Metal Gear Solid 4 Impressions - Act 4

Well the new locales and diversity of graphics continue. Gameplay changes once again as well and focuses on sneaking and fighting mechanized opponents.

----SPOILER ALERT----
Act 4 takes us back to Metal Gear Solid 1 to Shadow Moses in pursuit of Metal Gear Rex. Act 4 has a lot of nostalgic moments, but the best was definitely when an old song from MGS1 kicks in as you journey through the snow to infiltrate the Shadow Moses Facility. I really enjoyed the music and atmosphere of this level and the snow effects are incredible. The cold frosts the screen, snowflakes stick to the camera, and winds kick up snow that greatly reduces your vision. As always the graphics are incredible.


Gameplay wise, this act was the most up and down for me. The boss battle with Crying Wolf is definitely the best Beauty and the Beast fight yet, but sneaking around the Shadow Moses facility would have been a lot better with a more traditional human security detail. I would've really liked an act that focused on the gameplay found in Metal Gear Solid 1 or 2 where you can sneak up behind troops and choke, tranq, or kill them. Instead, Shadow Moses is filled with Gekkos and Mantis 3 armed machines....It was a missed opportunity to give Metal Gear fans an act (in the same locale as the first MGS) with gameplay from the older titles.

The act does close with a battle against Vamp which had an interesting way towards victor.
---MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD---
Injecting Vamp with the NanoMachine Syringe stops his healing ability and leads to Raiden finally finishing him off. Act 4's deaths don't end there as Naomi and Raiden bite the dust before Liquid escapes on his Outer Haven Battleship/Sub. The gameplay does mix things up and keep things fresh by introducing a mech battle with Rex vs. Ray at the end of the chapter. The mech controls/battle is actually pretty damn fun and another highlight of the act.