So I SERIOUSLY messed up. Apparently Act 3 DOESN'T take place in the UK? Why the heck did I think that it did? All my life I thought that was where it was. Even though no actual city name is given, it's hinted that the city if Prague. My sincerest apologies.
“It’s not about changing the world. It’s about doing our best to leave the world the way it is. It’s about respecting the will of others and believing in your own.”
@@wiredgamez9929 Leaving the world the way that it is, meaning making it a conscious effort to leave this world just as it was when you first entered. Or in smooth terms, to live your best life.
That really doesn’t make sense. I get the sentiment, basically, to leave while causing as little harm as possible. Might as well tell someone to kill themselves though. It’s not a great message for a Human Being.
The microwave hall scene is absolutely one of the most legendarily emotional scenes ever devised in any artistic medium. This video is a fantastic look at why the MGS series is worthy of how layered and labyrinthine the plot is. Great analysis as always, beautiful commentary and keep up the fantastic work!
I was around 10 when this game came out and I grew up playing MGS a lot. Nothing, I mean nothing in gaming will ever come close to the chills i got in the final acts of this game. I vividly remember crying and wishing snake would pull through in the microwave scene lol. When you're a kid you think so many of these concepts are cool, but as you grow up you realise this shit is terrifying. Every time i come back to this series i love it more, especially with these analysis videos.
I think all it needed was a convenient explanation why they couldn't just send in that tiny metal gear drone in alone. It's never explicitly noted that you need a human presence or anything.
@@benedict6962 I think it was the fact that they didnt know what was beyond the microwave. They probably expected liquid to be there to stop them. You do bring up a good point though
MGS is my favorite series of games, I’ll fanboy tf out for anything MG. TLoU winter scene with the deer is the greatest gaming scene (to me). That cat and mouse game of dialogue was dope af. Microwave scene is dope also just my 2cents
The last scene with Big Boss and Solid Snake gets me every time. Thank you so much Max for another wonderful and insightful look into one of the most greatest masterpieces of all time.
@@garr_inc bruh I highly recommend the mgs series. It’s is quite literally one of the greatest works of art in any medium. Kojima was legit a genius in his game dev back in the day
I actually beat MGS4 just recently. Getting it to work on my dusty old PS3, it was a lot like Old Snake in a way. It wasn't perfect but still gave me such a life-changing experience as does every Metal Gear.
me too, waited to finish the whole franchise to start consuming content about it online, i couldn't protect myself from some spoilers but at least i can now watch this video
@@GoTELuckyCharmsI believe this is because it isn't produced by kojima, he has a pretty hands off experience working on rising. The canonicity of a metal gear game depends on if kojima made it, e.g. MG PoOps
You should seriously play it dude my best mate always wanted me to play em.so I brought a PS3 an brought the legacy collection few months back was so good.managed to get the legacy collection sealed in perfect condition for 40$aus an the PS3 cost me like 70$ with few games an a controller get on it!
With the enthusiastic quick recommendations out if the way, I'll mention that although we all think you should check them out, the fact is that they are old games now, especially the first two, but also the rest. Obviously you can figure that out, I know. But I'll just say that for a gamer of today, the gameplay won't be difficult at all, minus like a handful of spots in the entire series, and the plot points will almost entirely be predictable, minus the Kojima wierdness. Also, you may recognize things despite having never experienced them since so many people have spread the word over the years (like knowing about Vader and Luke before seeing Empire Strikes Back) and because concepts that were fresh in these games have drifted into later games since many developers liked this series or its ideas. So if you ever try them, try to keep yourself in the 90's state of mind if you can while playing, and try not to let any modern day expectations or habits reduce your experience. :)
Control over one's senses is the one form of control one must never even consider giving up. With the current global situation it's the one thing I have realised more than ever; being told one thing and then being told something directly contradicting it the next day has been a wake up call to how far the control of memetic information is with how little most people seem to care about this. As is I can navigate this, if only barely, without losing sense of the self and how to sort through this information. As normalcy seems to slowly return where I live I have to ask myself if I should just go back to this normalcy entirely, or if I should carry some of this with me. I fear some horrible people will have learned roughly how far they can push things. I hope I have learned where to draw a line of my own, before I might lose myself. Whatever happens, do not give up your ability to navigate information. Learning junk information once in a while is not as harmful as learning to accept all junk information, whether officially approved junk information or officially disapproved junk information. I think how we navigate information, rather than the information we have, is the one thing that defines and anchors the individual most powerfully. It is what defines choice in my eyes, and what sets a greater man like Snake apart. You're pretty good, Max. Pretty good...
I’ve said this before, but I am yet again impressed how succinctly you managed to summarise such a huge game in an amount of time that is less than an MGS cutscene. Excellent work, as always.
Great video as usua! Just a small correction, the European city is actually Prague rather than London. The train station, bridge and Czech panels all point towards this, along with the fact that the country is referred as Eastern European.
A fellow person with autism here: I am a person who loves studying philosophy and the concept of free will vs determinism has been a topic I have struggled with for a while in my psyche.... this video series and many studies on compatibilistic alternatives helps me come terms with my being and being-with the world. So as a fellow nuerodivergent thanks for showing your talents, as a existential agent, thanks for helping me get more answers and estimates for my recovery going foward. (Plus MGS 4 was my first and love to see it get more love)
No game will ever again affect me emotionally like this game did. From the years of anticipation and hype, to finally playing through it. Unforgettable experience.
It's interesting to note the motto of Philanthropy (the anti-Metal Gear NGO that Snake and Otacon founded): "To Let the World Be" Snake and Otacon were the closest to realizing the Boss' will and never even knew it.
Wow... when I was a kid, I always thought this game was about tactical espionage and some dude in Canada fighting bad guys. But as an adult I see that it's so much more than that. I had no idea this series was so rich in lore. I mean I knew about pieces of it, but it never really caught my interest until I watched your videos. Great video Max, I think I get why so many people fell in love with this series. It's a little over the top but it really respects the audience and gives them a lot to think about. Even better when we have a passionate fan such as yourself to guide us through the story and the lessons that were taught. Plus I appreciate your attention to detail and editing too, not going on random tangents that would otherwise ruin the flow of the video. Keep up the great work dude, stay yellow! 💎
@@lekuba7679 I'll be honest, when I was a kid I loved the overall seriousness of the first game. Granted I only played the demo at the time. But as I grew older I actually played through GH MGS1 + 2. The stories completely flew over my head and I really just wanted to fight people and be a badass. They we're still those awesome action games to me. Somewhere along the way I lost touch with the series. I never bothered to play 3 or 4 and by the time I checked back in on the series The Phantom pain was out. So I played a bit of it and it just threw me off. It was cool but so over the top and goofy to me. I always think that to myself "I thought this was some cool tactical espionage game!?". So I eventually just stopped caring about the series altogether. It was only until I found Max's channel and his retrospectives did I truly understand what I was missing. This series has SO MUCH DEPTH it on top of all the absurdity. I had no idea I would get this into the series. Learning about the timeline to this game was such a joy. I never knew you were playing Big boss in MGS3. Seeing how his story plays out just gives his character so much more exposition as opposed to just evil guy. Or learning about all these themes in the games and how they develop the narrative. Hell even the characters are well done. They each feel relatable in a sense and not just some generic tropes thrown together. You said it perfectly when you mentioned it's not like a typical military shooter game. It's straight up something else. It's a game made from passion. This dude wanted to tell a story and he wanted to tell it his way, regardless of what everyone else says. I sincerely hope more people watch these retrospectives, they completely changed my perspective of the series. Well Fu***ng done Max!! 💎
It seemed to me that I would watch the first five minutes and go about my business, but before I knew it, I saw the final credits. To say that the video turned out to be exciting is to say nothing. Thank you very much, Max, you are a wonderful storyteller.
Hearing you recollect the plot of this title convinces me that this game was a great story told poorly. Beneath the fanservice, navel gazing, and the writing crutch that is the nanomachines is a perfect conclusion to Solid Snake's journey. I hope that the rest of the Metal Gear series makes its way to PC sooner rather than later as I'd love to experience it all over again, this game in particular given it was the first one I played to completion.
this is one of these games that seem like good wine to me. back in the day when i came out, i remember alot of people not liking it. i kinda understood that, it came after MGS3 that was for alot of people the entrance to MGS, it had a shitton of convoluted story elements that dont make alot of sense the first time you hear them, you protagonist is all of a sudden old and vulnerable, ect ect. but the older this game got, the more i could talk about it with people. its like with time, they gave it another chance and understood the messages the game wants to convey. and i am happy for that :)
Wow an incredible beautiful retrospective full of clear passion for the saga. I salute your insane dedication to this retrospective project. Each one managed to take tears from me! Continue your amazing and inspiring work!
Waited for this 3 months, finished the video and glad that I am here to experience it. Thank you Max for providing me with another perspective on MGS4 and its meaning
Could I make the case that the sacrifice Ocelot made to get all this in motion was more important and in line with what his mother wanted. He played her role (as the villain) in order to get things back and made the ultimate sacrifice of never being remembered for what he did.
Solid Snake : Am I going to die? Big Boss : Everyone Dies. You can't stop it. You can't run from it. Let me tell you something... Don't... Don't waste the life you have left fighting. This last sentence is what I remember the most from MGS4. Big Boss, after a life fighting, tells you not to waste yours fighting. It hits hard.
Dude, I LOVE how you explained and laid out the overall message, philosophy, and plot/story of the saga as you have done. All of these videos on the saga you have done, only make me appreciate the saga and as well as the main characters (solid snake and Big Boss) so much more if not to full extent. Thank you, and please do keep making videos, you're awesome at it. ^__^
Wonderful video Max... First comment by me but long overdue... I'll try to keep it brief (I hope to correspond more in the future, and I am glad to be able to support your work). I first found your videos from your "most profound moment in gaming" MGS2 video, and I was hooked from there. As a huge long-time fan of the metal gear franchise, MGS4 holds a very special place in my heart. Having played all the previous entries, when MGS4 came out, my friends and I bought it release night, and played it in its entirety (watching every cutscene, close to 2 days without rest XD), in one sitting, with me at the helm. I fought back tears at the conclusion of the game, it was a very meaningful experience. There were some parts of frustration & it was hard for me to grasp how everything came together in the first playthrough, mainly because I didn't fully understand the sheer complexity of the previous entries, but you have summed up this game brilliantly, and along with your analysis of the previous entries, I have reached a level of understanding of these incredible games that I never thought I could reach. This series is truly life-altering once its themes are explored and understood, and I am still finding even deeper truths within the MGS iceberg, especially with your help and analysis. I applaud your work & what you do for those on the spectrum & those with mental health disorders, you are making a difference.
Having just finished watching the previous three chapters in this video series in binge fashion last night, I couldn't wait for the next entry. Then I saw the amount of time between each piece and how much time has passed since the last one. I wondered if something had stopped you from continuing. Today I woke up to notification of this entry, and as a Metal Gear super fan, I felt blessed.
Hey Max, just wanto to let you know "Legacy of Kain: Defiance" is on Steam Sale. If it isn't in your collection yet better get it now! Love your vids! Hope you're doin good
@@maxderrat You play as both Kain and Raziel in different episodes and get to explore more of the LOK Universe. I'ts nothing "groundbreaking new" to the Series but I enjoyed it for what it is. Of course in the story they talk about some philosophical views I don't want to spoil. I thought I'd bring it up so you can check it out yourself and have your own take on it maybe.
This is why I love MGS4 and never cared for all the whining about "Bad writing". When you look at the details MGS4 has a very deep and well written story.
I think people argue about not enough gameplay and less of the cutscenes but all and all I love the series so much but after peace walker I stopped playing the series until Phantom Pain. I rather see the series transition from Snake to Raiden. Of course mgr should be the main series but we would never get to see Rising again as long as Konami owns the right to the metal gear franchise.
@@TimmiiGamingChannel Eh, I personally would careless about MGR because to me that game was more like a spoof of the series rather than being a geniune part of the canon. That aside, MGS4 does have plenty of gameplay styles and toys to experiment with...which is why I think the game is made to be short, it's meant to have more reply value with more things you unlock and it's easier to get the titles at the end of each playthrough.
Great! I was waiting for this analysis truly, a very awesome and excelent work, these good analysis videos of MGS you have made is the best classroom day/night of many things of many contents :D !
42:10 I just wanna say, wasn't it not implied that Ocelot being posessed by Liquid was bullshit the whole time and that he was faking being posessed by Liquid Snake in order to better persue his means?
It's left deliberately ambiguous. I've been searching for the answer for years and there's really no definitive answer as each game gives a different answer. Some say possession happened in mgs2 and others say he he was faking it all along and mgs4 retconned mgs2. I'm in the faking it all along to deceive the patriots camp. Why liquids arm specifically? Any arm would do especially with the kind of genetic technology existing in mgs.
You really did a great job with this, I played all four games but I enjoyed your explanation, Max. Well done. To be honest, I would like to see a video essay on the four B&B bosses, maybe one tying together each generation of the special forces teams chronologically
The reason it's so divisive is because of the way everything is perfectly explained away. There are a lot of elements that are supposed to seem "cool" but can also come off as lame excuses, for example Para-medic being revealed as Dr. Clark, and let's not forget that everything is caused by nanomachines. You miraculously run into every single character that hasn't yet been confirmed dead, too. Oh, and suddenly Solid Snake can use CQC, he just never really used it because Big Boss taught him and he resented him. That having been said, I love this game and I don't feel like it was a disappointment like some do. I bought a PS3 back in '08 just to play this game. The only reason I know why some people feel the way they do about it is because I was also confused, so I did a lot of searching around to find the answer. Apparently some people can't (or don't like to) suspend their disbelief for stories like this. My only real criticism is that there just wasn't enough gameplay. I have no problems with long cutscenes, but I would have loved more things to do. In that sense, this game is like the opposite of MGSV. So many aspects of the game were well-developed but under-utilized. Why are there so many different weapons? You only really need to use like three or four of them, even on the hardest difficulty. Why was the CQC so advanced when you don't really ever have to use it? Anyway, that ends my rant. I love this game and probably played through it at least 10 times, I even got the Big Boss rank by beating it on the hardest difficulty with no kills or alerts (what a nightmare that was... Not to mention there were no TH-cam guides back in '08) TL;DR - People wanted fan service, and they got MGS4 which was nothing but. Then they complained that it was too much fan service, so we got MGSV which was basically no fan service at all except for a few small scenes. People don't know what they want.
Art is interpreted in multiple ways. The only thing that controls it is money or the lack there of. Hence, Konami hasn’t pulled the trigger on a new one since MG Shurvive. 😂 yes, I’ve seen it and it’s glorious. A parody but still hilarious. Anyway, I think it’s safe to say-in the end-buy what you enjoy and forget the rest. ✌️
Found your channel today and can't believe how underrated you are. TH-cam recommended most be getting better =P. I binged a lot of your videos including the rest of this series. I have only ever played MGS4 a little(when my brother wasn't home) and I've played MGS5 partly. I am going to watch the AION series since I am very interested in Jordan Peterson. Sorry if this comment was all over the place. Just have multiple things to say.
I never finished a metal gear game but from the videos I’ve seen of the franchise, they feel more like an experience than a simple game series. Thinking about them is making me feel all emotional...
@@leaflizard8485 sadly, the second game got a lot of changes and cut content because of 9/11, but the world resembled a metroidvania, meaning it was made to be backtracked through, and you quit during the prologue, its okay, i got stuck too, even had to look up a playthrough, just for the begining though, the rest of the game just clicked
43:15 because I never owned a ps3 max. I never was able to play and experience the saint grail of a finale this saga culminated in with 4...hence why I'm watching this. Dont get me wrong, this video did a lot for me and helped me piece together a lot of the loose threads I've been having about the metal gear solid series as a whole for the last 10 or so years and for that I am gratefull. But I wouldnt have minded a 2 hour video on the matter in which every story thread was included and aptly dissected, more over, I would have preffered it that way. But still great work nonetheles
Although I have a lot of issues with MGS4, I still respect many of the things the game does (e.g. Microwave tunnel). Even the title screen is amazing, where you just see Snake standing on that graveyard, smoking, with the "Old Snake" theme playing in the background... it's giving me goosebumps just thinking about it. I can't think of another title screen that does that! What I disliked the most was probably how Raiden's sacrifice played out. They give him the biggest, most dramatic death scene, only to say "Yup, he's gonna be okay!" a couple of seconds later. And overall, it just has a few plot twists too many. Anyway, awesome video, as always! One note: I didn't realise chapter 3 was set in England! For some reason, I assumed it was set in Eastern Europe, more specifically a fictionalised version of the city of Prague since the river there was referred to as the "Volta river", which I thought was a fictional version of the "Vltava". :O
I think the one word themes can be interpreted as what the patriots, the philosophers or any organization behind mgs' events "controls" MGS1 genes are controlled to create liquid, snake and the genome soldiers MGS2 memes are controlled in the sense that information is being controlled by the patriot's AI MGS3 the "scene" is being controlled, as in they have control over the scene which they're creating for a cover story MGS4 senses are being controlled by having soldier's emotions and physical senses be controlled in the battlefield MGS Peace Walker the peace is being controlled through nuclear deterrence MGS5 race is being controlled by using the parasites to suppress language
I adore this game so much and you summarized so many of its ideas better than I ever could. Is it perfect? No, but if we're being honest, every metal gear title has some issues whether fans wanna admit it or not. But almost every title has something that makes it special.
Replace nano machines with smart phones that dull our senses and change our perspectives through social media etc. and Kojima’s prophetic vision prevails yet again.
The first note of the OST - less than three seconds in and I feel a shiver. Now less than 5 mins in, I'm gonna shut up and listen. I know this is gonna be good!! Thank you 🖤🙏🌌
Another great video Max. Your pretty good. Also am I going crazy, I thought Act 3 was in the Czech Republic's Prague and not London, England... Did I get Berenstien Bear'd??
Just to add here the reason why Raiden became a cyborg is because after the events of MGS2 he was tasked to save Sunny from the Patriots which is his promised to Olga and he was also tasked to retrieved Big Boss body (Which is actually Solidus body). This 2 missions are really hard for him because he already have a strained relationship with Rose. He was successful on saving Sunny however he was imprisoned by the Patriots when he was about to get Big Boss body. The patriots experimented his body and made him a cyborg. Thanks Max for making this video regarding MGS4
Man, the microwave corridor and the final fight with Ocs had me crying, like it's nothing short of beautiful. Say whatever you want about Kojima, but the man's a master of drama, in a good way. On the other hand, 'I won't scatter your sorrow to the heartless sea... ' gets me bawling my eyes out, too, like the realization that despite me not fulfilling the requirements for Quiet departure, meaning she stayed in *MY* Diamond Dogs, canonically there's just no way that could've lasted for long, and no matter how hard I might try, Big Boss' life will remain a neverending string of tragedies, and he, just like his mother figure, will go down in history as a traitor, a terrorist, and a war criminal in the eyes of the world, when I know for a fact my man was pure of heart and did good every step of the way, and that stuff has me in tears as well. Y'all can't imagine how much I'd pay to see a silly (canonical!) spin-off game of, I dunno, beach volleyball? which I could start in AI vs AI mode just so that I could see Snake laughing and having fun when I come back home to my computer, knowing that it wouldn't abruptly just stop to turn everyone Jack ever loved and cared about into a fine red mist 😿 Oh, a man can dream
So I SERIOUSLY messed up. Apparently Act 3 DOESN'T take place in the UK? Why the heck did I think that it did? All my life I thought that was where it was.
Even though no actual city name is given, it's hinted that the city if Prague. My sincerest apologies.
Must be the James Bond vibe the first half of the act has, haha.
I wouldn't say "seriously messed up". As we've learned in Resident Evil VIII, Europe is just one big country :D Potato, Потато ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I thought it was France dude lol but it’s been a few years since I played
It's alright man we all make mistakes.👍
Um... also, sorry to point out another mistake, but you wrote (if) instead of (is) Prague. 😅
An honest mistake. 🤗
“It’s not about changing the world. It’s about doing our best to leave the world the way it is. It’s about respecting the will of others and believing in your own.”
WHAT are Even on about M8. U Think we should Leave the world As Is 🤨.
@@wiredgamez9929 It’s a quote from Big Boss. I’m gonna assume you never played MGS4 or didn’t watch the whole video.
@@wiredgamez9929 Leaving the world the way that it is, meaning making it a conscious effort to leave this world just as it was when you first entered. Or in smooth terms, to live your best life.
@@wiredgamez9929 dumbass 🤣
That really doesn’t make sense. I get the sentiment, basically, to leave while causing as little harm as possible.
Might as well tell someone to kill themselves though. It’s not a great message for a Human Being.
The microwave hall scene is absolutely one of the most legendarily emotional scenes ever devised in any artistic medium. This video is a fantastic look at why the MGS series is worthy of how layered and labyrinthine the plot is. Great analysis as always, beautiful commentary and keep up the fantastic work!
I was around 10 when this game came out and I grew up playing MGS a lot. Nothing, I mean nothing in gaming will ever come close to the chills i got in the final acts of this game. I vividly remember crying and wishing snake would pull through in the microwave scene lol. When you're a kid you think so many of these concepts are cool, but as you grow up you realise this shit is terrifying. Every time i come back to this series i love it more, especially with these analysis videos.
I think all it needed was a convenient explanation why they couldn't just send in that tiny metal gear drone in alone. It's never explicitly noted that you need a human presence or anything.
@@benedict6962 I think it was the fact that they didnt know what was beyond the microwave. They probably expected liquid to be there to stop them. You do bring up a good point though
MGS is my favorite series of games, I’ll fanboy tf out for anything MG.
TLoU winter scene with the deer is the greatest gaming scene (to me). That cat and mouse game of dialogue was dope af.
Microwave scene is dope also just my 2cents
Yeah, ok. The ass camera quicktime event.
*sigh* I really hate this game.
The last scene with Big Boss and Solid Snake gets me every time. Thank you so much Max for another wonderful and insightful look into one of the most greatest masterpieces of all time.
I watched it barely knowing what had happened in the series, and it still drove me to tears. Which is usually rather hard to do.
@@garr_inc bruh I highly recommend the mgs series. It’s is quite literally one of the greatest works of art in any medium. Kojima was legit a genius in his game dev back in the day
"This is good... isn't it?" Still gets me straight in the feels everytime. Fak people who say this game was a mistake.
"...the world would be better without, snakes"..... -Big Boss-
The game is a bit of a mess though. Still, I don't think it's a mistake.
Good things can still come as a result of a mistake, just ask your parents I'm sure they'd agree.
Steak Bentley would like to have a word. Also, the people who threatened Hideo and his family if he didn't make MGS4 can suck a fat one.
I've been waiting for you to tackle this subject for literal years. Truly excited to see it pop up in my notification box.
I actually beat MGS4 just recently. Getting it to work on my dusty old PS3, it was a lot like Old Snake in a way. It wasn't perfect but still gave me such a life-changing experience as does every Metal Gear.
Mine ps3 dusty too.
@@Vengefulknight are you Old Snake the Rapper?
@@thelegendofner0 no just old snake from mgs4
Last good console generation.
me too, waited to finish the whole franchise to start consuming content about it online, i couldn't protect myself from some spoilers but at least i can now watch this video
"He has the chance to live a normal life"
*Metal Gear Rising Revengence creeping around the corner*
GIVE WAR A CHANCE
-SUNDOWNER
To be fair, Rising is in a realm of being and not being canon, so you can keep Raiden with his family or having him being a cooler cyborg ninja.
@@ShirakiAkarinWho said that
@@GoTELuckyCharmsI believe this is because it isn't produced by kojima, he has a pretty hands off experience working on rising. The canonicity of a metal gear game depends on if kojima made it, e.g. MG PoOps
Everytime I watch that ending it brings tears to my eyes.
I'm... I'm not crying.
Definitely not 😢
Everytime, I swear. The first game to ever make me bawl my eyes out because of the influence the series had on me.
Absolutely. I can’t even hear the music without welling up.
This is good. Isn't it?
foreign objects “victory over neptune”
Me, who's never played a MGS game: gets excited for this
Let me be perfectly clear - these games are worth making time for.
well play them
Play them your missing out
You should seriously play it dude my best mate always wanted me to play em.so I brought a PS3 an brought the legacy collection few months back was so good.managed to get the legacy collection sealed in perfect condition for 40$aus an the PS3 cost me like 70$ with few games an a controller get on it!
With the enthusiastic quick recommendations out if the way, I'll mention that although we all think you should check them out, the fact is that they are old games now, especially the first two, but also the rest. Obviously you can figure that out, I know. But I'll just say that for a gamer of today, the gameplay won't be difficult at all, minus like a handful of spots in the entire series, and the plot points will almost entirely be predictable, minus the Kojima wierdness. Also, you may recognize things despite having never experienced them since so many people have spread the word over the years (like knowing about Vader and Luke before seeing Empire Strikes Back) and because concepts that were fresh in these games have drifted into later games since many developers liked this series or its ideas. So if you ever try them, try to keep yourself in the 90's state of mind if you can while playing, and try not to let any modern day expectations or habits reduce your experience. :)
Control over one's senses is the one form of control one must never even consider giving up. With the current global situation it's the one thing I have realised more than ever; being told one thing and then being told something directly contradicting it the next day has been a wake up call to how far the control of memetic information is with how little most people seem to care about this. As is I can navigate this, if only barely, without losing sense of the self and how to sort through this information.
As normalcy seems to slowly return where I live I have to ask myself if I should just go back to this normalcy entirely, or if I should carry some of this with me. I fear some horrible people will have learned roughly how far they can push things. I hope I have learned where to draw a line of my own, before I might lose myself.
Whatever happens, do not give up your ability to navigate information. Learning junk information once in a while is not as harmful as learning to accept all junk information, whether officially approved junk information or officially disapproved junk information. I think how we navigate information, rather than the information we have, is the one thing that defines and anchors the individual most powerfully. It is what defines choice in my eyes, and what sets a greater man like Snake apart. You're pretty good, Max. Pretty good...
Well written.
That's more of a revolver technique. You're pretty good.
I’ve said this before, but I am yet again impressed how succinctly you managed to summarise such a huge game in an amount of time that is less than an MGS cutscene. Excellent work, as always.
I thought you were Bill Williamson
Great video as usua! Just a small correction, the European city is actually Prague rather than London. The train station, bridge and Czech panels all point towards this, along with the fact that the country is referred as Eastern European.
i recognized my mother city right away!
Yeah no mistake its Prague. The architecture is distinct
A fellow person with autism here: I am a person who loves studying philosophy and the concept of free will vs determinism has been a topic I have struggled with for a while in my psyche.... this video series and many studies on compatibilistic alternatives helps me come terms with my being and being-with the world. So as a fellow nuerodivergent thanks for showing your talents, as a existential agent, thanks for helping me get more answers and estimates for my recovery going foward. (Plus MGS 4 was my first and love to see it get more love)
I literally had to stop watching and go make some good food for myself. I want to enjoy this video as much as possible.
This is a great take
same
I listen on 0.75 speed to make it last longer 😩☺️
Same :D
The final message was definitely lost on me when I first saw the story, so this really helps.
No game will ever again affect me emotionally like this game did. From the years of anticipation and hype, to finally playing through it. Unforgettable experience.
It's interesting to note the motto of Philanthropy (the anti-Metal Gear NGO that Snake and Otacon founded):
"To Let the World Be"
Snake and Otacon were the closest to realizing the Boss' will and never even knew it.
Heya, Max. Thanks again for another wonderful video!
I, too, am grateful. I love Max's content.
@@Kyle_00 Certainly his content is one of the best on TH-cam, if not the best. Also, the best community. :)
MGS4 is one of my most favourite video games of all time, thank you for your time and effort for this video.
Wow... when I was a kid, I always thought this game was about tactical espionage and some dude in Canada fighting bad guys. But as an adult I see that it's so much more than that. I had no idea this series was so rich in lore. I mean I knew about pieces of it, but it never really caught my interest until I watched your videos.
Great video Max, I think I get why so many people fell in love with this series. It's a little over the top but it really respects the audience and gives them a lot to think about. Even better when we have a passionate fan such as yourself to guide us through the story and the lessons that were taught. Plus I appreciate your attention to detail and editing too, not going on random tangents that would otherwise ruin the flow of the video.
Keep up the great work dude, stay yellow! 💎
i like the absurdness, its not just another run of the mill military shooter
@@lekuba7679 I'll be honest, when I was a kid I loved the overall seriousness of the first game. Granted I only played the demo at the time.
But as I grew older I actually played through GH MGS1 + 2. The stories completely flew over my head and I really just wanted to fight people and be a badass. They we're still those awesome action games to me.
Somewhere along the way I lost touch with the series. I never bothered to play 3 or 4 and by the time I checked back in on the series The Phantom pain was out.
So I played a bit of it and it just threw me off. It was cool but so over the top and goofy to me. I always think that to myself "I thought this was some cool tactical espionage game!?". So I eventually just stopped caring about the series altogether.
It was only until I found Max's channel and his retrospectives did I truly understand what I was missing.
This series has SO MUCH DEPTH it on top of all the absurdity. I had no idea I would get this into the series.
Learning about the timeline to this game was such a joy. I never knew you were playing Big boss in MGS3. Seeing how his story plays out just gives his character so much more exposition as opposed to just evil guy.
Or learning about all these themes in the games and how they develop the narrative. Hell even the characters are well done. They each feel relatable in a sense and not just some generic tropes thrown together.
You said it perfectly when you mentioned it's not like a typical military shooter game. It's straight up something else. It's a game made from passion. This dude wanted to tell a story and he wanted to tell it his way, regardless of what everyone else says.
I sincerely hope more people watch these retrospectives, they completely changed my perspective of the series.
Well Fu***ng done Max!! 💎
@@TitansTracks Well f***ing done indeed. 👏👏👏
It seemed to me that I would watch the first five minutes and go about my business, but before I knew it, I saw the final credits. To say that the video turned out to be exciting is to say nothing. Thank you very much, Max, you are a wonderful storyteller.
Hearing you recollect the plot of this title convinces me that this game was a great story told poorly. Beneath the fanservice, navel gazing, and the writing crutch that is the nanomachines is a perfect conclusion to Solid Snake's journey. I hope that the rest of the Metal Gear series makes its way to PC sooner rather than later as I'd love to experience it all over again, this game in particular given it was the first one I played to completion.
this is one of these games that seem like good wine to me.
back in the day when i came out, i remember alot of people not liking it. i kinda understood that, it came after MGS3 that was for alot of people the entrance to MGS, it had a shitton of convoluted story elements that dont make alot of sense the first time you hear them, you protagonist is all of a sudden old and vulnerable, ect ect.
but the older this game got, the more i could talk about it with people. its like with time, they gave it another chance and understood the messages the game wants to convey.
and i am happy for that :)
Really powerful stuff, and great perspective on mgs4 and the series at large. 4 will always be the picture perfect end to the series in my book
Wow an incredible beautiful retrospective full of clear passion for the saga. I salute your insane dedication to this retrospective project. Each one managed to take tears from me! Continue your amazing and inspiring work!
Thank you Max! I was waiting for this video.
Kept us waiting huh?
Waited for this 3 months, finished the video and glad that I am here to experience it. Thank you Max for providing me with another perspective on MGS4 and its meaning
very excited to watch this!! i think MGS4 is underrated so i look forward to seeing what you have to say about it!
Stayed up far to late watching this. Fully worth it. Thanks Max
When boss drops the cigar, literal chills, excellent video man.
Yeah 😔
Could I make the case that the sacrifice Ocelot made to get all this in motion was more important and in line with what his mother wanted. He played her role (as the villain) in order to get things back and made the ultimate sacrifice of never being remembered for what he did.
The philosophers can suck a shotgun.
Well done sir. The amount of work that goes into your videos is always appreciated.
Thank you for this! Appreciate the effort you put in
52 minutes flew by with this interesting topic of Sense. Thank you for this video, Max Derrat
They REALLY need to rerelease MGS4
Seriously. Among all of Konami's atrocities, this is easily one of the most frustrating
@@HyperDefective not even close. It's not their fault you sold your ps3 lmfao
@@HugoStiglitz88 Konami shill detected
hard emphasis on *need*
It’s on PS Plus/Now
Outstanding video Max! Been waiting a long time for this definitely worth the wait. Keep it up as always.
Amazing! That right here is why you're the best, Boss! The one and only!
Solid Snake : Am I going to die?
Big Boss : Everyone Dies. You can't stop it. You can't run from it. Let me tell you something... Don't... Don't waste the life you have left fighting.
This last sentence is what I remember the most from MGS4. Big Boss, after a life fighting, tells you not to waste yours fighting. It hits hard.
I wouldn't lie if i said I've been waiting for this video ever since the gene video came out, great work
Dude, I LOVE how you explained and laid out the overall message, philosophy, and plot/story of the saga as you have done. All of these videos on the saga you have done, only make me appreciate the saga and as well as the main characters (solid snake and Big Boss) so much more if not to full extent. Thank you, and please do keep making videos, you're awesome at it. ^__^
Yes!!! Amazing video yet again, Max! Keep up the great work!
Great work! I loved watching this.
I appreciate your take. Thank you for your video.
Thank you. Brilliant work done. Can't wait for the last one to show.
Wonderful video Max... First comment by me but long overdue... I'll try to keep it brief (I hope to correspond more in the future, and I am glad to be able to support your work). I first found your videos from your "most profound moment in gaming" MGS2 video, and I was hooked from there. As a huge long-time fan of the metal gear franchise, MGS4 holds a very special place in my heart. Having played all the previous entries, when MGS4 came out, my friends and I bought it release night, and played it in its entirety (watching every cutscene, close to 2 days without rest XD), in one sitting, with me at the helm. I fought back tears at the conclusion of the game, it was a very meaningful experience. There were some parts of frustration & it was hard for me to grasp how everything came together in the first playthrough, mainly because I didn't fully understand the sheer complexity of the previous entries, but you have summed up this game brilliantly, and along with your analysis of the previous entries, I have reached a level of understanding of these incredible games that I never thought I could reach. This series is truly life-altering once its themes are explored and understood, and I am still finding even deeper truths within the MGS iceberg, especially with your help and analysis. I applaud your work & what you do for those on the spectrum & those with mental health disorders, you are making a difference.
Having just finished watching the previous three chapters in this video series in binge fashion last night, I couldn't wait for the next entry. Then I saw the amount of time between each piece and how much time has passed since the last one. I wondered if something had stopped you from continuing. Today I woke up to notification of this entry, and as a Metal Gear super fan, I felt blessed.
A very fitting way to end a thoughtful analysis on mgs4. Thank you for uploading
Hey Max, just wanto to let you know "Legacy of Kain: Defiance" is on Steam Sale. If it isn't in your collection yet better get it now! Love your vids! Hope you're doin good
Is that version actually good? Or is it crap like Soul Reaver 1 and 2?
Id bet on it being on the latter then the former, i know that bad ports get good overhaul mods, mgs2 pc has a pretty good one
@@maxderrat You play as both Kain and Raziel in different episodes and get to explore more of the LOK Universe. I'ts nothing "groundbreaking new" to the Series but I enjoyed it for what it is. Of course in the story they talk about some philosophical views I don't want to spoil. I thought I'd bring it up so you can check it out yourself and have your own take on it maybe.
@@maxderrat defiance is the only lok game thats good to play on pc. everything else, only on og hardware.
@@maxderrat max what's wrong with soul reaver 1 and 2
This is why I love MGS4 and never cared for all the whining about "Bad writing".
When you look at the details MGS4 has a very deep and well written story.
I think people argue about not enough gameplay and less of the cutscenes but all and all I love the series so much but after peace walker I stopped playing the series until Phantom Pain. I rather see the series transition from Snake to Raiden. Of course mgr should be the main series but we would never get to see Rising again as long as Konami owns the right to the metal gear franchise.
@@TimmiiGamingChannel Eh, I personally would careless about MGR because to me that game was more like a spoof of the series rather than being a geniune part of the canon.
That aside, MGS4 does have plenty of gameplay styles and toys to experiment with...which is why I think the game is made to be short, it's meant to have more reply value with more things you unlock and it's easier to get the titles at the end of each playthrough.
I’m so glad I clicked on this video, what a intriguing video with such depth, questioning our morals and sense of righteousness
Great! I was waiting for this analysis truly, a very awesome and excelent work, these good analysis videos of MGS you have made is the best classroom day/night of many things of many contents :D !
Grab some popcorn this is going to be GOOD, thank you Max I always look forward to your amazing content
I JUST did a video on MGS and gave you credit on that video...and now here you are! Nice! Thanks for the video!
Give me a link and will check it out later
I will too. 🙂👍
@@tyleredwards9479 th-cam.com/video/81TFzH5D5J0/w-d-xo.html There it is
Awesome video Max!
Man... absolutely beautiful. And the fact that chronologically the first and last game both end with Big Boss saluting, simply amazing.
Thank you Max, great video ;D
42:10
I just wanna say, wasn't it not implied that Ocelot being posessed by Liquid was bullshit the whole time
and that he was faking being posessed by Liquid Snake in order to better persue his means?
It's left deliberately ambiguous. I've been searching for the answer for years and there's really no definitive answer as each game gives a different answer. Some say possession happened in mgs2 and others say he he was faking it all along and mgs4 retconned mgs2.
I'm in the faking it all along to deceive the patriots camp. Why liquids arm specifically? Any arm would do especially with the kind of genetic technology existing in mgs.
Excellent stuff Max! Cheers!!
You really did a great job with this, I played all four games but I enjoyed your explanation, Max. Well done.
To be honest, I would like to see a video essay on the four B&B bosses, maybe one tying together each generation of the special forces teams chronologically
I saw the length of the video and liked. I know when to expect quality
Amazing and great effort to put the real culmination of the MGS series into a concise and logical video. I salute you Max Derrat
Great timing. I just completed MGS4 for the second Time last week. It aged really well.
I enjoyed every second of this video. Didn't realize it was close to an hour. That's how good this video is.
I've seen many reviews of this game. Some claim it's when mgs went downhill. Others say it's one of the best games of all time and the best mgs story
its my personal favourite entry
The reason it's so divisive is because of the way everything is perfectly explained away. There are a lot of elements that are supposed to seem "cool" but can also come off as lame excuses, for example Para-medic being revealed as Dr. Clark, and let's not forget that everything is caused by nanomachines. You miraculously run into every single character that hasn't yet been confirmed dead, too. Oh, and suddenly Solid Snake can use CQC, he just never really used it because Big Boss taught him and he resented him.
That having been said, I love this game and I don't feel like it was a disappointment like some do. I bought a PS3 back in '08 just to play this game. The only reason I know why some people feel the way they do about it is because I was also confused, so I did a lot of searching around to find the answer. Apparently some people can't (or don't like to) suspend their disbelief for stories like this.
My only real criticism is that there just wasn't enough gameplay. I have no problems with long cutscenes, but I would have loved more things to do. In that sense, this game is like the opposite of MGSV. So many aspects of the game were well-developed but under-utilized. Why are there so many different weapons? You only really need to use like three or four of them, even on the hardest difficulty. Why was the CQC so advanced when you don't really ever have to use it? Anyway, that ends my rant. I love this game and probably played through it at least 10 times, I even got the Big Boss rank by beating it on the hardest difficulty with no kills or alerts (what a nightmare that was... Not to mention there were no TH-cam guides back in '08)
TL;DR - People wanted fan service, and they got MGS4 which was nothing but. Then they complained that it was too much fan service, so we got MGSV which was basically no fan service at all except for a few small scenes. People don't know what they want.
It's the best mgs game by far
The answer is yes
Art is interpreted in multiple ways. The only thing that controls it is money or the lack there of. Hence, Konami hasn’t pulled the trigger on a new one since MG Shurvive. 😂 yes, I’ve seen it and it’s glorious. A parody but still hilarious. Anyway, I think it’s safe to say-in the end-buy what you enjoy and forget the rest. ✌️
Thanks for this Max! You’re pretty good!
woo, another max video!
"WOO!"👍
This is like a painting such art and wonder and thought in one piece amazing
I've been waiting for this, I am excited :D
Found your channel today and can't believe how underrated you are. TH-cam recommended most be getting better =P. I binged a lot of your videos including the rest of this series. I have only ever played MGS4 a little(when my brother wasn't home) and I've played MGS5 partly. I am going to watch the AION series since I am very interested in Jordan Peterson. Sorry if this comment was all over the place. Just have multiple things to say.
Don't be sorry.
I'm sure Max would like what you wrote.
I know I did.👍
Im honestly thinking how can someone dislike Max Derrat. (I know it is just 4 tumbs down, but even that is 4 of them too many)
How can you tell?
It's not showing for me. 🤨
I never finished a metal gear game but from the videos I’ve seen of the franchise, they feel more like an experience than a simple game series. Thinking about them is making me feel all emotional...
never finished? where did you stop? just curious
@@lekuba7679 I was playing the second game but barely got anywhere. I was playing as snake
@@leaflizard8485 sadly, the second game got a lot of changes and cut content because of 9/11, but the world resembled a metroidvania, meaning it was made to be backtracked through, and you quit during the prologue, its okay, i got stuck too, even had to look up a playthrough, just for the begining though, the rest of the game just clicked
My dad only had the second one
@@leaflizard8485 ok
When max uploads you know it's gonna be a good day
43:15 because I never owned a ps3 max. I never was able to play and experience the saint grail of a finale this saga culminated in with 4...hence why I'm watching this. Dont get me wrong, this video did a lot for me and helped me piece together a lot of the loose threads I've been having about the metal gear solid series as a whole for the last 10 or so years and for that I am gratefull. But I wouldnt have minded a 2 hour video on the matter in which every story thread was included and aptly dissected, more over, I would have preffered it that way. But still great work nonetheles
Right on my birthday, thanks boss!
Happy birthday Andrew. 🥳
@@dlbyrd-gasca2730 thanks buddy!
I always love seeing a retrospective video from anyone
waow, the work done on this video is just amazing. I just wanna say thanks
This video proves that you do not need more than 3 hour to make a very good actual analysis. Thank you Max.
tremendous job composing and orchestrating this masterpiece Sir , well done . just an amazing heart warming and thought provoking piece . wow
Hideo kojima is yhe only writer who can consistently make me tear up. No one else has that ability.
Although I have a lot of issues with MGS4, I still respect many of the things the game does (e.g. Microwave tunnel).
Even the title screen is amazing, where you just see Snake standing on that graveyard, smoking, with the "Old Snake" theme playing in the background... it's giving me goosebumps just thinking about it. I can't think of another title screen that does that!
What I disliked the most was probably how Raiden's sacrifice played out. They give him the biggest, most dramatic death scene, only to say "Yup, he's gonna be okay!" a couple of seconds later.
And overall, it just has a few plot twists too many.
Anyway, awesome video, as always!
One note: I didn't realise chapter 3 was set in England! For some reason, I assumed it was set in Eastern Europe, more specifically a fictionalised version of the city of Prague since the river there was referred to as the "Volta river", which I thought was a fictional version of the "Vltava". :O
I think the one word themes can be interpreted as what the patriots, the philosophers or any organization behind mgs' events "controls"
MGS1 genes are controlled to create liquid, snake and the genome soldiers
MGS2 memes are controlled in the sense that information is being controlled by the patriot's AI
MGS3 the "scene" is being controlled, as in they have control over the scene which they're creating for a cover story
MGS4 senses are being controlled by having soldier's emotions and physical senses be controlled in the battlefield
MGS Peace Walker the peace is being controlled through nuclear deterrence
MGS5 race is being controlled by using the parasites to suppress language
IM CRYING I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS VIDEO FOR SO LONG 😭😭😭😭😭
before i watch, just let me say this: " OH BOY, OH BOY, let's do this (and play mgs4 again)"
49:25 The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world
-Gman
Great Job! Your content is truly amazing!!
Haven’t played this game in a few years, man some of this cut scenes hitting real deep on an emotional level.
Awesome retrospective
I adore this game so much and you summarized so many of its ideas better than I ever could. Is it perfect? No, but if we're being honest, every metal gear title has some issues whether fans wanna admit it or not. But almost every title has something that makes it special.
Replace nano machines with smart phones that dull our senses and change our perspectives through social media etc. and Kojima’s prophetic vision prevails yet again.
finally! This is my tavorite series of yours
The first note of the OST - less than three seconds in and I feel a shiver. Now less than 5 mins in, I'm gonna shut up and listen. I know this is gonna be good!! Thank you 🖤🙏🌌
Another great video Max. Your pretty good. Also am I going crazy, I thought Act 3 was in the Czech Republic's Prague and not London, England... Did I get Berenstien Bear'd??
You're absolutely right, it's "Eastern Europe", and I'm pretty sure Prague was the reference frame for the devs
Subbed thanks for the great video and I'll be binging all of your others
If you think of it Naomi died the same place where frank jagger died gray fox
Great work!
One of my favorite games of the series and of all time , I loved every bit of mgs4 !
Just to add here the reason why Raiden became a cyborg is because after the events of MGS2 he was tasked to save Sunny from the Patriots which is his promised to Olga and he was also tasked to retrieved Big Boss body (Which is actually Solidus body). This 2 missions are really hard for him because he already have a strained relationship with Rose. He was successful on saving Sunny however he was imprisoned by the Patriots when he was about to get Big Boss body. The patriots experimented his body and made him a cyborg.
Thanks Max for making this video regarding MGS4
It’s weird because I just beat this game about 2 weeks ago. Great to see people are still talking about it.
It's amazing how much of this game's story went over my head or I just plain didn't get lol. Thank you for this video.
Man, the microwave corridor and the final fight with Ocs had me crying, like it's nothing short of beautiful. Say whatever you want about Kojima, but the man's a master of drama, in a good way.
On the other hand, 'I won't scatter your sorrow to the heartless sea... ' gets me bawling my eyes out, too, like the realization that despite me not fulfilling the requirements for Quiet departure, meaning she stayed in *MY* Diamond Dogs, canonically there's just no way that could've lasted for long, and no matter how hard I might try, Big Boss' life will remain a neverending string of tragedies, and he, just like his mother figure, will go down in history as a traitor, a terrorist, and a war criminal in the eyes of the world, when I know for a fact my man was pure of heart and did good every step of the way, and that stuff has me in tears as well. Y'all can't imagine how much I'd pay to see a silly (canonical!) spin-off game of, I dunno, beach volleyball? which I could start in AI vs AI mode just so that I could see Snake laughing and having fun when I come back home to my computer, knowing that it wouldn't abruptly just stop to turn everyone Jack ever loved and cared about into a fine red mist 😿
Oh, a man can dream