Here’s a game that was worth the wait. Kojima Productions brings gamers the anticipated last chapter of the Metal Gear Solid series with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

The game takes place in the not-so-distant future, where owners of private armies dominate a war-torn global economy. Liquid Ocelot, the infamous enemy from the series, controls many of the largest armies and wants to launch a massive war to control the planet. The main character of the game is Solid Snake, though now he is called Old Snake as he is aging at an abnormally fast rate for some unknown reason. He must accept his final mission to destroy Ocelot and save the world.

As with the other Metal Gear Solid games, MGS 4 focuses on tactical combat and stealth rather than brute force to get through all of the bad guys. Playing often in third-person shooter mode, you must decide whether to hide as enemies pass or engage them in battle.

If you do fight them, however, you must be prepared to eventually escape and hide because the scene enters an alarm mode where an insurmountable amount of enemies will eventually appear. MGS 4 offers some new features to help players in their missions, such as an old steel barrel in which to hide and a camouflage suit that blends in with the background.

With an intense and dramatic storyline, MGS 4 has already received many of the best reviews of the year. For fans of the series, it ties up many of the loopholes from the overall plot and provides a thrilling ending. It is definitely a plus to be familiar with the Metal Gear Solid series, but newcomers will enjoy the cinematic battles and involving gameplay.

As with many new games today, MGS 4 is a bit like playing through a good movie. And hey, it beats enduring the long lines and crowded movie theaters to see other summer blockbusters.

By Joe Legato

Please login to post your comments.