So at least there are some joys when writing analytical pieces like these. Mostly things like getting to brag when games like the following 4 roll on to my doorstep. And the following are a smoking slice of proof, that 3 is in fact not the lucky number…it’s been 4 all along.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

I decided to move on to something that I could actually be happy to write about and that is Call of Duty. For me, I’ve had a deep love for the Call of Duty series for a long, long time. However, I share the same love for the Medal of Honour series. I’m sorry. I just love blowing away Nazi’s with my M1 Garand, then hearing that click as the cartridge is empty and the metal pin pops out. Love it! And then, along came Modern Warfare, and people were very, very weary of it. They weren’t used to this. Where was their trusted Panzerfaust and Browning machine gun? Where were there authentic WW2 battles and WW2 vehicles? No! They wanted them back! Away with you Infinity Ward and your crazy ideas they called! These ludicrous concepts are not what we want!

Or so they thought. Because what the boys at IW slapped down on the table hit them with a force that they were, not only not used to, but not ready for at all. Enter Modern Warfare. Hands down one of the best, if not the best, FPS I have played to date. With awe inspiring graphics, a deeply immersive storyline and an arsenal that would scare Osama out of his cave in two seconds. Besides from the multitude of other brilliant features that COD4 had (which I could boast over for hours) it also had an online experience that was pure gold, wrapped in diamonds and then squeezed into a piece of jewellery using Scarlett Johansson’s rear end. This was one for the record books, and I am already biting my fingertips off in excitement at the next instalment in the series.

Bravo Infinity Ward! Bravo!

Metal Gear Solid 4

Solid Snake…he’s future warfare’s undercover golden child and the bad ass of badasses! This guy could not only drop you with a single bullet from a mile away, he could do it while clutching a smoke in between his parsed lips and simultaneously breaking an enemy’s neck using only his pinkie. Yes, he’s that badass! This guy could put a mutated super-soldier made up of Chuck Norris, Steven Seagull and Werner Koekemoer to shame. Mr. Koekemoer, if you’re reading this, which I highly doubt that you are. Not that I’m saying you can’t read. Just. Um. Um. Please don’t beat me up and burn down my house! Sooooo, now that the apologies are out of the way, on to the real fun…praising this spectacular game. Yes, this game had a lot of hype surrounding it. A lot of gaming sites were calling it the reason to buy a PS3.

Others called it the  Playstation’s claim to fame. And was it? Yes it was, and then some more! If you still don’t own a PS3, this game could just well be the sole reason for getting one. Featuring a perfect aiming system, inventory system and stealth system not seen in such glorious sparkle since the first Metal Gear. Take away all of these things, and the game is still an 8 out of 10 if not more. Beautiful score, brilliant graphics, knee-shattering action sequences and a story line that makes Hollywood writers tremble in fear of losing their jobs to the boys from Kojima.

That’s what Metal Gear is all about! The only thing that gets me even more sweaty in the drawers than the thought of another Metal Gear is the thought of a game based on Raiden from Metal Gear. A deadly ninja like cyborg assassin with crazy acrobatic skills? Yes please! Hideo Kojima, stop teasing us and tell us the rumours are true already!

GTA 4

If any of you began your reign of terror on society with the good-old top down view GTA then by the time GTA 3 came along you were ready to be all that you can be…in a drug crippled, goon ridden, kill-anyone-you-want society. I know I was. But when I saw the screens for GTA 4, to be honest, I wasn’t that impressed. Mostly because they kept throwing teaser trailer, after teaser trailer, after…sigh. I was screaming at my poor monitor: Show me the damn game already!

Thankfully they didn’t, because maybe I was one of the few that wasn’t SO excited for GTA 4, so when I popped it into my shiny black box, it caused me to lose my voice, sight and hearing for about 3 days. Yes, Grand Theft Auto  left me deaf, dumb and blind it was so awesome.

I think I must have spent the first 7 hours playing the game, doing nothing more than using my elbow to bust open car windows and without notice or warning, yanking said unsuspecting vehicle owner out of his newly purchased caddy. The events that followed between me and his car are better left censored (mostly I just drove it really fast off any raised object I could find, to sit back and watch the sun glisten over the hood of my car. All in slow mo.) Dukes of Hazard…eat your heart, liver, lungs, any organ you can get, out.

One thing that made GTA 4 so great for gamers (besides the awesome graphics and ragdoll physics) was the new cover, aim and shoot system. Bullets would ricochet off brick walls as you hid behind them as your rival, gun-toting thug fired round after round at you. Look, this is another game that I could go on about endlessly. I could talk about the AWESOME mini-games, the ability to fly a chopper or one of my favourite perks…being able to get drunk, stumble out of a bar and then go and pick up a hooker. That’s freedom. The only thing I would like to know, is how could they possibly make the next instalment (GTA 5…not any other piece of DLC) any better than it’s predecessor? How? Actually, if you guys comment on this, please, tell me how! I’d like to know! Rockstar, you guys…well…rock!

Devil May Cry 4

Another series of games that rained down awesomeness upon the gaming world when it was first released by Capcom in 2001, was the Devil May Cry games. Since then, it’s had its highs and lows (one low in particular being the sequel – DMC 2) but still it managed to hold its own and finally came out on top in blazing glory.

DMC 4 does have a few minor points that caused irritation under fanboys of the series. Like the original protagonist, Dante, now being substituted for a younger version of the gun-wielding, sword toting half demon. And this little, white haired boy is called Nero. But make no mistake…Nero aint no boy. O no, he is one mean, mean, actually, really mean son-of-a-gun.

With the help of his demon infused arm, The Devilbringer and his trusty BIG ASS revolver, The Blue Rose, this man could take down the demon world all by himself. And he does. Slaughtering one after another after another, all in the desperate pursuit of his beloved. O, I almost forgot, he has a big ass broadsword to help you get through the slaying as well and this puppy is as hungry as a fat man at a buffet.

Bad points put aside, DMC4 made up by having a stack of good points in spades, diamonds, clubs and any face card imaginable. See what I was doing there? I was trying to say that it had it all. It was like the perfect shooter, meets the perfect hack-and-slash, meets the perfect RPG.

Okay, maybe I’m giving it a bit too much credit, but I could not put it down after I started playing. With its challenging Boss Fights and fast paced, chain-together-kills Combo System it brought back fond memories for me. Ones that I had last felt when I first delved into the epic story of Dante. And I’ll give it to Capcom, for me, Nero did a pretty good job of living up to his relatives bloodthirsty legacy. Hooray’s are in order! Hooray Capcom! Hooray! And Capcom, just so you know, I already  have my piggy bank ready to get busted open for your next 2 titles: Dark Void and Bionic Commando. Bring it on baby!

Well guys, that’s that for this feature. I do realize, all throughout this trilogy of writing, that I have left out a lot of great sequels and horrible sequels. You have to understand however that there simply are too many for me to cover in this article. I could have rambled on for hours about how great some of these games are, and how there are other games that deserved a sequel but never received it. I know this. But just hold on for Part 3 of my epic saga and hear what I have to say about games that have received the sequel call and ended…leaving us anxiously awaiting the next instalment. Thanks for reading guys and keep on gaming!