Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Let me say one thing first, this is the best game of this console generation. Not only that, its also one of the very best games ever made. This may sound like hyperbole, but it isnt. If you love video games and movies, this is nirvana. It takes some of the best gameplay ever in video games and combines it with cinematic presentation to make a game that is both unique and that has depth uncommon for the industry.

I can't actually talk about the story of MGS4 for fear of spoilers, but know this; this is one of the best video game stories ever told. Not only does it wrap up the entire Metal Gear universe, but it puts EVERYTHING into perspective and gives it all meaning. Even MGS2 makes sense based on the revelations in this final chapter. The story has many twists and turns and is occassionally long-winded thanks to the cutscenes, but it is so well written and presented you wont even care, even with an ending cinema that is almost an hour in length.

Now for the actual gameplay, the most important part of any game. The biggest addition to this series here is in the revamped controls. The controls are still very Metal Gear-y, but they are much more simplified. Shooting has been completely reworked to use the shoulder buttons, which makes it much easier and less frustrating to do. Every action has been simplified to either using one or two buttons, as opposed to the other games that some times had very strange button combinatons to do simple things.

The stealth is just as good as its always been, and its an evolution of Snake Eater's stealth philosophies in many ways. Your Octocamo suit, which blends in with any environment if you stand still, takes the tedium out of the camoflauge system introduced in Snake Eater by making it where you dont even have to think about it, its automatic, making the gameplay much more streamlined and continuous. Your new gadgets are all useful, particurally the Solid Eye, which is an evolution of the ever present radar, but makes it better by making it run on power, instead of infinately knowing where every enemy is. It keeps the feel of the old games while not making it too easy at the same time.

The other major gameplay system introduced is the Drebin system. Its basically a weapon's customization system that allows you to use points earned in battle to upgrade weapons by adding parts to them such as scopes, and to buy extra ammo and weapon modifications. It really helps even out the stealth and the action by making both equally important, so you have to play using a combination of both. However, since you can buy ammo at any time, one small critisism of the system is that it can make the game a little too easy at points. Running low on ammo against a boss? Go to the shop to buy more ammo in a jiffy.

Speaking of bosses, the boss battles here rank among the series' best. The Beauty and the Beast Unit are a very unique boss unit and each present a formidable challenge. All the fights are different from eachother and the same tactics can never be used twice. The key is to experiment with all of the tools you have and to notice patterns to take down each opponent. The Screaming Mantis fight in particular, ranks in my opinion in the top 5 fights in a series known for its incredible bosses.

Overall, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is simply a masterpiece. It is a game in which everything about it serves to create a uniifed whole. There is nothing unneeded here, and it allows the player to really pick and choose how you want to approach the gameplay. It is the perfect stealth action game and is destined to be remembered as one of the greatest video games ever produced in the years to come.