Metal Gear Solid 4 pulls out all stops

As the months have passed, many PS3 owners have been hoping for a greater number of quality titles exclusive to the system. The release of Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots marks not only one of the most anticipated games of 2008, but also the last to be directed by MGS series creator, Hideo Kojima. Fortunately, the game's three-and-a-half-year development cycle has proven worth the wait.

Players once again take on the role of protagonist Solid Snake who has aged rapidly since his last appearance. Snake has been asked by his former commander to take on one final mission.

The story unfolds across a variety of locations around the world, with the first of the five acts set in the Middle East.

Kojima and the team at Kojima Productions attempt to answer the lingering questions left by previous games in the series.

At the core of MGS4 is the familiar stealth-oriented gameplay the series is known for, where players progress through the game while attracting as little unnecessary attention as possible. Helping players achieve this goal is the new OctoCamo system, a function that allows Snake to blend in with the environment and conceal himself from enemy view. Another new addition is the Metal Gear Mk. II, a small surveillance robot that players can use to scout ahead in place of Snake, allowing them to pick up weapons, disarm traps, or even render enemies unconscious with an electric shock.

However, unlike previous games in the series, there's more room for more straightforward tactics thanks to a greater emphasis on the combat aspects of the game. Featuring simpler, more streamlined controls than its predecessors, along with an over-the-shoulder aiming function, the ability to progress while using a first-person perspective, and overall greater mobility options, MGS4 updates the gameplay of the franchise with modern conventions without sacrificing the unique feel associated with MGS. With the addition of a shop feature to let players purchase new weapons and ammo using points earned during gameplay, choosing a run-and-gun approach is more feasible.

From a presentation standpoint, MGS4 is easily one of the best-looking games on the PS3. Featuring an astonishing level of detail throughout; from the rendering of its character models, which have distinguishable clothing textures and fluid motion-capture, to the variety of weather and environmental effects (one example of which being dirt layering upon the camera as clouds of dust roll in), there's much to admire about the games visuals. The voice acting is also up to the standards expected from the story-heavy franchise, with composer Harry Gregson-Williams returning once again to provide the music for the games numerous cutscenes.

Generally, the complaints for the game are few. For players new to the franchise, while they should be able to follow the basic aspects of the story, they may find themselves lost whenever material related to previous games shows up. Fortunately, a database compiling information related to the series has recently been made available as a free download on the PlayStation Network. However, detractors from the franchise who have felt the cutscenes in MGS are too long won't be changing their minds.

With the immense replay value from earning additional unlockables through multiple playthroughs, as well as a starter version of the team-based online shooter, Metal Gear Online, players will have plenty to keep themselves occupied even after finishing the main game. For current PS3 owners as well as prospective buyers, MGS4 comes as an easy recommendation.