oh MGS4 is a GAME? i thought it was an interactive movie!

Termisk8er

Turns out one of the 90 minute cutscenes is Old Snake struggling to tie his boots as he grumbles, "Damn arthritis."

radiodave1102

Bring it on. I'll take 90 minutes of awesome cutscenes over 5 minutes of crap in any other game.

SolInvictus

Hmm. I think it would work out if only the ending was such a length. I was going to say the beginning as well but then I realized I have already seen the 10 minutes of gameplay.

Haha.

Hmm, well nonetheless the cutscenes for MGS have always been spectacular. I remember constantly replaying the Twin Snakes cutscenes on the Gamecube.

Terrorsaur.

@mcderek3000:

How did you like Episode 2? I started the first one and was intrigued for a little while, but then I slowly stopped playing it as time went on. I'm just curious how subsequent entries in the series turned out.

radiodave1102

@torsoboy: Have you ever seen a mgs cutscene, I wouldn't mind buying a CG movie of MGS, this game basicly says "nope, you get it included" lol

D Mitsuki

The point of a game is to tell a story through gameplay, not through a video tacked on the top.

torsoboy

can i haz ps3?

ArielWollinger

As long as i can hear the tale of Naked/Solid Snake and his awesomeness, i'm fine :D

Idree

Anyone who played through the AWESOME MGS3 shouldn't be surprised by this, and shouldn't be deterred by this, either.
No way for this to be anything but epic.

Mujah

@radiodave1102: I only played Xenosaga Episode 2, but that only had up to 10 minutes of cutscenes at a time. The one exception was 5 5-minute cutscenes separated by some running to and fro to still give it some interaction, and even then you could still have the option of a fight or a minigame if you felt like it and a chance to return to the story later.

mcderek3000

@Libo: I was born to play this game when it had 10 minute cutscenes, not 90 friggin minutes in one shot!

And yes, I know that Bioware, Obsidian and Squaresoft games can go up to 30 minutes exposition at a time - but only if you want them to - and even that would still involve some travelling, fighting and conversation choice. If it's your choice, you can just avoid unnecessary conversations and knock it down to 5 minutes at a time, then get back to the fightin'.

mcderek3000

90 minute cutscenes or 90 minutes of cutscenes?

mcderek3000

@k30248:

Wikipedia has summaries. But it's really worth it to play the first three, none of them, even the first one, feel dated at all.

Jim on the Wall

I can assure you that was not a typo and there is not only 90 minutes of cutscenes in the whole game. There was close to 4 hours of cutscenes in MGS2 and around or over 3 in MGS3.

ANd holy crap this is awesome if true.

Jim on the Wall

Stupid 50-gig Blu-Ray, limiting mah moobie time.

Brackynews

Is there someplace we can read through the storyline of the first 4 MGS just to give us a background on this release?

k30248

@bialia:

Haha! You're honestly telling me to get over myself for calling out a group of people that were being close-minded and unaccepting of the fact that a lot of people commenting on this board are valid in saying that they may not have enough time to sit through 90 minute long cutscenes?

Either you didn't read my entire post or you are defensive because you fall squarely within the group I was addressing. In any case, your response is both illogical and cute. Go play Xenosaga.

radiodave1102

@Alex_Mexico:

Any game where the cut-scenes last longer than the gameplay is not really about the GAMEPLAY. I stand by my well informed analogy. Besides, 20 hours? That's pretty measly. I've played N64 Games that lasted upwards of eighty. And wether or not those are good 20 hours is also up to discussion.

Besides, any thing posted here is pure conjecture, as none of us posting here have played it yet.

Herabec

UPDATE - CVG say it has 90-minute cutscenes. GamePro beg to differ, saying that "sounds like an exaggeration", though in saying that they fail to provide a "corrected" figure.

UPDATE - CVG say it has 90-minute cutscenes. GamePro beg to differ, saying that "sounds like an exaggeration", though in saying that they fail to provide a "corrected" figure.

Read people

DoubleV

Its always been part and parcel with MGS to have long cut scenes and intercom scenes.

Id be surprised if there is one cut scene that is 90mins long, wonder how many other cut scenes there are?

MGS has a deep storyline and unfortunately it can only be done by cutscenes really. I dont think MGS 4 will be any different. I guess in a way it is an interactive movie. Hell I remember MGS3 Subsistence where they strung the whole lot of cutscenes together to make a film lol.

Hmm I wonder if they will do a MGS4 bonus thing. I hope not since I dont know if I can wait by then.

I dont mind the cutscenes too much and if one is 90mins then there is some serious sandwich making to be done. Hopefully its not at the start when we are all itching to play it come June 12th.

I hope the 50gb blu ray disk is filled with gameplay and not cutscenes. I need a game I can play for a while rather than the usual 8 - 10 hours long. I know there is GTA but iv never been that impressed by them.

If its short then il boost up the difficulty setting straightaway and I think the gun upgrading, buying and selling element. Will keep me coming back, im really excited about that.

I didnt like MGSO so I probably wont play it that much

Dominion

woah this is alot of comments...a 90 minutes read's worth :D

D Mitsuki

@fuchikoma: "Snake, remember what I told you about the cyborg hyenas! (THE WHAT?!)

Oh man I laughed my ass off at that line.

dowingba

Hold on, PAUSE A METAL GEAR SOLID GAME?! LIES!!! how can that be? Madness I say, pausing a cutscene in a metal gear. That's unheard of! Oh, this has got to be a joke, because Kojima couldn't possible get that we need to do something other that watch his amazing cutscene in one go, then pause the game immediately afterwards to go sleep it off. (sarcasm is hard, not really (just on the internet)).

AntiZERØ

That doesn't seem right in the least bit. If the game really had multiple cutscenes that long, I seriously doubt they could all fit on one disc. Even a Blu-Ray disc.

Samos42

@DARTH_TIGRIS: i agree 100%..i hated in the first MGS but that's just me at some points i forgot i was actually playing a game. lol
I won't be picking this up.at least not new after christmas pre-owned..I like cut scenes but only the in engine stuff and only to a small degree.

JorgieX

Two things:

First, I hope that "90 minute cutscene" doesn't mean a 90 minute codec conversation. That would be so boring.

Second, I hope they sync the character's lips with the english voicework...all the trailers I've downloaded off the PSN have the characters speaking english but their mouths are still moving like they are speaking Japanese. There is no excuse for that anymore because games like Uncharted, Heavenly Sword, and Ratchet and Clank sync the characters mouths to the language they are speaking.

fenderfuel08

Let me preface this by saying that I've never been a huge MGS cutscene fan for a couple of reasons. But saying that, we need to keep an open mind. 30+ hours of entertainment, whether it's cutscenes or gameplay, is a huge bargain. And while I'm usually a 360 fan, I can appreciate the PS3's appeal if it enables value like this. 30 or so hours? for $60? That's insanely huge! I love Halo, but that's bloody insane... I'll be really impressed with Sony and MGS4's creators if they manage to package up 30 or so hours of engaging entertainment for a $60 price tag.

However, having said that, I'm somewhat worried. In my opinion, MGS has tended cross the line from the "Dramatic", to "Melo-Dramatic". Don't understand the difference? It's the difference between MinMay from Robetech and Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry.

90 minutes could be either a "god-send" or a "bullet in the head", it really depends on the "minutes". If it's really 90 minutes of Godfather caliber drama, holy smokes, I'll go out and buy a PS3 that day just for that game. But if it's 90 minutes of posturing and repeated lengthy scenes of clinched fists, squinting eyes, and long shouts of "SNAAAKE!!!!!!"...

...well then, you'll find me cozying up to the Master Chief (it's simple, he keeps his "cool").

newgalactic

@Buttah: Your logic makes sense if we consider all videogames before this one and how none have really gone over the 15 minute mark for cutscenes, but after actually reading the article like you suggested there is no indication that what you say is right...

The way the article puts it the game contains at least one cutscene that lasts 90 minutes and emphasizes the pluralness of the word "cutscenes" implying that there is more than one cutscene that hits the 90 minute mark.

To be sure that "cutscenes" didn't mean the total time of all the cutscenes in the game, if you continue reading, it mentions that MGS2 had one cutscene that lasted for about 40 minutes(which is related to the point they are trying to make about individual cutscenes that last for long periods of time) and on top of that the article uses words that convey shock and astonishment.

It would also make MGS4 the first game of it's kind--something everyone will hear about.

fenderfuel08

Sure, you can pause them, and skip them,

Can you fast forward? Step? Rewind? No? Not good enough.

Cola82

90 minutes...
um, hope you have a DS? I guess this is why people want in-game XMB- so you can hop out and play Warhawk or something during these...

ZinkO: zetta fast

It sounded exaggerated to begin with. I mean to have a few cutscenes as long as an average film length (90-165mins) sounds a bit much and extremely exhausting. The longest JRPG cutscene I've clocked were around 30-50mins. I mean should I have a bowl of popcorn next to this epic dual-layer BD disc event?

TC

Thats excellent news to me. My PS3 has offered me the experience of playing games that are like movies (Ratchet and Clank is like a Pixar movie, Uncharted is like Indiana Jones) and I love it because the other two consoles don't offer games that. If MGS4 wants to continue that trend and push the top notch cinematics then that is fine with me!

fenderfuel08

Well that counts me out. There is no way in hell im sitting threw that.
Hell i didnt even like the beta and thought the real game would be the saving grace...

orionzdrm

bring it on.

essko

You know, I can't think of a single reason why there should be hugh jass cutscenes like that. As has been mentioned, 90 minutes is longer than many actual movies. In my mind, it's either going to bore you to tears, or it's better off being broken up into shorter segments and having story elements incorporated into the game itself. Why do I need to watch a movie of Snake doing stuff when I could be actually interacting and doing the same stuff?

GrlGmr

@radiodave1102:

Your homework, which will be collected at the beginning of next week's class, is to get over yourselves.

Have a nice day.

right back atcha, sunshine.

bialia

@Leobebes: I trust what I am hearing on NeoGAF though, which more-or-less corroborates this information.

Yuki

90 minutes is way too much.

VegetarianMeat

Suddenly, I have lost all the interest I had in this game.

I like cutscenes, but I play games to play games.

This would just cause me to pull out my DS or eat dinner or something.

Mact

Lol, awesome. If it were any other gaming franchise I'd be pissed.

argh

@Leobebes: And both articles, Gamepro and CVG, both contain atrocious spelling errors.

Yuki

I have a feeling that as the credits roll on MGS4 i will be sobbing like i did at the end of Return of the King. Metal Gear Solid was pretty much my introduction to proper gaming... and this is the final chapter. :(

*cries uncontrollably*

foxhound417

@Yuki:

Thanks for posting this, but this entry is just as verifiable as the original "OMGZ MSG4 90 MINS CUT SCENES!" we will have to wait until Kojima or Konami answer this rumor.

Leobebes

Someone probably already posted it, but this is probably incorrect. Someone who has already beaten the game has said this is false:

[dailygamesnews.blogspot.com]

Yuki

90 minute cutscenes!?!?!? AWESOME!!! And for those that are put off at this aspect, it's apparently skip-able so you should just skip it, but I LOVE MGS cutscenes!!!

FISSIONMAILEDGF

the game is trying to blow our fing minds! 90 minutes of mind-blownees!!! Our brains will be all over the freakin tv screen from the mind-blowness!! Blow me MGS4!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! PS3!!!!!!!!!!!!! AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! @.@

pwn-master3001

holy shit I thought mgs3 had long cutscenes as long as I can pause them its straight but damn im gonna really have to plan out my days of playing this game unless you can save mid scene and load right where you left off that probably wont be the case though.

Molockian

As much as I love cutscenes, especially long ones (my favorite series is Xenosaga), 90 minutes is um...past just "pushing it". Some of us only have 90 minutes to play a game a day.

physical

It better not be 90 minutes of only codec conversation. If it's actual cutscenes, then it will probably be so awesome that I won't even notice the length. I'm pretty sure I heard that they're pausable and skippable too.

Placentasaurus

Estimates, rumors and non-fans.

MoaM

@excel_excel: Again though.... that story really ISN'T in the game. It's mostly being dramatized from things assumed.

otimus

@Leobebes:
I haven't been arguing it, but I still think it'll be a massive system mover. Why? Because most people won't know that a 90 minute game interruption is lurking in wait until they stumble into it. Then, if you thought the complaints about the plot in MGS2 were bad... "you ain't seen nothin' yet!"

fuchikoma

You know.. frankly, that's awesome for me.
I love Metal Gear, I love the characters, I love the gameplay and I'm willing to watch 90 minutes, because I know I'll learn something from the experience, while enjoying it.
If I was a betting man, some serious 'stuff' goes down in that 90 minutes.

Zeouterlimits

Wow, this just killed the damn game for me. I barely get time to PLAY for 90mins let alone watch a cut scene that long- Granted I'm not the biggest MG fan to begin with but I was really looking forward to this one.

TSlade

Disclaimer: The last MGS game I played was... MGS.

If you can't tell a coherent story with short cutscenes, like the ones in the old game, adding an additional 85 minutes will not help. 90 minutes of people babbling about Haberdashery Velociraptor and Fractal Bonobo and their evil plan to take over the world with robots does not sound fun. *It doesn't even sound like a game. It sounds like a terrible, terrible avant garde student film.

etho

The more the better~

umbrae

Man the fanboys here are reaching cult like levels.

Bottom line: 90 minute cut scenes do not appeal to the mass market

so...

Quit spouting off that this game is going to be a system mover because with 90 minute cut scenes there is no mass market appeal!

You cannot have it both ways fanboys. Its either one or the other. The majority of gamers are "too stupid" or "not pretentious enough" to want to follow these convoluted storylines anyway.

Leobebes

@radiodave1102: Oh, no offense taken; I had just read your comment the wrong way. I wholly agree that the characters, gameplay and subject are the defining features of MGS, while the cutscenes are like a bonus; I feel that they're vital to (my) Metal Gear experience.

Like I said in an earlier post, I'll welcome the 90 minute cutscene(s) with open arms as long as it makes sense.

Once again, I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. :)

Zwei Voltage

For whoever did play through the game already and is not accustomed to the lengthy cut-scenes in the Metal Gear series, 15 minutes probably felt like 90 to them.

DaveyPwnckett

This will be great...

Elemence

Ridiculous, but compelling.

I'll check it out. But it does sound almost like a masochistic form of gaming. I hope they are amazing cut-scenes, and not just a mess of pretentious, boring and convoluted dialog.

Also, if they don't have at least as much, if not double the gameplay time between these monstrosities, this could be a serious test of gaming patience.

Anyway, we'll see. Sounds pretty insane.

theALLseeingEYE

Forget Wii Fit, this is a true non-game.

Fryfat

LOL. Yea and hour and a half not so much. And skipping really isn't an option, knowing Kojima and the MG franchise missing 10 minutes of a cutscene leaves you scratching your head in confusion. I also love the 90 minute cutscene(S) as in multiple... ha.

UncleScrotar

eww... to be completely honest, this is a horribly bad idea. Don't get me wrong, one of the reasons that I loved Metal Gear Solid 3 was its use of cutscenes, but none approached anywhere near 90 minutes!

I fear that the game's going to pull a Xenosaga and crap all over itself....

NoFunShogun

Based on how boring and tedious the cut-scenes were in MGS2, there is no way I'll be getting this.

JamesR87

@Zwei Voltage:

No offense, but the length of the cutscenes is not what defines Metal Gear Solid for me. In fact, that is the least definitive feature of any Metal Gear Solid game. Do I think the cutscenes are cool? Absolutely. Do I absolutely have to have them for me to enjoy the game? Of course not. The gameplay, characters, and subject of each game have been the defining features of any installment that Kojima and co. have provided us with. The cutscenes are merely frosting (sometimes too much frosting - I'm looking at you Metal Gear Solid 2!) on the already delicious cake that Kojima and co. have baked.

On another note, I'm not saying that the game can only have 90 minutes worth of cutscenes, instead I'm more skeptical of the assertion that some of the cutscenes are 90 minutes long each. I think there is most likely a glaring mistake at work here, or one giant serving of hyperbole. I would bet that whoever originally made this statement was probably subjected to a 30-45 minute long cutscene (yes there is a vast difference between that time and 90 mintues within the context of observing a visual medium), and blew the length of that/those cutscenes way out of proportion. I'm totally open to there being plentiful hours worth of cutscenes, I just can't believe that some of them are 90 minutes each. That makes me worry that the game could be horribly paced. I say bring on the 10 hours worth of cutscenes, just space them out and pace them well.

radiodave1102

@InsaneGenius: I have to say that was genius. And most definitely insane!
So where'd your name come from? ;)

okrangerbob

I'm trying to wrap my head around this and all I can think is "Woah... 90 minutes? Really? Woah...". I mean, this is not really a good idea; not at all. I can barely stand to have my gameplay interrupted by a bathroom break. On the other hand, you gotta wonder what a 90 minute cutscene entails. I think it's best to go with a response of "Ok, but just this once!", as if we were allowing little Kojima his first taste of alcohol.

NeoStarr

@NecronomiconUK: well, enjoy playing not-MGS4. You won't be missed.

decodergrizzly

That 90 minute cutscene better be the ending.

M

Wonder if anyone's still reading this far.

I am a HUGE fan of the Metal Gear series. Played all of them, including the Ac!d games and MGS1 VR Missions. I even bought a PS3 just for MGS4.

But 90 minutes? I do have a life here. Will I be able to save my game in the middle of the cutscene/movie? I don't really mind the length so much as I mind the randomness of these things. It's not like I can just sit down and know in advance that I'm going to watch a 90 minute cutscene after, say, 2.5 hours of gameplay. Or even when I start watching it, I don't know that it's going to be 90 minutes long. Back when I was in college, that wasn't that big of a deal. But now I'm a grad student, and my time is precious. I hate to stereotype, but I think that a lot of the "ZOMG shut up MGS has always had long cutscenes" people don't have a lot of demands on their time. 45 minutes is pushing it, but it's doable. I can do 45 minutes. That's why I've never complained about the length of the cutscenes in MGS2 before, unlike some of my friends. If a cutscene goes too long, I can always turn off the game and rewatch it later. 90 minutes is downright excessive.

thenino85

If anybody defends this, then they are hopeless. I'm as big a fan of the series as anyone, but I will never, EVER defend a 90 minute cutscene in something that is supposed to be a GAME. EVER!

DARTH_TIGRIS

@radiodave1102: @Buttah:
It wouldn't be an MGS if it had only 90 minutes worth of cutscenes. Every MGS has had far more than that so far, so why wouldn't this one...?

Zwei Voltage

thank fucking god i can pause a cut scene now!

Akmed

90 minute-ish cutscenes?
Well... One thing is for sure, I won't play this game when I have an appointment or something, that's for sure.

I'll wait a bit until I buy it anyway, so that overpriced console-thingy you need to play it will get a big cheaper first.

Yeah I'm can wait...
I can wait...
I can wait...
I can...
I can wait...
... but I can't read Kotaku anymore because spoilers tend to pop up in the comments everywhere. Like "Wow, did you see that, so awesome!!! There was that cutscenes where Ocelot turns out to be infused with Big Boss' DNA which is the reason why Liquids arm is able to do all that fancy stuff STILL MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL, but then Liquid takes over Ocelot and wrecks some shit for the hell of it the next 60 minutes of the best cutscene ever, then Raiden shows up and FUKKIN' CUTS OFF THE LIQUID ARM and it runs around just like that hand thing from the Adams family to wrecks some more shit, meanwhile ocelot is really pissed at losing his arm AGAIN, even though it had the bad habit of taking over his bode from time to time, so he shoots Raiden and he dies. Snake cries, not because he's actually sad at Raiden's death, but because it matches the sad music better, and it's in the script. Little did he know, for behind him was Cyborg Hitler, now snake had to face off Hitler and Ocelot at the same time, A fight impossible to win... I fit weren't for the Arm of his semi-dead twin brother which aids you in the fight after this 90 MINUTE CUTSCENE, which is dissapointingly easy because Hitler is a wuss, being choked by a... err manless hand and Ocelot suffered massive blood- and armloss..."

Damn, I should stop making up shit like this. Really, it's bad for everything.

InsaneGenius

@NPlace:

No worries, apology accepted.

doubtful

What if it was a 90 minute cutscene like RE4's cutscenes, imagine getting 80 minutes into it then dying from missing a button cue D:

BassForever

@doubtful: Also, just so we're clear, I originally though you were saying that MGS fans like myself would've been excited if Halo had long-ass cutscenes, for some reason.

NPlace

I imagine that the 90minute scene is the ending and itd need that much to wrap up EVERYTHING... which im sure it WONT.. just because... MGS5...

SaanZ

@doubtful: I do, in fact, rescind my previous comment. The guy bashing dudes who enjoy the story was not you, it was the guy I addressed in my first comment. My mistake.

And since I misunderstood your Halo comment, I do apologize.

NPlace

As a die-hard Metal Gear fan looking for the ultimate closure with MGS4, all I can say is "AWESOME."

But I understand if people don't want movies inside their games.

ShirtGuyDom

90 minutes uninterrupted is too long for me, WAY TO LONG. I hope there is some kind of warning before one goes off cause well I probably wouldn't play the game that night just watch the cut scene ~_~. Argggg I really don't like the sound of this at all.

ninjikiran

Because of issues like this, I've started referring to the PS3 as "Sony's blu-ray player" since that seems to be it's primary function.

Arklop

@NPlace:

The jerk thing was for suggesting people that enjoy the MGS storyline are fanboys because...we...enjoy the storyline?

I would prefer it if you didn't put words into my mouth. I never suggested you or anyone was a fanboy because they enjoyed the storyline. I did say, multiple times in multiple ways, that people have a double standard: extremely long cut-scenes are okay for this game, but not for others. That's all I ever suggested. I don't understand why you had such a vehement reaction, other than that's the typical outburst I expect from a fanboy in defensive mode.

I honestly don't give a shit why you felt in your very first reply to me to immediately call me a jerk for pointing out the double standard. You can try to rationalize it all you or make up reasons and put words in my mouth, but all you really did is convince me that you were completely closed off to rational, level-headed discussion and given to insults.

Frankly, that's not the type of discussion that's beneficial to this community or to the game you claim to be defending. Am I wrong to assume that apology is forthcoming?

doubtful

@excel_excel: Hokay, fair enough. I trust in Kojima though. I have understood his stories and enjoyed his games and I appreciate his efforts. I can't wait for MGS4.

Strange Bedfellows

does this mean we will be watching it more than playing it?

dragonfang18

Game AND a movie, all in one? Possibly multiple movies?

I must buy a PS3, can't beat that deal!

Plan303e

@doubtful: The jerk thing was for suggesting people that enjoy the MGS storyline are fanboys because...we...enjoy the storyline?

NPlace

@jun581: Exactly what I was thinking. Sounds freakin sweet

silverfox840

oh yea. 90 mins worth of mgs4 at one time for a cutscene seems very very nice indeed. a tub of pop corn is needed

Jnkzm4

@NPlace:

Were you saying that MGS fans (obviously me) would blast Halo if it had ridiculously long cutscenese? Well, yeah, we would, cause it's Halo...

And thus I rest my case.

I didn't see your apology for calling me a jerk? I must have overlooked it.

doubtful

A cutscene or series of cutscenes in the middle of a game, that last as long as a feature length movie? Sorry, but I don't believe that for even a second. Right before Xenosaga was released, some journalist reported that it had cutscenes that lasted over an hour. And that turned out to be b.s.

I'm sure MGS4 does have some relatively long cutscenes. Probably the longest in MGS history. But I'd bet my balls that whoever originally wrote this report didn't time the cutscenes, he just sat through them and they *felt* like an hour and a half to him.

Druffmaul

And I hope there will be points in the cutscenes when you can save. Then you can go to work, sleep or whatever.

Cris_Spiegel

90 minute cutscenes?!

this is another reason MGS4 won't be ported to the 360.

A 360 turned on that long will RROD.. just kidding!

i just wish those cutscenes will not bore me to death..

the_answer

@doubtful: Were you saying that MGS fans (obviously me) would blast Halo if it had ridiculously long cutscenese? Well, yeah, we would, cause it's Halo, and the Halo story has never been at the forefront of the game's appeal. But Metal Gear is as much, if not more than, the story as it is the gameplay. Sure a 90-minute cutscene seems pretty long (and I doubt that's a single cutscene, but who knows), but part of the appeal of MGS4 is that it is wrapping up six games worth of mysteries and characters, as well as bringing along its own plot. And contrary to what you might argue, that story is perfectly coherent in its own context. There's plenty of weird shit, to be sure, but it's not just a bunch of bullshit, and it's gotten better with each passing game. The people who are "supporting this" are excited because MGS4 looks to have everything fans of MGS love, not because other people are bashing MGS and we're coming to its defense.

NPlace

I'm always late...
If this is Ipanema Beach, this may be "Posto 9", the gay part of the beach. That's the only explanation I have for this photomontage...

Cris_Spiegel

@Kounji:

Hell, if the scenes are that long (I still don't know what to believe) Kojima could have spent all that time designing a next generation version of Snatcher! C'mon, you know you want it.

radiodave1102

@sedarisan: I'm sorry I'm an mgs fan and I think that 90 minute cutscene kind of tears at being bad game design. Why not spend that time working on another actually game sequence or a boss battle rather than trying to set up exposition. It is absurd

Kounji

Are you guys listening to yourselves? "Hell yes, cutscenes!! I can't wait to watch some awesome cutscenes!!!"

That's all I got.

Callidux

wow over 300 comments on this? Anyway.. imagine 90 mins of Vamp vs Raiden.. that kind of cutscene.. :)

Snappywave

@radiodave1102: Thank you.

It's sad how logic never seems to prevail. So for those who didn't even bother to read the original article or who would have probably never played MGS4 anyway:

There is NOT a 90 minute cutscene. It's the overall time of ALL the cutscenes combined. The cutscenes are all in REALTIME as have all the others in any MGS game. The game has over 30 hours of gameplay.

Buttah

MGS4 rocks! It should be 3 hours cutscene....that's 50GB Bluray for you. I hear the gameplay is 30 hours, so 3 hours in 30 hours is ok. Of course, you can opt for 1~2 hours game in DVD with no cutscene, even better buy it on the PC later, with better AI, enemies, items, more polish...and cutscenes. PC rules!!!

ahmeng

When I really consider it, I wonder what constitutes a cut scene by definition in this game. Does that include codec conversations or are they literally meaning straight cutscenes the way we think of them.

I'll obviously play throug the game, 90 minute cutscenes or no (I've literally been anticipating it for years now) but I will be very annoyed if they are there because they could put them there. Editing is a wonderful tool and there's no reason it shouldn't be applied to excess material in a videogame.

radiodave1102

@OrionnoirO:

When was MG a Sony franchise exactly?

SG79

And thus, people complain about Xenosaga no more.

Zamzoph

What a rip off.

LatinMessiah

Hell yes! Popcorn already purchased. WOO!

sascha23

MGS4 will be the only game to transcend the game-movie boundary and will be the first game that people will be able to play, in full, on youtube.

It's only a matter of time until the exclusivity is lost and 720p videos are ripped that can be streamed to 360's globally.

Burguois

Those of you telling people that they shouldn't play the game or that they can't possibly be fans of Metal Gear because they think 90 minute long cutscenes are too long to sit through at a time really need to engage in this thing called considering other opinions and perspectives. It could really change how you look at the world...

There is this very strange thing called a real world that you can actually see right outside the window of your living space. It's filled with people, activities, and these really pesky things called jobs and bills. You see, most people have to do these "jobs" and in return they are given this object which is called "money." Money is something people use to exchange for clothes, food, services, and other needs. Once people are given money, they are are then allowed to spend the money as they please, but they are typically required to give a certain amount of it up to pay for the services that other entities called industries and the government provide them.

One really wild thing that this environment offers is social interaction between other people. That's a whole lesson in itself though and we'll be discussing it during next week's class. Your homework, which will be collected at the beginning of next week's class, is to get over yourselves.

Have a nice day.

radiodave1102

NINETY minutes??? That's got to be a typo, or a joke.

Cause if it's true, it's simply ridiculous. There's no freaking way I'm sitting through a so-called cutscene that long. I mean, even 9 minutes is WAY too long for a cutscene.

thinred

From player accounts:

Its about ~20+ hours of pure game play, plus about ~9 hours of cut scenes. The final cut scene is the longest, and it is like watching a movie...

All cut scenes can be paused and/or skipped.

tfur

I just had a breakthrough while reading the first 20 comments. The argument will be, "90 minute cut-scenes will turn this "game" into an interactive movie." How about this? At what point does a short story become a novelette? At what point does a novelette become a novel?
One of my favorite books of all time, which I'm embarrassed to admit at times given the connotations involved with it is "The Catcher in the Rye". It's only a few hundred pages long. I rank it neck and neck with "The Brother's Karamazov" weighing in at close to 1,000 pages. Now you tell me, if games are going to be considered works of art, should the time needed to complete a game be considered critical to the game's success?
Some will say that a game needs to be fun! Does anyone read all 1,000 pages of a thick novel because every page is "fun"? If people continue to ridicule a game for long cut scenes, I think that the future of gaming can never be taken seriously. If you've ever read a book over 500 pages long, you'll know that it's a big investment from page one. Unlike a book, you can skip the story and still enjoy a video game. Why detract from a game for having a story?

Amerijapoxicano

I'm pretty sure that's 90 minutes total of cut scenes. No one would be able to play this game if it had multiple cut scenes that lasted 90 minutes. That's not even a viable way to tell a story in a video game. Actually, that would just be silly.

I'm definitely carying around a car load of salt as far as this story goes.

radiodave1102

I gave up on this series after MGS2, which I only got about 2/3 through before it became too tiresome to watch the nonsensical cut scenes. Japanese gamers really like to sit and watch; I like to play.

AtomicPlayboy

Awesome.

And if you're whining about the cut-scenes, you've either not been a fan of the series, or don't deserve to play it.

Go play some 5 minute FPS matches or something.

mast3r_blast3r

Now you can PAUSE the cutscene, but can you quit and come back to it? Or do you have to watch the whole 90 minutes at that point or else have to start it over? This could be ok, or it could be really really bad.

lionkitten

I hope its slightly interactive like MGS2 and 3's cutscenes.

Stikasasn

Movie Gear Solid strikes again! No thanks, I'll pass.

phoneykiller

Freakin' sweet...looking forward to it. :D

y2kenjination

@jacksons98: What exactly is next gen about a 90 minute cut scene?

Gray665

No wonder the motherfucker said a 50GB blu-ray disc ain't enough. As long as they tie up all the loose ends and the plot holes I'm down for the cutscenes, no matter how long they may be.

garytek

Can't wait.

Master_Achilles

@DaveyPwnckett: I think you're underestimating the MGS series. 90 minutes of cutscenes TOTAL wouldn't be much of a MGS game.

It's 90 minutes for 1 scene. I have no doubts.

mva5580

This game sounds like one of the first to deliver a true nextgen experience. Can't wait.

jacksons98

The game to remember for a lifetime...

This game will be one of the most incredible experiences we have ever witnessed. Everyone who has played the game says that this will be one that you will remember forever.

One quote from someone who has finished it:

"Actually, you'll be glad about some of the longest cutscenes as they will help your heart to cool down a bit from time to time ;)"

There is not a single person who will want to skip these scenes, but you still have the choice to do so. 20+ hours of game play, not including cut scenes...

Game of Forever...

tfur

O.O
=D

Now MGS4 sounds really interesting. Something I really love about (and also makes me decide which one to get) games is the story (and also makes me decide which one to get.

RageW

@DaveyPwnckett: Naturally MGS4 will have over 90 minutes of cutscenes. It wouldn't be an MGS game if it had any less.

Zwei Voltage

@Limafoxtrot: Nothing against you my friend, but this reminds me of one of my mates who played Shadow of the Colossus and was perplexed at the lack of "minions". My point was: there are plenty of games like that. What SotC was create it's own niche and offer gamers something different.

Point in case with MGS. The cutscenes are rather long; but this is because the game overall is supposed to be a cinematic experience. There have to be games catering to a wide range of people and that's why I'm glad that Splinter Cell exists. Yeah, I personally find it boring but that's not important: what's important is that it fills the "other" stealth niche: gameplay over story.

So if you want a stylised stealth experience that emphasizes a fantastic story but not completely at the expense of gameplay, then there's MGS. If not, there's SC. I, for one, am glad that I have the choice.

Chupakun

=/ I'll be skipping the longer ones then going back to watch them (if there's an option) after I finish the game.

No wonder Kojima was complaining about space, he wanted some 3 hour cutscenes too. Coulda added more locales too Kojima instead of long movies...

Oh well. It'll be Greeeeeat.

what the Ph15h?

Iam sure thats just a typo, its more or less 90 minutes total of cutscenes.

DaveyPwnckett

I seriously doubt there is 90 minutes worth of cut scene.. although, that whole 4.g download or whatever.. well it makes you think I suppose.

But I'm bringing any snack whatever the case, if I am just going to be sitting there on my ass watching a cut-scene, the last thing I need to be doing is eating, I mean if I am not exerting any energy, well then I don't need to eat.

--Core--

90 minutes!

GODDAMN!

Soon I will have you MGS4. Sooooooooonnnnn.

CaptLtrl

Too bad the cutscene will be skipped after the first time.
Less watchy more play, please?

Tons Of Fun

I'm with most of the other commenters here. So long as they're good quality and I actually get to play more than five seconds between them(Xenosaga, I'm looking at you!), and can pause them, then I'm cool with that.

C22DBlueKnightOne

I welcome these 90-minute cutscenes with open arms. I always wanted an MGS movie and now it looks like I'll have multiple movies to go with my game! Thank you Kojima. :D

Zwei Voltage

i'm psyched. if you like the story of metal gear, you will be too, if not, you'll be on here crying about it and how much you hate it. if you don't like the series, then why even read the posts about the game? get over yourselves.

themissing

You sure need a lot of time ahead of you if you're planning to play MGS. In MGS3, you need to plan at least 3 hours to finish the game (from the Volgin fight to the very end of the credits).

Shteve

Ah yes - now I remember why I hate this series - I prefer to play my games - if I want a movie I'll put one in. Short cut scenes that advance the story are one thing - but at 90 - you are watch a feature film with cut gameplay (as opposed to playing a game with a cut scene)

Limafoxtrot

@sweenyJ: True true, very good point, there is some intereactivity, hopefully there will be a lot

excel_excel

90 minute cutscene? Probably some weird recap of the first two games story.

I think the biggest concern should be how long the game is going to be with 90 minute cutscenes. Sounds like the cutscenes will be longer than the actual gameplay, considering you can beat the first two in 6 hours or so first time through.

KirbyMorph

@Ehardergardens: i think you've hit the nail on the head there. it makes perfect sense kojima hates the gamers. he's wanted to do other things for year but the fan and the death threats kept sucking him back into mgs so now he's giving the fans more mgs than they could have wanted so they wont want it anymore. its like force feeding a fat child. hahahaha. im not encouraging the force feeding of fat children thats wrong. you should tie them to a tread mill instead.

sweenyJ

I started to skip some cutscenes while playing GTA IV because those started to be too long between the actual gameplay, so 90 minutes would probably be overkill for me. I just imagine my girlfriend starting to tell me her backstory while having some naughty fun in bed, it would probably kill my lust for this day. :P

Al Bino

Welcome to the next generation... of stupidity.

TheCakeIsALie

90 minute cut scene? So that's what the 4 GB install is for!

Eville1

@excel_excel: no i didnt mean that though admittedly i do the zoomy thing quite a bit. i mean bits like in the second one where solidus is chocking you on top of arsenal gear. bits like that. sure it amounts to nothing more than single rapid button mashing but your involved arnt you. and i think you need a bit of enthusiasm. too many people read 90 minute cutscene and then completely go off a game they would have otherwise enjoyed. people give up on a game too easily you dont have to be a fanboy to be a fan of a game.

sweenyJ

@mva5580: "Because I would be willing to bet that the great majority of you will be saying "ok, let's go" around the 25-30 min. mark."

I tend to agree with this. I get antsy after a 5 - 10 minute cutscene... I can only imagine how I would feel after an hour and a half.

@sweenyJ: I hope you are right with the interactivity bit. If there are some gameplay elements thrown into these scenes, that would make it much more reasonable.

KID-A26

@zitichamp: If you're going to talk like that, go back to Gamefaqs. That immature crap doesn't cut it here. I have a feeling you'll have a meeting with the banhammer in the coming week or two.

mva5580

The cutscenes will have save points...

the thing is Hideo resents you, the player, messing up his gaming experience with your not cool and not snakelike skills.

To compensate for this, so he does not wake each morning with a little vomit in his mouth thinking about how you the player have clumsily wrecked the experience of his beautiful game, he reduces your interactions to the bare minimum and then 'plays' the game for you in these cutscenes aka "Player-corrected play sequences."

@GregoriusH:

I thought the codec briefings were almost 90 minutes long already?

Seriously I do think the stories in these games are amazingly interesting. For those that think it's just technobabble and nonsense, it's not, it really does make sense. At least to me.

Ehardergardens

Yah, but this is only if you count the knights of the Round summon, that thing is 12 minutes alone.

daschupa

@sweenyJ: hmm? You mean being able to zoom in the camera when you get bored??
I wish I had all of your enthusiasm, so that when I come to the 90 min cutscene I can go "Gee whiz! yes! Finally time to put down the controller and stop playing! I've been waiting for this!"

excel_excel

ha ha i just realised you could complete heavenly sword twice before watching all the combined cutscenes in MGS4!!!!!!!

LADILL07

this will sort the men from the boys, the guys on here that have just pussied out will just have to miss out on all the codec glory!!!

LOL

LADILL07

Considering that they're bundling what is such a fan game with the PS3, I see average Joe hating on it badly. Take the average guy who buys PS3 to play Blu-Ray and play Madden, he's going to hate this game when it comes with his PS3. Then again, he could just trade it in. They should've picked a more mainstream game to throw in there.

kylo4

if you dont welcome the cutscenes and love the 90 minutes you are not a mgs fan the story is the game! repeat! the story is the game! if you dont follow the story or you are to retarded to understand it maybe... i dont no you have down syndrome or... your mom smoked to many cigs maybe... she drank the whole time you were renting a room above her vagina go play assins creed or better yet splinter cell that is the xbox knockoff right? and boom! you have zero story wait my bad the new splinter cell was shit they had to scrap it damn

zitichamp

@Mr. Fap☆Fap!:
Perfectly put.

I kind of do want to know what's going on. I always let the cutscenes run the first time through. That said, the way I generally play an MGS game is constantly with much enthusiasm, and then it hits a cut scene and sucks all the will to play out of me. By the time it's over I just save and quit because I'm tired of it.

Even if you can save at any moment in the middle of this FULL LENGTH THEATRICAL MOVIE, if I were playing during the weekdays, I'd probably spend a whole week starting up my GAME system and NOT PLAYING FOR A SECOND as I watch the movie unfold a bit further each time, probably coming in really disjointed the next day. If you can't save in the middle... that's probably where the game would end for me because I'd never have 90 minutes guaranteed free time and if I were stopped an hour into it there's no way I'd go back and rewatch it to catch up. At least with real movies I can bookmark them and come back later, but I only know of one game on ANY system that lets you fast forward a cutscene. Realistically if I had a game that I knew was going to show me over a half hour of cutscene when I put it in, I don't care if it's the crowning achievement of digital media, I'd probably put in an actual GAME. I love me some MGS, but I have standards - for instance games must be games. If you're just watching, you're not playing, thus no game.

Or I could just skip it and have no idea what's happening. "Snake, remember what I told you about the cyborg hyenas! (THE WHAT?!) Do anything else and they're sure to rip you apart!" What, you think they wouldn't do something like slip a key gameplay instruction into the end of it just to make you go back and watch it?

fuchikoma

@KID-A26: @KID-A26: yeh your right it would spoil the experience some what. that why the people who really have a problem with it should steer clear.

it seems we're all jumping ahead of ourselves a bit anyway. we dont know what this 90 minute cutscene entails i dont very much it will be total cutscene theres bound to be some interactivity its a commom theme in mgs games

sweenyJ

As someone who HAS played all of the previous MGS's (so can that rationale,) I have to say I'm less than enthused.

I don't have a problem with long cut scenes, but I DO haev a problem with long Metal Gear Solid cut scenes.

The Metal Gear Solid story, at its core, is very good. The main storyline is interesting, engaging, and makes you want to hear more about it and how it ends. However the problem with the MGS cut scenes is that there is a ton "filler" in those scenes, and it's talking for the sake of talking. And the dialogue in a lot of them is not that great. The conversations between Snake and Meryl are bad to the point of uncomfortable. A lot of the codec conversations are drawn out to a ridiculous amount, to me a lot of it just feels forced.

It's his game, and he's obviously gotten to the point where he can do whatever he wants with them. And the game has a huge audience so obviously the fanboys of the game will absolutely love 90 min. cutscenes. Where as if there were scenes that long for a game they didn't like, they would see it as ridiculous and a joke. People will always find a way to justify their beliefs and crap on others.

So whatever. I will say though that all of you who are uber-excited for 90 minute cut scenes, I'd love to be in the room with you while these scenes are actually playing so we could see how sincere you are about those feelings. Because I would be willing to bet that the great majority of you will be saying "ok, let's go" around the 25-30 min. mark.

mva5580

Where exactly is the limit anyway?? even if the cutscene was 2 hours the fanboys would still try to justify it

excel_excel

@otimus: [en.wikipedia.org]
theres the story to Half-life 2.
Just because Half-life 2 doesn't have to constantly break its flow with needless cutscenes doesn't mean it doesn't have a plot

excel_excel

@NPlace:

It's probably not, if you're enough of a jerk to be making "oh it's teh Haloz" jokes about a completely unrelated topic.

I think you need to simmer down and reread what I wrote. How is it a joke or in any way unrelated to imply that a certain amount of MGS fanboyism has led people to accept what they would otherwise find unacceptable? I merely used HALO as an example. And I'm a jerk because of that?

Get over yourself and stop calling people 'jerk' when they make relevant comments that aren't offensive to anyone just because they don't agree 100% with you.

doubtful

talk about pretentious. well at least the fanbois will be happy

clintonskneecap

@sweenyJ: In a game like Metal Gear you really can't skip the scenes. You would have no ieda what was going on with the story. 90 minutes is a long time to just sit and watch a video game cut scene. Maybe they should come out with CliffNotes for this game, so you are able to skip the scenes and still know wtf is going on :P

KID-A26

@sweenyJ: sounds like a good idea :)

Playstation

@CCCombobreaker: Ah no I love the Half-Life story too, this must mean I'm an idiot too!

NunianVonFuch

not sure is someone already cleared this up, but it's been noted before, MGS4 has over 9 HOURS of cutscenes. So yeah, bring snacks/rations.

foodnaptime

i want hideo to add a 2 hour cutscene just to see you people complain even more

sweenyJ

dear god give it a rest people. yeh 90 minutes is a long time but if your the kinda person who doesnt like cutscenes skip them, you wont be missing anything since you were probably ignoring the story from the begginging. if its such a serious deal to you then dont buy the game steer clear of it and stop complaining. go bu a different game with no cutscenes and 400 hours of shooting people for no reason, cause thats what you want isnt it!?!

its just outrageous that someone should dare ask you to sit still for 90 minutes without killing something.

sweenyJ

@Bobandabit:
Half true. MGS2 really gave the plot a black eye, but I think MGS3 redeemed it beautifully. The MGS3 ending was pretty long by game standards, but it was one of the best and most emotional endings of that generation. Honestly I could see it going either way, but I just hope it won't go the way you describe, because you make a lot of valid points.

ca$h

I instantly lost interest in this game. 90 freaking minutes!? I am not sitting through, what basically amounts to a movie. I buy a game to play it, not to watch it. Cut scenes should never be more than 10 mintues long at the maximum.

KID-A26

There's no way in hell they meant 90 minutes in total. That would actually mean the game is less cutscene heavy than normal games. And as we all know, MGS games have a ridiculous fetish for cutscenes. Hell, even GTA4 has something like 8 hours of cutscenes split up into its nearly 300 cutscenes.

dowingba

Helllooo Xenosaga!!

I'm one of those weird people who loves a well made cutscene, no matter the length, so this has me super excited. Can't wait.

ca$h

@otimus:

Yes obviously I just must be an idiot If I think the story of Half life is good. I just don't know any better! I'm just making it all up! Silly me!

CCCombobreaker

@CCCombobreaker:
It seems you're making up a story that isn't there.. or making it out to be more than it is.. or you really just can't grasp the difference between immersion and a story.

otimus

@Bobandabit:
I totally agree with you. I've been an MGS fan since the first MGS but i've always thought the plot was really unneccasary. There is so much shit that its almost impossible to understand.
I dont see why everyone is talking about the cutscenes being 'OMG AMAZING' in MGS. I've played them all to completetion with the exception of MGS3 which I got bored with.
MGS1 was amazing because of good gameplay, not the story.
I'd play MGS4 if I had a PS3 but people overreact to the storyline in this game.

okrangerbob

bring it on, I love games that feel like movies

kamisama

@otimus:

Whats your problem exactly? I like the HL story. I think its really good. Definitely my favorite Sci-fi video game story. If you don't like it then OK. I couldn't care less to be honest.

CCCombobreaker

@otimus:

and apparently I gave two replies. Woops.

otimus

I think Kojima has gone over the edge. I was excited about this game hoping it would be a return to form (ala MGS 1) but with 90 minute cut scenes I may have to pass. I only have so many hours in the day and I actually fell asleep while playing MGS3.

kemicon

@doubtful: It's probably not, if you're enough of a jerk to be making "oh it's teh Haloz" jokes about a completely unrelated topic.

NPlace

@Bobandabit: So, you're telling me that if I'm smart enough to understand the MGS story, I must be a total and utter fanboy? That makes sense.

NPlace

@CCCombobreaker:

Well, what's so great about it? All it has is immersion going for it.

Only the episodes had anything even slightly resembling character development.

The games barely have any emotion at all.

Hell, they practically have NO emotion at all, save for the episodes. No personality either.

You're just a big floating gun given directions for no reason to do things for no reason. Point A to point B.

It's not a bad story.

THERE is no story. (...save for the episodes)

otimus

And THIS is why I could never get into MGS. And to me it really demonstrates the difference between west and east in terms of narrative. Its the difference between being the hero and watching the hero. Not saying either way is better. Personally, I prefer the silent protagonist as it lets me project myself into the story and gets me more involved. I like the story to unfold through my actions and my discoveries. Other people like watching an interactive movie with gameplay segments in between, which this clearly is. I'm sure fans of the series and JRPG fans will absolutely love it but I think newcomers and gamers raised on Half-Life and Gears of War will find it a little excessive. I also find it funny that the people who bring up the fact that you can skip the cutscenes are the same people who deride gears or bioshock for having no story. Skipping the cutscenes turns MGS4 into a shooter with no story, just like gears.

Gray665

@otimus:

I like the half life story. I think its great. Personally I think it's better than the convoluted mess thats known as the metal grear storyline. But hey, whatever floats your boat dude.

CCCombobreaker

Ahahahahahaha!!

...seriously?

That's gotta be a new record for a videogame. One cutscene lasting as long as a short movie? I seem to recall something in Final Fantasy 8 lasting, like, 45 minutes, but this totally bests that. I bet we're talking about the final cutscene here - the ones in the middle of the game couldn't be longer than 80 minutes... :P

I'm all for it.

Highlander Wolf

@CCCombobreaker:
What is so great about it?
HL1 lacked any character development.
At all.

HL2 also lacked any at all.

HL2 Ep. 1 had character development.. FOR ONE CHARACTER zomg!

HL2 Ep. 2 is a fair bit better in that d