(This review is spoiler-free)

Snake has come back to us. He's a bit worse for wear, but even then the stealthy curmudgeon more than holds his own in a fight. This time, the fight has become a commodity for private military corporations to boost their fiscal year earnings. Snake is back, but what exactly for? To fight a war that has changed? Or to play pawn in a war that never changes? It's a compelling yarn, one that weaves in and out of the labrynthine tale woven by Metal Gear games past and delves into themes such as the irreparable traumas of war, the ambivalent face of technology in the increasingly impersonal battlefield, loyalty, and even patricide. The story even tackles the mammoth task of straightening out the series timeline - Not an easy feat in the very least (just as any MGS fan). There's also the trademark Kojima humor interspersed throughout all the drama, which is a nice break from overall bleakness.

Before jumping into the review I must get it out: This is the game PS3 owners have been waiting for. As a game, it staggers under its number of flaws; As an experience, it's rock SOLID, unfallible - A masterpiece. Enough hyperbole. Now, to get into the nitty gritty.

Read the rest after the jump.