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Metal Gear Solid #3
Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots
Solid Snake is a soldier and part of a worldwide nanotechnology network known as the Sons of the Patriots. Time is running out for Snake though, as he will soon succumb to the FOXDIE virus, but not before spreading the disease to nearly everyone he encounters, in essence becoming a walking biological weapon. Snake will need every advantage he can get, as the SOP network is about to be hacked by his old enemy Liquid Ocelot, and whoever controls SOP controls the world.
360 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
112 people are currently reading
999 people want to read
About the author
Project Itoh
37 books105 followersProject Itoh (伊藤 計劃 Itō Keikaku?), real name Satoshi Itō (伊藤 聡 Itō Satoshi?, October 14, 1974 – March 20, 2009), was a Japanese science fiction writer.
Born in Tokyo and graduated Musashino Art University. While working as a web designer, he wrote Gyakusatsu kikan and submitted to Komatsu Sakyō Award contest in 2006. Although it did not receive the award, it was published from Hayakawa Publishing in 2007 and was shortlisted to Nihon SF Taisho Award. A poll by the yearly SF guidebook SF ga yomitai ranked Gyakusatsu kikan as the number one of the domestic SF novel of the decade.
Since 2001, he had to be hospitalized time to time for recurrent cancer. He died at age 34 on March 20, 2009. The video game Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was dedicated to his memory.
Born in Tokyo and graduated Musashino Art University. While working as a web designer, he wrote Gyakusatsu kikan and submitted to Komatsu Sakyō Award contest in 2006. Although it did not receive the award, it was published from Hayakawa Publishing in 2007 and was shortlisted to Nihon SF Taisho Award. A poll by the yearly SF guidebook SF ga yomitai ranked Gyakusatsu kikan as the number one of the domestic SF novel of the decade.
Since 2001, he had to be hospitalized time to time for recurrent cancer. He died at age 34 on March 20, 2009. The video game Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was dedicated to his memory.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
May 10, 2019
Standing on its own, this book is pretty all right. 3 stars-ish. Probably as a result of the translation, the prose can be a bit flat. There are a lot of digressions as the book has to do a lot of backstory and character explaining to make the plot make sense, and even then, the plot doesn't really make sense.
As an adaptation, though, it's fantastic. Project Itoh is an author who finally, finally, not only cares about but understands Metal Gear Solid.
And you can tell he cares, a lot, and put a lot of thought into the characters and their motivations and their thoughts and feelings - honestly, at some points, more thought than even Kojima actually seemed to have.
Reading this novelization was reliving MGS4 through a new perspective, with new ideas woven in, in thoughtful and fascinating ways. I didn't fully agree with all his character interpretations, but unlike the other MGS adaptations out there, I see where he was coming from with them, and respect them. I loved some of Itoh's additions (I agree with like, all of his headcanons about Naomi), and appreciated a lot of his other artistic choices (cutting out the Beauty & Beast Unit was honestly a really good decision), and just, he did his damnedest to make all the stuff in MGS4 make coherent narrative, emotional, and thematic sense - and still be compelling in non-interactive, non-visual prose form. And by just how much of that was weird, repetitive, convoluted, and sometimes straight-up incoherent (what was Ocelot even doing? Why did Naomi do half the stuff she did? Who knows), that's an impressive feat.
It was pretty easy to read, but took me so long because every few pages I had to put the book down and take a break because I was overwhelmed with Emotions. Usually in a good way. I love these characters so much and it's clear Itoh does too.
Also the scene where Otacon talks Snake through the MICROWAVE HALLWAAAAAAY was the most romantic damn thing I've ever read.
As an adaptation, though, it's fantastic. Project Itoh is an author who finally, finally, not only cares about but understands Metal Gear Solid.
And you can tell he cares, a lot, and put a lot of thought into the characters and their motivations and their thoughts and feelings - honestly, at some points, more thought than even Kojima actually seemed to have.
Reading this novelization was reliving MGS4 through a new perspective, with new ideas woven in, in thoughtful and fascinating ways. I didn't fully agree with all his character interpretations, but unlike the other MGS adaptations out there, I see where he was coming from with them, and respect them. I loved some of Itoh's additions (I agree with like, all of his headcanons about Naomi), and appreciated a lot of his other artistic choices (cutting out the Beauty & Beast Unit was honestly a really good decision), and just, he did his damnedest to make all the stuff in MGS4 make coherent narrative, emotional, and thematic sense - and still be compelling in non-interactive, non-visual prose form. And by just how much of that was weird, repetitive, convoluted, and sometimes straight-up incoherent (what was Ocelot even doing? Why did Naomi do half the stuff she did? Who knows), that's an impressive feat.
It was pretty easy to read, but took me so long because every few pages I had to put the book down and take a break because I was overwhelmed with Emotions. Usually in a good way. I love these characters so much and it's clear Itoh does too.
Also the scene where Otacon talks Snake through the MICROWAVE HALLWAAAAAAY was the most romantic damn thing I've ever read.
February 6, 2023
Kojima cites this novelization in “The Creative Gene” as one of his favorite books, clearly believing it to be an artistic elevation of MGS4 played on its own, even stating that author Project Itoh understood the MGS series better than almost anyone. That being said, this book is still basically incomprehensible nonsense if you haven’t played through the entirety of the first four Metal Gear Solid games.
Itoh does offer occasional emotional insights into Otacon as the narrator, and really tidies up Naomi’s character - in particular cutting her implied sexual relationship with Vamp that completely undermined any connection with Otacon, not to mention her role as Vamp’s doctor. He also gets rid of the Beauty and the Beast unit: the four latex supermodels with PTSD who you can take sexy photos of in-game, and maybe the dumbest part of the entire series.
The kind of fourth wall break epilogue regarding Sunny is……not my favorite thing in the world? but it lines up consistently with her character trajectory in Revengeance, so like, you know, it’s whatever
Also I just remembered that he called Liquid Ocelot’s Outer Haven mount rushmore “Mount Snakemore” so this book is good actually
Itoh does offer occasional emotional insights into Otacon as the narrator, and really tidies up Naomi’s character - in particular cutting her implied sexual relationship with Vamp that completely undermined any connection with Otacon, not to mention her role as Vamp’s doctor. He also gets rid of the Beauty and the Beast unit: the four latex supermodels with PTSD who you can take sexy photos of in-game, and maybe the dumbest part of the entire series.
The kind of fourth wall break epilogue regarding Sunny is……not my favorite thing in the world? but it lines up consistently with her character trajectory in Revengeance, so like, you know, it’s whatever
Also I just remembered that he called Liquid Ocelot’s Outer Haven mount rushmore “Mount Snakemore” so this book is good actually
January 2, 2018
Pretty good. Just what i'd expect from the book with the same code as the game.
March 4, 2024
I Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots is a novelisation of the PlayStation 3 video game Metal Gear Solid 4 written by Japanese author Keikaku (Project) Itoh and translated into English by Nathan Collins. It tells the story of the legendary soldier Solid Snake as he battles both the deadly FOXDIE virus coursing through his veins that will soon turn him into a walking biological weapon, and his old enemy Liquid Ocelot, who is planning to hijack a worldwide nanotechnology network known as the Sons of the Patriots.
When I heard there was a novelization of MGS4, I was initially blasé about it; novelizations are usually mediocre to poor, as cheap cash-ins haphazardly trying to shoehorn a story into a different medium. The more appropriate piece of evidence for this case is Raymond Benson's novelization of the PS1 game, which treated the story as though it were a straightforward, cheesy James Bond epic, even giving Snake several lame one-liners, which didn't fit at all with his usual warrior-poet personality. But this novelization has a much greater pedigree.
But how is the novel itself? First of all, I should say that if you're a Metal Gear fan who's played MGS4, you absolutely have to read this book. The narrator is Hal "Otacon" Emmerich, who recounts the final days of Old Snake’s life (as he promised at the end of the game, bearing witness to everything the legendary hero was). This is a unique and more somber account of the events, leaving out the action scenes that wouldn't have contributed to the plot, and adding some background detail that fills in the gaps and revises the sillier elements of the story. For example, there's a section on the villainous Liquid Snake's history, which removes all the "recessive/dominant gene" nonsense of his backstory and instead tells about how he spent many of his formative years as a POW during the Gulf War, being degraded and tortured and left out to dry by his own government, while his twin-brother Solid Snake became the glorious hero of Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land. There's also some interesting sci-fi explanations of elements that might have confused players, such as all the bar codes on Raiden's cyborg exoskeleton, or the full extent of Snake's illness. It may not have occurred to gamers that flying from Morroco to Peru to Czechlosovakia to Alaska to a floating ocean fortress was very hard on Snake's lungs, given all the wild differences in atmospheric pressure.
And if you haven't played any of the Metal Gear games? To be honest, that's a bit of a harder sell. MGS4 was a game with an extremely complex plot that invoked story threads from throughout Metal Gear history. The game worked because there were playable segments that didn't need such complex understanding, as well as an easily understandable and sympathetic main story of Old Snake's final mission. Here, a lot of it is left to exposition, including details that tell what characters feel instead of showing. It was written to be accessible to a wider audience, but in the end there's a bit too much hand-holding with the dialogue, especially when it comes to Solid Snake's motivations. Then again, that may be justified by the fact that this told from Otacon's perspective, and it seems within his character to mix long technical pieces with blubbering histrionics. Especially when it comes to Snake, since Otacon lived and worked closely with the man for nine years, and saw more of Snake's tender core, rather than his tough super-soldier exterior.
The Novelization offers a unique take on the game as told from the perspective of Hal ‘Otacon’ Emmerich, chief engineer of Metal Gear REX and close friend of Solid Snake. Itoh places Otacon in the role of narrator, recounting the arduous final mission of Snake whilst reflecting on previous missions that they undertook together. It’s an inspired creative decision from a storytelling perspective that allows the narrative to always retain a human element – during the events of the book Snake is drawn ever closer to death. Aged beyond his years and with time running out, his final battles continue to damage him physically and emotionally even further still. It pains Otacon greatly to see his friend – the legendary hero – in such poor shape. It taints the entire book with sadness.
The story closely follows the complex plot of the game upon which it is based. The year is 2014 and the ‘war economy’ reigns supreme, with PMCs (Private Military Companies) waging war across the globe. The world’s five largest PMCs are all part of the same mercenary company, Outer Heaven, which is ruled by Liquid Ocelot. Genetic engineering scientist Naomi Hunter – who may or may not be working against her will – is tasked with hacking into the SOP, an advanced battlefield control system that monitors and enhances the performance of soldiers injected with nanomachines. This system is operated by five highly intelligent computer AIs known as The Patriots. Liquid Ocelot – the man formerly known as Revolver Ocelot, whose mind is seemingly possessed by the persona of Snake’s brother Liquid – plans to take control of the SOP and unleash a global insurrection.
Despite the complexities of the story, Snake final mission is, at its very core, simple. It’s a covert assignment – a hired hit. It’s a wetworks op with only one agenda: stop Liquid by any means necessary. This isn’t a sneaking mission. It’s an assassination. Snake and his friends – including Otacon, the half man, half cyborg ninja Raiden, and a little girl named Sunny who cooks eggs with varying degrees of success – must chase Liquid across the globe and put a stop to his plans before it’s too late. Whilst doing so, Snake must face a ticking clock of his own. He carries a virus called FOXDIE within his bloodstream that is mutating and could eventually kill the entire human race. A clone of the legendary soldier Big Boss, Snake was born sterile and with a shortened lifespan, causing his body to age rapidly. He’s 42 trapped in the body of a 70+ year-old man.
Itoh is obviously a huge fan of the source material and this book is clearly a labour of love. Following the masterstroke of making Otacon the narrator, Itoh also made the decision along with friend and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima to omit the Beauty and the Beast Unit – key opponents in the video game that were presented as boss battles – entirely. It makes sense for the novelisation. There is enough action present already and by omitting these more video gamey characters and moments, the cast of series regulars can be more closely followed and wholly embody the weighty themes present throughout the narrative. Although the story is contained admirably (with several nods to key moments from the previous games in the series), in truth it is likely that fans of the franchise will get a lot more out of this book than newcomers.
Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots does complete justice to the landmark video game – and series of Metal Gear Solid as a whole – upon which it is based. Sometimes it can be slightly too wordy, preachy and heavy-handed, stretching out such moments to breaking point. At other times, the dialogue can feel unnatural and entirely self-aware and the storyline is equally as convoluted as it is gripping. In other words, it embodies the flawed masterpiece that is Metal Gear Solid 4 perfectly. Otacon is the narrator of Snake’s final battle, but he also narrates the battle of the author who breathed reverent life into this novelization.
All in all, Go get it even for the sake of adding another official piece of MGS merch to your collection. If you think your understanding of MGS4 is already on the expert level, the novelization is a great companion to the game. In fact, if you play the soundtrack whist reading it, you can nearly have the full experience without ever turning on your gaming console. But if you're like me, then you'll benefit indefinitely from reading it. It's not groundbreaking but it's not supposed to be. It gives you exactly what you need without making you begrudgingly participate in those fleeting moments of "gameplay" where you actually have to move the character to cue the next cutscene.
When I heard there was a novelization of MGS4, I was initially blasé about it; novelizations are usually mediocre to poor, as cheap cash-ins haphazardly trying to shoehorn a story into a different medium. The more appropriate piece of evidence for this case is Raymond Benson's novelization of the PS1 game, which treated the story as though it were a straightforward, cheesy James Bond epic, even giving Snake several lame one-liners, which didn't fit at all with his usual warrior-poet personality. But this novelization has a much greater pedigree.
But how is the novel itself? First of all, I should say that if you're a Metal Gear fan who's played MGS4, you absolutely have to read this book. The narrator is Hal "Otacon" Emmerich, who recounts the final days of Old Snake’s life (as he promised at the end of the game, bearing witness to everything the legendary hero was). This is a unique and more somber account of the events, leaving out the action scenes that wouldn't have contributed to the plot, and adding some background detail that fills in the gaps and revises the sillier elements of the story. For example, there's a section on the villainous Liquid Snake's history, which removes all the "recessive/dominant gene" nonsense of his backstory and instead tells about how he spent many of his formative years as a POW during the Gulf War, being degraded and tortured and left out to dry by his own government, while his twin-brother Solid Snake became the glorious hero of Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land. There's also some interesting sci-fi explanations of elements that might have confused players, such as all the bar codes on Raiden's cyborg exoskeleton, or the full extent of Snake's illness. It may not have occurred to gamers that flying from Morroco to Peru to Czechlosovakia to Alaska to a floating ocean fortress was very hard on Snake's lungs, given all the wild differences in atmospheric pressure.
And if you haven't played any of the Metal Gear games? To be honest, that's a bit of a harder sell. MGS4 was a game with an extremely complex plot that invoked story threads from throughout Metal Gear history. The game worked because there were playable segments that didn't need such complex understanding, as well as an easily understandable and sympathetic main story of Old Snake's final mission. Here, a lot of it is left to exposition, including details that tell what characters feel instead of showing. It was written to be accessible to a wider audience, but in the end there's a bit too much hand-holding with the dialogue, especially when it comes to Solid Snake's motivations. Then again, that may be justified by the fact that this told from Otacon's perspective, and it seems within his character to mix long technical pieces with blubbering histrionics. Especially when it comes to Snake, since Otacon lived and worked closely with the man for nine years, and saw more of Snake's tender core, rather than his tough super-soldier exterior.
The Novelization offers a unique take on the game as told from the perspective of Hal ‘Otacon’ Emmerich, chief engineer of Metal Gear REX and close friend of Solid Snake. Itoh places Otacon in the role of narrator, recounting the arduous final mission of Snake whilst reflecting on previous missions that they undertook together. It’s an inspired creative decision from a storytelling perspective that allows the narrative to always retain a human element – during the events of the book Snake is drawn ever closer to death. Aged beyond his years and with time running out, his final battles continue to damage him physically and emotionally even further still. It pains Otacon greatly to see his friend – the legendary hero – in such poor shape. It taints the entire book with sadness.
The story closely follows the complex plot of the game upon which it is based. The year is 2014 and the ‘war economy’ reigns supreme, with PMCs (Private Military Companies) waging war across the globe. The world’s five largest PMCs are all part of the same mercenary company, Outer Heaven, which is ruled by Liquid Ocelot. Genetic engineering scientist Naomi Hunter – who may or may not be working against her will – is tasked with hacking into the SOP, an advanced battlefield control system that monitors and enhances the performance of soldiers injected with nanomachines. This system is operated by five highly intelligent computer AIs known as The Patriots. Liquid Ocelot – the man formerly known as Revolver Ocelot, whose mind is seemingly possessed by the persona of Snake’s brother Liquid – plans to take control of the SOP and unleash a global insurrection.
Despite the complexities of the story, Snake final mission is, at its very core, simple. It’s a covert assignment – a hired hit. It’s a wetworks op with only one agenda: stop Liquid by any means necessary. This isn’t a sneaking mission. It’s an assassination. Snake and his friends – including Otacon, the half man, half cyborg ninja Raiden, and a little girl named Sunny who cooks eggs with varying degrees of success – must chase Liquid across the globe and put a stop to his plans before it’s too late. Whilst doing so, Snake must face a ticking clock of his own. He carries a virus called FOXDIE within his bloodstream that is mutating and could eventually kill the entire human race. A clone of the legendary soldier Big Boss, Snake was born sterile and with a shortened lifespan, causing his body to age rapidly. He’s 42 trapped in the body of a 70+ year-old man.
Itoh is obviously a huge fan of the source material and this book is clearly a labour of love. Following the masterstroke of making Otacon the narrator, Itoh also made the decision along with friend and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima to omit the Beauty and the Beast Unit – key opponents in the video game that were presented as boss battles – entirely. It makes sense for the novelisation. There is enough action present already and by omitting these more video gamey characters and moments, the cast of series regulars can be more closely followed and wholly embody the weighty themes present throughout the narrative. Although the story is contained admirably (with several nods to key moments from the previous games in the series), in truth it is likely that fans of the franchise will get a lot more out of this book than newcomers.
Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots does complete justice to the landmark video game – and series of Metal Gear Solid as a whole – upon which it is based. Sometimes it can be slightly too wordy, preachy and heavy-handed, stretching out such moments to breaking point. At other times, the dialogue can feel unnatural and entirely self-aware and the storyline is equally as convoluted as it is gripping. In other words, it embodies the flawed masterpiece that is Metal Gear Solid 4 perfectly. Otacon is the narrator of Snake’s final battle, but he also narrates the battle of the author who breathed reverent life into this novelization.
All in all, Go get it even for the sake of adding another official piece of MGS merch to your collection. If you think your understanding of MGS4 is already on the expert level, the novelization is a great companion to the game. In fact, if you play the soundtrack whist reading it, you can nearly have the full experience without ever turning on your gaming console. But if you're like me, then you'll benefit indefinitely from reading it. It's not groundbreaking but it's not supposed to be. It gives you exactly what you need without making you begrudgingly participate in those fleeting moments of "gameplay" where you actually have to move the character to cue the next cutscene.
October 24, 2021
I was struggling to find a book to finish my PopSugar Reading Challenge for the Esponiage Thriller prompt. I love the Metal Gear Solid games and I figure why not give this book a shot? Especially when Kojima approves. I excitedly await for this book to come in the mail. In a way many of the books I read up to that point in the year were building up to this since many dealt with war and spies.
Project Itoh was a dying man telling of a dying heroes' story. I was reliving the first game play in which we face Snake's predictament. And in ending on such a sweet note, I was invigorated as I had been by the game. Many of MGS lines I've grown to live by.
Sure there were hads and thes which could have totally been cut. Sure some lines were corney. But many were insightful, beautiful, and brilliant. Sure I missed the B & B gals, but I'm happy the author took the direction he did.
This was a lovely book to end the year and challenge under. Not only is it the end of a wonderful series it also invigorates for all that is to come. I'm grateful. This book will be a lovely treasure and memory.
Project Itoh was a dying man telling of a dying heroes' story. I was reliving the first game play in which we face Snake's predictament. And in ending on such a sweet note, I was invigorated as I had been by the game. Many of MGS lines I've grown to live by.
Sure there were hads and thes which could have totally been cut. Sure some lines were corney. But many were insightful, beautiful, and brilliant. Sure I missed the B & B gals, but I'm happy the author took the direction he did.
This was a lovely book to end the year and challenge under. Not only is it the end of a wonderful series it also invigorates for all that is to come. I'm grateful. This book will be a lovely treasure and memory.
June 29, 2017
It was a fun read but doesn't replace the game. The game is too massive to fit in a book this size.
January 11, 2024
This book is really really good if you’re a big fan of the Metal Gear series. Like BIG fan, it digs into the lore of the original MSX games as well which can be difficult if you don’t know the timeline and the plot points.
Despite a lot of people saying that it was incomprehensible and mostly rambling, I liked the first person, almost omniscient narration by Hal here. It really accentuates the fact that Snake is dead and that he’s passing his story along. This novel doesn’t only go into explaining the lore and relationships of characters in MGS4, but in all of the games. It gave me a lot of comfort and paid attention to plot holes and other characters that a lot of people had forgotten or didn’t care too much about which makes me INCREDIBLY happy.
Such as the direct comparison of Raiden and Gray Fox. I’m very biased because I’m a huge Gray Fox fan but his presence throughout this book illustrated the conviction that Snake had and Why he had to do this. It isn’t about just him breaking free from his legacy, his genes. Big Boss’ genome soldiers are fated to forever be apart of this game and of his legacy. Before them, was Gray Fox and Schneider and all of the other war orphans he took in and subjugated. As someone who was there in Outer Heaven, Snake is doing this for all of them too.
I like how Project Itoh changed the plot with Naomi and the B&B unit. Naomi actually has more depth and character here, I don’t understand anyone who preferred her in the actual game. Especially by touching on her relation to Gray Fox as his little sister and symbol of guilt and sacrifice.
Mending guilt through sacrifice is a theme that is touched on and criticized many times throughout this book which I appreciate a lot because it juxtaposes with the idea of pro patria mori.
This book isn’t perfect by any means, but I love it a lot. As MGS4 is the conclusion to the series (as Rising is non-canon), this book did a great job.
I wish Kojima looked into writing more books or just making a movie at this point though.
Despite a lot of people saying that it was incomprehensible and mostly rambling, I liked the first person, almost omniscient narration by Hal here. It really accentuates the fact that Snake is dead and that he’s passing his story along. This novel doesn’t only go into explaining the lore and relationships of characters in MGS4, but in all of the games. It gave me a lot of comfort and paid attention to plot holes and other characters that a lot of people had forgotten or didn’t care too much about which makes me INCREDIBLY happy.
Such as the direct comparison of Raiden and Gray Fox. I’m very biased because I’m a huge Gray Fox fan but his presence throughout this book illustrated the conviction that Snake had and Why he had to do this. It isn’t about just him breaking free from his legacy, his genes. Big Boss’ genome soldiers are fated to forever be apart of this game and of his legacy. Before them, was Gray Fox and Schneider and all of the other war orphans he took in and subjugated. As someone who was there in Outer Heaven, Snake is doing this for all of them too.
I like how Project Itoh changed the plot with Naomi and the B&B unit. Naomi actually has more depth and character here, I don’t understand anyone who preferred her in the actual game. Especially by touching on her relation to Gray Fox as his little sister and symbol of guilt and sacrifice.
Mending guilt through sacrifice is a theme that is touched on and criticized many times throughout this book which I appreciate a lot because it juxtaposes with the idea of pro patria mori.
This book isn’t perfect by any means, but I love it a lot. As MGS4 is the conclusion to the series (as Rising is non-canon), this book did a great job.
I wish Kojima looked into writing more books or just making a movie at this point though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2025
Admittedly I read and finished this a few months before I created my Goodreads account but this is genuinely the best book I read in 2024. Itoh's prose through Otacon's perspective is powerful and made me cry at times from how emotionally charged it got. The twist at the end that's unique to the novelization (iykyk) really brings the whole thing together into a powerful reading experience. I get why it's out-of-print, but it's also a disservice to an amazing adaptation that's an absolute must-read for Metal Gear fans and a fantastic one for everyone else.
Also the fact that the narrative works perfectly fine without the inclusion of the Beauty and the Beast unit is hysterical, fuck Kojima.
Also the fact that the narrative works perfectly fine without the inclusion of the Beauty and the Beast unit is hysterical, fuck Kojima.
January 17, 2024
I can’t believe how good this book actually ended up being. There’s so much I could say but I don’t want to spoil anything!
August 26, 2025
~ my book review of Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots (2008) by Project Itoh. The official novelization of the game created by Hideo Kojima. Mild spoilers. Review Structure: STORY x WRITING x PATHOS.
Synopsis: Solid Snake is a soldier and part of a worldwide nanotechnology network known as the Sons of the Patriots. Time is running out for Snake though, as he will soon succumb to the FOXDIE virus, but not before spreading the disease to nearly everyone he encounters, in essence becoming a walking biological weapon. Snake will need every advantage he can get, as the SOP network is about to be hacked by his old enemy Liquid Ocelot, and whoever controls SOP controls the world.
“Just live. Live with sincerity, respect toward others, and belief in yourself.”
~ Otacon
Story
World War Forever. The story of Metal Gear, of snakes and their battles against the governments and the weapons of the world, is an endless fascination. I was first introduced to Metal Gear on the Game Boy Color via Babel, Metal Gear Solid 1 remade for the small screen. Later I played Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain near release on the PC. The 2020 Lockdown compelled me to return to Hideo Kojima’s science fiction x military-industrial complex thriller mythos with righteous verve. Over the course of about 6 months, I played Metal Gear Solid 1-4 + Portable Ops & Peace Walker via various PC emulators and imbibed the full saga. ~ Much the same, a reading of Itoh’s Guns of the Patriots novelization becomes like a full draught of the entire Metal Gear Mythos. The story is told via Otacon’s recounting of the history of Solid Snake, now Old Snake. Together, they engage in the operation of his last mission opposing his twin Liquid Snake and his Private Military Companies (PMCs). The MGS4 core plotline is backdropped by walls of exposition about David, or Naked Snake, and later Big Boss, and “The Boss” and Zero and Ocelot and EVA and Solidus Snake and back to Solid and Liquid themselves. Characters past and present coalesce to form the narrative foundation. At a rather accelerated pace, Otacon recalls the whole story like a reminiscing uncle after the war; his empathic perspectives on the heroism of Solid Snake stand out most ardently. He decries with true pain in his voice the extent of Snake’s sacrifice of life, limb, and worldly energy into the defense of the world against nuclear crisis. Metal Gear Solid 4 is the ultimate denouement of that mythos, where again a supernatural monomaniac, Liquid Ocelot, threatens to control the world via the wielding of its most powerful weapon. In this case, it is the “Guns of the Patriots,” or the perfect control of the soldiers of the world’s manifold wars. With mercenary armies running rampant in wartorn regions and the War Economy thriving, The Patriots run the modern world like the mafia, using precise bullets and widening coercion. The U.S. military power is their weapon, this includes nuclear weapons but perhaps more importantly the people in every branch. Human capital, in fact, has always been the focus of Metal Gear’s plots. Liquid’s goal is to bring the Sons of the Patriots (SOP) system under his control, stealing it from The Patriot A.I. and utilizing it for his own purposes, ultimately to free the soldiers from under its cellular yoke and yet control the world using their subsequent loyalty as leverage. Solid Snake must venture against fellow soldier Liquid, with Otacon as his constant guide and assistance from Colonel Campbell, Meryl, Raiden and more occurring throughout the adventure. Snake runs against a rival gauntlet of spycraft and hot and cold warfare around the globe. All the final secrets and transformative outcomes of the Metal Gear mythos and its cast of characters shall be revealed.
Excerpt: A few men, known as operators, were mixed in with the soldiers jostling about on the backs of the trucks. Most of the soldiers were local militiamen of varied experience and training. The operators had been sent by PMCs, or Private Military Companies, to organize the rabble into a disciplined fighting unit. My friend was there in the guise of one such operator. He registered with the local PMC and came to the battlefield as a mercenary. PMCs were the enterprise of turning war into a living—the enterprise of providing the means to make war. PMCs offered the tools of waging war to any who sought them.
Writing
Contemplative yet Action-Packed. Project Itoh’s personal story is a wonderful one. I first learned of him through Hideo Kojima’s book The Creative Gene (2021). In sum, hardcore fan meets Hideo at an event for MGS2 and later they become friends and share work. When the novelization for MGS4 was being planned during the development of that game, Itoh was contacted by Kojima about it. As a clear scholar of the lore, his unfolding of the Guns of the Patriots story feels natural and engrossing. We are instantly carried off into the world of Old Snake’s last mission, smoking under cloak on an errant mercenary truck in the Middle East. From there, we are met with tactical espionage action in novel form, which can be thrilling and even erudite with respect to weapon codenames and militarized acronyms for near-reality sci-fi technologies like nanomachines. Itoh’s telling is marked with extensive exposition, sometimes to a pulpy and overwrought degree. There’s a level of literal *telling* of Snake’s history, including constant emotional maintenance from Otacon’s own painful psychology given his traumas and lost loved ones. But we always return to the action, to the next sneak mission that Snake must undertake with wry remark. He is dying and we are watching his Last Dance. Indeed, Big Boss’ lineage of Snakes and spies are like the Michael Jordan(s) of soldiering (including Raiden, or Jack, who gets several wonderful action sequences here). Overall, Project Itoh’s pen provides us with a lovely exploration of Otacon’s interiority and a full view of the old soldier boy’s final mission.
Excerpt: Liquid lay on Haven’s bridge, his face to the sky. His body pulverized by Snake, Liquid’s voice was feeble, and Snake strained his old, worn-out ears to listen. “America will descend into chaos. It’ll be the Wild West all over again. No law, no order. Fire will spread across the world.” What Snake had destroyed was not only a prison, but the chains that tethered the beasts called humans. The Patriots had attempted to restrict and control the world. They had guided and used the people, so each was compelled to action under the pretense of free will. Yet in a certain way, the Patriot AIs were only possible as a projection of ourselves. The AIs, as the ultimate storytellers depicting the world around us, were our very own norms, customs, and lives. People, as a group, followed customs without thought. That was the true strategy of the Patriots.
Pathos
Metal Gear Denouement. Guns of the Patriots is about closure. And it is about death. I wrote extensively on MGS4 and each of the mainline Metal Gear games previously. What I love most about MGS4 are the continuous meditations the experience gifts the player (or reader) on rich and philosophical topics. Economies of war. Imperialism and the machinations of the military-industrial complex. Soldiers fighting for ideals and soldiers with absolute loyalty; soldiers controlled via their very cells. What is one ever really fighting for? A nation, a tribe? Their own future? How do accumulated sins on souls and nations pile up? Redemption may come only in the resolution of doing the right thing, no matter to odds or the consequences to life and limb. Guns of the Patriots is about Solid Snake doing One Last Job, yes, one that is more than likely to dramatically cost him his life, double-yes, but it is also about how we can come to build bridges with the ones we trust to carry on our legacy. Philanthropy and fighting for truth and freedom are possible and effective. In truth, for players of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots on the PS3 (or via emulation), this book is like a living movie in the mind for vivid reels from the in-game cutscenes. Snake’s battles with the Beauty and the Beast Unit are cut in order to focus on clashes with Vamp, Liquid, and the various Gears; portions of mission gameplay are shortened or explained away. The book is not too long and this serves the story being told. Snake’s heroism and Otacon’s introspection remain the focus, alongside the legendary histories of characters like The Boss, Big Boss, Big Mama, Ocelot and Naomi and Raiden and even Zero. Golden explorations into the key persons of interest within the saga take place throughout. Itoh’s impassioned expressions into these integral characters urge the Metal Gear story into a most satisfactory endgame. Rest in peace, Itoh. Thank you and Godspeed.
Excerpt: Founded by a legendary mercenary who roamed the world’s battlefields during the Cold War, the company was revolutionary, even when considering the history of conflicts that had followed World War II. In the chaos that came with the end of the Cold War, Outer Heaven announced to the world that war didn’t have to be between the armies of nations. The man who had destroyed that organization was sitting in the military truck, an old soldier exhaling cigarette smoke. He leaned against his propped-up AK, ready to throw himself once more into the flames of war, whipping every last ounce of life out of his relentlessly aging, improbable body. His name was David. He was the son of Big Boss—the legendary mercenary and founder of Outer Heaven. David was also a legend. In the secret histories of war, he was known as Solid Snake. ~
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 / 5 stars
Synopsis: Solid Snake is a soldier and part of a worldwide nanotechnology network known as the Sons of the Patriots. Time is running out for Snake though, as he will soon succumb to the FOXDIE virus, but not before spreading the disease to nearly everyone he encounters, in essence becoming a walking biological weapon. Snake will need every advantage he can get, as the SOP network is about to be hacked by his old enemy Liquid Ocelot, and whoever controls SOP controls the world.
“Just live. Live with sincerity, respect toward others, and belief in yourself.”
~ Otacon
Story
World War Forever. The story of Metal Gear, of snakes and their battles against the governments and the weapons of the world, is an endless fascination. I was first introduced to Metal Gear on the Game Boy Color via Babel, Metal Gear Solid 1 remade for the small screen. Later I played Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain near release on the PC. The 2020 Lockdown compelled me to return to Hideo Kojima’s science fiction x military-industrial complex thriller mythos with righteous verve. Over the course of about 6 months, I played Metal Gear Solid 1-4 + Portable Ops & Peace Walker via various PC emulators and imbibed the full saga. ~ Much the same, a reading of Itoh’s Guns of the Patriots novelization becomes like a full draught of the entire Metal Gear Mythos. The story is told via Otacon’s recounting of the history of Solid Snake, now Old Snake. Together, they engage in the operation of his last mission opposing his twin Liquid Snake and his Private Military Companies (PMCs). The MGS4 core plotline is backdropped by walls of exposition about David, or Naked Snake, and later Big Boss, and “The Boss” and Zero and Ocelot and EVA and Solidus Snake and back to Solid and Liquid themselves. Characters past and present coalesce to form the narrative foundation. At a rather accelerated pace, Otacon recalls the whole story like a reminiscing uncle after the war; his empathic perspectives on the heroism of Solid Snake stand out most ardently. He decries with true pain in his voice the extent of Snake’s sacrifice of life, limb, and worldly energy into the defense of the world against nuclear crisis. Metal Gear Solid 4 is the ultimate denouement of that mythos, where again a supernatural monomaniac, Liquid Ocelot, threatens to control the world via the wielding of its most powerful weapon. In this case, it is the “Guns of the Patriots,” or the perfect control of the soldiers of the world’s manifold wars. With mercenary armies running rampant in wartorn regions and the War Economy thriving, The Patriots run the modern world like the mafia, using precise bullets and widening coercion. The U.S. military power is their weapon, this includes nuclear weapons but perhaps more importantly the people in every branch. Human capital, in fact, has always been the focus of Metal Gear’s plots. Liquid’s goal is to bring the Sons of the Patriots (SOP) system under his control, stealing it from The Patriot A.I. and utilizing it for his own purposes, ultimately to free the soldiers from under its cellular yoke and yet control the world using their subsequent loyalty as leverage. Solid Snake must venture against fellow soldier Liquid, with Otacon as his constant guide and assistance from Colonel Campbell, Meryl, Raiden and more occurring throughout the adventure. Snake runs against a rival gauntlet of spycraft and hot and cold warfare around the globe. All the final secrets and transformative outcomes of the Metal Gear mythos and its cast of characters shall be revealed.
Excerpt: A few men, known as operators, were mixed in with the soldiers jostling about on the backs of the trucks. Most of the soldiers were local militiamen of varied experience and training. The operators had been sent by PMCs, or Private Military Companies, to organize the rabble into a disciplined fighting unit. My friend was there in the guise of one such operator. He registered with the local PMC and came to the battlefield as a mercenary. PMCs were the enterprise of turning war into a living—the enterprise of providing the means to make war. PMCs offered the tools of waging war to any who sought them.
Writing
Contemplative yet Action-Packed. Project Itoh’s personal story is a wonderful one. I first learned of him through Hideo Kojima’s book The Creative Gene (2021). In sum, hardcore fan meets Hideo at an event for MGS2 and later they become friends and share work. When the novelization for MGS4 was being planned during the development of that game, Itoh was contacted by Kojima about it. As a clear scholar of the lore, his unfolding of the Guns of the Patriots story feels natural and engrossing. We are instantly carried off into the world of Old Snake’s last mission, smoking under cloak on an errant mercenary truck in the Middle East. From there, we are met with tactical espionage action in novel form, which can be thrilling and even erudite with respect to weapon codenames and militarized acronyms for near-reality sci-fi technologies like nanomachines. Itoh’s telling is marked with extensive exposition, sometimes to a pulpy and overwrought degree. There’s a level of literal *telling* of Snake’s history, including constant emotional maintenance from Otacon’s own painful psychology given his traumas and lost loved ones. But we always return to the action, to the next sneak mission that Snake must undertake with wry remark. He is dying and we are watching his Last Dance. Indeed, Big Boss’ lineage of Snakes and spies are like the Michael Jordan(s) of soldiering (including Raiden, or Jack, who gets several wonderful action sequences here). Overall, Project Itoh’s pen provides us with a lovely exploration of Otacon’s interiority and a full view of the old soldier boy’s final mission.
Excerpt: Liquid lay on Haven’s bridge, his face to the sky. His body pulverized by Snake, Liquid’s voice was feeble, and Snake strained his old, worn-out ears to listen. “America will descend into chaos. It’ll be the Wild West all over again. No law, no order. Fire will spread across the world.” What Snake had destroyed was not only a prison, but the chains that tethered the beasts called humans. The Patriots had attempted to restrict and control the world. They had guided and used the people, so each was compelled to action under the pretense of free will. Yet in a certain way, the Patriot AIs were only possible as a projection of ourselves. The AIs, as the ultimate storytellers depicting the world around us, were our very own norms, customs, and lives. People, as a group, followed customs without thought. That was the true strategy of the Patriots.
Pathos
Metal Gear Denouement. Guns of the Patriots is about closure. And it is about death. I wrote extensively on MGS4 and each of the mainline Metal Gear games previously. What I love most about MGS4 are the continuous meditations the experience gifts the player (or reader) on rich and philosophical topics. Economies of war. Imperialism and the machinations of the military-industrial complex. Soldiers fighting for ideals and soldiers with absolute loyalty; soldiers controlled via their very cells. What is one ever really fighting for? A nation, a tribe? Their own future? How do accumulated sins on souls and nations pile up? Redemption may come only in the resolution of doing the right thing, no matter to odds or the consequences to life and limb. Guns of the Patriots is about Solid Snake doing One Last Job, yes, one that is more than likely to dramatically cost him his life, double-yes, but it is also about how we can come to build bridges with the ones we trust to carry on our legacy. Philanthropy and fighting for truth and freedom are possible and effective. In truth, for players of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots on the PS3 (or via emulation), this book is like a living movie in the mind for vivid reels from the in-game cutscenes. Snake’s battles with the Beauty and the Beast Unit are cut in order to focus on clashes with Vamp, Liquid, and the various Gears; portions of mission gameplay are shortened or explained away. The book is not too long and this serves the story being told. Snake’s heroism and Otacon’s introspection remain the focus, alongside the legendary histories of characters like The Boss, Big Boss, Big Mama, Ocelot and Naomi and Raiden and even Zero. Golden explorations into the key persons of interest within the saga take place throughout. Itoh’s impassioned expressions into these integral characters urge the Metal Gear story into a most satisfactory endgame. Rest in peace, Itoh. Thank you and Godspeed.
Excerpt: Founded by a legendary mercenary who roamed the world’s battlefields during the Cold War, the company was revolutionary, even when considering the history of conflicts that had followed World War II. In the chaos that came with the end of the Cold War, Outer Heaven announced to the world that war didn’t have to be between the armies of nations. The man who had destroyed that organization was sitting in the military truck, an old soldier exhaling cigarette smoke. He leaned against his propped-up AK, ready to throw himself once more into the flames of war, whipping every last ounce of life out of his relentlessly aging, improbable body. His name was David. He was the son of Big Boss—the legendary mercenary and founder of Outer Heaven. David was also a legend. In the secret histories of war, he was known as Solid Snake. ~
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 / 5 stars
August 28, 2015
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots by Project Itoh -- 5/5 stars
I was impressed, to say the least. I didn’t have very high expectations for this novel, after my experience with the first two Metal Gear Solid novels. The first two novels weren’t bad, by any means, but they read like very accurate representations of the first two games, and although I enjoyed those novels, they lacked a voice of their own, in my opinion.
This was different. From the outset the novel was a unique read. I enjoyed the explanations because I felt they did well to tie the first three Metal Gear Solid games in with this novel. The explanations acted as a bridge to understanding. However, a new reader to the Metal Gear series would probably be a bit flummoxed with the number of new characters introduced in this story, which could put them off.
As I continued to read the story slowly unfolded. The action speeded up and there was more to make this story stand out, on its own merits. It had a voice, and a unique message to readers, which felt characteristic of the Metal Gear video games, and which I liked greatly.
The feeling at the end was of satisfaction. I have never played the Metal Gear Solid 4 videogame, but I felt this book answered the questions posed in all three previous games. The same feeling of elation and absorbing interest that I had experienced with those three games was mirrored in this novel. If you want to read a great Metal Gear novel then this is the one. If new readers can get used to the unfamiliar names in the first half of the book then they will probably be interested in the conclusion in this story, which is very interesting and well … epic.
I was impressed, to say the least. I didn’t have very high expectations for this novel, after my experience with the first two Metal Gear Solid novels. The first two novels weren’t bad, by any means, but they read like very accurate representations of the first two games, and although I enjoyed those novels, they lacked a voice of their own, in my opinion.
This was different. From the outset the novel was a unique read. I enjoyed the explanations because I felt they did well to tie the first three Metal Gear Solid games in with this novel. The explanations acted as a bridge to understanding. However, a new reader to the Metal Gear series would probably be a bit flummoxed with the number of new characters introduced in this story, which could put them off.
As I continued to read the story slowly unfolded. The action speeded up and there was more to make this story stand out, on its own merits. It had a voice, and a unique message to readers, which felt characteristic of the Metal Gear video games, and which I liked greatly.
The feeling at the end was of satisfaction. I have never played the Metal Gear Solid 4 videogame, but I felt this book answered the questions posed in all three previous games. The same feeling of elation and absorbing interest that I had experienced with those three games was mirrored in this novel. If you want to read a great Metal Gear novel then this is the one. If new readers can get used to the unfamiliar names in the first half of the book then they will probably be interested in the conclusion in this story, which is very interesting and well … epic.
June 30, 2021
As huge fan of the entire Metal Gear franchise, this book does a great job of serving as the end to Solid Snake's story. I have yet to play the game the book is based on, but I believe that (with a few exceptions) it is a very faithful adaptation of the game. It does a great job of selling how all of the important characters feel about the world and situation they've gotten themselves into, as well as how they feel about the situation Snake is in. Especially with Otacon (since he's the narrator), we get to see just how pained he is at how pained Snake is. On top of the interesting world, plot, and characters, I also give the book props for (spoilers) not mentioning 4 boss fights from the game as well as completely changing what happened in place of one of them. In my opinion, this gives a reason for people who read the book to go play the game and vice versa. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this throughout the whole thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2014
I luv the MGS games. I played most of them all - except Guns of the Patriots, hence this novel.
I feared reading a sub-standard novelization but got a kick-ass sci-fi military novel with sharp prose and wonderful philosophical ideas about war, economy, control and what it means to be human in a militarized world.
Since the author wanted this novel to be read by folks who don't know the series, he included a LOT of backstory to the explain each character. Sometimes it felt as if 1/3 of the book was backstory, mmmmm.
That's the only negative about the book -- too much telling.
Otherwise, a great summary of the MGS universe in fiction form.
Warning - if you've never played any of the MGS games, you're going to get overwhelmed by the convoluted story.
I feared reading a sub-standard novelization but got a kick-ass sci-fi military novel with sharp prose and wonderful philosophical ideas about war, economy, control and what it means to be human in a militarized world.
Since the author wanted this novel to be read by folks who don't know the series, he included a LOT of backstory to the explain each character. Sometimes it felt as if 1/3 of the book was backstory, mmmmm.
That's the only negative about the book -- too much telling.
Otherwise, a great summary of the MGS universe in fiction form.
Warning - if you've never played any of the MGS games, you're going to get overwhelmed by the convoluted story.
July 27, 2020
well. I'm not gonna bother giving it a star review since my feelings are wayyyy too complicated and two sided to do so. maybe you can't really put mgs in one book. I can't help but feel admiration for itoh's vision though, and looking back, when it was good, it was REALLY good, and the lows....I've experienced so much lower. I don't know how to think about this one yet. I'll read it again sometime probably
EDIT: two days later I decided 3 stars (3.5 if Goodreads was actually good) was fine. I am thinking about them...
EDIT: two days later I decided 3 stars (3.5 if Goodreads was actually good) was fine. I am thinking about them...
February 2, 2024
As a longtime fan of the series, this book was an absolute treat to read. Project Itoh captured the essence of the game and created a fantastic adaptation of the legendary soldier’s final mission. The love, respect, and passion Itoh-san had for the series oozes through each chapter.
December 1, 2014
I am going to admit that I couldn't finish the entire thing, it dragged on to the point where it was almost as painful as it was interesting being told by Hal's point of view of this happening to his dear friend, but, i am going to be honest...It wasn't as fun as the video game. Put the book down and pick up the game instead.
January 19, 2021
Read the book before playing the game. Perhaps, I maybe controversial but I preferred the book to the game. Elements such as the B&B Corp are removed from the book as they only stemmed to be a boss cannon for the game. Still, well worth a read. I’m a huge MGS fan so perhaps I’m a tad biased!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2020
Beautiful, tragic, wonderful end to the series. Best novelization ever written. Broke my heart into tiny little pieces.
June 11, 2021
Seriously, Project Itoh needs to handle more video game adaptations. This was a masterpiece of a novel that lived up to the quality of the masterpiece of the game it was based off of.
December 26, 2017
Es una historia llena de momentos tipo Deus ex machina y personajes cliché, creo ninguno se salva, a pesar de ello me hice fan de Solid Snake, al menos fue libre para vivir en paz por el resto de su vida.
La novela, y juego, hablan de tres temas importantes.
Por último, curioso como la milicia tiene dinero para todo excepto la ropa de las mujeres, todas van con los senos al aire (viendo imágenes del juego).
En fin, fan de las novelas militares no creo esto sea lo tuyo, fan de la saga MGS o de Solid Snake esto podría interesante, si bien no sé cuánto aporte a la historia o difiera del juego original.
La novela, y juego, hablan de tres temas importantes.
Por último, curioso como la milicia tiene dinero para todo excepto la ropa de las mujeres, todas van con los senos al aire (viendo imágenes del juego).
En fin, fan de las novelas militares no creo esto sea lo tuyo, fan de la saga MGS o de Solid Snake esto podría interesante, si bien no sé cuánto aporte a la historia o difiera del juego original.
August 14, 2021
2.5/5
While I'm not a big gamer, I can safely say that I absolutely love the Metal Gear franchise, even if I can't even play most of them and probably never will. Metal Gear Solid V is divisive, I know, but the whole GZ/PP package is one of my all-time favourite games. It is the reason I became so fascinated with the storyline. It's the reason I researched its timeline so heavily.
That being said, I love the Metal Gear Solid storyline and the lore behind the games a lot more than I love the novelizations. I've read all three of the main ones--the two by Raymond Benson and this one, by Project Itoh. I'll give credit where it's due: it's pretty clear that Itoh actually had love for the series and its characters, unlike Benson. It oozes through the writing.
Unfortunately, the writing kind of sucks. Descriptions and battles and all that stuff are easy to follow along, but the dialogue is awful, and I think choosing Otacon as the storyteller behind the prose was a very bad idea. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that it made the book's 360-page length absolutely insufferable at times. Otacon just drones for endless pages about all kinds of shit, and never stops whining about duty and burdens and all that sentimental fluff until the final page. It's not poetic, it's angst, and it's not even a funny kind of angst, either. Itoh-as-Otacon finds every repetitive way you can possibly describe Solid Snake and his struggle to free the world from conflict as well as his struggle to free himself from the guilt he carries for his part in it--and he probably invented a few new ways, too. It is legitimately painful to read the same shit over and over again like that. Everything getting compared to anime gets tedious after a while. Otacon is a side character for a reason. I get that he's a beloved side character who feels like he should make up for the sins of his pathetic POS father Huey, even though he had no control over Huey's detestable actions, but as a POV protagonist he's just too much.
I appreciate Itoh's passion for the series, which is something I share to a certain degree, and I learned a few interesting plot points from MGS4, which was nice. But I can't say his execution was very entertaining...
While I'm not a big gamer, I can safely say that I absolutely love the Metal Gear franchise, even if I can't even play most of them and probably never will. Metal Gear Solid V is divisive, I know, but the whole GZ/PP package is one of my all-time favourite games. It is the reason I became so fascinated with the storyline. It's the reason I researched its timeline so heavily.
That being said, I love the Metal Gear Solid storyline and the lore behind the games a lot more than I love the novelizations. I've read all three of the main ones--the two by Raymond Benson and this one, by Project Itoh. I'll give credit where it's due: it's pretty clear that Itoh actually had love for the series and its characters, unlike Benson. It oozes through the writing.
Unfortunately, the writing kind of sucks. Descriptions and battles and all that stuff are easy to follow along, but the dialogue is awful, and I think choosing Otacon as the storyteller behind the prose was a very bad idea. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that it made the book's 360-page length absolutely insufferable at times. Otacon just drones for endless pages about all kinds of shit, and never stops whining about duty and burdens and all that sentimental fluff until the final page. It's not poetic, it's angst, and it's not even a funny kind of angst, either. Itoh-as-Otacon finds every repetitive way you can possibly describe Solid Snake and his struggle to free the world from conflict as well as his struggle to free himself from the guilt he carries for his part in it--and he probably invented a few new ways, too. It is legitimately painful to read the same shit over and over again like that. Everything getting compared to anime gets tedious after a while. Otacon is a side character for a reason. I get that he's a beloved side character who feels like he should make up for the sins of his pathetic POS father Huey, even though he had no control over Huey's detestable actions, but as a POV protagonist he's just too much.
I appreciate Itoh's passion for the series, which is something I share to a certain degree, and I learned a few interesting plot points from MGS4, which was nice. But I can't say his execution was very entertaining...
Read
February 25, 2022I got this book out of curiosity after reading in Hideo Kojima's The Creative Gene about his strong friendship with the Project Itoh.
As novelizations go, this is a nice read. All the changes made to the story are objectively good (especially removing the beauties and the beasts). The book makes ample digressions to tell the stories of the previous chapters in full, which is heavy reading at times, but was explicitly requested by Kojima.
However, even as a novel, MGS4 remains for me the weakest chapter in the saga. Kojima is a master at depicting epic characters, less so at weaving together multiple plot lines that clearly grew with no particular coordination. It's no coincidence that his masterpieces always coincide with games with a decently self-contained plot and unforgettable characters (e.g., The Boss).
Everything here feel forced, with storylines clashing among themselves and even contradicting each other in the hope of forcing a single background story to the entire saga. Sadly, the only truly epic moment (the final battle between the two brothers) is drastically cut short here.
Overall, still a nice addition and reading for every fan of the saga.
As novelizations go, this is a nice read. All the changes made to the story are objectively good (especially removing the beauties and the beasts). The book makes ample digressions to tell the stories of the previous chapters in full, which is heavy reading at times, but was explicitly requested by Kojima.
However, even as a novel, MGS4 remains for me the weakest chapter in the saga. Kojima is a master at depicting epic characters, less so at weaving together multiple plot lines that clearly grew with no particular coordination. It's no coincidence that his masterpieces always coincide with games with a decently self-contained plot and unforgettable characters (e.g., The Boss).
Everything here feel forced, with storylines clashing among themselves and even contradicting each other in the hope of forcing a single background story to the entire saga. Sadly, the only truly epic moment (the final battle between the two brothers) is drastically cut short here.
Overall, still a nice addition and reading for every fan of the saga.
March 28, 2024
What a beautifully written novel. Its detailed, intricate yet creative expressions are woven together to create a story that is integral to the Metal Gear universe and backed by series creator himself, Hideo Kojima. It’s faithful to the source material of the games and the Metal Gear universe as a whole and it adds just enough new elements to keep the story interesting throughout and feeling like more information and world building is happening as opposed to just treading old ground or retelling the events of Metal Gear 4 SOP. Very sad that the author ultimately passed away in 2009. Rest in peace, Itoh San and thank you.
April 11, 2019
This novel attempts to and, surprisingly enough to me, succeeds to tell the story of MGS4 in novel form. The story gives you a good overview of the game's plot and also explains some of the information from earlier titles in the game franchise to make sure you fully understand the relevance of the story in the fourth installment.
The thing that bothered my about this novel is that it leaves out some of the sub-plots that also makes references to earlier games, mainly the whole story of the B&B unit that is left out in the book.
The thing that bothered my about this novel is that it leaves out some of the sub-plots that also makes references to earlier games, mainly the whole story of the B&B unit that is left out in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2024
While the plotting is fairly ridiculous in the melodramatic manner of the games, and the translation is a bit more repetitive than it needed to be, the stories are engaging and the themes more than occasionally profound. I was quite pleasantly surprised by this one.
August 13, 2017
A bit overly complicated in places, but still well worth the read, especially for fans of the games.
October 19, 2017
I loved the story
The story used the characters and give them a unforgettable quality to be remembered (if people have played these games)
The story used the characters and give them a unforgettable quality to be remembered (if people have played these games)
April 7, 2022
Y'ALL 'MEMBER SNEK EATER? I'S MEMBER.
The prose was really bad and the story isn't so great. You should watch a recap video instead.
The prose was really bad and the story isn't so great. You should watch a recap video instead.
April 14, 2022
Thank you Mr. Itoh for this masterpiece of an novelization. This Story, your Story has earned a special place in my bookshelf.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews