#15 - Metal Gear Solid 3 (Kudos to no-one for guessing this)
GOOD GUESS BRENDUDE!
Yeah, it's been a while since this clue. Metal Gear Solid remains to this day one of the most enjoyable cinematic experiences I've ever played. The mix of storytelling and stealth action gameplay is second to only one other in my list. I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed the gameplay, really, considering the jungle setting really put me off when it was first pitch - but once I played it, it actually turned out better than I expected.
MGS3 is probably Kojima's best ever story. By not allowing itself to be bogged down by the past (although occasionally it gets a little bogged down with what has to come in the future), it managed to start with a "clean" slate to just tell a fantastic spy-fiction storyline, full of twists and turns but more importantly - really interesting characters.
The CQC combat system made hand to hand combat much less of a struggle than previous games, and things like stamina meters and the need to eat were neat little touches. In fact, the game was filled with neat little things that make it stand out from its peers, like Snake's grunts of anger when firing weapons for a long period of time.
But the main draw of MGS for me - besides the story - is out here in full force. The boss battles. Holy shit, the boss battles. A whole array of ridiculous villains, the kind I've come to expect from MGS, are here and better than ever. But there's also more than that. There's an action-packed bike chase which wouldn't feel out of place in an action movie. There's a CQC combat sequence with an emotional backstory. This is definitely a highlight in the series for me.
All in all, one of Kojima's better works, and restored my faith in the franchise after the spotty MGS2 (much like I'm hoping MGS5 will do after the spotty MGS4).
