Yep, now we need MGS4 to show new heights of storytelling ineptitude. Kojima can't tell his story in the game so he has to do cutscenes. JRPGs had that form of storytelling down long before Kojima decided to explore that well trod path. MGS is at the bottom of the barrel of video game story telling. What saves it is that the gameplay is fun. My guess as to why you don't see a MGS movie is that no producer will touch Kojima as a director after seeing his existing anime style, overcomplicated, unartisticly philosphical cutscenes. The reason you don't see that crap in movies made outside of Japan is because most see it for what it is, bad storytelling. It is great storytelling for the unimaginitive, however. Don't want to think about what a story means or what it says about life, don't worry, the next cutscene will tell you! Just like anime. Don't think! We'll do it for you and then you can talk about how philosophical we are with your friends!

Oh Billy07, I am so glad my favorite philospher didn't just disappear. This sort of entertainment cannot be bought.   I hope you do a full write up for MGS4 for your website.  Trust me, I'll read it.

I give this thread a 10.

@profcrab
most articulately put
and i cant help agree with all your observations
people are really confused as far as depth and complexity are concerned
and mgs storylines do prove that a complex story isn't always deep
people calling a story philosophical just because it confuses them a little is nothing but giving undue credit to it. a good confusing story is one which makes you think about it later, not a characteristic of the story line in question.

MGS stories are way better than a majority of the stories in recent JRPGs. What is a complex story and what is a deep story? I get the basic idea what they are but I am not fully sure.

I don't know about you, but I'd think I'd prefer PLAYING a game in that time period. If I wanted to watch 90 minutes of something, I'd go to a movie. Hopefully there is some way to skip it.

I personnaly agree with those who say that MGS doesn't provide the best storytelling in videogames. First videogames should always try to use interactivity, to tell their story through the actions of the player, the environmnent... People have talked about Dus Ex or Bioshock, fine examples. Secondly, the cutscenes are okay but they could give less information, let the player use his imagination. Think abour Shadow of the colossus for example. They could be shorter and still tell a ood story, like in the God of War series.

Now that it is said... We all know MGS includes lengthy cut-scenes sowe should not complain. And personnally, I have loved all the games of the series ! Sometimes the humour is a bit strange, the direction is a bit "too much", the dialogues are a bit boring... But I can't help being taken by the plot. And by the gameplay ! I love MGS gamplay. Particularly those amazing boss fights. Or the way the game is playing with you (think about the end of MGS2 for example)... Well, i don't know wich score MGS4 should have had, but I know I will buy it and, very likely, love it !

First off, welcome to the board.

Second off, I don't think anyone here is questioning MGS's visual presentation. Really, it is quite stunning most of the time.

People here are arguing over the rest of the presentation (dialogue, plot lines, philosophical implications, etc.). 

On the plus side, most MGS games let you pan/zoom/look around for easter eggs during cut scenes anyway. I think the gameplay will be top notch. The cinematics are going to be epic as well. I still pop in "Demo Theater" for MGS3 from time to time.

I have yet to play MGS4, but I have this feeling that once i'm done with it, It will be the 2nd best Metal Gear game, With MGS being the best. I don't think Kojima will ever make another game as great as the original MGS.

*looks at the calendar*

*looks again*

Join the club bruddah.