First MGS4 Review Garners 10/10 From OPM UK — And So, It Begins

Mon, May 12, 2008

Reader paul_war at the N4G forums decided to share his copy of the UK Official Playstation Magazine with the world today, including scans and the all-important score for the publication's exclusive review of Metal Gear Solid 4. Tired of the GTA IV scoring dispute? You might want to duck and cover -- this one's another perfect 10.

But whether fortunately or unfortunately for gamers at large, there's every indication that OPM's review isn't quite the tip of a GTA IV-style perfect-10 iceberg. First, reviewer Paul Fitzpatrick iterates -- both in his conclusion at left, and in an after-the-fact interview with GamesRadar -- that MGS4 is one "for the fans." It doesn't surprise one bit that being familiar with the Metal Gear Solid saga is preferable, if not required before playing through Solid Snake's final chapter, but the admonition indicates that universal praise might not be in the cards for this one.

More telling is OPM UK's general policy towards 'perfect' scores. Rather than evaluate games by highlighting their flaws and scoring accordingly, the team tends to look for best-of-breed, standout, 'instant classics' on which to pin the highest honors. Back in October 2007, GamesRadar asked the magazine's editor Tim Clark what their 10/10 really meant:

GR: Does a perfect score equal a perfect game?

Tim: I think it's a really easy question to answer because obviously it'd be a nonsense to say any game is perfect any more than you'd say an album, a film or a book was absolutely perfect and couldn't be improved in any sense. Certainly when we debate awarding a game a 10, I think the first thing that strikes us is that it has to be an instant classic - you know a 10 when you see it. It's like a purebred. It's something that just seems streets ahead of what other developers are doing with the same technology and often in the same genre.

And unsurprisingly, Fitzpatrick displayed a very similar sentiment in today's GamesRadar interview, after discussing a pair of the game's minor flaws:

GR: Why weren't those problems enough to stop you giving the game a 10/10 rating?

PF: For me, like the greatest films, it's outstanding because of, and not despite, its idiosyncrasies and flaws. It's the expression of one very creative person's vision and to see that undiluted with all it's eccentricities and genius intact is remarkable. It's also a cracking story and truly rewarding to play.

While I admire and respect the value of judging a game based on its artistic merit, there are certainly media outlets -- and readers -- who insist utter technical competency is required for a "perfect" score, and so I imagine MGS4 won't receive quite the acclaim of that other notable franchise's part 4.