I'm well overdue for another blog post. Normally, I would save a review for the reviews section, but considering that I gave Metal Gear Solid 4 a perfect score, I felt it was due special mention. (It also buys me time to write my next blog!)

Since this is technically an editorial, I think a short preface is in order...

You may or may not be a fan of the stealth genre. If you're not, you'd probably expect that locking yourself in a closet for 20-25 hours is preferable to playing a Metal Gear Solid title. However, this game manages to give you the option of going in commando if you choose, and nothing is sacrificed in the process. Yes, I am saying that even if you don't like stealth games, MGS4 may still hook you in. That alone is a spectacular accomplishment.

But even if you're still not a fan of the game's core concepts you should be able to appreciate that, as far as stealth action games go, and by Gamespot's definition (a game that is as perfect as a game can aspire to be at its time of release), this game is a perfect 10.

So, without further ado...

Since MGS4 is the culmination of a 21 year long series, a review of several paragraphs seems inadequate. My first impression of the game, on the other hand, spanned only three letters: Wow! Booting the game on my HDTV, I was greeted by a stunning rendering of Solid Snake, casually puffing a smoke as the game performed its initial install.

I have to pause here to mention that since so many PS3 games have hard drive installs, I consider it a characteristic of the platform. Therefore any praise or criticism should be paid to the system, not the individual games.

This game begins, as one would expect, with a cutscene. The cutscenes use the game's engine so I almost didn't notice when actual play began. I say almost because unlike MGS3: Snake Eater, which deposited you in an area devoid of enemies, Snake starts this chapter feet first into a war zone.

This point is subtle, but important- especially to the criticism the series has endured from people who simply aren't fans of the sneaking genre. While this game's heart still beats in tune with the stealth genre it spawned, there is plenty of action. The game's new over-the-shoulder mechanic makes this possible. Gunplay is smooth and very intuitive. Not once did I experience the frustrating, wonky alert phases of previous titles. If there is still any room for improvement, I sure don't know where it is.

The implementation of the new shooting mechanic, in turn, paved the way for other gameplay options that helped add some spice to the MGS recipe and effectively prevented monotony from rearing its ugly head. Entire sections of action, with several enemies charging a room at once felt natural and fluid. Even vehicle chases, with Snake manning the weaponry, functioned so smoothly that the player was able to be immersed in the tension of the moment.

And speaking of tension, there is no shortage here. One of my favourite levels challenged Snake to follow an NPC to his hideout, which sounds simple. Of course you must avoid being seen by the guards, but to add a layer of complexity, the NPC can't be detected either! You also can't let the NPC see you or he will be spooked and run off- possibly into the waiting arms of the enemy. So you must move through the area, incapacitating (or killing) enemy soldiers and clearing a path for the NPC, all the while staying out of his way until he eventually makes it to his hideout.

In most games, levels like the one I just described could easily drag on and on, but not in MGS4. Here, each area lasts long enough to allow you to get comfortable, but not to the point of boredom. Just when I started to feel like I was finished with an area, I was finished with that area. To have such perfect pacing was truly a refreshing feeling.

All of the game's play elements are flawless, from graphics to sound, even the new Octocamo, which automatically matches your camo to your surroundings like a chameleon. But the glue that holds it all together is the storytelling. With this game, Hideo Kojima has outdone himself. Sure, there were beautiful, moving (and long!) cutscenes but the icing on the cake was how he managed to tie the entire series together in such creative fashion. I was personally tickled by the ipod that allows you to play music from previous games instead of the normal background music. Beyond that there were flashbacks in the cutscenes, visits from familiar but forgotten characters, trips to previous locales, and even a few very satisfying surprises like... no, I won't ruin them for you.

During the 25 hours it took me to reach the end, I was so captivated that I had little desire to play anything else. The ending itself was moving and bittersweet. I found myself hoping that this was not the final chapter for Solid Snake, but it is true that all good things must come to an end- and what an end! If you have any love at all for the stealth genre or the Metal Gear series, this is an absolute must-play game. In every way, it is a perfect end to a truly outstanding series.