09/06/2026
I remember when I first played Weapons of the Patriots (MGS4); I felt the gameplay had changed drastically, and in my opinion, a little for the worse, regardless of the changes that occurred between titles in the series.
The game was no longer primarily about stealth and tension like previous titles. The series had a very intelligent gameplay style that mirrored and respected the player's thought process, guiding them from one objective to the next with every move they made. For example, we recall the genius and psychological insight behind the design of the on-screen information display in MGS 1998.
In the first image, we see the amount of important information displayed on the radar screen, enough to give the player a feeling of being in a safe zone and having complete control over the area, more so than any enemy within the radar's range. However, the player later discovers that a simple mistake can cause chaos that might prevent them from continuing the game. The circle of comfort turns into a circle of chaos. This combination created an unparalleled stealth gameplay experience. It evoked a feeling that teetered between fear and tension, and between security and control. Many other elements and gameplay mechanics, which I haven't mentioned, contributed to this brilliance, such as:
(The alarm sound, the background music, the limited visibility in each corridor...) Additions like these were what, for me, distinguished the entire series.
The Patriots' weapons noticeably leaned more towards a combat (action) style than any previous title; the player felt pity when captured, and you could observe this shift simply by looking at the game's direction, without even touching the controller.
After researching the topic, we find that MGS4 was released in an era and generation of consoles dominated by shooter games. It was an era teeming with players passionate about this type of gameplay, and the Patriots' weapons weren't immune to this change. The shift in gameplay was deliberate on the part of Hideo, driven by the popularity of this genre and the high number of fans of this style, which was the antithesis of stealth games. In a February 2012 interview, Hideo explained:
"The Metal Gear Solid series is a war game series, but it's a bit different. It's designed with stealth gameplay, and there's nothing wrong with that kind of game. But once you're captured, you can't play anymore. Players who usually enjoy shooters tend to avoid games with similar gameplay; it stresses and exhausts them. It's a fun style for fans of stealth games, but it became an exception for the series in an era dominated by shooters. I wanted to broaden the series' appeal so that more people could enjoy it."
I wonder if this decision was pressured by Konami to generate more revenue by targeting a wider player base, or if Hideo genuinely wanted to make these changes to the product to benefit a larger audience.
In any case, this change was somewhat negative for me, but I see many positive aspects beyond the initial motivation behind it, which ultimately benefited the game's development.
A change in gameplay in video games is absolutely essential; it revitalizes and breathes new life into a series, even if it breaks with its established gameplay conventions. The changes made to the Patriots' weapons, for example, appealed to both types of players to some extent.
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Thank you to everyone who read to the end ❤️ The text is a bit disjointed. This is an idea and opinion I've had for years regarding the Patriots' weapons. The changes were generally good, and I expect everyone will agree.
Any opinion or comment you have on this topic is welcome to share.🙌🎮
