiest parts of the game.
Just stick to one side going slowly down, shotting FROGs as they drop. At the end when you get to the part where a second Gekko appears, just stop, hide and wait. Eventually he'll be hit by a missile from the Missouri. When the original Gekko turns right around (I think there's a point where he jumps away temporarily), make a break for the door. You're done. The part with the FROGs before Mantis don't trigger an Alert when they spot you, so you're pretty much done.
A thousand times this. Face camo gives you 99%. Even on hard it's easy easy. Just crawl. I've done it about 4 times now and each time I do it the same with the same results, just to prove to myself it wasn't a fluke.
Drez, I'll agree with you, but for a different reason. The same is still more or less essentially a sneaking game, it's just way too easy to tranq everyone, since you can buy all the mk22 ammo you need, and the silencer never degrades.
Never use it then. The same thing happened with me and MGS3. I got tired of running around with the Tranq gun and putting everyone to sleep, so I did a playthrough where I never used it, relying more on stealth and sneaking. And I enjoyed myself a hell of a lot more.
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Now we just need some VR/Alternative Missions (like MGS2S) up in this bitch.
The game is still very much stealth, just a different kind of stealth. Instead of ducking cameras and crawling past guards, you're manipulating the battlefield to create distractions that allow you to pass through undetected. Incapacitating a sniper might let the insurgents advance further, and while the PMC is focused on killing them, you can easily sneak behind their lines. Just gun-hoing your way through them will work, but it'll ultimately most likely be a more difficult and tedious process.
That said, there are definitely more combat options in this game, but I think that rather than removing the focus on stealth, the extra weapons are there to make the game less punishing on players who have a hard time sneaking.
Right now I'm doing a no kills/alerts run and it really helps to highlight just how much every area is a well-crafted puzzle designed around sneaking.
http://www.audioentropy.com/
Uh...
And it is merely suggested that you not get entangled in the conflict - a suggestion that does exist but does not invalidate any of my points - and not that you sneak through, which is what we're talking about. As Mushroom Pie just stated, you can, in fact, manipulate the proxy war to help you slip around without getting into all-out battles. The AI was tailored for this. It's obvious when you zone into a new area and BAM there are four PMC agents waiting there, ready to follow you. This is different than the sneaking mission game type I am referring to. The MGS1/2/3 type where you need to stay undetected, not "hidden in plain sight" like you can in this game.
I don't know what to tell you. I mean, I guess it could seem like we were playing "a different game" if you weren't paying much attention to what was going on. Are you really going to tell me that this doesn't have a vastly different tone and style than the previous games, that the action isn't much more in your face? Come on. Even though stealth is an option, it's certainly not the gist of this game, not by a longshot.
Hell, you said yourself, you rarely got an alert status. Neither did I. Because it's not very difficult not to. You don't really have to work at sneaking around. That's my entire point.
Hell, Snake often refers to himself as a warrior, a killer; he says this at multiple points in the game. Drebin calls Snake "war itself." I really, truly think Hideo was trying to put Snake into more of a warrior role and less of a spy role in this game. You don't have a directional mic. You don't have to listen in on conversations. I mean, I really don't see how I'm the only person seeing how completely different this is. Then again, MGS3 started to swing away from espionage too. But not to this degree. This didn't feel like much of an espionage game to me. It was a war game, and I think Hideo meant it to be a war game. I don't fault him for it. I think he went in the right direction, tonally. And I think it works on this level. And I can see why he swung it this way. But there's more to the stealth/espionage aspect of the "Metal Gear Solid" series than just getting from place to place undetected. I just don't feel that MGS4 has much of that.
And I don't deny that every single zone has a method of getting through without blasting through. But I'm not talking about the mechanics alone. I'm talking about the general tone of the game, the story itself, and how this all ties into the gameplay changes MGS4 offers over its predecessors. I think Hideo wanted to thrust fans into chaos. And I think he wanted to put Snake right in the middle of it, as a super warror. Maybe I'm wrong, but this is my interpretation. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to play this game, but I think the director's intentions wasn't for Snake to slink around this time, at least not as much as in the past.
codswallop i say!
Rex Vs Ray?!?
PSN:Hakira__
And the final battle was really easy too. But so, so well done from a cinematographic/directional perspective.
Well, Act 5's stealth section is a lot like the other 3. But other than that.
http://www.audioentropy.com/
Raging Raven was pretty epic too, if easy.
No radar, no tranqs, they spot you before you get close enough to CQC/stun knife...
On big boss, i had a lot more difficulty bringing down ray. Really one of my favorite bosses (and the main inspiration for the mech thread i have running).
PSN:Hakira__
I have no idea how I beat it last time, but fucking fuck. Fuck it.
I'm going to play through again on a harder difficulty, but I plan on playing some Metal Gear Online first.
My PS3 name is "Drezdar" by the way, if anyone wants to add me.
PSN:Hakira__
Edit: Bah, beat it. I still feel it's stupid because I feel like the only way to beat it is to just wail on the hard bunch move over and over and over.
You just need to amass enough points to have it laundered.
This was probably the most awesome if not one of the awesomest parts for me.
Resident 8bitdo expert.
Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.
I do this, and manage to finish act one. I then am presented with 1 alert. I don't even know where this came from.
Am I missing something? Is it easier just getting the 4 mil drebin points?
Also, everytime you get an alert, is there another way other than "exit to title screen" etc...?
I don't think so. I wish there was, because that gets pretty time consuming.
Regarding the final boss:
I'm going to do a minimum alerts/try not to go rambo run to get more practise at the situations since the first time I didn't do very well at it, but for now I wont be bothering with stressing about no alerts at all. I still don't know the game well enough. Need to get in practise with the mosin too. I barely used sniper rifles before.
Apparently if you wait till act 5 Moo
Real pissoff.
No, do a No Alert run for the stealth, it's much easier and much more rewarding.
Here's some tips:
However, because I only had one save, I am just going through it again killing everything and anything. Once I play through this time, I'll do it again with no alerts I guess.
It's just so frustrating. Especially when you get seen when no ones around. I got seen, but I killed him before the timer came up. I think that's where my 1 alert came from
How many Drebin points is it possible to acquire in one playthrough?
I KISS YOU!
You also get a special discount on Wednesdays and Sundays. Combine that with the act 5 discount and they're only 2mil each.
Pausing counts toward time. The flashback scene and loading/install times do not count towards your time. Says the guide. All hail the guide. OOOOHHHMMMMM
Edit: The Wednesday/Sunday discounts do not stack with the Act 5 discount.
It's honestly easier to just get a no alert/no kill run, plus more fun than trying to figure out ways to farm for points. I say this because you get the most bonuses at the end of each act/end of the game for playing it "right" ie. no alerts no kills. Even with all the bonuses, etc, I ended up with just under a million points on my super stealth run. Therefore, just play it that way, because amassing that many points (2.5 mil at the LEAST) without playing that way will just be tedious for you.
XBL - Follow Freeman
I was just curious if I would be able to take breaks at the load screen, or if the clock started again as soon as the load was finished and "Press Start Button" appeared on the screen.
The BB Emblem faq I read stated it does.
Nope, because I did just that. And my end time was 4:03
XBL - Follow Freeman
That's neat to know.
XBL - Follow Freeman
Take that as you will.
Edit: Just to be safe, take your break by saving immediately and exiting to the title screen. That is my plan on my BB emblem run.
XBL - Follow Freeman
I'd actually go so far as to say that Act 5 on Solid Normal trying to do a No Alert run is one of the easiest parts of the game.
Drez, I'll agree with you, but for a different reason. The same is still more or less essentially a sneaking game, it's just way too easy to tranq everyone, since you can buy all the mk22 ammo you need, and the silencer never degrades.
That doesn't take away from the fact that I still think the story sucked ass.
Also is there a way to take down the the PMCs with power armor without killing them? I'm pretty sure I've shot tranq darts into their head with no results.
Let me tell you about Demon's Souls....
Automatic shoty with v-ring ammo takes about 3 shots to the head and they take a nap.
A thousand times this. Face camo gives you 99%. Even on hard it's easy easy. Just crawl. I've done it about 4 times now and each time I do it the same with the same results, just to prove to myself it wasn't a fluke.
XBL - Follow Freeman
Never use it then. The same thing happened with me and MGS3. I got tired of running around with the Tranq gun and putting everyone to sleep, so I did a playthrough where I never used it, relying more on stealth and sneaking. And I enjoyed myself a hell of a lot more.