Solid Snake's final chapters of his life as a vigilante are sure not to disappoint. *SPOILERS*

User Rating: 9.5 | Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Platinum) PS3
The Metal Gear Solid series is a benchmark for stealth action. Developers have tried to match it, though most have failed. Ever since 1998, the games won praise for their technological prowess and how ahead of the time they were.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots features the iconic SOCOM-slinging stealth pro Solid Snake. However, in this game, it shows Snake in a different light. Where in the first two MGS games Snake was a young, hearty warrior, MGS4 shows Snake as an old man, due to his accelerated aging caused by genetic strands in his body which preventing him from living as a normal man. Because of this, he has no more than one year to live.
As an action hero would normally have, he has one goal in mind - kill Liquid Ocelot. Liquid takes control of almost all of the world with his squad of FROGs - female soldiers under Ocelot's command.
During his travels, Solid Snake encounters some old series friends, namely Naomi Hunter, Roy Campbell and Meryl Silverburgh (don't worry, she IS alive...). With their help, Snake can retain the world from the felonous intent of Ocelot. Also, using his cunning and stealth abilities, Snake will be able to pass through any enemies that he may not need to dispose of too easily.

Instead of starting off with its graphical prowess, I will begin with the gameplay system.
Just like in other Metal Gear Solid games, enemies will be alerted to your presence if you run out like a headless chicken. The key word is stealth. You are given a suit called Octocamo, which is a camouflage suit that can absorb and project different light patterns on the walls or floors he presses against. In other words, what you lie against, it shows a camo pattern that is most effective as camouflage against that surface. This is key to stealth, so make sure you use it as effectively as possible.
There are two ways you can get new weapons and equipment. As well as the classic way, by finding weapons and ammo from certain places and enemies, you can buy more weapons and better ammo from a man called Drebin. He is met early on in the game. You earn a currency called Drebin Points by finding weapons you already have, and killing certain enemies. This changes the way you can play the game dramatically. You can get weapons fit for certain purposes. Weapons are classed by different factors: damaging abilities, reload time, range etc., so you can say there is a big range of weaponry to chose from.

I guess it's time to talk about graphics now. This game has amazing graphics, especially close up at costumes and bodily features (you know what I mean...!). The environments are incredibly well detailed, as are the landscapes. It's as if you're playing inside a huge work of art.
Now that's out of the way......

The controls are different from all the previous games. Instead of square to fire, you hold L1 to ready your weapon and L2 to aim, with triangle to go into first-person view. Circle is reload, square is auto-aim. However, you can turn auto-aim off, if you fancy a bigger challenge.
The right analog stick is now the 3D camera. That's right; just like in MGS3: Subsistence, the camera is 3D, and not overhead. This gives more control for the player, and makes it so that the player can see around corners whilst in cover.
You can press X to crouch. Unlike previous games in the series, you weren't able to crouch, you could only go prone. Also, you can adjust how fast you crawl. This can have some difference on your camo index - how well you blend in with the environment.

The music was composed by Harry Gregson-Williams for the most part. He has done all of the main series save the original MGS. Most of the music is amazing beyond description. Also, you can listen to many tracks in the main series and a few other stuff by downloading from the servers different tracks and different camo suits. The music is playable with an ingame iPod. Ah, product placement... Where would we be without you.

Japan is the least luckiest country in this case.
Metal Gear Solid 4 in Europe and North American territories has an online mode called 'Metal Gear Online'. It's basically Metal Gear Solid 4, but you take control of PMCs and soldiers instead of Solid Snake. However, you can play AS Solid Snake if you want in a certain game mode.
I say Japan are unlucky in this case because they have to buy MGO seperate.
The online mode features different weapons and equipment to choose from, and is an extremely versatile game. You can use your environment to shadow you and you can attack your enemies when they're unaware. It's a really competent MMOTPS game, and plays like a dream.

This game, as much as it pains me to say it, has a couple of flaws here and there. For instance, the game is kinda short. It may be the second longest game in the series from what I've played, however it is too short as it is. I did expect a little more longevity to it, sadly. Also, the new way to get equipment somehow makes the game less of a Metal Gear Solid game. You're supposed to get the equipment as you progress through the game, and not buy them as if they were candy.

Flaws aside, this game lies as one of the best PS3-exclusive games available today. An instant classic in technical prowess and memorability, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, gives a fitting end to Solid Snake's story arc in the series.


FINAL VERDICT: 95%