1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)
Publisher: Konami Developer: Kojima Productions
It's highly possible that Solid Snake will have a movie made of him one day, and I suspect that MGS 4: Guns of the Patriots will be a real inspiration for that project. This game is very much a movie in and of itself, where certain scenes play out in front of you in cutscenes, while others are left up to you to perform. It's the beauty of what Hideo Kojima and his staff created here - an interactive movie that never fails to disappoint from start to finish.
Solid Snake looks the part of a brittle old man, but he feels formidable as ever when in your control.
The additions the developers included throughout the game blend seamlessly into every aspect of the gameplay. And the best part is that you can still play it in whatever style you want. You can ignore the Drebin point system that allows you to buy unlocked weapons or sneak and slip your way through levels wherever and whenever you can.
The enemy AI is sharp and adaptable. The battles are fierce and filled with tension. And the story - well, the story is just remarkable, tying up all those loose plot threads from the previous three installments. Some of the personal stories characters recount are horrific in their scope, but they all add equal layers of remorse and tension to the story at the same time. Seeing it all come together is well worth it.
And that's made all the more impressive by what is essentially the best-looking video game in gaming history. It's a visual masterpiece in so many ways, and one that any non-gamer can gaze at and appreciate. No question,
MGS 4 will be a benchmark for other games to try to match. Eventually, they will but
this one will always remain a huge classic.