Alright, so I've played about 1/4 of MGS4, and really enjoyed it. I'm muy awful at shooters, and even some action titles, but really dug the corny over the top story, characters, and coolio visuals. Gameplay is decent, and fun, and thankfully, pretty easy even on "normal" difficulty.

I don't get a lot of time on my PS3 (easier to hang w/ my wife playing on the laptop, PSP, DS...), so I figured I'd spend some quality time w/ the original, playing it on my PSP. Well, I immdiately got annoyed with the controls, and the heavier emphasis on stealth (I'm way too impatient for that!). After about 4 or 5 hours, I bailed on it. Instead, I picked up MGS2 for PS2 and PC. Tried the PC version (ironically, using a PS3 controller...), and it was the same bag. The camera controls, sluggish aiming, control quirks (heaven forbid I should be able to walk/run AND reload at the same time) drove me BATTY. I got barely an hour into it (the first "boss" where you're shooting darts at the Russian woman), and after many fits of aiming the dambed gun ver...y...slow...ly..., not being always able to dodge her grenades because Silly Snake is reloading and standing there like a bumpus while doing so... etc. I just said "ta heck with this".

So yeah, I'll give MGS3 a go on the PS2. But it begs the question... why were the first two a no-go for me?

1. I suk... I'm too much of an old, soft, Xbox hugging, RPG playing, American doofus to ever have a shot at a game requiring the finesse and providing the challenge of MGS...

2. MGS4 is just that much better than 1 & 2 ... Looks great, controls work like I would expect, Snake moves more or less as I would like, etc.

Please be gentle...

Before MGS3, I think I'll step back and play the new Monkey Island chapter...