Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (メタルギア・ソリッド4・ガンズ・オブ・ザ・パトリオット, Metaru Gia Soriddo 4 Ganzu obu za Patoriotto?) (commonly abbreviated to MGS4) is a third person stealth action video game. Directed by Hideo Kojima, Shuyo Murata and Yoji Shinkawa, Guns of the Patriots was developed by Kojima Productions exclusively for the PlayStation 3 video game console. It is the seventh title in the Metal Gear series and the first in its fourth generation. The game was released worldwide on June 12, 2008, 10 years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and 20 years after the US release of the first Metal Gear.
GameplayIn Metal Gear Solid 4, the player (Old Snake) must navigate the game world in order to progress, using cunning in addition to traditional combat. It uses third person view with full camera manipulation, but also allows the freedom to play in first-person mode, as well as an over the shoulder view which can be switched from right shoulder to left for corner maneuvering. The Close Quarters Combat system has been completely revamped.
The game is filled with cut scene "flashbacks" (although they're not actually cut scenes, but still photos of past events, locations, or characters) that reference what happened in previous Metal Gear Solid games and how the events or characters relate to the setting of MGS4. Players are able to choose whether to view these scenes by pressing the X button [O button in some countries] on their controller when prompted (though there are some instances where there will not be a prompt). Players also have the choice of watching the Mission Briefings through set camera angles or freely exploring them with the Metal Gear Mk. II/III.
Snake is also partnered with a robotic drone, the Metal Gear Mk. II/III, which allows him to communicate with other characters, in addition to the CODEC radio system from previous games. It is also capable of incapacitating enemies using a weak electric shock, as well as providing reconnaissance. This drone is reminiscent of Gillian Seed's robotic sidekick of the same name from another Hideo Kojima game, Snatcher.
Due to the lack of force feedback (an important part in previous titles) from the PlayStation 3 during much of the development, the game had been designed with a new feature: a white "Threat Ring," that shows "hills" that display nearby enemies. As a series known for extensive use of force feedback, when Sony announced the reintroduction of a new DualShock 3, MGS4 was announced as one of the first major games to make use of the restored capabilities.
Snake's health plays a small factor during gameplay. If injured on the battlefield, cuts and burns will remain on his skin. However, the developers wished to avoid putting the stress of maintaining Snake's health onto the players, so he wears a muscle suit, allowing players to move in a similar fashion to previous games.
Snake has a meter and an index that replaces the stamina bar from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The index, "Stress," is based on current fighting and climate conditions. This can cause Snake to go into a "combat high," that sharply increases his accuracy and reduces damage taken. However this effect will eventually wear off and could cause Snake to momentarily collapse. Smoking a cigarette calms him down. The meter, "Psyche," slowly drops over time reducing Snake's accuracy and his ability to recover his LIFE bar. Many items in the game -- such as the iPod -- will increase the meter, as will consuming ReGain Energy Drinks, noodles, and military rations, or using a compress on Snake's sore back muscles. Reading an issue of Playboy Magazine (in first person view) "curiously raises Snake's Psyche".
There is also a "Baseline Map" which is a radar map with a dynamic circle based on Snake's "presence" in regards to the environment. Accessible through the main menu, the Virtual Range is a test facility that allows the player to access the game's library of weapons as well as practice Snake's CQC moves.
Characters
The cast of the game comprises mainly characters from previous Metal Gear Solid games, although a few new characters are introduced as well. A prematurely aged Solid Snake returns as the game's sole playable character under the new codename Old Snake. Assisting him are Roy Campbell, his former commanding officer; Otacon, his sidekick since the original Metal Gear Solid; Naomi Hunter, the scientist who injected him with the FOXDIE virus; Meryl Silverburgh, heroine of Metal Gear Solid, now the leader of Rat Patrol Team 01, a military unit sent to investigate PMC activities; Mei Ling, Snake's former data analyst and now Captain of the recommissioned USS Missouri (BB-63); Raiden, the protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, now a Cyborg Ninja; Rosemary, Raiden's former girlfriend, who now works as a psychological counselor; and EVA from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, now a resistance leader named Big Mama.
Also assisting Snake is Drebin, a gun launderer accompanied by his pet monkey, Little Gray; Sunny, Olga Gurlukovich's daughter, who was rescued from the Patriots; and the other members of Rat Patrol Team 01, which consist of Ed, the team's second-in-command, radio man, and sniper; Jonathan, a hulking soldier; and Johnny, nicknamed "Akiba", the team's electronics expert. Jonathan and Ed are named after the main characters of Hideo Kojima's 1994 adventure game Policenauts, from which Meryl debuted as a supporting character. Johnny was the guard that was stripped naked by Meryl in MGS1.
The antagonist of the game is Liquid Ocelot, formerly Revolver Ocelot, an agent of the Patriots until his mind was apparently possessed by Liquid Snake as a result of an arm transplant. On Liquid Ocelot's side are: Vamp, the sole surviving Dead Cell member from Metal Gear Solid 2; The Beauty and The Beast Corps; and his private army, the elite all-female Haven Troops (also known as the FROGS). The ghost of Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear Solid also makes a special cameo in the game.
The Beauty and the Beast Corps serves as the central boss characters of Metal Gear Solid 4: Its members are Laughing Octopus, Raging Raven, Crying Wolf and Screaming Mantis. They are jokingly referred as the "Snakehound Unit" as their recent mission is to kill Snake on sight. Their animal names openly reference the members of FOXHOUND from MGS, their emotions relating to the Cobras from MGS3, and their weapons taken from Dead Cell members from MGS2. A close inspection of Screaming Mantis reveals two marionettes of previous MGS bosses: Psycho Mantis and The Sorrow, both of whom were psychics. All four of them are women who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and, as a result of this, have become war machines. Their outer appearance is referred to as "Beast", while their inner appearance is referred to as "Beauty". Four models were chosen for their in-game appearances as their "Beauty" side: Lyndall Jarvis (Laughing Beauty), Scarlett Chorvat (Screaming Beauty), Mieko Rye (Crying Beauty), and Yumi Kikuchi (Raging Beauty). The voice acting for the characters is done by having the female voice actors perform the lines while a male voice (Shozo Iizuka in Japanese and Fred Tatasciore in English) overdubs on top of the female voices, creating a split-voice effect for the characters.
Story
Set in 2014, five years after the "Big Shell Incident" (the events of the Plant Chapter from Metal Gear Solid 2), Metal Gear Solid 4 portrays a world where private military companies (PMCs) have effectively replaced the world's standing armies, fighting proxy wars for business purposes. Nanotechnology has become prominent, both to enhance the capabilities and enforce the loyalty of mercenaries. The nanomachine system that PMCs use is called "Sons of the Patriots" or "SOP." The five largest of these PMCs are owned by a single mother company named Outer Haven, operated by Liquid Ocelot. Amassing an army whose manpower rivals that of the United States, Liquid prepares to launch an armed insurrection by taking control of SOP. A rapidly aging and disillusioned Solid Snake (now known as Old Snake) is deployed into the Middle East by Roy Campbell to terminate Liquid. Guns of the Patriots takes place in five locations: the Middle East, South America, Eastern Europe, Shadow Moses Island, and Outer Haven.
Act 1 - Liquid Sun
Snake begins his mission by infiltrating a war-torn Middle Eastern city with a local militia convoy. After the convoy is decimated by troops from Praying Mantis, one of Liquid's PMCs, and Gekko (a mass-produced, bipedal Metal Gear variant) units, Snake meets up with the Metal Gear Mk. II, a robotic drone Otacon developed to assist him remotely. On the way to rendezvous with Campbell's informants, Snake encounters Drebin 893, a self-proclaimed ArmsTech employee who offers his gun laundering services. Snake accepts after much hesitation, and Drebin injects him with what he says are merely "suppressor nanomachines." Snake is shocked to discover that the informant is Meryl Silverburgh, the leader of Rat Patrol Team 01. After Snake and Meryl discuss their assignments, they are forced to escape the building when it is raided by Liquid's elite soldiers, the FROGs. As Snake reaches the Praying Mantis HQ, he witnesses the slaughter of some militia by four mysterious cyborgs. One is consumed with sorrow, one is hysterical, one is compelled by rage, and the last and most powerful one is screaming and seems to have telekinetic power. Snake makes his way into the camp unnoticed, where he prepares to assassinate Liquid. An unknown force suddenly causes all of the soldiers in the area to collapse in pain and begin violently attacking each other. As Liquid escapes in his helicopter, Snake also collapses, but as his vision fades, he is approached by Dr. Naomi Hunter, who gives him a syringe. Snake is carried to safety by Johnny, the lone unaffected member of Meryl's team.
Act 2 - Solid Sun
Otacon receives an encoded message from Naomi, which explains that she is being held captive in South America. Snake takes advantage of a rebel uprising in the area to sneak into the base of the Pieuvre Armement PMC, where Naomi is being held. Upon arrival, Snake sees Vamp and the hysterical cyborg from the Middle East. After the two leave, Snake infiltrates the area and again encounters Drebin, who reveals that the Patriots are actually a network of five AIs. Four AIs are named after US Presidents: GW, TJ, TR and AL. These are controlled and regulated by the core AI, named JD (John Doe). He also tells Snake about the cyborgs, who are known as the Beauty and Beast (BB) Unit: Laughing Octopus, Raging Raven, Crying Wolf and Screaming Mantis. They have orders to kill Snake.
Snake finds Naomi, who explains that Liquid is planning to use Big Boss's genetic information to access JD and take control of SOP (Sons of the Patriots), the system of nanomachines and ID-authentications which allow the Patriots to monitor and control soldiers. She also explains that Snake's aging (Senescence) is due to intentional gene manipulation of Big Boss's clones, and that he has less than six months left to live. However, the FOXDIE virus in Snake's body has also begun to mutate, and Naomi estimates that in three months the virus will have become mutated enough to attack anyone, turning Snake into a "walking biological weapon." A group of FROGS led by Laughing Octopus take Naomi away, leaving Snake to battle them and Laughing Octopus herself. Snake then rescues Naomi and both escape with Drebin. Raiden mysteriously resurfaces as a Cyborg Ninja after having disappeared for several years. He holds off numerous Gekkos and Vamp while Otacon rescues Snake and Naomi via helicopter, but is seriously wounded in the process. Raiden then leaps onto the helicopter; before he blacks out, he tells Snake to go meet "Big Mama", the leader of a resistance group based in Eastern Europe.
Act 3 - Third Sun
Naomi explains that Big Boss is in fact alive, although brain dead. His body is in the control of the resistance group Paradise Lost in Eastern Europe. While Snake locates the group, Naomi and Sunny, a little orphan girl taken in by Otacon, take Raiden to get dialysis. By stalking a Paradise Lost member Snake manages to find their leader, Big Mama, who reveals herself to be EVA, and the surrogate mother of both Liquid Snake and Solid Snake himself. She explains the origins of the Patriots, founded by Major Zero forty years ago. The Raven Sword PMC, led by Raging Raven, suddenly attacks the group's hideout. Snake and Big Mama escape on a motorcycle, but it crashes, and Big Mama is wounded. After defeating Raging Raven, Snake helps Big Mama escape down a sewer connecting to the Vltava River, where Liquid is waiting for them. Liquid displays his power over SOP by incapacitating an entire army of American troops using his ability to lock down the system controlling their nanomachines. He incinerates Big Boss' body, and Big Mama is severely burned attempting to rescue him. The left side of Snake's face is also badly burned as he rescues her from the flames. As Liquid escapes in a gunboat down the river, Big Mama dies in Snake's arms and the Mk. II sneaks onboard the ship.
Act 4 - Twin Suns
Using a video feed sent from the Mk.II, it's known that Liquid's final plan is to destroy JD, the Patriot's core AI, so that he may seize control of the Patriots' network with GW (which Liquid apparently repaired and took control of shortly after the Big Shell incident). To this end, Liquid plans to use the only WMDs still not controlled by the Patriots - the stealth warheads launched by Metal Gear REX's rail gun - to fire a nuclear warhead at JD, which is housed within a satellite. After this is revealed, Vamp finds and destroys the Mk.II. Snake returns to Shadow Moses Island, where the facility and REX have remained untouched in the nine years after the events of Metal Gear Solid. After defeating Crying Wolf and a squadron of FROGs, Snake discovers that REX's rail gun has already been removed. In the hangar, Snake is attacked by Vamp, accompanied by Naomi, who had defected back to Liquid's side.
With the timely arrival of Raiden, Snake suppresses the nanomachines in Vamp's body that cause his apparent immortality, and fights off a unit of Suicide Gekko while Raiden finally kills Vamp. Naomi, filled with guilt over all the sins she has committed during her lifetime, ends her own life by disabling the nanomachines that had been suppressing the effects of the cancer that would have normally killed her years ago. Using the Mk. III, Otacon reactivates REX, and Snake and Raiden escape the building just as the Suicide Gekko self-destruct. Raiden becomes trapped underneath a large pile of rubble while Snake uses REX to fight Metal Gear RAY, piloted by Liquid. Liquid then reveals his ultimate weapon: a battleship named "Outer Haven" with REX's rail gun mounted on it. Liquid attempts to crush the crippled Snake by ramming the ship into the dockside, but Raiden cuts off his own arm to escape the rubble and is able to restrain the ship temporarily, allowing Snake to escape with his life but crushing Raiden in the process.
Act 5 - Old Sun
Aboard the Missouri, Mei Ling plans to catch up with Outer Haven, which needs to be as physically close as possible to JD's satellite in order to get the most precise shot from the rail gun. Snake, Meryl and Johnny are sent to infiltrate GW's physical processor and upload a computer virus that will destroy the AI. Aboard Outer Haven, Snake defeats Screaming Mantis, who is revealed to have the implanted personality of Psycho Mantis. Snake plans to stay behind and fight the FROGs, but Meryl insists he continue and disable SOP. Snake apologizes to Meryl, who assures him they will meet again on the outside. As Snake approaches the final corridor to GW, he is ambushed by FROGs but saved once again by Raiden, who is still alive but missing both arms. Though Snake is severely weakened by heat exposure and overwhelmed by countless Dwarf Gekko, he reaches GW, where Otacon takes control of the Mk. III and uploads the virus. The virus unexpectedly uses GW as a conduit to infect the whole AI network, destroying all five Patriot AIs, and disables SOP and all military systems implementing it worldwide, including Liquid's. A video recording of Naomi set to play back after the destruction of the Patriots explains that the Patriots had intended to implement nanomachine personality control worldwide. She and Sunny designed the virus as the antithesis to FOXDIE; as the nanomachines used in SOP were technological derivatives of Naomi's FOXDIE, the new virus, named "FOXALIVE," would atone for Naomi's mistake by shutting down SOP. Sunny's programming also made sure that in destroying the Patriot AIs, SOP and the war economy, FOXALIVE would preserve the systems controlling vital and benign world infrastructures such as water, air, telecommunications and the internet.
The U.S. Marines easily take over the now-defenseless Outer Haven. In the confusion, Liquid Ocelot takes Snake to the sail of Outer Haven and thanks him for accomplishing Liquid's own goals. Ocelot had allowed the will of Liquid to live on within his body through the use of hypnosis and gene therapy, perpetuating both Liquid's own agenda against the Patriots, as well as the feud between the two sons of Big Boss. His plan to use REX's rail gun was just a diversion, knowing that JD would be allocating its resources into stopping Liquid and not into preventing the upload of FOXALIVE. After this revelation, Liquid's personality acts upon his final wish within Ocelot's body: for the sons of Big Boss to engage in one final fight on top of Outer Haven. As Snake and Liquid wage their brutal fist fight, Ocelot's personality gradually resurfaces, culminating in the use of his trademark hand gestures. His last words are "You're pretty good...", echoing his taunt from Metal Gear Solid and his response when Naked Snake said those same words during the events of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
Epilogue - Naked Sin
The epilogue begins with Meryl and Johnny's wedding, attended by the members of Rat Patrol, Otacon, Sunny, Drebin, Mei Ling and Campbell. Meryl reconciles with Campbell and finally accepts him as her father. Raiden's body is freed from the machinations of the Patriots and is back to its original form, and he reunites with his ex-fiancée Rosemary and their son, John, whom Rosemary had lied about miscarrying to protect him from the Patriots. Snake is at the cemetery standing at the grave of Big Boss and he kneels on the ground and points his gun into his mouth to commit suicide in order to prevent his mutated FOXDIE strain from spreading further, as the camera drifts into the sky a gunshot is heard. Meanwhile, Drebin reveals to Otacon that he was a child soldier who was adopted by the Patriots with the intention of raising him to become a gun launderer. He also explains that Rat Patrol 01 (which, in its shortened form "RAT PT 01," is an anagram of "PATR10T") had been manipulated by the Patriots as well. Sunny gives the Mk. III to a local boy (her first "outside friend"), and asks Otacon where Snake is, to which Otacon - knowing that Snake has gone to commit suicide - replies tearfully that Snake "needs some time to rest."
Debriefing - Naked Son
Back at the cemetery, it is revealed that Snake did not kill himself. Sweating and shaking from nearly dying, Snake is startled by a familiar voice saying, "That's right. Good. No need for you to go just yet." Snake turns only to see Big Boss, who disarms Snake and gives him a fatherly hug. Big Boss tells Snake that the body burned on the Volta was actually that of Big Boss's clone Solidus Snake, and that he was reconstructed with parts from both Solidus and Liquid's bodies, and kept alive with extensive nanotechnology. He brings Major Zero along with him, who is now a 105-year-old man and confined to a wheelchair in his vegetative state. Big Boss explains that he and Zero founded the Patriots as an interpretation of The Boss' will, along with EVA, Ocelot, Sigint and Para-Medic. As the Patriots became more influential in society, Zero became a megalomaniac, obsessed with uniformity and erasing individuality, leading Big Boss to leave the Patriots and form Outer Heaven as another interpretation of The Boss' will. EVA and Ocelot joined him in his struggle to end the Patriots. As Zero became elderly, control of the Patriots was increasingly left in the hands of the five AIs, who further misinterpreted Zero's will and completely alienated themselves from the original will of The Boss. JD sought to control the masses through manipulation of the economy, digital information, and eventually personalities. Ocelot willingly assimilated the personality of Liquid Snake in order to fool the system and propagate the feud between the sons of Big Boss. Big Boss then euthanizes Zero by turning off his life support.
Big Boss reveals that the injection given to Snake by Drebin in Act 1 included a new strain of FOXDIE, created by the proxy AIs to kill the surviving defectors of the Patriots, explaining the deaths of EVA and Ocelot. Big Boss also relays Naomi's message that the new FOXDIE strain has neutralized the older strain, meaning that Snake is no longer in danger of becoming a biological weapon. The newer FOXDIE is already affecting him, Big Boss, who is being attacked one last time by the Patriots through Snake. He finally makes peace with Snake, asking him not to waste the life he has left fighting. He also asks his son, Snake, to find a new lease on life. Snake, realizing that he and his father are at peace now, picks up the cigar that Big Boss dropped earlier, lights it, and enjoys it with Big Boss, sharing Big Boss' last moments together as father and son. The Metal Gear Saga ends here at this scene as Snake and Big Boss are looking at one another in a loving and peaceful manner, followed by Big Boss's last words of "This is good, isn't it?" just before he dies on The Boss's grave and next to his own.
In the post-credits dialogue, Snake explains to Otacon that he will spend his remaining days attempting to simply live his life. Otacon tells Snake he forgot his cigarettes, but Snake shockingly replies with "No thanks ... These things will kill you." illustrating a new found will to live, just as Big Boss requested Snake to find just before dying on The Boss's grave. Otacon requests to accompany him in order to chronicle the last days of Solid Snake. Snake initially refuses - but with some persuasion he accepts, allowing Otacon and Sunny to accompany him.
Development
The game was publicly announced first at Tokyo Game Show 2005. Hideo Kojima announced that he would be retiring as director of the Metal Gear series after Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and would leave his position open to another person for Metal Gear Solid 4. As a joke, the new director was announced as "Alan Smithee", but in R, a 400-page book bundled with Metal Gear Solid 3's Japanese "Premium Package", the director was revealed to be Shuyo Murata, co-writer of MGS3 and director of Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner. He has also contributed humorous Easter eggs to Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear: Ghost Babel. However, it was announced that Kojima would be co-directing the game with Murata after substantial negative fan reaction, including death threats.
The title was described as "essentially finished" by January 2008, and went through extensive beta testing. At Destination PlayStation on February 26, 2008, Sony announced that MGS4 would be released worldwide on June 12, 2008, along with the special MGS4 PlayStation 3 bundle.
Guns of the Patriots is the first PS3 game that uses a full 50GB dual layer Blu-ray Disc through extensive efforts in data compression.
Originally, one of Kojima's endings for the game would have had Snake and Otacon turn themselves in for breaking the law, and subsequently they would be convicted and executed, but this idea was vetoed by his team.
Marketing
At a press conference on May 13, 2008, Hideo Kojima announced a marketing campaign and agreements with several companies to promote the game. Apple computers and monitors feature in the game and an Apple iPod is an in-game item that Snake can use to change the background music, listen to in-game podcasts and collect hidden songs scattered throughout the game. ReGain Energy Drinks are used in the game as a Psyche gauge booster, and Sony Ericsson mobile phones are used, specifically by Naomi.
Konami and Ubisoft put an unlockable costume in the game for Snake, Altaïr from the Ubisoft stealth game Assassin's Creed. Initially revealed on April Fool's Day 2008, Kojima later announced that it would actually be in the game, unlockable by doing "something special". To obtain the attire, the player must acquire the "Assassin Emblem", a nod to the game's title (or input a password in the Extras section).
Konami had originally planned to organize grand launch events in Tokyo, but some of them were canceled with the "safety of participants in mind" in light of the Akihabara massacre on 8 June, 2008.
Also, in Act 4, when Snake enters Shadow Moses, Snake receives a call from Otacon, instructing to insert a second disc into the PS3 system, but then says that there is no need as the disc inserted is a double layered [Blu-Ray Disc].
Soundtrack
The score to Metal Gear Solid 4 was led by Harry Gregson-Williams, his third Metal Gear Solid soundtrack, and Nobuko Toda, who provided music for Metal Gear Acid and Metal Gear Acid 2. Other contributors are Konami employees Shuichi Kobori, Kazuma Jinnouchi, Akihiro Honda, and Sota Fujimori. Directed by Norihiko Hibino, GEM Impact employees Yoshitaka Suzuki and Takahiro Izutani also made compositions late in the game's production. It was revealed in an interview with Norihiko Hibino that the team in fact wrote 90 minutes of music for the game's cutscenes, only 15 minutes of which made its way onto the official soundtrack.
There are two vocal themes for the game. The opening theme, "Love Theme", is sung by Jackie Presti and composed by Nobuko Toda. The ending theme, "Here's To You", is sung by Lisbeth Scott. Before the release of the game, "MGS4 - Theme of Love - Smash Bros. Brawl Version" was provided for Super Smash Bros. Brawl in the Shadow Moses Island level.
The official soundtrack was released on May 28, 2008 by Konami Digital Entertainment under the catalog number GFCA-98/9. It consists of two discs of music and 47 tracks. A soundtrack album was also packaged with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition.
Limited Edition
The Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots limited edition was released simultaneously with the game's standard edition, as an enhanced counterpart. The limited edition contains Guns of the Patriots, a box with artwork by Yoji Shinkawa, a Blu-ray containing two "making of" documentaries, and the game soundtrack. The Limited Edition was available exclusively at GameStop in the United States and EB Games in Canada, while a similar bundle with an additional 6-inch 'Olive Drab' Old Snake Figurine was made available at Play.com in the United Kingdom.
Console bundles
In North America, a bundle containing an 80GB PlayStation 3, a DualShock 3 wireless controller, a downloadable game coupon from PSN (Pain) and a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was released for US$499 on June 12, 2008 to coincide with the release of the standalone edition. Japan will see the release of the Guns of the Patriots Welcome Box that contains the game itself, a DualShock 3 controller, and a 40GB PS3 in either black, white or silver.
Sony also announced a limited edition pre-order bundle containing Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition and a matte grey (officially titled Gunmetal Grey) 40GB PlayStation 3. First announced in Japan on March 18, 2008 at a cost of ¥51,800, the bundle sold out by March 25, 2008. An identical bundle was available in North America for pre-order on May 19, 2008 in "very limited" supply for US$600 at Konami's official website. David Reeves has announced a similar bundle for Europe which includes a 40GB PlayStation 3, the game itself and a Sixaxis controller.
Sequel
Even before the release of MGS4, Kojima stated in an issue of Famitsu that he was already thinking about MGS5 but to have less involvement with future games in the series. In an interview with 1up.com, Kojima reveals he has three ideas for MGS5 but added that should Kojima Productions pursue them, Kojima would have to be more involved than he would prefer to be.
Ryan Payton, the Assistant Producer for Metal Gear Solid 4 mentioned a sequel when he announced that he would be leaving Kojima Productions on the August 26 2008, saying, "It'll be hard not being involved in MGS5, but I've got the utmost confidence that Hideo Kojima, Ken Imaizumi, and our amazing team will put together another blockbuster game. I'll be cheering from the sidelines" Hideo Kojima has also hinted to a sequel several times in other interviews.
Following Konami's event in Tokyo, celebrating the completion of Metal Gear Solid 4, 1UP translated one final audio clip featuring Revolver Ocelot who has a conversation with an unknown character about a "sequel."
