5 minutes? Is that an confirmed fact, or are you assuming? That seems a little bit exaggerated.

Yeah, I already know I'll be doing any optional content that comes my way before I do anything story-related. But as I said before, I've played every MGS multiple times, just because they're fun and the story is enjoyable. I could start up a new file of MGS3 right now and play it all day without getting bored, despite the fact that I've beaten it at least 5 or 6 times. I guarantee that GZ will be similar.. I'll be playing that campaign at least once a month, every month, until TPP comes out. :P

At the time of MGS3's release, it was undeniably the best MGS, ever.
Nowadays, it still holds up incredibly well, but the mechanics introduced in MGS4 allow for a lot more maneuverability. Too bad MGS4 is basically just an minor-interactive movie after Act II.

In terms of being a classic, MGS3 all the way.

I also really enjoyed Twin Snakes when it released. The cutscenes after boss fights, that would depict Snake overcoming his opponent in really badass ways was phenomenal for me.
For example, after Snake's battle with the Hind Helicopter that Liquid is piloting, it depicts a scene where Liquid shoots one, final missile at Snake. Snake jumps into the air and backflips over the missile, then jumps OFF the missile, and fires a final Stinger missile at the Hind, right as the Hind missile explodes in the air behind them. HOLY, SHIT. I can't even begin to describe how absolutely amazing that was to see as a fan of the original MGS1, seeing these characters I already knew and loved re-imagined in higher resolution, doing really awesome things. Of course, these scenes can't even compare to the action sequences of, say, MGS4, but at the time it was one of the coolest games I'd ever played.

No cardboard box? Good.
I realize people have an unnatural sense of affection for this particular piece of equipment in MGS, but my replaying of MGS1, MGS2, MGS3, and MGS4 in recent years has seen me not using the cardboard box even once. It's not needed, and it usually just gets you stuck in a less-than-ideal location while the soldier inevitably spots you.

As for the length of the game.. you people realize that this playtime is based on a speed run, right? Or at the very least, ignoring all optional content. If I made a conscience decision to speed run ANY Metal Gear Solid game, I could beat any of them in a matter of hours. But guess what? I continuously replay these games, starting from scratch every time, because they're undeniably fun.

Besides, since I'm not jumping into the next generation just yet, that means I get a brand new Metal Gear Solid experience for $20. THAT'S ALL?? Touche', Kojima.


HOWEVER.. that being said, I stand by my opinion that GZ and TPP should be part of one complete package. But there's no telling when TPP is coming, so I'll take a smaller, by-and-large cheaper taste of whats to come.

Alan Wake is a fantastic Xbox 360 exclusive that was ported to PC earlier last year. The storyline is one of the best of this generation, in my opinion. The battle mechanics get a tad repetitive after a bit, but I've played through that game at least three times now and I love it more every time.

All I read is 'STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO THINK, GUYS!!', when you are fully capable of not allowing reviews to influence your opinion on a game, all on your own. Reviewers are obligated to be honest in their reviews by pointing out what mechanics are viable, and what mechanics are not.

Final Fantasy 7 is Cloud's story after Crisis Core, and nothing else. Plot points for the ultimania obviously should be included, but that's it. Certain characters need not even be mentioned, as they're not relevant to the story.

It's because the Halo series was supposed to end with Reach, until Microsoft decided that they couldn't launch a new console cycle without their biggest console seller.

Granted, I enjoyed Halo 4. The single player campaign was the best campaign since Combat Evolved, and the multiplayer was more reminiscent of Halo 2 and 3, which is a plus in my book (keep in mind, I enjoyed Reach very much at the same time). But that doesn't change the fact that they're milking the franchise at this point, which is clear.

There are still plenty of challenging games released every day, but yeah, the man is right. This generation of games has been adamant about hand-holding. However, this could be attributed to one of two things. Either it's because:
A) Developers want to dumb down games to access a wider audience, or,
B) It's because games have become increasingly more complex in terms of mechanics.. the more complex the mechanics become, the more time games need to spend teaching you how to play.

Both of these reasons are valid, it really depends on the developer and the game in question.

Absolutely not, and anyone arguing otherwise is a dullard.

Mobile games are incapable of providing the same quality as handhelds without buying extra peripherals, like smartphone controllers for example, which the average iPhone or Android user isn't going to get. Without these peripherals, the controls and the mechanics are limited to say the least.

What you PC elitists fail to understand is the difference between consoles and PC's.

Consoles are simpler by design. People don't have to worry about their machine being out-of-date to play the newest games available to the platform, because the games are developed with the console in mind. Granted, that particular consoles hardware specs will be outdated within 6 months of launch, but guess what? Not everyone wants to buy a new video card or more memory every two years, and that's fine. Consoles exist specifically because of the simplistic nature of them.

PC's are obviously superior, no one is arguing that.. anyone who is can easily be ignored. But I hear the same tired predictions at the start of every new console cycle, that it won't last and the PC will dominate the market.. and then, the coming console cycle outlasts the previous cycle, every time, and only continues to expand and further the industry. But you PC elitists insist you're better due to an obviously superior piece of hardware, never minding the fact that people play games because they're fun, not to bask in virtual eye-candy.

Once more, PC's provide higher performance, fact. But consoles will never stop being successful.