Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is truly one of the better experiences offered in this game generation. It's a title that is in absolutely uncompromising, provides the player a satisfying conclusion to the Solid Snake storyline, and is a brilliant experience on a number of levels. This said, it isn't without flaws, and while the rough edges of the title tend to be insignificant when compared to the myriad of things the game does incredibly well, they are present regardless.

Fans of the Metal Gear Solid series will know from the get go the tremendous weight on Guns of the Patriots. The franchise has one of the most complicated, and in places convoluted, plot lines in gaming, and this fourth iteration takes the challenge of tying up all of the loose ends in stride. The plot revolves around Snake, prematurely aging and embarking on a final mission to kill his nemesis Liquid, who is planning a violent world takeover. Everything a fan could want is here, from monumental secrets such as the identities of the enigmatic Patriots, to kooky things like how Liquid Snake managed to live on through a grafted arm. The vast majority of the story is revealed through lengthy cutscenes which sometimes play an overly extensive role in MGS4. They can be a bit much at times, but for the most part, the cinema scenes are some of the best seen in gaming to date. Overall, the narrative, while even strange within the context of the series, is quite satisfying.

As always, stealth is the prime focus of the game.

That said, the gameplay is still the true gem of Metal Gear Solid 4. While fans will easily identify returning mechanics, this newer title offers a much slicker style of play than its predecessors. The controls have been completely revamped, integrating a scheme very similar to some of the shooters currently on the market. This works splendidly, and makes those occasional firefights the player will inevitably run into much more manageable and enjoyable. Compared to previous MGS titles, in which the controls could often make Snake an inadequate fighter when spotted, additions like this over the shoulder aiming system make him much more capable in battle. In fact, on the easier difficulties, it is more than possible to ditch stealth altogether and play in a run and gun style.

Unfortunately, there are still some control issues. As in the games that came before it, many of the moves that make up Snake's repertoire still require some awkward button combinations. You'll spend a lot of time holding one button while pushing another to do things, and it is rather easy to make a slight error that will have you performing a completely different move than you intended. Close quarters combat, returning from Metal Gear Solid 3, is still a bit touchy and it will take a little bit of trial and error before you'll know how to do anything beyond planting an opponent's face in the dirt.

Another issue you will likely encounter involves the artificial intelligence. The enemy AI, while solid in many areas, is rather dimwitted in others. If spotted, you better stay on your toes, because you can easily expect a squad of heavily armed mercenaries on your back real fast. Enemy soldiers are adept at cornering you, and will actively outmaneuver and flank your escape efforts, especially on the higher difficulties. On the flipside, they sometimes exhibit behavior that is painfully dumb and leaves you to wonder how the developers could have missed it. For instance, when using the MKII robot (which serves as a miniature scout/attack vehicle), you can tazer enemy soldiers. This kind of attack is by no means quiet, and generally when it happens, the affected enemy will cry out loudly. The problem is, unless their companions see you execute the attack, they won't notice that anything has happened. You can pick off most of the enemies in a given area with this very method and suffer little-to-no consequences.

Additionally, a few of the features in the game are somewhat lackluster. The much touted weapon customization process is horribly shallow, allowing only for the most basic level of variety. Save for the M4 your receive early on, most weapons only have a few slots for customization. Even that weapon, adorned with around half a dozen potential add-ons, leaves you with little options. In reality, weapon customization in Guns of the Patriots is more of a linear, ugrade process that allows the player to change their weapons in only a few, oft insignificant, pre-selected ways. Similarly, the weapons themselves lack any real diversity. While the game features dozens of guns that can be collected and used, generally speaking, the most useful ones are those Snake receives at the beginning of the adventure. Few distinguish themselves in any reasonable way and the only advantage such a large arsenal seems to offer is that you're rarely going to run out of bullets in the thick of a fight. If one gun runs out of ammo, you'll likely have a dozen more that can do the same thing.

However, keeping in line with what the series does best, the stealth portions of the MGS4 are still excellent. Guns of the Patriots gives you a treasure trove of tools to evade enemies, ranging from old standards such as emptied clips to throw and distract opponents to new additions such as the previously mentioned Metal Gear MKII. Equally neat, is the new ability in some levels to ally with the local rebels against the mercenaries Snake contends with throughout the game. By popping off a few enemy soldiers in front of them, the rebels will come to identify you as an ally, allowing you to circumvent some unnecessary alerts. You can, of course, ignore this ability, but it tends to be to your advantage to have one of the consistently warring forces on your side. If nothing else, they provide a valuable distraction to enemy soldiers who will often be too busy shooting at the rebels to notice you sneaking up behind them.

Even with all of these positives, the overall experience can be a bit uneven. The story, split into acts, is at times poorly paced, adversely affecting the gameplay. The first two acts, and to a lesser extent the third, tend to be much more open-ended than the latter few. The various items and abilities that Snake has are far more useful in the early chapters than they are in the sorely linear final acts, which largely serve as devices to advance the plot. This is not to say the later parts of the game aren't fun, but they simply lack the choice and creativity of the first few sections and tend to focus more in on the storyline. This may make for excellent fan service, but it does hurt the pacing, especially for those who aren't familiar with the series.

Metal Gear Solid 4 features an online component, but it's mediocre at best. While better than earlier attempts at making Metal Gear a multiplayer affair (see MGS3: Subsistence), it still pales in comparison to other online shooters. This is largely due to the fact that a number of the mechanics that work well in single player fall flat in multiplayer. Prior to a match, you're permitted to customize one character (with additional options being available via payment), but most of the skills you can choose from are useless when compared to a select few. It is much easier to take an enemy down sniping from afar than it is to eliminate them via most other forms of combat. Furthermore, Metal Gear Online lacks any unique factor to distinguish itself from the slew of other multiplayer-centric games currently available. The usual lineup of play styles are present, and while some modes, such as the Sneaking Mode where one player takes on the role of Snake while the others try to catch them, can be entertaining, there are just better alternatives already on the market.

Snake visits of a number of locales, from hot desert cities to snowy plains.

The graphical presentation in Guns of the Patriots is superb. The character models are some of the most detailed yet seen on a console. The level of detail put into even the tiniest of intricacies, such as Old Snake randomly clutching his back or the way a character's face furrows when they speak, make them come alive. Comparatively, the environments are not the finest looking ever to grace this generation, but they are still well detailed, and easily look the part of a top-tier PS3 game. You may notice some rough spots, like the fire effects for example, but otherwise, this is one nice looking title.

On the audio front, however, Metal Gear Solid 4 is a masterpiece. The score, composed by Harry-Gregson Williams is fantastic, featuring a range of background music from frantic battle themes, to the oft played Metal Gear Solid theme which resonates solemnly throughout the game. Beyond the music, everything sounds incredibly authentic. Gunshots ring out all around you. Soldiers urge each other on in battle and then cry out as they're killed. The game pulls no punches in trying to convince you that you're in a warzone. The game also features some of the best voice acting in any game. Snake in particular, voiced by series veteran David Hayter, sounds progressively more haggard as the game progresses, helping to truly set the tone of what he's going through. The script can sometimes be a bit over the top and silly, but the voice actors work very well with what they're given.

With all of this said, it might be easy to conclude that Metal Gear Solid 4 is a mixed basket. To some extent this is true. The focus on passive storytelling, the sometimes unbalanced gameplay, and the subpar multiplayer could easily be turn-offs to some. Still, for fans of the series and gamers in general, it is more likely that they will find a grand experience in Guns of the Patriots. Despite the flaws, there is still an incredible adventure to be had in Guns of the Patriots, and there is no denying how much care was put into its creation. Metal Gear Solid 4 is dramatic, moving, challenging and fun, and if you own a PS3, most certainly worth checking out.