Metal Gear Solid 4 is one of those games that makes you take a deep breath after playing it: you begin to wonder if a game could achieve much more and you think back on all of the amazing scenes you've played through as well as the emotional roller-coaster that you are unlikely to go through again. It is one of those games that confirms that video-gaming is an art and prove that they can be just as engaging as any big cinema release. Basically, Metal Gear Solid 4 is a once in a life-time experience. Sure, other games in the series were arguably more innovative such as the utilization of First-Person controls in MGS 2 but the other games in the series had their fair share of problems. For example, the story on MGS 2 almost derailed the series and the fan-base was split down the middle by the appearance of Raiden. However, this is not to say that Metal Gear Solid 4 lacked original scenarios for the series, the whole of the first two chapters are like nothing seen in the previous games. By far the most impressive aspect of Metal Gear Solid 4 though is the game's use of story-telling and character progression. There are some obvious references to previous games but they are cleverly done so the game doesn't become a parody. Throughout the whole game we can feel attached to the characters in a way that is rarely conveyed in Video Games; we wonder what will happen to Snake, will Otagon ever grow out of being a geek and will Liquid ever be defeated? The game brings together elements of the series together in such a fashion that it is sometimes easy to forget about its other impressive feats such as the ground-breaking graphics that still look perfect today. Metal Gear Solid 4 does precisely what a sequel is meant to do, tying up the loose ends, giving the better a better playing experience than the previous games and also remaining innovative. Saying all of this, Metal Gear Solid 4 still does not eclipse the impact of the first game, even despite the return to Shadow Moses. What Can be learned: Make your sequel tie up any loose ends in the story, even if previous games have made the story somewhat confusing.Honourable Mention: Metal Gear Solid 2 As previously mentioned, MGS 2 was arguably the most innovative game in the series but the confusing story and the decision to cut Snake from the majority of the game almost derailed the series.