Kojima gives fans what they wanted.
Let me begin with saying if you are new to the series and MGS4 is your first game. Please don't load the game just yet. Instead play MGS1 (Twin Snakes is available on GC), MGS2: Subsistence and MGS 3: Subsistence. Why? Because you will either be lost or be frustrated at how the game actually progresses.
Now on to the game.
First the graphics... One of the best I've seen in-game. Those in the cut-scenes are great as well. Though the frame rates at times do drop and are noticeable are the only negative view.
Sound... Just with the graphics are the great detail with the sound. If you have surround sound system or a television that can emulate it. Then your in for a huge treat. This will have to be the most superb aspect of the game. Include that the score is truly the best in the series.
Gameplay... Despite some cool extra add-ons and I mean that. I just have to sit in awe at how it actually plays out. It was never really a true challenge to get from point a to point b in the boss difficulty setting. The enemy AI is as dumb as ever. I think this is the dumbest AI at of all the series. Tactics has completely been thrown out the window (can be completely disregarded through the easier difficulty settings). While I enjoyed it. It sure was a disappointment in an MGS standpoint. The biggest hurt was if you were strictly just going from point A to point B. You would only spend a total amount of around 6 hours.
Story... It lived up to it's name. It was really well told with each character popping in and explaining a whole lot. The thing about it however is by throwing in pretty much all living characters since the first MGS and explaining so and so. It would technically confuse the hell out of people... keep in mind I'm talking about those who have played through the series. The sad thing about the story is how some of the more emotional scenes never really are conveyed properly. Some feel off and others feel completely forced. I love the voice acting in this series and I enjoy some of the Voice Actors' works (them playing in other roles or in their previous roles in the series). But it was just a pain to watch through emotional scenes. When it's a happy scene... I feel it comes out stupid. When it's a sad dramatic scene... I feel either ticked off or not feel bad as to what had happened. Usually, I don't watch cinematic features with subtitles unless they speak broken English. There's no broken English in MGS4 but you definitely need the subtitles.
Overall Experience... I surely will miss Solid Snake. If this series lives on it will be without him. The Multiplayer is a waste of time. Reality is it's broken. I wouldn't recommend touching it. This game was more of a viewing experience rather than an actual experience. Is it overhyped?! no, I truly believe MGS is one of the best series around. Is it overrated?! very much so because I truly believe a game should be something where the player is doing most of the stuff to progress the story instead of long cut-scenes. It doesn't help with the loading times and the install acts situation. One makes you think Kojima has always contemplated leaving after each one after 2. After outdoing himself on 3 I thought he would produce another great epic game. He instead produced a great epic tale.
It was hard for me to score this a 7.0, I never have scored an MGS title less than an 9.0 (MGS:2). But just the little existent of gameplay time and holes that are with it. To some mishaps with the framerate. To the long drawn out cut-scenes that involve sad portrayals. I have to force myself to give it a 7. The one true unmistaken bright spot to this game is the sound.