The vast majority of individuals who put their MGS4 disc into their system had been waiting for it since Hideo Kojima announced it as the final chapter of Solid Snake. Being the first in the series to be on the current next-gen systems, expectations were all the more elevated. There are few sequels that actually deliver on such prospects, especially when carrying on a storyline that has spanned over seven titles. Guns of the Patriots is really nothing new; same Snake, same stealth action, same particularly loud sound blip to let you know that yes, they’ve seen you. Which is one of the most impressive aspects of the game: its still an unbelievable experience. In an era of sequels, developers attempt to pull gamers back to a series by introducing some new aspect of gameplay, which usually ends up second-rate. MGS4 may not revolutionary, but fans of the series didn’t necessarily want something new. Besides, the series has already established itself as leader in the stealth genre. The only two features that have seen some adjustment are the camera view (Guns of the Patriots takes a more first-person view) and, of course, the graphics.

How many games can you be shooting a 105mm gun from a plane one minute, and the next adjusting for the curve of the earth so you can take someone’s head off from 1500 feet? Ok maybe that’s a bad example, but how many games can do that while having amazing online game play and a level of detail that can bring all but the best video cards to their knees? Infinity Ward answered that question with one of 2007’s best games, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

5/5