Gameloft's Modern Combat series has gone from strength to strength and the fourth title, Zero Hour, steps things up once again. Unfortunately there are also strangely archaic hold-overs being dragged in its wake, preventing the big-console inspired game from being an all-time classic.

The hold-over I speak of is the AI. By now fans of the series have come to appreciate, and maybe even love the way Gameloft have pitched their controls, giving players access to tight, action-packed levels without compromising on the difficulty. Though how that difficulty is obtained is somewhat less impressive - enemies routinely expose themselves to cross-fire, taking no heed of their own safety or of breaching your defensive positions. In short, it's a duck-shooting gallery - all the more-so if you happen to play with the generous auto-aim enabled.

With that said, Zero Hour goes further than previous titles in creating unique and gorgeously rendered scenarios, placing you in control of characters from both sides of the table. One mission you'll be defending the United States, and on another you'll be attempting to capture and hold the President hostage.

Although the means by which the game changes the tone of each stage is blunt, it's great to bounce between feeling like a patriotic hero and a grizzled, bloodthirsty maniac out for revenge. You really get a great sense of the calm, yet fast-paced precision of the former, while the latter swathes through a sea of corpses without a care in the world.

Occasionally you'll switch perspectives as you take control of an on-rails shooter section, often signified by a drone, but players can also mix-up and augment their experience by purchasing items that specialize their character.

A Modern Combat game wouldn't be complete without the obligatory multiplayer mode and Gameloft once again delivers a rock-solid online experience (as long as you're not having troubles connecting or finding other players). Aside from the commonly seen modes, players can level the playing field with a 'back to basics' mode or turn on the crazy with a capture-and-hold mode that triggers global boosts.

For those who enjoy playing a certain way, specialization options will now reward you for sticking to these methods. It's a great way to encourage diversity, though this can be somewhat side-stepped if you're willing to fork out cash to purchase better weaponry early on. It doesn't ruin the game, but the 'pay-to-win' concept leaves a bitter taste in many player's mouths (especially as you've already paid to play).

Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour pushes the series a step closer towards perfection, though it still has some distance to go thanks to poor AI implementation and combat scenarios that can border on repetitive. In the least it's worth picking it up for the campaign and it's over-the-top storyline, but you'll stay for the multiplayer once you're done.