The Metal Gear series has always been known for its emphasis on quality and high production values and the latest installment, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops for the Sony PSP is no exception. Showcasing all of the exceptional traits of the previous titles, plus adding in some new and unique features specifically designed for use on a portable console, MGS: Portable Ops offers quite a lot for fans and new gamers alike.
Set immediately after the events of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the story takes place in South America in the 1970s and serves to illustrate a previously unknown chapter in Metal Gear timeline. Without giving away too much, the game begins with Snake (our protagonist, for those not familiar with the series) being captured and thrown into jail in a remote, Russian controlled military base deep in the jungles of Columbia. From there, the plot unfolds with all of the stealthy espionage, twists, turns and double crossing that we have come to expect from this venerable series. But this time around, Snake is not entirely on his own, as has been the norm previously. In this outing he is joined by additional characters that he must “recruit” from the rogue Russian military faction that are the main adversaries in the game. It is this new twist to the gameplay mechanics that proves to be one of MGS: Portable Ops’ best features.
For the most part, Portable Ops controls in much the same way as previous versions of the game, with the same emphasis on sneaking around, using specialized spy gear and occasional moments of frenzied combat. But instead of utilizing Snake for all of these exploits, players will often be playing as captured soldiers, scientists and other assorted individuals. As explained during an early cut-scene (masterfully illustrated by frequent MGS artist Ashely Wood), Snake must capture and then convince opposing soldiers that they are fighting for the wrong side and that they should instead be aiding Snake in taking down the rogue militant sect bent on nuclear destruction of various world powers. After these soldiers have been convinced (just talking folks- no bamboo + fingernails here), they are then added to a roster of playable characters and can be utilized in the missions along side or instead of Snake. Each character has their own unique attributes and specialties that introduce a new strategic element to the game, as one must choose which characters are best suited to each mission and/or support roles. Plus, adding new soldiers to one’s “army” isn’t limited to capturing them in game. In an inspired move, the developers have included a mode that takes advantage of the PSP’s wireless capabilities and allows one to scan for any near-by wireless networks, which then allocates a new soldier to your roster once one is found. These new recruits are often quite specialized and useful, making this feature a valuable one. Though on a related note, you may find that wandering around searching for Wi-Fi connections will make you look like a dork and garner strange looks from those observing you as you stumble around while staring at your PSP. And don’t even think about driving while doing this.
Graphically, Portable Ops is gorgeous. The development team is to be commended on their efforts in this area as they have really pushed the PSP’s limited graphics hardware to new limits. They have obviously borrowed visual assets from previous titles in the series (which is a good thing), and they have made the translation from home console to portable console surprisingly well. Thus most of the series’ gritty textures, character models and visual effects are there in all of their glory. Likewise, the audio is almost identical (meaning excellent) to any of the Metal Gear Solid titles on the PS2, complete with the same voice actors for Snake and other secondary characters that make an appearance. And yes, the “!” alert noise is there too of course.
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From a gameplay perspective, Portable Ops is just that – small, short “ops” meant to be played quickly on a portable game console. These bite sized missions work well for the most part with the PSP’s somewhat limited control options. Missions are simple, but fun and generally have only one objective at a time, thus keeping them manageable, which is great when you only have 15 minutes left on your lunch break/transit ride. Yet there are a few issues that have occurred during the translation to the handheld platform. The most notable is the lack of a second analogue stick. In a game that focuses on stealth and awareness of one’s environment and enemies, not being able to move the camera around while moving is a major hindrance. Though as we have seen with last year’s Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (a redesigned version of Snake Eater in which the second analogue stick of the PS2 controller is used to control camera position), the developers are aware of this issue, but could not implement it on the PSP.
Thus it could be argued that this is more of a hardware issue, rather than a problem with the game itself.
There is also a fairly robust multiplayer component for both ad hoc (directly between physically close PSPs) and infrastructure (over the internet) modes, which helps pad out the game’s replay value. These multiplayer modes offer deathmatch, team deathmatch and capture options and can be played using the various soldiers that one has accumulated during the single player game. But be warned – losing a character during a “real” rather than “virtual” online battle (a distinction meaning risk versus no risk) will permanently delete that character from your roster and add it to whoever took out your character in the first place. This is an interesting concept, and one that really adds some weight and consequence to all the bluster and bravado often encountered with competitive online gaming.
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops is an expertly crafted game, that’s almost completely at home on the handy Playstation Portable. With the exception of the lack of camera control, Portable Ops does almost everything right in translating the Metal Gear experience to the handheld platform, as well as adding some significant elements from both a gameplay and technical perspective. And while it may cater more towards fans of the series (there’s a bit of steep learning curve for new players), there’s no reason PSP owners shouldn’t be getting their fill of “sneaking” missions and convoluted but entertaining story lines with our favorite super spy and his new friends.
WHAM! Rating: |
8.9 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
M (Mature) |
Official Web Site: |
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