My Top 10 Games of '08 - #2

It never really occurred to me that Metal Gear Solid 3 was a bad game. I loved the game when I played it, and to this day it might be one of my favorite games of the last generation. But I'm confronted by and odd query: Since Metal Gear Solid 4 does most of everything better, does this mean that MGS3 is inherently bad?

The answer, ultimately, is no, not really, but that was pretty much a preface to this: Metal Gear Solid 4 is a goddamn achievement. It was able to modernize its gameplay so that Halo players might be able to get into the series while giving purists something to thrive on as well. The technical flaws are few and far between (and by that I mean that I didn't find any, but if I say 'none' someone will prove me wrong), and it manages to look better than Gears of War 2. Finally, it wraps up that indisputable mess created be the first three entries in the series into a cohesive whole that manages to be watchable, and, if Kojima is to believed, does something few other games do; saying goodbye to a character formally, versus re-iterating the character until they is no longer relevant.

It manages to be worthwhile as both a game and a cinematic experiences, and makes no compromises in either department. It is both well-founded and innovative, making improvements where they are needed and leaving what is already great alone. Its technical prowess is second to none, while also being thought-provoking and seemingly artistic. It does have a tendency to be a little heavy-handed with its message, and it does transform into a movie at the end, but that isn't a bad thing. Give Kojima a little time to get set up, and the experience the most tight and solid (sigh...) game of the year, bar none.