By Damon Sims
The "Metal Gear" series is riveting because it is driven by a masterful story and values stealth over violence. "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" brings the 20-year saga full circle and, while highlighting its traditional gameplay elements, adds new twists.
In this installment, Solid Snake is called back into service to assassinate Liquid Ocelot, who, through modern technology and shortsighted policies, has gained control of the military. The game is split into five acts. The first introduces players to new game elements and characters. Watching the cinematic movies is essential -- don't look away, don't get up to make a sandwich. The voice acting is superb. The animation and graphics are the best of any PS3 game to date.
The mano-a-mano battles with major characters are a fantastic finishing touch to each stage. These battles require quick wits and quicker digits. The attack patterns change and the surroundings play a role in the action. Online play, distinguished multiple difficulty levels and the quest of finishing the game undetected give this package high replay value.
