Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was finally released today, 10 years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and 20 years after the first Metal Gear, first published by Konami in 1987 for the MSX2 home computer. The impressive game was developed by Kojima Productions and will only be available on Sony's Playstation 3 gaming console.

The stealth action video game is the seventh in the successful Metal Gear series which is credited with kicking off the stealth gaming genre, in which avoiding direct encounter with the enemy is emphasized over attacking upfront.

The game also comes in a Limited Edition version which includes a neat box and a Blu-ray disc packing all the extra video features. MGS4 follows Old Snake, the special operations agent and mercenary who works for a fictional black ops and espionage unit. Snake is trying to figure out the rise of a conglomerate of Private Military Companies, or PMCs.

There is a new form of camouflage called "Octocamo" which allows the wearer to blend in with any surface within a few seconds. Another neat feature is the Threat Ring, which appears when Snake is stationary and indicates approaching danger. Also, the new monocular device called "Solid Eye" combines night vision and binocular devices into one unit.

Graphics look stunning, which combined with the already legendary gameplay of the series, now further improved, have driven the game's Metacritic score to 95 percent and the Game Rankings score to 92 percent. The only consistent criticism is linked to the awkward storyline which doesn’t always make sense.

The game is truly a masterpiece which will satisfy the series' fans. However, those used to fast-paced 3D shooters will find the game too slow for their taste. Furthermore, Sony counts on Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, released exclusively for its Playstation 3 gaming console, to drive sales of its powerful gaming machine.