Konami has set high expectations for its tradeshow trailers. For each year of Metal Gear Solid development, Kojima and company have delivered truly impressive videos that showcase outstanding technical graphics as well as unmatched cinematic direction. Konami has set this standard of quality with trailers for Metal Gear Solid 2, Zone of the Enders, and with every other game Kojima's team has produced. Consequently, our expectations for a new Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer were high. At Konami's E3 2006 press conference, the newest trailer for Metal Gear Solid 4 delivered. Big.
As most probably know, Sony showcased an abbreviated MGS4 trailer at its own conference on Monday. Not to be outdone by the first party publisher, Konami fired back with a longer, more cut this afternoon. This new trailer, presented by Team Kojima's Ryan Payton, demonstrates the graphical prowess of MGS4 and reveals more details about the game that's set to release in 2007.
The trailer begins similar to its shorter counterpart -- setting the scene for Snake's next battlefield. War has changed, as PMCs -- organizations that supply mercenaries with war equipment --band together to form a power that rivals the power of the United States. The extended trailer goes on to clarify that the PMCs are organized by a group known as Outer Heaven, a name Metal Gear history buffs will instantly recognize.
Outer Heaven was first established by Big Boss (Solid Snake's genetic father) as a sovereign entity outside the control of governments and the mysterious Patriots. Outer Heaven was to be a sort of refuge for soldiers before Solid Snake killed Big Boss in the events of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. In the first Metal Gear Solid, Solid Snake squelches an effort by his brother Liquid Snake to resurrect Big Boss's Outer Heaven. As evidenced by Konami's new MGS4 trailer, Outer Heaven is far from defeated.
In case it wasn't obvious in the abbreviated trailer, Team Kojima's newer presentation clearly sets the stage in the Middle East. Solid Snake rides into a ghost town, cloaked and hidden among a convoy of soldiers eager to fight off the PMC forces of walking robots. As the convoy scatters, Solid Snake looks for cover, only to be immediately discovered by one of the biped robots. What follows is a riveting scene of pursuit.
Solid Snake tries in vain to shoot to death the first attacker. A second biped robot appears on the scene as Snake casts off his cloak to reveal a familiar (but new) sneaking suit. The bots then chase Snake into a building and upstairs, leaving destruction in their wake. Snake breaks away momentarily as the bots struggle to catch up.
On the top level of this ruined building, Solid Snake makes his next move and hints of an answer to Kojima's "No place to hide!" statement made at last year's E3. Instead of seeking refuge behind a wall (only to be found after the bots smash through), Solid Snake crouches as his suit takes on the visual characteristics of his surrounding. The effect looks different from the stealth camouflage we've known for years. This trick is a more chameleon-like effect that wears off as Snake moves.
As the effect sets in, the two bots reach the floor where Snake is waiting. They scan the ruins for motion and take notice of the cardboard box conspicuously placed in the center of the floor. An X-ray scan reveals that there's something inside the box, a box that's marked with last year's standout slogans: "No place to hide! No place for Hideo!" One of the enemy bots stomps the box to smithereens, shattering the stack of watermelons that hid beneath. In frustration, the biped robots continue their pursuit elsewhere. Solid Snake stands up as the chameleon effect wears off.
The trailer's subsequent dialog reveals elements of the story and characters. Most striking is the revelation that Solid Snake has only six months to live. His body is decaying and Snake is told that any other man in his condition would already be dead. Naomi Hunter returns for MGS4, back from her debut in the first Metal Gear Solid. Naomi is a doctor, and we surmise that she'll play a part in the prolonging of Snake's fading life.
A later scene in the trailer shows Solid Snake standing before a grave in a cemetery littered with fallen leaves. The scene resembles the final boss fight in Metal Gear Solid 3, where Big Boss kills his mentor The Boss. It's unsure to us who lies in the grave Solid Snake is visiting, though we speculate that it's either the grave of Olga Gurlukovich, a past character from Metal Gear Solid 2, or possibly Big Boss.
As Snake stands pensive over the grave, a chopper moves in and Otacon jumps out to summon the hero's help. Otacon and Colonel Campbell explain to Snake the situation, and the colonel insists that Snake is the only man that can defeat Liquid Snake, the born-again leader of Outer Heaven.
The trailer seems to end as Solid Snake sits down inserts a pistol into his mouth. As with the abbreviated trailer shown earlier in the week, the scene ends with deafening bang and a striking red that gives way to the game's new logo. This is not the end of Kojima's longer trailer.
The Metal Gear Solid 4 logo moves on to reveal a final scene of Raiden's return. The MGS2 hero makes an impressive comeback as he fights off a small pack of biped robots. The first part of the fight was already seen at Sony's conference earlier this week, but Konami's extended trailer showcases an even more awesome fisticuff.
Raiden battles a series of bots in the streets, showing off his impressive acrobatic abilities that mimic the movements of the Gray Fox Ninja from the first MGS. This Raiden is certainly not the same hesitant soldier he was in Metal Gear Solid 2. His artful swordplay and stunning power show that the Raiden of MGS4 is a Raiden to be respected (even if does wears high heels). After he effortlessly kills bot after bot, Raiden jokes that it's his turn to save Solid Snake.
Without question, Konami's extended Metal Gear Solid 4 is an awesome showcase for the PS3. The visuals are outstanding, and though the framerate drops in one of the scenes (as the bipeds chase Snake upstairs) the overall impression is still one of unprecedented graphical excellence. Be sure to check back with IGN for future details on Metal Gear Solid 4 as Kojima unveils more elements of the game.
Thanks IGN