"In true gamer fashion a Turkish man has escaped from a German prison Solid Snake style by making use of a cardboard box..."

"To see the EE for yourself, then just check out the Spec Op's ammo crate after "prototype ammo berserk" has been activated. We haven't tried this ourselves yet this weekend, but we're sure we'll run into it sometime."

"Show Notes:

This week we have been gaming on: Earthworm Jim (Virtual Console), God of War (PS2), Pac-Man Championship Edition (XBLA), Guitar Hero World Tour (Xbox 360), Soulcalibur IV (Xbox 360), Oblivion (PS3), Tetris Splash (XBLA), Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3)

Random Guitar Hero vs Rock Band ramblings

The News:

Atari to publish 'Ghostbusters' game

User created Guitar Hero content could be "subscription opportunity"

PETA suck the ass

Scientology sucks

Xbox Diamond Club, ..."

"Unplayable cut scenes, cinemas, or in-game movies have been a part of video games for more than 20 years. They help advance the plot, serve as a rest area for players and produce shock and awe like any good movie.

While the technique is evolving (some developers like Valve shun them altogether in favor of total interaction), cut scenes often make games feel bigger than they really are. And nobody does it better than the following games when it comes to memorable cinematics."

"If you have a PS3 and don't own the game yet, then I don't know what is wrong with you. This game was the system seller. Having a demo come out so far after the game has been released is just about unheard of and really makes me unsure of the strategy being used here.. BUT, at least this means Sony is staying consistent as far as how the whole company seems to be run, which is having no real strategy. ("Lets release a demo for a game everybody has, but stick without having a small patch to p..."

What do gamers do when people in America are going to the booths to vote? They hold their own elections, for video game characters of course!

Take your pick from the likes of Sackboy, Tom Nook... and even 12-Pack! Even gamers like a good old beer now and then, right? Each candidate has a badge, their promises and their slogan.

So who gets your vote?

"Post Metal Gear Solid 4 Hideo Kojima is still alive and kicking in the game development world it seems. In the latest Famitsu, the Konami producer mentioned that he's working on his newest game, to be announced next year!"

"Mandatory installs come from complications developers meet when switching from DVD to Blu-ray. Blu-rays have more space, but they have a different way of reading data that causes longer loading times when given exactly the same data DVDs use. Installs fix the problem, at a cost, but alternative methods are being devised. Fallout 3 has enough space on the Blu-ray disc to copy the game's assets over more than once on the disc, which reduces load times significantly. This kind of innovation is n..."

You saw the Amazing MGS Custom PS3, but that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to PS3 mods.

Here is a list (with lots of images) of some of the best from around the net, as compiled by PS3 Maven.

Ranging from game inspired mods, to ridiculous extraneous hardware modifications (think water cooling and external HDDs), prepare to be impressed.

Be sure to check out all of the other images and descriptions after the jump!

"Morpheon Mods has crafted an incredible MGS4-themed PS3 system that's not only completely blinged out, it's signed by Hideo Kojima himself. The quantity and scope of the modications applied are mind-boggling. "The entire PS3 and controller is a combination of Carbon Fiber and Midnight Black done in our own digital camouflage technique ... The final product is a uniform finish that reflects like a mirror."

"It has been specially fitted with 15 white micro LEDs that back light not only the m..."

"The first is where the reviewer, Robert Workman, said, "Despite these modes, glitches ruin the fun. Constant freeze-ups force you to reset your PlayStation 3, there's no time limit on your matches and no ability to simply drop out if you're frustrated or tired of losing."

According to Sonarus, who has played the game several times since the release last week, that is simply inaccurate. "He claims games have no time limit but that is just false. You can set the time for each round and you ..."

"What I think (and this is of course my interpretation; I'm not trying to put words in Leigh's mouth) is that in the case of games that are different in some way (like a new IP, or a sequel from a new developer as in the case of "Silent Hill: Homecoming"), a lot of videogame critics obsess about the small stuff because they don't like the big picture. Here's my best example: "The Simpsons Game." Yes, it had some camera problems and yes the gameplay wasn't too fresh. But it was a parody of vide..."

"Konami, in yet again denying rumors that Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3) is in the works for the Xbox 360, made a quote from its PR man disappear in the night.

The persistent rumor popped up again after Konami PR rep Yoshitaka Arai told the Japanese branch of investment firm Morningstar, "we are investigating releasing a 360 version." But GameCyte picked up that Japanese game blog my game news flash noticed that the story was quietly changed."

"The Sniper Rifle is a powerful, if misunderstood beast. For the special breed of action junkie, who is blessed with enough patience to wield it, the weapon says the following: “Provided you sacrifice all of your peripheral vision, I solemnly swear to destroy – not wound or incapacitate, destroy – any son of a bitch you dislike from half a world away, using a bullet longer than most ballpoint pens. That is why they designed me. That is why this multiplayer map has a book depository building in..."

"While at TGS, Konami PR mouthpiece Yoshitaka Arai told Morningstar:

quote

The worldwide demand for an Xbox 360 version (of MGS4) is quite high, and it is something we are currently looking in to.

"

The trailer for the second expansion pack for Metal Gear Online was showcased at TGS and looks to be fantastic at this stage. Introducing characters Mei Ling and Liquid Ocelot, as well as three new maps titled Silo Sunset, Forest Firefight and Winter Warehouses and much more. Even if you're not interested in the game, it still has some laughs to keep you entertained... Especially right at the end.

"When did you first show interest in videogames? What games did you enjoy playing, what companies did you respect?

Well, I first had interest in filming….but could not be involved…I was facing frustrations at that time. But then there came the Famicom (NES), and I fell in love with Super Mario Brothers."

The guys over at Pwn or Die have done their best to photoshop Alaskan Governor turned potential Vice President Sarah Palin into some of our favorite video games as some of our favorite ladies.

From Cortana in Halo to Meryl in MGS, and even Samus and Lara Croft - it is worth peek for a laugh.

"What are the best-selling games in America, Japan, and Europe (UK) this week? Thanks to Amazon online sales data here are the games that are the most popular now.

Mario Kart Wii races to the first place on the Wii chart. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed holds on to the #1 spot on the PS3 chart. Rock Band 2 remains on top of the Xbox 360 hitlist. Lego Batman stays on the PS2 chart. Spore evolves to the first place in the PC top 5. Kirby Super Star Ultra debuts on the DS chart. And lastly, aft..."

"Microsoft Game Studios head Phil Spencer told Edge on Wednesday that the firm has added a "group of industry heavy hitters" to its lineup, including former Kojima Productions assistant producer Ryan Payton, confirming recent rumors."

"

quote

Kojima:
I have three concepts for MGS5 already. What would be ideal for me with MGS5, though, is that we don't do those. If the team picks one of those concepts, I have to get involved again, which I don't want to do. There are already so many good ideas from the staff, so if we select one of those, that would be really good. At that point I could really rely on them and take the step back to be the producer, which is the ideal situation, I think.

Whatevs. We all know what's really ..."

"What are the best-selling games in America, Japan, and Europe (UK) this week? Thanks to Amazon online sales data here are the games that are the most popular now.

Mario Kart Wii races to the first place on the Wii chart. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed force grips itself to the #1 spot on the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2 and PSP charts. Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning debuts first place in the PC top 5. Lastly Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir enters the DS chart."

"Solid Snake’s story is finished, but that doesn’t mean Konami is going to seal the Metal Gear Solid franchise in an early grave. The first sign of a new Metal Gear Solid game comes from the Japanese Trademark database where Konami registered Metal Gear Existence with the boring image on the right. It’s made to be used with video games so it’s likely, very likely, the name of a future Metal Gear Solid game."

"It's curious that on the job announcement page for the Kojima Productions site, Hideo Kojima states:

quote Kojima

The creativity of video games is now on the verge of crisis. Massive advertising campaigns are executed for games before their entertainment values are put into consideration all too often, resulting in sell-off tactics happening without hesitation.

The irony is that Konami is guilty of the hype Kojima seems so critical of."

"VideoGamer.com: Do you think games are too easy on gamers these days then?

BJ: Yes, I do. I think that if you look at one of the highest praised games of last year, Bioshock. BioShock was easy as Hell, I don't care what anybody says. That's what people want. They want to play through it. They want to die once or twice. It's like an interactive movie, sort of. Gamers have lost their will to continually drill down on something. It's also the fault of the developers. If you make enough restar..."

"The Metal Gear Solid series was created by Kojima Productions, a development unit at Konami Digital Entertainment. Kojima Productions has also given us popular series such as Zone of the Enders and Boktai: The Sun is in Your Hand. The team has three directors: Hideo Kojima, Yoji Shinkawa and Shuyo Murata. There is a program manager, design manager, script manager and sound manager, as well as many other artists and programmers.

In the development of MGS4, about 100 staff members were invol..."

"Rumor has it that Ryan Payton, late of Kojima Productions, has landed a pretty impressive job here in the states.

Our very reliable sources tell us that Payton has been hired by Microsoft to be the creative director on the upcoming, and still not dead, Peter Jackson Halo game.

The news, very reliable news, comes weeks after we broke the news that Gearbox Director of Technology Corrinne Yu had been hired by Microsoft Game Studios to be Principle Engine Architect for Microsoft's Halo Fran..."

"Paul K. asks: This is something I think I might have heard about awhile ago, but can't remember: Is there going to be a way to access your PSN profile from a PC?
PS3F answers: Yes, it's been available since July. It's called the "PlayStation Network Portable ID." It links your PSN account to your PlayStation Underground (Official PlayStation community) account. You can read the full details here.

Conor R. asks: Is it possible to earn trophies for your PSN ID while not signed in to the Pla..."

"1UP: We can't believe you actually managed to tie up all the series' dangling plot threads. What was the hardest plot element to resolve? Did you have to cut any corners or fudge facts to make things work? It's okay, you can be honest.

Ryan Payton: The stories of MGS2 and MGS3 were truly written without any backup measures if the series continued, leaving dozens of confusing and unexplained plot elements in the wake. The fact that we were able to tie up all the loose ends with MGS4 was not..."

The official PlayStation website is hosting a Metal Gear Solid 4: Octocamo Suit Contest. All you have to do is create a OctoCamo suit, like Solid Snake's, and submit a screenshot or videotape showing it! The prize will be a "Limited Edition Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Bundle Pack".

The official contest rules can be found here and more details about it can be discovered by hitting the source.

"10. The "PSP Brite's" non-existent battery problem

When Sony announced the PSP-3000, it seemed like a nice little incremental update to the platform. Sure, the brighter screen and tweaked cosmetics wouldn’t lure many existing owners into a repeat purchase, but it would help keep the aging platform relevant.

But within just a few days of its announcement, it came out that in one key way the “PSP Brite” would actually be a downgrade over existing models: battery life. In an interview with..."

"Q. Do you feel that PlayStation 3 (PS3) has expanded sufficiently for the release of large-scale titles such as "Resident Evil 5"?

A. We believe that PS3 has finally reached full swing after looking at the success of "Metal Gear Solid 4," as well as future large-scale title lineups. In addition, some reduction in the PS3's price was announced at the 2008 E3, and we can expect its spread to increase by next March when our "Resident Evil 5" for PS3 will be released. Moreover, as we are not o..."

"Over the years, gamers have seen dozens of high-profile titles make their world debut by being featured on the cover of Game Informer. In fact, if you’re a regular shopper at GameStop, you’re probably one of the magazine’s more than two million readers.

But does a game getting on Game Informer’s cover signal it’s going to be great?

Can you be confident that these debuts will, one or two years later, become games you want to buy and play? Perhaps the magazine has a “Madden” curse (though..."

"Phil Harrison and Satoru Iwata have expressed the view that demand for expansive, epic titles like MGS4 is shrinking. What are your thoughts on that?

Kojima: I think that's not happening. Even if that is a fact, I still think that there are gamers who love these epic games or hardcore games because some people still really live with games, and really receive something from games, and I regard them as real gamers. Now, as long as these gamers exist I feel a responsibility that someone has t..."

"It's hard to say if the last week of the Olympics gave Segas' Beijing 2008 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games a boost, but that hasn't stopped the PlayStation 3 version of the game moving up four spots from the previous week, into sixth spot. The Xbox 360 version of Beijing 2008 also made it into the charts, though at the much lower position of number 10. Nintendo's Brain Training series are regular contenders in the charts, with Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brai..."

"It's not just Metal Gear Online but Konami's online games as a whole that have had a rocky ride online, but Konami is keeping the updates coming.

The recent server maintenance on the game's servers, which have seen several temporary outages in play over the past couple of weeks, has finished and Konami has detailed the changes that you may notice, small though they may be:

"1)Players will gain 5 reward points when they have finished a round in the automatching lobbies 'SNAKE:EX', 'LIQUI..."

""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.""

""I've been doing a lot of interviews and stage shows, and half the questions are like 'Will MGS4 be coming out on 360 or other formats?', and in the near future I hope they'll ask me about Metal Gear, about us, about our future projects, and will stop caring about the hardware,".

Pressed on MGS4's exclusivity and the possibility of an Xbox 360 port, Kojima reiterated that the PS3 had been chosen because he believed that the series' success had been entwined with PlayStation's, and admitted..."

"Kojima:

"I say frankly, on a private level, that I always intend to stay true to these statements; I do always say what I actually feel at that time, after each Metal Gear, when I say I am going to move on to the next project. But it's like when Hayao Miyazaki says he is not going to do more, and then always ends up doing it. I think I am kind of in a similar situation; I have ideas other than Metal Gear, and I want to go on to make other new games, but for political, business or technolog..."

"We were, at first, blown away by this digit-ized spin on Metal Gear Solid 4. "Amazing production values!" we thought. "His nails are even filthier than those of SCEE boss David Reeves!" we noticed. What turns out to be an ad for Metal Gear AC!D Mobile is also the best sight gag we've seen in a long time, proving that thumb wars have changed."

"So yeah, Metal Gear Solid 4 closes the chapter on Solid Snake. And Kojima Productions have confirmed that MGS4 will be the last canonical game to feature Snake. But does that mean there won't be another Snake in the future? Game creator Hideo Kojima explains:

quote Kojima

The heroes in most animations and movies don't age. They are often immortal. Snake, on the other hand, has aged with the times. I made him this way because of the unique characteristics of the game medium. Snake is a ficti...

"

"Unlike most industry award shows, G-Phoria's twelve month of eligibility run from August of the preceding year through July of the current year.

Xbox 360 was named the station's favorite system -- which falls in line with the award distribution. Of the show's 18 game awards, only four went to titles not available on Microsoft's system: Best Graphics and Best Voice Acting for Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Best Racing Game for Nintendo EAD's Mario Kart Wii, an..."

"Metal Gear Solid 4 has shipped 3.94 million units worldwide, according to a recent sales report from Konami.

We don't know the exact number of copies sold, but about one out of every four or five PS3 owners has purchased Metal Gear Solid 4. Simply put, there's a lot of tactical espionage action going on.

With sales that have started to become slightly sluggish in Japan, will the game reach the lucrative five million sold mark before the end of the year?"

"The chart on the left represents Konami's video game software sales for the April to June quarter from 2007. The chart on the right? The same quarter from 2008, the quarter in which Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was released. The Kojima Productions game helped boost PlayStation 3 game sales from 1.3% to a solid 57.3% of Konami's total game sales, with MGS4 representing about 56.8% of that."

Curious about what's selling in the UK right now? Chart Track has you covered with an all-format list. The attached image shows us what's doing good (Soul Calibur IV, Big Beach Sports, Call of Duty 4, New Super Mario Bros., NFS: ProStreet) and what's waning (Lego Indiana Jones, Super Smash Bros., Metal Gear 4, Race Driver). Check it out!

"In the recent Metal Gear Solid 4 game, there's a scene where Naomi Hunter and Sunny Gurlukovich cook three sunny-side up eggs on a frying pan. The tender sequence is punctuated by a cooking timer in the shape of a no-nonsense duck. To get the cooking time for the eggs proper, Sunny sets the GA-KO Timer so that it'll shake and sing out "Dah-Dah" when the eggs are ready.

Konami brings the GA-KO Timer home this summer but the company transitions the product into a more useful GA-KO Alarm Clo..."

"Since playing through Metal Gear Solid IV, I've gone through a dozen eggs a week. I never used to eat this many eggs, but there I am, nearly every morning, cracking open fresh ones into a hot frying pan, pausing to watch the egg white turn from translucent to opaque, humming a little song to myself. Hell, I never really ate eggs sunny side up before the damn game came out. I was a scramblin' man. Quick, easy, no fuss. What has this stupid game done to me?

Is this an isolated case, or have..."

"#24: skate
#23: Heavenly Sword
#22: MLB 08: The Show
#21: Battlefield: Bad Company
#20: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2
#19: Rock Band
#18: Burnout Paradise
#17: Ninja Gaiden Sigma
#16: PixelJunk Monsters
#15: Everyday Shooter
#14: Gran Turismo 5: Prologue
#13: Warhawk
#12: Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online
#11: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: Game of the Year Edition
#10: Super Stardust HD
#9: Assassin's Creed
#8: Resistance: Fall of Man
#7: MotorStorm
#6: The Orange Box
..."

"1. [NDS] Dragon Quest V (Square Enix) - 643,764 / NEW
2. [PSP] Gundam Battle Universe (Namco Bandai Games) - 137,550 / NEW
3. [PS2] Persona 4 (Atlus Co. ) - 40,680 / 233K
4. [PS3] Tears to Tiara: Kakan no Daichi (Aqua Plus) - 34,431 / NEW
5. [WII] Wii Fit (Nintendo) - 27,198 / 2,380K
6. [WII] Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo) - 23,992 / 1,584K
7. [NDS] Daigasso! Band Brothers DX (Nintendo) - 21,419 / 212K
8. [NDS] Derby Stallion DS (Enterbrain) - 16,248 / 223K
9. [PSP] Monster Hunter Portable..."

"From blog.wired:

If the Uniqlo line of Metal Gear Solid 4 t-shirts wasn't to your liking, maybe the new designs from Konami will be more your thing.

The "Konami Style" online store in Japan is currently taking orders for the three new tees. The black model is the same one worn by the Kojima Productions staff during the game's worldwide launch and signing events. It even includes tour stops on the back, like a proper tour shirt should.

All three designs are available in two sizes (M ..."

"History so far:

We started out early 2006 with this project. After a few months the general idéa had taken form and began preperation and the search for props. Early morning September 9 the boat left the harbour at Kapellskär. Still in early post production we are looking forward to bring you the final cut. But until then, here is a little sample."

"Before I get flooded with hate mails, let me say, yes I only own a 360. And as much as I want to, the chances of MGS4 appearing on the 360 is pretty slim. You see, MGS 4 is akin to Halo 3. If you port Halo 3 to the PS3, the whole internet will be up in riot. If you port MGS4 to the 360, not only will the entire internet end up taking arms, but personal lives (read: Kojima’s) might be at stake."

"Before Kojima Productions and Konami get Hideo Kojima that editor he so desperately needs, perhaps the company should hire someone who knows how to launch an online multiplayer game. The Metal Gear Online "Gene Expansion" was released yesterday and promptly melted Konami's servers, resulting in the closure of the game's MGO Shop and Reward Shop and difficulty logging in to the service. Some MGO players have reported paying for the new expansion and getting nothing in return.

Konami's solut..."

"1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) 774,600
2. Guitar Hero On Tour (DS) 422,300
3. Ninja Gaiden II (360) 372,700
3. Wii Fit (Wii) 372,700
5. Wii Play (Wii) 359,100
6. Battlefield Bad Company (360) 346,800
7. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) 322,400
8. LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (Wii) 294,500
9. LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (DS) 267,800
10. LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventure (PS2) 260,300


Oh, and just a quick note re the MGS4 figure: thos..."

The NPD Group's hardware and software numbers for the month of June has been released, representing sales for the United States in the five week period of June 1st to July 5th.

This month, there are three notable happenings:

• Wii overtakes 360 in the United States in Lifetime to Date sales, with 666.7k units sold vs. 219.8k units sold for the 360, bring the Wii's total to 10.9 million units sold in the United States in its 20 months of release.
• Metal Gear Solid 4, being the only major rel...

"Metal Gear Online's first expansion pack - Gene - has been dated during Konami's E3 address yesterday. And that release date is...today, July 17!

The expansion will introduce a new gameplay mode (survival), three new maps, two new selectable characters (including Meryl) and a "reward shop", where you can spend the points you earn in survival mode on new gear for your character."

"Following fervent speculation that Metal Gear Solid 4 would follow Final Fantasy in becoming a PlayStation-associated brand that moves onto Xbox 360, SCEA CEO Jack Tretton has argued no other console could handle the technical demands of Konami’s the Konami title.

Speaking to assembled press at the platform holder's conference in LA earlier today, Tretton added that the Blu-Ray capabilities of PS3 had already seen of HD-DVD – and would now see off the company’s console competition."

"One of our eagle-eyed Official Australian PlayStation magazine readers (our sister publication), Mr. Alistair Richardson, recently found himself in the presence of the man and, as you can see from the image above, took photographic evidence of the fact. To double check we merged the man with his in-game costume and hey presto, we had a match!

What were the events that lead to this historic discovery? We’ll let Alistair explain…

"

"" The much awaited ""METAL GEAR ONLINE GENE EXPANSION"" is now available!! DO NOT miss this opportunity to become a part of the evolution that is MGO!! Throw yourself onto new and unconquered Maps!! Make use of a whole new set of gimmicks and Characters! Why not try out the awesome new game mode "Survival"!?

The ExpansionPack includes an amazing 3 new Maps!!
Ever wanted to play as a character from MGS4 on MGO? Now's your chance as 2 seasoned warriors join the ranks!

Reward Points you e..."

"Nostalgia is a funny thing. It can make a person feel inexplicably happy and sad at the same time. It can make a person yearn for the past while feeling happy that they had witnessed something amazing long ago. Why am I rambling crazy talk about nostalgia, you might ask? It is something that came to me while browsing Youtube recently. I was searching for a certain Metal Gear Solid 4 video and accidentally clicked on an old MGS1 video instead.



Ahhh it brought back good memories. The cla..."

"10. Wii Play (Wii) 411,416 copies
9. Mario Kart DS (DS) 416,935 copies
8. Mario Party DS (DS) 497,547 copies
7. Wii Sports (Wii) 544,958 copies
6. Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3) 576,437 copies

Not sure which is more impressive: A month old game like MGS4 making it into the top ten or a two and a half year old game like Mario Kart DS doing it. YOU DECIDE! Hit the jump for the top five.

5. Pokémon Ranger: Battonage (DS) 576,467 copies
4. Wii Fit (Wii) 1,443,167 copies
3. Mario Kart Wii (W..."

""

"Real news from the virtual world:

_BEST OF 2008 (SO FAR): E3, the video-game industry's big trade show, is next week, and you'll be hearing a lot about all the new software coming between now and Christmas. But there's a bit of a lull until Aug. 12, when "Madden NFL 09" unofficially marks the beginning of the fall game season. July is a good time to catch up on some of the games you may have missed. Here are the best of the year so far:

1. "Grand Theft Auto IV" (Rockstar, for the Xbox 3..."

"Is it just me or has Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots not recieved much hype after its release? No, no, before you accuse me of insanity let me explain. MGS4 has recieved superb reviews and will arguably be the game of the year. But that's it. Gaming sites have reviewed it and now gone strangely quiet. There are no blogs on silly Metal Gear related topics, there are no bouts of hysteria from overzealous site editors and there are no top 10 MGS4 lists on Gamesradar. Am I the only one f..."

"Solid Snake voice actor David Hayter was surprisingly candid at Anime Expo's centerpiece guest-of-honor panel, where he admitted to being frustrated at times with Metal Gear Solid series director Hideo Kojima's over-the-top scriptwriting and direction. He specifically called out the suicide scene highlighted in Metal Gear Solid 4 trailers, saying that Snake, a man who's killed thousands, shouldn't flinch at pulling the trigger on himself. "I didn't agree with that at all, and I begged them to..."

"Kojima, who lived in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures for 30 years from the age of 3, cannot forget the spirit of entertainment or comedy for which his home region, Kansai, is known.

MGS 4, too, is filled with giggle-inducing aspects. "I'm often asked not to include such elements in a hard-boiled game. But I can't help it," Kojima said with a laugh. "My ideal game is something that makes you want to come back to the world later. It is not enough only to make you enjoy the sense of tension. I w..."

"Picking up almost four years after the "Big Shell Incident" from MGS 2, Metal Gear Solid 4 takes place in a world where the restriction of military intervention on foreign soil has been eased, fuelling the need for private military companies to fight proxy wars for business purposes. Nanotechnology has become prominent, both to enhance the capabilities and enforce the loyalty of mercenaries and five of the largest PMC’s are owned by Outer Haven, a company operated in the Middle East by Liquid..."

"inspiration from the existing “Sneaking Mode”, which sees Snake use Octocamo to collect Dog-Tags from warring teams, this mode is a battle of two teams with different gear.

The mode consists of a Sneaking Team and a “Normal” Team going head to head. Like Snake, the Sneaking Team is stealth-equipped (thus virtually invisible) and to win must either eliminate all enemies or return KEROTAN or GA-KO to their goal. The defending team must defeat the sneaking team or keep KEROTAN or GA-KO safe t..."

"It takes more than a big time PS3 exclusive like Metal Gear Solid 4 to beat Nintendo. Way more. While MGS4 did give Sony a bump in sales, it wasn't enough, and the Wii outsold the PS3 in June. This is the seventh consecutive month that the Wii has come out on top in The Land of the Rising Sun. For those interested in the number crunching, data from Famitsu publisher Enterbrain has the Wii moving 235,990 consoles during June, while the PS3 shifted 139,494 consoles. In short: Even without a new..."

"According to translated Japanese gaming forums (citing information from the newest edition of Famitsu), the pack will retail for 1200 yen, with another option of a 1500-yen pack that gives you a new character slot. Both packs will feature Johnny and Meryl, the ability to make female characters, a new Survival Mode, and three fresh stages: Shadow Moses, Mei Ling's Ship, and the Heliport from the original Metal Gear Solid on the PS1. Furthermore, as of Friday, we can expect a couple new rules f..."

"Jonny says the above frame came from the segment "Hideo Kojima's Gene" in the bonus features disc, for those who have it and want to watch."

Narrative, dynamic game play, installs, awesome graphics? What are all these things? Fuchal of NextGG.com offers a satirical guide for Xbox Fanboys who may wish to explore their feelings towards Metal Gear Solid 4.

"Video in Link"

"According to Japanese news site IT Media, Metal Gear Solid 4 has been knocked down to number two by PSP game Super Robot Taisen A Portable. During its first week, MGS4 sold 476,334 copies — so says Enterbrain sales data. In its second week (June 16th to June 22nd), IT Media states the game's sales dropped to 68,000 copies. Still, an impressive number, but not impressive enough to overtake Super Robot Taisen A Portable, which went on sale June 19th. Good news: MGS4's sales have now topped 500,..."

"There was one MGS4 idea that we hadn't discussed that I thought was deserving of an NYT spotlight: How sad the game is. And how rare it is that we get a chance to play a sad game.

quote

So it was a bit strange when the first major MGS4 trailer premiered a few years ago and culminated with Old Snake finding a quiet spot of the battlefield away from the gunfire an placing the barrel of a pistol in his mouth. That's what feels so unusual about MGS4 even compared to the other MGS games. This is...

"

Here are some tips for playing Metal Gear Online multiplayer that will give you an edge over your online opponents. If you are new to the multiplayer, this survival guide will enable you to stand a fighting chance against more experience players.

"The publisher says that the title has sold a million copies in Europe since its release on June 12th, and has shipped many more SKUs to its retail partners.

Konami also confirmed that 25,000 copies of the the Limited Edition were made available across Europe, but “were snapped up almost immediately.”"

"Konami has announced that a free downloadable add-on for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots will be made available on PS3 on Thursday (June 26th) in Europe.

The Metal Gear Solid 4 Database is a comprehensive archive detailing characters, weapons and plot elements from 1987’s original Metal Gear title right through to the most recent title.

According to Konami, the system allows users to search via three central hubs: GENE (a glossary), MEME (which maps the relationships between ch..."

"The Metal Gear Solid 4 publicity machine keeps on trucking! Konami's even using its arcade games to publicize MGS4 Hobby Blog's Frankie points out. He tells us:

quote

Few days ago I found that the arcade game Magical Quiz Academy, while in demo mode, promotes METAL GEAR SOLID 4.
Basically, while everyone is talking about in-game advertisement, Konami has made a "game's in-arcade game promotion". I think this is a pretty smart move to reach hardcore users without speding a yen...

Cle..."

"Gamestation exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4 watch.

Only 500 units available worldwide, individually numbered 1 to 500 with a Konami certificate of authenticity and approved by Hideo Kojima.

Watch Gift box with MGS 4 print, black flock interior with matching cushion, Gamestation branding and black card exterior box with silver MGS 4 stamped logo.

This very limited and worldwide exclusive item will be £99.99 and a must have for all true Metal Gear Solid fans."

"Oddly, it’s something of an accurate send off that’s true to the rest of the series. It embodies the era of gaming in which it was first conceived. But old times and everything that once stood as grand and mighty within them ultimately slip away as distant memories of what was once common and accepted. For all your shortcomings Old Snake, you will always remain an old and timeless symbol of heroism. But like like all legends, you exist better in memory."

"After a few days I called him up to check in, make sure he hadn't gone down the rabbit hole of virtual unrea