The best (and worst of MGS) in one extravagant, bloated, wonderful package. The intro where you can flip channels through the world's fake programming, the multiple installs, the 45 minute long cutscenes, the insane weapon customization, the fanservice, oh man, the fanservice. It didn't really add anything new, but it refined the series traditional gameplay to near perfection. I definitely had some issues with the story (it definitely needed editing), but I can definitely admire Kojima's efforts to incorporate the series 20 years of material mostly successfully when most developers wouldn't even try. The video game equivalent reminiscent of the auteur driven epics of the "New Hollywood" era. There was no game like it before or since. The fact that a game like that even exists at all is an achievement in itself. A physically and emotionally draining experience. It certainly not my favorite Metal Gear, but it was well deserving of GAF's GOTY...twice. I don't really have any desire to play again, but if it were to get a FOX engine remake, I might reconsider.