Metal Gear Solid 4 is extremely sad. It's a story of a man who was manufactured to fulfil a role he doesn't understand, pushing himself further and further past his limit to the edge of death. I really like this, it felt entirely unique to the rest of the series. Certain cutscenes can feel genuinely hard to watch, especially as Snake's condition deteriorates.

This is why I found the final epilogue so disappointing. Big Boss shows up! The entirety of the story was his plan! Turns out Foxdie isn't going to be a problem anymore! In attempting to tie everything together in one neat bow, Kojima managed to have the opposite effect. Maybe I will warm to this over time, but it left me feeling unsatisfied in the moment.