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Gaming is still an incredibly young medium. When one discusses age, being able to trace roots only one console generation is not unheard of. With a somewhat apparent and obligatory puberty the video game industry is going through, longevity is sort of something taken for granted, as too few know not what to do with such experience and how it can aspire to be something very powerful. The Metal Gear Solid franchise cannot only proudly celebrate a 10th anniversary almost as young as the transformation into 3D gaming itself, but it celebrates its substantial and definitive beginning by more than 20 years, tracing all the way back to its roots in a much simpler environment in the retroverse. Now, with Snake knocking on Haven’s Door, the series can rest easy with the tale of The Patriots and their legacy finally coming to a marvelous close.

MGS as a whole has worked for so long in my eyes because of the testament to the player in mind that made each experience so vivid — evident from the very beginning, so far as to include some of the earliest forms of cutscenes in games with the second MGS. Anyone looking for a greater sentiment to take with them had it readily available, while others could be blown away by the sights and sounds alone, or be amazed at some of the characters that would develop in this environment of disbelief. Theme has always been important throughout the latter half of the series, with Sense taking precedence in Guns of the Patriots. Sense was a wise detail for the invested, as this game will seem like nothing less than a provocative sensory overload in the most exhilarating ways. To play this game is to live through it, by pushing Snake to his very limits and realizing that someone else’s sheer willpower and tolerance to sadistic control will drive you to help him all the way till his last beaten strand and crawl over the finish line. Pain has never been so driving.

Rest assured, driven you’ll be. From the very title screen that has the “Old Snake” theme playing in the back ground, I had this wonderfully eerie sense of melancholy that washed over me as I watched Snake light up what could have been his very last cigarette. Harry Gregson-Williams returns with just a pivotal a role as the composer and beautifully helps understate the importance of what it means to piece together an epic. All of the accompanying tracks help ease you into this enveloped state of shaken concentration. Snake’s grim statement of a changed environment is evident not just through atmosphere, but also in what little life he has left in his own voice through this morphed war economy that MGS4 illustrates for us.

The storyline is indeed a continuation of the events that transpired after MGS2, but it focuses on a more grizzly affair with a rather real-world reflection (albeit more dramatic) of how out of control the war economy has become. PMC’s (personal military contractors) are in absolute control of the battlefield under orders from only one source: the secretive Patriots that have been nothing more than a controlled slip of the tongue by the few who know of their existence. Solid Snake is still chasing after his brother Liquid, who has gained considerable momentum, and is trying to strike against this nano-machine controlled battlefield system (SOP) with a form of manipulation of his own. The only detail delaying the destruction of this horribly self-waging war economy is Snake’s not so mysteriously accelerated aging and how his strength will have to be far more than physical to see everything to the end.

MGS4 has this very rigid refreshing sense about it. While each entry has a distinct flavor, MGS4 has a subtle approach in trying to make the best stealth-to-action conversion to date in the gameplay department. So many little nuances make up your choices and affect your decisions going forward; little flashes of more than just plotline recalls will guide your way. War economy plays a pivotal role in more than just name; it will guide you by the very troops that make up the very well-oiled machine you seek to destroy. Depending on your actions, the environment will change and mold to your decisions. You can interact with any major forces and gain them to your cause, or pit their ranks into utter chaos. While the entire endeavor can be soloed as one long sneaking affair, the effect of not feeling in severe solidarity and being thrust into such a clockwork reality devoid of everything but resource can be an even more frightening experience than what it feels like surviving against mother nature or deep behind enemy lines. The intended effect is strongly provocative in a reveling sense. You want to see the niches; you want to know why you can create such a ripple effect. The subtle message of Sense being gained only through experimentation and complete immersion is such a prevalent force throughout the game that you’ll start to realize why Kojima was able to mold such a nonrelenting affect even in MGS4’s war-ridden battlefields.

The stealth action conversion continues on in MGS4, with a fluid attempt between third-person controls and first-person shooting. With just a quick click, you can carefully monitor Snake’s every move with an adept camera, all the way to split-second accuracy on any weapon in the game. The switch is instantaneous, and the game can be played predominately in first-person mode. The series has never had a chance to shine in this respect and has done so masterfully by giving the players the option to lead Snake with their eyes, or to lead Snake through his eyes. The context-sensitive buttons will play an important roll, as unloading and terrifying a submissive enemy will mean the difference in the degree of your thumb to maximum control. I applaud the MGS4 team for successfully delivering a rather familiar system and adapting it so well, especially to anyone who sees far too many punctuation points throughout their regular MGS sessions.

Two sides of the coin exist, and the only force more impressive than the new FPS control adaptation is the ever-stronger presence of stealth that is still the driving force of the series. Not only has CQC been mastered to a T, giving the player intimate control of interaction between them, Snake and the enemy, but the the new Octo-Camo system lets you become the shadow instead of just hiding in a shadow. The specialized sneaking suit worn by Old Snake this time around is quite the adaptive suit of fun. The material will conform to reflect any surface it parallels. The colors will overcome Snake’s body, and you will have a protective wall of self-generated camo at your aide. Not only does this put the trusty cardboard box out of a job, it truly is an inventive way to let you become completely one with the feel of battle — the freedom of movement felt by weaving in and out of heavy exchange, the fluid rush of capturing an enemy, the edgy movement of being right next to a destroyed vehicle or just being barely scathed by stray bullets. Magnificence incarnate, and the suit delivers stealth in the most sensible way possible. You become the environment and, ultimately, use the enemies senses against them.

With such agreeable controls, the only way the experience could be any more substantial is with some firepower, right? Fear not! Though procurement on site is still existent to all the MGS purists out there, new alternatives will exist to anyone looking for more than your run-of-the-mill tranquilizer gun to keep them satisfied. The Drebin shop will allow players to purchase on site, even if there are no weapons immediately in reach. You’ll be able to accrue Drebin points for small tasks and weapon trading whenever you pick up an extra. Think of the practice as your only personal arsenal just waits to be unlocked. You will need more than one playthrough to test the impressive bevy of firearms and upgrades available, as there are more than 65 weapons to choose from, putting most shooters on the market to shame. From old-fashioned Glocks to ridiculously oversized rail guns, you’ll have more than enough to keep your hands busy as you plow through enemy forces to your heart’s content. The game never ceases to give life to any single element, and any weapon you choose to deliver the coup d’etat will feel satisfying in every respect and help you feel a sense or propriety of the weight of the weapon you carry. It’s truly a sight to behold when it all hits the fan.

Not to say that there won’t be penalties for exploring the ins and outs of a combat high, as Psyche will play an increasingly important role as the game develops. Old Snake must stand of a mentally strong mind to help drive the game, and so you must take care as to not deprive him of that very same mental state. The Psyche meter will stand as a testament to how relaxed Snake will be. The more actively in danger Snake is, the higher his Psyche is, and the worse he’ll perform at various actions. Not only can you calm yourself by staying away from the focus of battle, but you also can implement a rather obvious everyday technique — listening to your iPod. Yes, Otacon must have hooked Snake up with the Apple connection, because one of many neat little surprises lies in the form of being able to listen to MGSmusic not only for your own enjoyment, but for in-game benefits as well. Several MGStracks can be found throughout the game, and podcasts and extra songs are coming through download to make sure Snake maintains his sense of calm.

Knowing Snake isn’t the most terrifying threat on the front is one reason to want to have a calm mind, as the B&B corps (Beauty and the Beast) will prove to be some of Snake’s most worthy adversaries yet. They are made up of four different war-ravaged children who ended up going insane through violence and are now at the command of the enemy for any serious dirty work that needs doing. The eventual boss fights with them will be an always persisting force, even when they aren’t physically around. The encounters will be fast and savage, having to keep yourself alive and coping with your in-game stress all the more heart-pounding. Each will implement a vastly different approach to destroying not only your physical reserves, but also by sending chills up your spine in hope of confusing and breaking your resolve. Not only will some of the game’s strongest examples of stealth come up with them, but the most exhilarating feelings of combat will be felt in a personal way that few games have done before. It’s an excellent tribute to a fully evolved treatment of monolithic obstacles on your route to domination.

From the hide and seek game through which you interact with Laughing Octopus, or the “Cat and Mouse” game you’ll play with Crying Wolf, the game will always dish out surprises left and right and will always be sure to relive a strong sense of nostalgia familiar to those who have played MGS before. The game has such a distinct sense of confidence that you’ll never once be able to peel your eyes off the screen throughout all five acts of the very meaty experience served. The gameplay to cinematic will start to dilute in favor of the cutscenes, but they always unfold themselves so well with topnotch voice acting and the best visuals on a console to date. I never found a reason to register a complaint ... never being bored of what the game could show me next.

MGS4 is memorable in so many ways and was very hard to write about overall. Not only was this an important chapter in an eternal franchise, but it’s a strong ending point for me as a gamer. I do have a special attachment to the material, so I wasn’t sure if I was too close to subjectively look at the experience as whole. The few problems that exist for the game come only as a sense of already known differences between the player and MGS itself, and this game is little exception.

If anyone who has ever had qualms with convoluted storyline coming from the MGS series was not won over by the bounce back to a more coherent narrative with MGS3, the rather slight-of-hand interests and depictions in MGS4 may still be an unattractive avenue at best. I have heard an abundance of players fall in love with MGS even this late into the series, but I chalk that up to Kojima’s team in crafting such a readily applicable FPS engine. MGS4 did the opposite of MGS2 ... in luring the player into a false sense of security. MGS2 did it with vets and then appealed to the outsider going deeper, while MGS4 delivers a punchy first act with recognizable set pieces (Middle Eastern warfare) and then moves on to the heavier MGS affair. A very nice converse to those who will seek to try the new look and then be met with some rather heavy supplements of a more familiar MGS nature. The chaotic environment is only backed by how FPS games have taken over the game landscapes popularity and how Kojima uses this as a vice to show what little room might be left with anyone in more diverse aspirations. With so many little nods to whet the appetites of people in varying skill and mindsets, the game serves as a great breeding ground to please anyone with a PlayStation 3 and the curiosity of how this great series could have ended on such a “different” note ... only to find that a refresh doesn’t dismantle the core MGS series for what it really is.

Not only am I in love with the story woven in the MGS series, but I think the work done by Kojima has single-handedly pushed the entire narrative in the culture of gaming forward. Most people quick to point out more face time to the actual characters in a cinematic than play time would be too quick to undermine the importance of what the series has done.

MGS was one of the first and at the forefront to try and craft realism like never before. The series has had several undertones about it, with MGS4 being the want of Kojima’s desire for someone else to carry the torch. MGS has helped toward the legitimization of why games have a very real message and can only carry on through the help of others and their new ways to dictate story. While the game’s strengths have always been with storytelling, there would be no reason for MGS4 to change itself and forsake what the rest of the series has built up to. The game has opened doors for other masters of the craft to step up and try to convince people that MGS just tried to hand the building blocks of what narrative can mean so that other series can try to dispel the cries of noninvolving storytelling and immerse the player that MGS has done so well already. As mentioned, gaming is an incredibly young medium, and any complaints I hear about the way MGS is trying to tell its story are basically from people yearning for more mature ways of telling stories in video games that haven’t been explored or thought of yet. MGS is the base of storytelling in gaming in a lot of different aspects and was trying to create those building blocks to pass off so others could create better dictations and characters in the future. If MGS has lackluster story in people’s eyes, it’s merely a problem with how archaic or new Kojima has tried to fashion the practice and art of conveying plot to the player. Storytelling in gaming had to start somewhere, and it started with MGS.

This game has not only made me feel the bitter pain of how real a character can seem, but also has the honor being the first game that made me cry. Due in part to this was the stirring ending and how everything absolved together to leave no stones unturned as far as closure. My worry is that anyone who plays will miss out on similar feelings, not having played or cared about previous installments. MGS4 serves as kind of a really powerfully moving eulogy, but for those who have no attachment to the deceased, they will fail to feel anything beyond a stranded sense of merited unrelated importance. The game is heavily reliant on past titles, and anyone who has not been impressed thus far has no point to be tempted by any false promises. There’s no reason to come into this game with false reserves because of its graphical prowess. The game still sticks to its big guns of long cinematic and encourages quiet gameplay. Some people may never have found comfort in this ... and they will fail to find a spot with MGS4 as well. You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but you can rest assured he’ll remind you why he’s stayed around so long in the first place.

While I feel this game is such a blessing in this day and age of flippant experiences and lighter affairs, I can’t begin to tell you what a mark of excellence MGS4 represents. The game comes from teams of devoted people who truly care and want to deliver gameplayers lasting affairs. I was drawn into this game, detached from any sense of control and driven to a speechless nature. I could do nothing more than look on as I was presented with a blitzed sense of absorption through gorgeous cutscenes and the emotions they evoked. While creating some of the deepest moments of unbridled anxiety in moments of despair, the last stretches of the game were simply breathtaking and only serve to a greater resistance of hoping you can one day be blown away by the same sense of accomplishment that might seem like a pipe dream to those who refer to games as lesser entertainment. With subtleties pronounced, and nuances immense, MGS breaks through the currently standing barriers of player involvement in the most unregulated urge to try and deliver players enjoyment that I see no other game team trying to accomplish. This game’s strongest quality is its Sense, and if you could care less of what kind of abstract you can bare from that, then the game’s worthy achievement will seem like nothing more than an “interactive movie.” For me though, the game begs thanks of why I’m a gamer and why I continue to be one with utmost pride.