MGS4 features 90-minute cutscenes, 4.6GB installation
by Jem Alexander 
{ May 23rd 2008 at 9:30AM }
Writers of the UK magazine PSW have played the full game (their review can be found in the latest issue, which hit newstands today) and soon told their mates CVG that Metal Gear Solid 4 includes cut-scenes that approach the 90-minute mark. That's not a total, that's the length of at least one of the cutscenes, individually. We hope you've got a kitchen stocked full of eats, because there's going to be a lot of watching to be done. Of course, all the cutscenes are skippable and pausable.
With individual story sequences the length of most full-length movies, MSG4's narrative promises to be truly epic. PSW states that it's "the videogame equivalent of all three Godfather movies on one disc." As if we weren't hyped for this game enough already ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Kspraydad @ May 23rd 2008 9:40AM
I hope I can play my console for 90 minutes straight without any problems....
Oh wait...I can.
I love MGS cutscenes.
BTW...you'll notice ALOT less complaining about HDD installs when it is a game of this quality...funny that.
adolson @ May 23rd 2008 10:55AM
You misspelled hypocritical. ;)
Anthony @ May 23rd 2008 12:00PM
Why is it whenever I come on here to read ps3 news, all I read in the comments is XBox bashing? You don't see that over at xbox360fanboy.com. The first 2 comments here were both horribly trolling XBox bashing posts.
Why do all ps3 fanboys feel like they have to constantly prove the ps3 is better?
They're both good systems. It's GOOD for the gamers to have competition in the market. The "feud" doesn't even make sense any more guys, get over yourselves.
Kspraydad: I can play my 360 for hours on end with no problems. With the newer hardware revisions, RROD is mostly a thing of the past. Let it go already.
Nate: MGS4 cutscenes are in-game, and there is no way the game will actually run in full 1080p. And if we're being technical, yes, you definitely could fit 90 minutes of compressed 1080p video on a DVD. Just not much else ;)
Disclaimer: I do own a 360 but I am buying a ps3 when MGS4 comes out.
adolson @ May 23rd 2008 1:02PM
Anthony, the 360 fanboys come HERE to bash the PS3. That's why you don't see them over there.
Popfrogs @ May 23rd 2008 3:17PM
@dante: Hahaha...way to prove his point 100%.
Kspraydad @ May 23rd 2008 8:56PM
@Anthony...
I'm glad you've had no problems with your Xbox 360 ...
Unfortunately an inordinate number of Xbox 360 owners haven't had the clear sailing that you have and my comment is well within the bounds of credibility.
That said, I invite you to review my commentary history and you'll find that I never troll over to Xbox 360 to make comments...I'm spending too much time playing my PS3 and not waiting for a return shipment box.
:P
Nate @ May 23rd 2008 9:40AM
a 90 minute cut scene? That's just ridiculous. I'm buying the game to play it, not watch it.... and this coming from someone who LIKES cutscenes. 10 minutes would be too long. 90 is insanity.
*sigh* Hopefully the game will be good regardless.
I wonder what those XBox guys say now... try fitting 90 minutes of 1080p HD video on a DVD.... you can't do it. And that's not mentioning the rest of the game...
Kspraydad @ May 23rd 2008 9:41AM
By ridiculous you mean awesome right!
:)
Nate @ May 23rd 2008 10:21AM
I dunno... 90 minutes is a LONG TIME. as they said, that's a whole freakin' theatrical movie (a short movie, but still). I guess more story is always better, but 90 minutes for just one scene? Assuming it is the end... I don't know... seems like you should be able to tell more of the story through the game and not just jam it all in a movie. Still... I'm sure it'll be epic and awesome. Can't wait.
SAGExSDX @ May 23rd 2008 10:11AM
i thought mgs cutscenes were in engine.
Eric E @ May 23rd 2008 10:23AM
My dad loves WWII shooters on the PS2 (& goldeneye), i bought him snakeeater b/c he was running out.
I knew the controls would take some getting used to, but he couldn't get past all the cut scenes in the beginning. This would kill him.
Moffka @ May 23rd 2008 10:53AM
I wonder if the game actually is 1080p cause on that image it says 720p :(
theredfoxisquik @ May 23rd 2008 11:03AM
You can skip it dude. OMG this is a goood thing. And epically good thing. You phail for thinking it could in anyway be bad.
deaftly @ May 23rd 2008 11:05AM
Its 90 minutes of game video, also mgs4 is 720p
http://flickr.com/photos/david-nano/2514284140/sizes/l/
will @ May 23rd 2008 12:49PM
its also not video... it's rendered in the game with in-game assets. they could make a 100 hour cutscene if they wanted, with the only limitation being the audio and scripting (which is probably awfully small).
Marrvia @ May 23rd 2008 5:12PM
To be fair, Nate, a 90 minute cutscene could just as easily be done on Xbox 360. MGS games have always had real time cutscenes, they don't have CG, therefore the file sizes aren't very big.
I'm looking forward to this 90 minute cutscene. I'm a fan of long cutscenes as long as it is entertaining. MGS always delivers on entertaining story sequences. A scene that long is no doubt intended to be very epic, I think that if they aren't intending to make it very entertaining they would never even try a scene that long because it will piss a lot of people off if it isn't good.
Kr155 @ May 23rd 2008 6:07PM
http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=187049
doesn't look like his is true
Used_up-hore @ May 26th 2008 9:11AM
That's what makes it great NATE,that the 360 can't do it! If MSG does slip over to the dark side it won't/can't offer everything ps3's version does. And remember cut scenes can be skipped and paused. 90 minutes is a bit to long but my guess is that that will be by far the longest and will be the scene that ends the game. This is just a guess not a fact!
Used Up @ May 26th 2008 9:12AM
That's what makes it great NATE,that the 360 can't do it! If MSG does
slip over to the dark side it won't/can't offer everything ps3's
version does. And remember cut scenes can be skipped and paused. 90
minutes is a bit to long but my guess is that that will be by far the
longest and will be the scene that ends the game. This is just a guess
not a fact!
Used Up @ May 26th 2008 9:12AM
That's what makes it great NATE,that the 360 can't do it! If MSG does
slip over to the dark side it won't/can't offer everything ps3's
version does. And remember cut scenes can be skipped and paused. 90
minutes is a bit to long but my guess is that that will be by far the
longest and will be the scene that ends the game. This is just a guess
not a fact!
Trapper @ May 23rd 2008 9:41AM
WOW... just WOW. No wonder they filled the full Blue-ray Disc. This will be an epic game.
The Aggie CEO @ May 23rd 2008 9:45AM
Its BLU-ray..........
sheeeeeeeeesh
Kspraydad @ May 23rd 2008 9:48AM
Actually it is Blu-ray
:)
The Aggie CEO @ May 23rd 2008 8:42PM
@Kspraydad......
I know that....just had to make emphasis on the spelling.....lol
Stoo @ May 23rd 2008 9:42AM
wait! what?
90 minutes...for a single cutscene.
There surely must be some wires crossed somewhere because that is ridiculous.
nahworry @ May 23rd 2008 4:03PM
Yes, if by ridiculous you mean totally sweet. As long as it's all skippable (maybe those cutscenes should have a part that's mandatory to watch for understanding the next mission objectives, and then the longer elaboration, background info you might skip?) it makes for great replay value if you impatiently skipped them all the first time.
But please: make them playable from the menu afterwards, because I KNOW that if I'll play 'just one short mission' before I have to go out to work, I'll definitively run into one of those longer scenes which I will have to skip in order to save and quit.
ultima_omega @ May 23rd 2008 9:42AM
The long cut scenes of Metal Gear have never bothered me. They are always enjoyable to watch. Nice to hear you can pause them though, i would hate to have to miss something when someone knocks on the door or something.
Brodie-san @ May 23rd 2008 9:43AM
I'm lucky if I get 90 minutes of GAMING in a WEEK these days.
Right, need to excise something from my schedule to make room for this. Looking at the list the only thing the sticks out that I can cut down on is "Sleep".
Time to stock up on caffeine.
Jason @ May 23rd 2008 11:44AM
I'm right there with you. Pretty much the only time I get to play is if I get up early and play in between the time my wife leaves for work and I leave for work; which turns out to be about 30 minutes most days. I was considering taking some vacation time to play MGS4, now I think I'll have to. If its anything like MGS2 you won't be able to understand it if you only play for 30 minutes at a time.
Cornerman8 @ May 23rd 2008 9:45AM
I don't see it as a negative. Come with it. Its a movie, its a game, its Snake's last mission. Kojima's making everything bigger. Its nearly 50gig, I'm not complaining if he's filling it up.
Daniel @ May 23rd 2008 9:46AM
I don't mind the installation. I don't mind the 90 minute cut scene (though, I seriously think that may be an overstatement). I see MGS games as interactive movies and much prefere the narrative to the gameplay.
reson8er @ May 23rd 2008 9:46AM
MGS4 will be nothing short of EPIC.
kentuckyfried @ May 23rd 2008 1:29PM
KICK. ASS.
=D
June 12th can't come soon enough.
The Aggie CEO @ May 23rd 2008 9:46AM
geeeeeeeeez............
90 Minutes almost?!?!?!?
CRAZY!!!
Not gonna complain tho........as long as the game play itself is not to short I'm good.......
Kspraydad @ May 23rd 2008 9:49AM
I wonder how our short attention span video game reviewers are going to deal with this...
Stoo @ May 23rd 2008 9:57AM
Probably just think, "90 minute cut-scene wow if its that long it must be 'epic' and awesome" 10/10
Popfrogs @ May 23rd 2008 3:22PM
That's a good point, I can see it already.
Gamespot: "This game has epic written all over it. Epic preinstall, epic-length cut scenes, burp fart puke. 8 out of 10."
IGN: "If this was on the Xbox it'd be one disc with no cutscenes and no install. I'll take that version in 2 years over this one. 5 out of 10."
G4TV: "We couldn't hate on this any more if you paid us. Well, someone paid us. 0 out of 5 stars."
WolfBangaz888 @ May 23rd 2008 6:06PM
G4TV: "We couldn't hate on this any more if you paid us. Well, someone paid us. 0 out of 5 stars."
Lol! Hilarious!
Brucie B @ May 23rd 2008 9:50AM
Ahhhhh... Wake me up when it's time to play...
Dom @ May 23rd 2008 11:02AM
Man I agree. I guess I'm not a diehard MG fan to be that patient and watch a 90mn cutscene. Is it the last cut scene when you beat the game atleast? That would be fine if it was the last one I guess.
Installs are really beginning to bug me. By the end of this syear I'll either have to buy another HDD or delete some other game installs. I'm just being realistic here people 90 min is TOO much for any game. I don't care what game it is! Sometimes all I have is 1 hour for games, what should I tell my wife. Uhhh, Im playing games and she'll be like uhhh no your're not.
Oh and someone said that these cutscenes are in 1080p. No sir you better believe they aren't. I believe they are in640p or somewhere around that.
TinyTim121 @ May 23rd 2008 9:50AM
"all the cutscenes are skippable and pausable"
THANK GOD YOU CAN PAUSE THEM!!! I wouldn't like to miss anything Metal Gear...but sit through 90 mins? It's most likely to be the last scene with snake or something...all i can hope is that it dosen't drag on and on.
Surely thats a guiness world record for longest video game "cut-scene".
MJ @ May 23rd 2008 9:53AM
If the longest is 90mins and is the ending then that would be fantastic.
I actually like the cut scenes in games and with MGS4 I think that a long in-game cutscene is better than the 'bobbing heads' codec calls of 2 (though this was probably done due to technical restraints at the time).
If any scene is 90mins long then I reckon it has to be the ending, which is fine by me, nothing worse than playing through hours of game to be greated by a poorly done 5 min ending.
Gaucho @ May 23rd 2008 9:54AM
The install is not a factor, I would have gladly given this game more than 5 gb of space. The 90-min cut-scene give the game (as if this needed to be said) an over the top epic quality. I cant even begin to fathom the depth of the story here. IMO MGS games have always been about the story, no matter how good the gameplay actually was. This may end up being one of the greatest experiences in gaming.
Jeremy @ May 23rd 2008 9:59AM
Can you imagine it not being pausable? I would hate to accidentaly hit a button skipping it and going back into the game not knowing what the hell is going on....lol
OAKside @ May 23rd 2008 10:15AM
And then it auto-saves. Doh. "Warning: 87-minute cutscene ahead. Carefully tuck the DS3 into a safe place. And get comfy."
kentuckyfried @ May 23rd 2008 1:26PM
lol.
That would suck. I hope it requires a double button/triple button tap like COD4 Prestige code.
Livi70590 @ May 23rd 2008 9:59AM
This game is truly for fans.
Livi70590 @ May 23rd 2008 9:59AM
And If You're not a fan, Why Not? this series is fantastic.
JerJerBinks @ May 23rd 2008 10:15AM
Well, I would say primarily because of the over-long cutscenes. Lol.
leiwei @ May 23rd 2008 10:04AM
Would definitely suck if you're playing the game before work and the cutscene kicks in, but you have no idea how long it is so you go through the dilemma of waiting it out or turning off the game. Would also definitely suck if it happens to be the 90 minute cutscene and you're halfway thru... but the power goes out. >=)