Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots sums up to one thing: perfection.
Our protagonist, Snake, is called back before going into retirement. Unfortunately, Snake has gone through accelerated aging and has become an old man. Enter Old Snake, who in spite of his age, manages to be just as elite as ever. Many new gameplay tactics are introduced in this iteration, and to be honest, all of these improve the game play. Unfortunately, Liquid's back and he's doing some fairly disturbing stuff (don't want to give out any spoilers!). Many old characters make a return, and there are plenty of surprises, don't worry.
The controls are top-notch, simple to use, and make the best use of the DualShock 3/Sixaxis controller. Aiming is a cinch, and movement can be controlled to even the most subtle movements. Accessing Snake's items and weapons is controlled with the L2 and R2, respectively. This system is a great way to switch weapons on the spot, although occasionally I did find myself pressing the L2 button instead of the L1 (I'm not a huge veteran of the DualShock styled controller, mind you). The only difficulty I had was with the camera, it didn't always go where I wanted to. Other than that, it's top notch.
Game play, simply put, is perfection. The perfect balance of difficulty, amazing story flow, boss battles are truly fun this time around. I have yet to see a flaw in this masterpiece. The best part of the game is that you can play it like a shooter, or you can take is slow and sneak around. Stealth is emphasized, but if you love to run n' gun, there is nothing stopping you. Honestly, there must be a ton of ways to play this, and go around completing your objectives. One play through is definitely not enough. There are a ton of easter eggs to unlock throughout the game to keep you playing for months.
Audio-wise, the game is also excellent. The soundtrack is awesome, the orchestral songs really heighten the experience. The sounds of the guns, various military vehicles and personnel, the tired grunt of Snake all make this game a pleasure to listen to in Surround Sound. The game also has an in-game iPod, which allows you to listen to tracks found throughout the game, or your own music stored on the PS3's HDD.
If you have a nice television, this game will make you gape in awe. It's beautiful! Great textures, models, the lighting is well-done, this is truly a spectacle of the PS3's technology. Wait until more of the PS3 is mastered, we can expect to see even prettier games pretty soon. The game in lower resolutions is nice too, but nothing beats playing this in high-def on a 52" LCD TV, trust me.
If you're a fan of the series, or even if you've never played any of it and want a killer action game, get this. Now. There are pretty much no visible flaws, save for the occasional camera difficulty. Sony has created yet another masterpiece, this is the definite reason to get a PS3. You will not be disappointed.