The latest from NASCAR and 'Metal Gear Solid'

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"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots"Platform: PlayStation 3Genre: Stealth ActionPublisher: KonamiESRB Rating: M, for MatureGrade: 4.5 stars (out of 5)It all comes full circle eventually, and like anything that has a beginning, it must have an end. We will be sad to see no more of Solid Snake, but you can rest assured that he goes out in classic Snake glory."Guns of the Patriots" is the final installment in the long history of "Metal Gear Solid," and while doors are left open for potential spin-off franchises, this was Konami's last chance to give gamers the full-on stealth experience that this series practically has a monopoly on.Solid Snake is now going by Old Snake, as he has become a cagey, creaky-but-not-yet-broken warrior. Being a clone, his age has advanced rapidly. Most of the typical gameplay you've come to expect from the series is back. The old camouflage system has been removed, though, and it's been replaced with a more high-tech OctoCamo suit -- a huge upgrade, in my opinion. Other improvements, such as the Solid Eye that has taken the place of all the goggles and other vision aids, certainly give this game some fresh appeal.There's also a new cohort named Drebin (insert your own "Police Squad" jokes at will here), who helps unlock new weapons for you. He's a trusty aide, but his ability to replenish your ammo at will and provide you higher-quality weaponry almost takes the "stealth" portion out of the game altogether.Also on the downside, the online content is horribly insufficient, and further shows the lag between the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live.But it's certainly the most stunning PS3 game released so far. The visuals are spot-on throughout, and if you can somehow make it through the seemingly endless cutscenes, you will appreciate the cinematic feel of the game. One thing you can know for sure is that there has never been a franchise like "Metal Gear Solid," and no other series has come to a close with such style."NASCAR 09"Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PS2Genre: RacingPublisher: EA SportsESRB Rating: E, for EveryoneGrade: 3 starsSure, I can name a few drivers off the top of my head, but my experience with the NASCAR world pretty much consists of the new EA game that comes out every year. So while I can say that the '09 edition is a much crisper, streamlined setup, it's not making me into a fan anytime soon.The gameplay itself is solid, though it does not go to any great lengths to impress. If nothing else, you have to appreciate the way the cars feel more tethered to the track. Previous editions gave the impression you were coasting through the air in circles; at least now the tires appear to be gripping the pavement and responding as you so wish.I'm not a NASCAR aficionado by any means, but I am surprised at how few wrecks happen in the course of playing. Most of my NASCAR knowledge comes from ESPN's "SportsCenter," where all you hear about are wrecks, wrecks and more wrecks. This is not new information, and whether it accurately represents the sport is superfluous here. But for a sport that seems to encounter a lot of wrecked cars and high-tension turns, you don't experience much of that here.Most of your time will be spent in career mode. Here you can paint your own car and detail it how you like. Reputation and Performance points mean everything, from getting better sponsors (money) and acquiring new customizations (getting a faster, better-performing car). There's an online mode that plays just fine, but you're not going to find anything special there that's not offered offline already.(E-mail Chris Campbell at game_on_games(at)mac.com)