Picking up MGS IV today at lunch. Anyone midnight it, and started playing through? Looking forward to the experience, but I'm not totally sure why. Most all of the reviews agree that if you are a Metal Gear fan, you will like this one, too (Tycho may have said it best.) I enjoyed the previous games enough, though not enough to play MGS 3. Think I'm more curious about the entire package, and how Kojima is molding the medium to his vision. If this truly is the end of the line for the series, you would expect he pulled out all the stops. Of course, now being free of the franchise, with it's restraints and expectations, perhaps his next project will encompass a purer form of what he believes can be done with a "video game".

We bring you another in our popular line of copied GoogleTalk chats. This time Bill and I address MGS IV, and gaming as an emerging art form, especially in popular culture. It is also presented as further proof of our "expertise". Enjoy! (as the discussion goes on, so shall the post)

Dib
can you resend the last thing you sent yesterday?

Bill
last chat?

Dib
yes

Bill
eh..
hang on
oh yeah
about games

Dib
yes

Bill
er, in response to the MGS4 fam score
one sec

Dib
yep

Bill
yeah
you said:
"boucaner: Japanese games mag giant Famitsu has rated Metal Gear Solid 4 and bestowed it with its highest honor: a score of 40/40. MGS4 is the first PS3 title to receive such high praise from the magazine's editors. It has already picked up similarly glowing scores from European and Western publications.

Famitsu has only handed out a 40/40 score to seven other games in its history: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64), Soulcalibur (DC), Vagrant Story (PS), The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (GCN), Nintendogs (DS), Final Fantasy XII (PS2), and Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii). We imagine Otacon is peeing his pants right about now."
i said:
whoa...
"are we seeing the advent of the post-pubescent years of the electronic game as a form of popular art?"