GRAW

So, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter. I'm not going to talk about the graphics because everyone knows that they are absolutely stunning. What I will talk about is the gameplay which I believe is a step above most gameplay for first person shooters. And this is mainly because of the very smooth cover system and squad system they have in place. It is very easy to maintain cover while aiming and taking out any opposing forces. Now it doesn't mean the game is easy, a shot here and there and you or your men are down. And often, if you don't use your recon correctly the enemies will get the jump on you robbing you of your precious cover before you can get there.
I generally am a person that has to restart every single time one of my allies goes down in a game like this. I think its because they are an extension of me, they give me abilities that I as a single player character could not possibly accomplish. Actually one of the most satisfying things to do in this game is spot for your sniper if you have one and get the jump on enemies as they are taking cover from your sniper.
This is different from Halo of course in the fact that in Halo the NPC's that are with you during your mission actually are not an extension of you because you have little to not interaction with them. They are merely a part of the environment and you might as well just appreciate them for the extensive conversation that they will give you. This is not to say that the allies you have in Halo and Halo 2 don't supply you with any support, its just that they don't supply you with any support you are in control of aside from taking their weapons or spots in vehicles. In GRAW I'm able to effectively control my allies without a cluttered interface or any confusion of my part, the system is not perfect but it is definitely a step in the right direction as far as immersive and entertaining first person shooters are.