Many gaming critics moan about the lack of innovation in the gaming industry, ourselves included.
But after seeing Call of Duty 4: Modern Combat (COD4) in action, we've realised that games don't always need to innovate to entertain.
You see, this game stays very true to earlier games in the series.
It doesn't feel the need to reinvent the wheel. It's still a festival ride of military action, leading the player through heavily scripted scenes, comprised of more action than ten Black Hawk Down films combined.
It remains a relatively linear process, allowing the designers to finely craft the experience to deliver the most explosive battles yet seen in a video game.
And, just like its predecessors, we can say that even though we've only witnessed a mere twenty minute hands-off demo, it's one of the most exciting first person shooters we've ever seen.
... As our fellow soldiers scrabbled behind cover, we noticed one of the most impressive new effects in the game - character animation.
The bosses at Infinity Ward need to give their animators and engine programmers a fat bonus cheque, as the animation is second to none.
We can't recall any other game where the running, sliding, even stumbling, of the characters looked so real.
...The next level hammered home this fact, as we flew into the first Middle Eastern mission with ten Black Hawks visible outside our chopper's door.
The squadron flew low and fast over a detailed Middle Eastern city, constructed at a level of detail that makes GRAW 2's scenery look decidedly average.
Yet it maintained the rock solid 60 frames per second frame rate that gives the game such a silky smooth look.
...This very brief taste of has only left us wanting more.
Even in its pre-alpha state, COD4 has more polish than most finished first person shooters. It's one of the finest shooters we've seen at E3, and the wait for its release is going to be grueling.