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We were told that the button scheme was different from the previous titles, and there was plenty different all around. With so many different actions available at all times, it will take time for someone new to the franchise to adjust to such controls. It wasn’t until the end of our play session that I finally managed to control snake without dying abruptly, and even then it was only the most basic movements and actions that could be performed.

Avoiding all confrontation would be nominal, but don't expect any brownie points for firing only one shot. You don't get a gravity gun.

This means that while Hideo Kojima can make Snake eliminate every threat without being spotted while walking in the middle of the street, the rest of us will need serious practice to really use the commands to their fullest. It may end up setting off the faint of heart from the game, but when you see what the developers can do, it makes you say, “hey, I want to do that!” There is no way MGS4’s controls can be learned simply by trying them out in-game. Not without dying at least ten times, that is.

Once players manage to make the SIXAXIS a second skin, it’s up to quick thinking and a solid wit to make it through the war infested reality. There are obviously plenty of tools to your disposal, such as an array of weapons, items and his power suit. A new feature is the automatic color change to the suit by standing/crouching/lying down by anything. That means hiding can be done anywhere, so long as you know what you’re doing. Blending in with the surrounding environment, playing dead…whatever works best, so long as it gets the job done.

There is also, in the place of the radar, a circle that surrounds Snake that serves the same function. It’s see-through and non-intrusive, but gives information pointing where the enemies are. Like a graph, it’ll spike up based on the size and/or proximity of an enemy (tanks show more than people), so you’ll know where an enemy is without the screen-blocking radar.

Another new feature was the ability to choose how to shoot. Free shooting means it's manually controlled and gives a Gears of War style over-the-shoulder angle, and is more accurate. The autoaim function is also available, where Snake will aim on his own. The ups and downs are clear, and it is a great concept to accommodate both Japanese and American gamers, whose style of play differs.