PS3 Informer

Rumor: Metal Gear Solid 4 Headed to Xbox 360

There is a juicy and persistent rumor that has been drifting around the internet like a drunken King Julian: that MGS4 looks to appearing on the 360 with an announcement about to be made at E3 (as rumors go, this one is pretty good!). While the possibility of a multiplatform MGS 4 is definitely there, Kojima and others have said that it is unlikely if this actually came to pass. There are certainly some positives and negatives that Konami must weigh when deciding whether to port the game over to Microsoft's system or keep it a Sony exclusive.

The Positives:

Xbox 360 owners would be thrilled to get their hands on this closing chapter of the Metal Gear Solid saga. The graphics, game play and feel of the game is immense and the production values are high in this well-crafted piece of entertainment. The campaign itself feels polished and well thought out with little sumptuous touches for those that haven't followed the series from start to finish [cinematic flashbacks and references].

This new chapter is packed with emotion and you will feel that this has taken its toll on you as at times. I found myself actually speaking out loud to my television - 'My God, how bad was that?!?' - it pulls you in that much. Set pieces work well and as we all know the boss battles are always balanced and impressive. The formula is a balanced and striking one and this will make a fan of those that don't really enjoy stealth games as you should you choose to play this game very much like COD or Killzone and go hell for leather shooting those cats straight in the head if that's how you roll? So the fashion of how you tread really will be determined by you - may tasks and missions have multiple ways of being executed so again you will all come across different vices and perils.

The online side of the game is a little frustrating to get up and running but once you are in and you have become used the functionality of the system it works well and offers depth and a swift learning curve. With the 360 having such an established online crowd the Konami servers would be at bursting point with this game. The 360 should be able to get to grips with it so I think that 360 owners would also embrace this title and a solid port would be a major treat for online action fans. In my opinion this is the best game on PS3 at the moment and a good taste of how things are done on the Sony side of town.

The Negatives:

MGS 4 is a standalone game, but to get the most out of it you would do well to have played its predecessors. I have always seen the Xbox 360 as the meeting ground for those out there that enjoy PC Gaming and Console Gaming but haven't really had their eye caught by a console and the 360 sits in front of them like a fresh unguarded ham in front of Homer Simpson. At the moment, the titles that seem to do well are those like Gears, Halo, Project Gotham, Forza, Mass Effect [The list is immense] but the likes of Metal Gear in the Xbox World feels like a Square Peg being push into an already full Round Hole.

I have always thought that each system is defined by its type of games and the success of these are crafted and decided by us the gamer. At the moment the 360 has some awesome games and trying to push Metal Gear here for me would be like trying to get served after midnight, new year eve, in a club - lots of pushing and barging and sometimes that dude that just arrived gets served before you even though you are dying of thirst and covered in everyone else amber nectar. Timing and presentation would be crucial and would need to be well done for 360 owners to really appreciate Konami's year-old game. I think that if 360 players want this game, it should be for the right reasons and same goes for the developers at Konami -- it should be to push the story and reach gamers that haven't enjoyed the fruits of the Metal Gear world. But is this really what 360 gamers want? Some gamers may see this as a cynical attempt to rake in a bit more money by the Japanese publisher, rather than genuine enthusiasm for the Microsoft platform.

At any rate, the answer is coming soon and we are into weeks as opposed to months of finding out.

Final Thoughts:

I think that if this game made its way across the fanboy divide, it would be a great title for 360 owners to have a crack at -- so long as the commitment is there from both parties. From my own playing experience, I can tell you as an avid gamer that MGS4 be just up the street of many Xbox gamers. Loads of story twists, great online and overall a real thrill. Surely, no bad can come from us all enjoying great games and having something to discuss across platforms?

Can the Xbox 360 handle the graphical sophistication and scale of Metal Gear Solid 4?