MGS4 Solidifying In June, DualShock 3
Rumbling In April!!

Konami's stealth-actioner to be available stand-alone, bundled with 80GB PS3, rumble-equipped controller; Retailers list ship date as June 12; New Sixaxis arriving two months earlier for $55.

While Sony wasn't more forthright with an exact date, retailers, which sometimes leak release dates through online listings prior to publishers' actual announcements, seem to be under the impression that the game will surface in mid-June. According to listings on Amazon and GameFly, MGS4 will take to the streets on Thursday, June 12, while GameStop has the game slated for Tuesday, June 17. Publishers typically choose to release high-profile titles on Tuesday in the US.

To promote Metal Gear Solid 4's release, Sony also revealed the game will be available as part of an 80GB PS3 bundle. In addition to the game and system, the bundle will include a DualShock 3 controller and will retail for $499.99. Presumably, the DualShock 3 will replace the Sixaxis controller currently available in the $499.99 80GB SKU.

Similar to Microsoft's use of Realtime World's Crackdown to hand out keys for the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, Sony also said it will be guaranteeing access to Metal Gear Online's multiplayer beta test for those who preorder the game. The test is expected to commence in late April.

Metal Gear Online, Hands-On

With so much hype over Snake's upcoming--and supposedly final--adventure in Metal Gear Solid 4, it's easy to overlook its sister title, Metal Gear Online. Developed with the same engine that will be featured in MGS4, MGO takes the spirit that has made Metal Gear Solid a best-selling franchise and places it in an online multiplayer experience.

When first playing MGO, you'll need to register a new character, a process that offers an impressive level of customisation. You can customise your face, headwear, torso, legs, leg attachment, head attachment (such as adding a headset, balaclava, or goggles), vest/jacket, and camouflage options (of which we saw beige, smoke blue, black, and green options).You'll then need to choose four specialties (skills) for your player, ranging from shotgun, sniper, submachine gun, and support specialties to others such as increasing your auto-aim accuracy (which, while playing a match, can be activated with a quick button press).

The game modes in MGO combine the usual deathmatch and team-deathmatch modes with three mission scenarios: base, rescue, and capture, with support for up to 16 players per lobby. Base missions involved the capture of three chokepoints, which we played on the Ambush Alley map, which appears to be inspired by MGS4. Once all three points are in your team's possession--achieved by maintaining control of each zone until a countdown has completed--it's time to celebrate back at the base with a cold brew.

One of the maps we saw looked great, with plenty of distressed buildings, debris to hide behind, and lots of different textures to help you blend in with the environment. One of the chokepoints was in a small depression covered by a camo net, which provided perfect cover. As we soon discovered, this was an ideal place to ambush other players or leave a few well-concealed claymore mines. In all of the matches we played, team play was vital to win, and in addition to yelling and hollering, team commands can be issued easily with the select button. There were options for attack, defensive, and general communication commands.

Rescue mission--essentially a capture-the-flag mode--was played on the Groznyj Grad map, this time inspired by Metal Gear Solid 3. Your old friend Ga-ko the duck is back from MGS3 and needs rescuing from the evil clutches of the opposing team. However, rather than go in guns blazing, we had to tread carefully in this mode because we had only one life per match. The match can be won in two ways: defending your base and therefore eliminating the opposition, or capturing the other team's Ga-ko and returning it to your base.

Control was the last mission mode we tried, and from what we could see, it was a variation of rescue. However, rather than just one target, there were two this time. Each team is required to rescue Ga-ko or his friend Kerotan the frog and get them back to base without being killed.

Graphically, MGO looks]]>Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:07:21 GMTMGS Essential Collection. 

 This site is for anyone that plays and has a passion for the new Metal Gear Online or for the Metal Gear Solid series . It doesn’t matter who you are, drop by our forums and chat it up or ask to tryout for a chance to be in SAS!