(First post wee)

So it seems everyone is up in arms about the controversy regarding restrictions placed by Konami regarding reviews of Metal Gear Solid 4, and now, via Kotaku R. Payton has given an official response.

Everything seems pretty straight forward but there are those that are still calling for Konami-flavored-blood... So lets break it down!

So the topics covered in the NDA are:
-Install times
-Length of cut scenes (the ending in particular)
-Number of environments
-Opening "movie"
-Product placement
-(Plus a half dozen story-specific items)

Right, Story-Specifics is obvious something that should be left out, as one publication in circulation in England has a nice penchant for spoilers, so at least they cannot do it this time.

Install times is slightly understandable, since most reviewers seem to take more then a few lines to show their distaste for install times, though its justified, in the case of GT5:Prologue or Devil May Cry 4 where its a tediously slow process. What I do not understand is the current mindset that some people have regarding the Inter-Act installs...

This is a Hideo Kojima game, and from what ive heard there will be vignettes or some such during this period, so as long as your being entertained whilst this happens then what the hell? Better than bar watching for sure.

Opening movie has been briefly mentioned in certain reports from the MGS4 Completion ceremony, which i believe is part of the pre-game install anyway, again better than bar watching.

Cut scene length is something that seems very unclear as in all honesty I don't see how anyone can gather what would unfold in a scene if the length is hinted at...

Environments is one thing I can agree on, I already know roughly what locations would be in the game, but to have it spelled out in a review would, to me be damaging to the surprise that would come from actually playing with a "Virgin" mindset.

Now the last of those points, product placement. There are people out there worried that this will be brash Westernized product placement, I.e "Michael Bay's" Transformers [ There for the sake of it ] But from what I've seen its typical Kojima. Everything that is in the game in the product placement deals revealed so far seems to have a reason to be there and not just a passing "BUY ME" incentive. I do not think there is anything to worry about until Snake looks at the camera and says "Kids and grown ups love it so, the happy world of Haribo"

In closing, There seems to be nothing to worry about and its just Kojima wanting to make sure that there are enough surprises for everyone on June 12th. There are those who are blowing this to extremes like those who feel that a Reviewer has to give a game a perfect score if they cannot discuss anything that might be seen as negative. This is wrong and a reviewer could have still given this game a lower score as they have still played a game where these points are still a factor.

I look forward to June 12th and look forward to having all my questions regarding Metal Gear Solid 's story answered.