"Metal Gear Solid 4 will be the end of the Snake saga," proclaimed Executive Producer and Creative Director Hideo Kojima. Playing through the first moments of his now completed epic, Kojima highlights the conclusion of the long-running narrative to one of gaming's most iconic figures. The ending of one thing only serves as the beginning for another, as our hands-on time with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots at Konami Gamers' Night proved. While the game may serve as an end to the story of Snake, it prompts an innovative new beginning as Kojima's massive title attempts to rocket gaming into a new generation of cinematic quality and unparalleled interactivity.

The game's introductory sequence, which has already been released via video form, provides a taste of the cinematic style that pervades the entire Metal Gear Solid 4 experience. As Kojima explained, "This is a title beyond platforms. I created this game to find answers to twenty years of questions in this series." While innovations have certainly been introduced to the series' stealth-action gameplay, the careful attention placed on the narrative and how it's presented are clear. The prologue opens with Old Snake hitching a ride with local militia into a war-torn Middle Eastern town. An intense battle between militiamen and their private military contractor (PMC) foes ensues, leaving Old Snake with a decision. Either engage in the conflict on behalf of one side or the other, or simply walk away to complete his own objectives. A sophisticated map accessible via the main in-game menu enables you to spot your objective marker in either two- or three-dimensions.

The ability to engage in the war between the local militia and PMC forces continues as the game transitions from prologue into the first act entitled "Liquid Sun." It's here that the game begins in proper, granting full control over Old Snake as he makes his way through the dilapidated desert city. Lengthy cutscenes introduce the act, as well as to highlight key moments, although you're free to skip them; additionally, the ability to quickly flip through codec conversations lets you bypass all the talk to get to the action. Being able to skip through story-driven scenes represents a crucial measure taken to Westernize the series—this, along with a number of new gameplay mechanics, promise to achieve that goal. In many ways, the game takes inspiration from other notable third-person action titles like Gears of War in reshaping its combat to be more visceral and accessible. The ability to take the stealthy highroad remains, but the emphasis on action is undoubtedly greater in this fourth installment.

A great example of how Kojima has modernized his series comes in the form of new contextual actions. Pulled directly from Gears of War, you can now execute specific actions whenever a context-sensitive icon pops up on the bottom of the screen. In an oft-referenced scene, Old Snake is able to use his octo-camouflage to disguise himself as a statue. Doing so requires walking up to a stand housing two statues, the third having been destroyed by gunfire. An icon appears on the bottom of the screen that enables Old Snake to hop onto the platform, activate the disguise, and remain motionless. When you're finished, you can step down from the stand by pressing the same context-sensitive action button. Since the octo-camouflage remains on the statue setting, a quick shake of the controller resets the suit to default. As a note, the game supports both the Sixaxis and Dual Shock 3 controllers.

An expanded arsenal and new weapon upgrades also contribute to the greater focus on action. During the first act, Old Snake meets an enigmatic arms dealer named Drebin. Sending weapons to the man nets you Drebin points used to purchase new weapons and customize your current stock. Traditional weapons ranging from shotguns to automatic rifles abound, but it's a small number of specialized arms that are worth saving points for. One powerful matchlock gun pulled from Japanese mythology called the tanegashima is capable of firing a shot that summons a kamikaze, or divine wind. While the bullet itself isn't very devastating, the twister it unleashes not only clears the area of enemies it also drops a helpful cache of ammunition.

The possibilities for customization are virtually endless, limited only by your available Drebin points. Taking a standard AK-47, for example, you could enhance it with a flashlight and laser sight. While the laser sight provides a discernible advantage during combat, the flashlight supports a unique tactic. While it makes you easy to spot, it can also temporary stun an enemy. Equipping a flashlight-equipped firearm and then hiding with Old Snake's octo-camouflage, you can wait for any enemy to appear and then jump out with the flashlight on. The bright light renders the enemy blinds for a few short seconds during which you can take him out.