Though i love all MGS games immensly, 4 is my fav in the series (and the series is my fav in the medium ^_^), so, MGS4>MGS3>MGS2=MGS1.
It is, of course, an aquired taste, maybe even more so than before, so yes one might not like it as it is certainly not cut from the standard mold. As far as cinematography, narrative and 4th wall smashing it is in my book by far the best in 'any' medium, complete with homages and refferences to some of the the greatest directors & writers of the more or less recent generations. It's an incredible achievement in so many ways, some so subtle that few people actually "get".
I was just thinking at Memento or the more recent Pandorum, i presonally consider them both excelent movies, but there's a lot of hate towards them as well, i gues it comes with the territory. There's alway gonna be people that dislike certain stuff, it's only natural.
"You have the right to the remains of a silent attorney"
