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If this game was called Metal Gear Solid 5: Peace Walker, I would not hesitate to call it that. This game is astounding. It's a technical marvel. A feat on portable platforms. There was not a single time where I said I wanted this game to be on a console. In fact, if this was on a console and cost $60, I would buy it in a heartbeat. From the gameplay, to the graphics, to the sound, to the length of the story, this is a huge console adventure, right in the palm of your hand. It's absolutely amazing that so much could be crammed into a little disc. I still can't get over it.
Unlike Portable Ops, the controls did not hinder the gameplay. Apparently, the developers learned from their mistake and made the controls work. Not once did I wish for a second analog stick. It works. It's Metal Gear Solid on a handheld. No exceptions. Do you remember the ability to recruit soldiers and use them in Portable OPs? Well, that's now more streamlined, it's improved, and overall more enjoyable. Knock out a soldier, hook a Fulton Recovery System balloon onto him, and continue your mission. No more dragging across the map anymore. Just pop on on there and continue your mission. When you go back to your Mother Base (GEE I WONDER IF THIS COULD BE THE START OF OUTER HEAVEN) you can put them in different units (such as combat and engineering) to have them do missions or build weapons or do other things of great wonder. However, you mainly want to build up your engineering (called R&D) sections. This is highly improved, because instead of getting random weapons ever so often like in Portable Ops, you choose which weapons to develop, and you can upgrade them. You can even upgrade your items, like your sonar system and Fulton Recovery System. It's awesome, useful, and you actually want to spend the time to upgrade it. And not only do you have this wildly improved Portable Ops system, but you have the main story missions, which are on-par with the likes of any of the console predecessors, and you have side-missions as well, which you can complete at any time. Let's just say this game will last for a long, long time.
The graphics are without a doubt amazing. I honestly kept forgetting I was playing a handheld. There is a ruddy texture or two, but let's cut the PSP some slack, eh? The graphic novel cutscenes are not only well done, but they fit the game. They don't feel out of place. Also, there are quicktime events inside the graphic novel cutscenes, which are beautifully animated. Also, did I mention the quicktime events don't suck?They're (shock and awe) fairly exciting, and do not seem forced at all.
The sound is also wonderfully done. Usually, I hardly ever pay attention to the sound when playing handhelds, because it usually ranges from 'alright' to 'mediocre'. Or maybe I don't even notice it at all. Well, I did this time. Do yourself a favor, play this with headphones. You won't regret it.
Storyline is your typical Metal Gear Solid fare: unmanned robots, nuclear weapons, Snake grunting in agreement, remembering the basics of CQC, etc. For those of you who have played Metal Gear Solid from the beginning will enjoy many plot points that tie in various people and objects from different games. Overall, very enjoyable, but I presume many will prefer the story lines from the console brethren.
I have only one gripe with this game: co-op. Now, usually, I would be extremely happy with having co-op for the game, but the developers put so much emphasis on co-op that some missions nearly require it, even if they don't say so. This can lead to frustration, but it is not impossible. Prepare for some difficult times, but most of the time, you will be having a blast.
Buy this game. It's only $40. $40 for one of the best video games you can get your hands on. Do it.
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"Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker" may very well be the best handheld video game I've played in my life. After ten
straight hours of complete immersion in Hideo Kojima's world of sci-fi political espionage, there is nothing that
can convince me any other game on a handheld system has presented such an epic scope, heart-wrenching story and
tight gameplay as the latest entry in the venerable "Metal Gear" franchise.
Taking place a decade after "MGS 3: Snake Eater", "Peace Walker" finds Snake, aka "Big Boss", a shell of his former
self. Sure, he's still strong, deadly and ruthless, but he's an emotional trainwreck after being forced to kill
the woman whom he loved and was trained by. Ten years still can't wipe away the pain he feels, and even distracting
himself with the private mercenary organization he's founded can't make him forget. But one fateful day, a mysterious
man and young girl come forth with a mission that involves restoring peace to Cuba. Snake initially refuses, but
when the man presents an audio tape which suggests that the woman he thought dead to still be living, he rushes headlong
into the mission, unaware of the consequences which await him. On the surface, it may seem like a simple "stop the
bad guys from nuking the world" type of plot, but fans of the series will realize that it's much more; this game is
a spiritual journey for our tortured protagonist, filled with twists and turns every step of the way.
The gameplay has gotten an overhaul from previous PSP entries of MGS, and I have to admit: it's really for the better.
Close-quarters combat (CQC) has been streamlined and assigned to one button, making it incredibly easy to dispatch
whole mobs of foes with nothing more than your fists and a quick trigger finger. Also more simple this time around
is the gunplay; no longer do you have to stand in an awkward position to get off a good shot on your enemies. Kojima
took the fast-paced gun battles of "MGS 4: Guns of the Patriots" and put them onto the PSP with no complications
whatsoever, and without anything being lost in the process.
Speaking of "MGS 4", the very thing I liked about that entry in the series is prevalent in this one as well: options.
You don't HAVE to stealthily dispatch hostiles; you can walk in with guns a'blazing, and easily get through each
section, and vice versa. There is no wrong way to play "Peace Walker", in the sense that how it's played is
completely dependent on your own playing style. I prefer the "sneak in undetected" approach, but my friend operates
by the "might makes right" strategy. We both get through each level with our respective plans, albeit with some
complications exclusive to those plans (sneaking around often involves hiding in awkward places that you can
easily get trapped in if detected; taking the forceful approach can often leave room for unseen enemies to sneak up from
behind and take you out without any warning.) But that's the beauty of this game, really: learning from your mistakes,
taking what you've learned and then applying it to the next level. Very few games have rules that are as broadly-defined
as these.
Another key strategy that will differ from player to player is the vast recruitment system. Much less convoluted than
the previous PSP entries, getting soldiers on your side is as simple as knocking them out, then strapping a
balloon harness (yes, a balloon harness) on them to be sent straight to your Mother Base, which is incidentally a
prototype for the pivotal Outer Heaven base seen later in the series. The soldiers can then be assigned to their
respective units, such as Combat or R&D, or even Mess Hall. As the game progresses, the more soldiers you have,
the more weapons and resources you'll gain. You can even play side-missions with your recruits to unlock more
weapons to aid Snake in the main story missions. Catching and training new blood adds an addictive "Pokemon"-like
aspect to "Peace Walker", one which I found myself spending a vast amount of time with.
Now, on to minor matters (sort of): graphics and sound. And folks, these are just two more of this game's good points.
How the developers got a game this beautiful and rich in detail to fit onto a UMD, I'll never know. I won't question
their magic, though, because I'm just too blown away to even consider doing anything of the sort. The quality
and effort bleeds from each micro-pixel, putting other PSP graphics darlings such as "God of War: Chains of
Olympus" to shame. Not a single time did I feel the game was constricted because of the PSP's graphical limitations.
Kojima Productions has created the single most immersing world ever rendered on a handheld.
The music is great (as per usual for the series), and the voice acting, featuring the likes of Steve Blum and Tara
Strong, is absolutely phenomenal (again, as per usual for the series). Sound effects are also great, complimenting
the graphics to form the aforementioned immersing world. After playing this game for a few hours, it's hard
to go outside and not think of the game. It's that mind-altering.
In the end, there is no reason any PSP owner shouldn't own this, unless of course you haven't played any previous
entries in the series. In that case, go back and play "MGS 3: Snake Eater" before playing. But for veterans of the
series, buy this without delay. As a longtime fan, I can firmly say this may be one of the franchise's high points,
easily topping "Snake Eater", which was previously my favorite entry until this came along. It's also the
largest in terms of content and replay value. All subsequent entries will be greatly affected by "Peace Walker", and
thus you owe it to yourself to play it.
Then again, I won't be surprised if all PSP games are greatly affected by "Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker." It reminds
me of how good the PSP can be, to be sure, but more importantly: it reminds me of just how good a video game can
truly be.
Story: A+ (Jaw-dropping, tearjerking, and pulsepounding; there's never a dull moment.)
Gameplay: A+ (As tight as the series has ever been; nothing is lost on the PSP.)
Graphics: A+ (The very best the system has to offer.)
Sound: A+ (Great music, great voice acting... Just great in general.)
Overall: A+ (One of the rare examples of a perfect game; Easily the best I've played all year.)
NOTE: I apologize for not being able to review the multiplayer; my friend lives in another state,
and this game only supports local Ad-Hoc play. I have no other PSP-owning friends (they all have
DS's, which I have one of as well), and thus can't give a review on the multiplayer. Again,
I apologize.
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The stealth genre is an odd duck, as it is too slow paced to appeal to most action fans and too linear to appeal to most WRPG fans. There's only 3 or 4 major stealth franchises, which stop by every other year to remind us that the genre still thrives despite its niche appeal. We here in Massachusetts we have our local-favorite, the THIEF series, whose fantasy-based stealth sets it apart from fellow genre entries, and Canada brought us SPLINTER CELL, marked by the militarist protagonist Sam Fisher. Both are terrific series, but neither invoke the near-universal appeal of Japan's METAL GEAR saga, which has been re-birthing itself again and again since its debut on the MSX over 20 years ago.
Though I make an effort to remain objective, I can't seem to control myself around METAL GEAR. There's something about the series' unique combination of over-the-top political sci-fi, pitch-perfect stealth, and quirky comedy that just keeps tugging at my heartstrings (and my limited finances). I was young when I picked up METAL GEAR SOLID 2, and it was love at first sneak. I've been following the series ever since, picking up every damned release and re-release like Gibson to Salinger in "Conspiracy Theory". It is, in my opinion, the fillet of the genre.
And, with one notable exception (where my GHOST BABEL fans at?), the series' quality has floundered on the handheld. Desperate to adapt to the PSP's limitations, entries like AC!D and PORTABLE OPS did their best to shrink SOLID's pedigree to pocket-size through heavy redesign. Though the result was usually overall good, these games weren't fit to wipe the shoes of the canon console entries. Enter METAL GEAR SOLID PEACE WALKER.
PEACE WALKER succeeds not only as a canon entry to the saga's lore, but as the best of sequels do: by completely reworking the franchise. The sneaking mechanic the true heart of the game is largely unchanged (but say goodbye to "crawl"), though just about everything else has been tuned to fit portable gaming. Rather than having a continuous narrative, gameplay is broken up into chapters which are then broken up into missions. Missions vary in length usually the side missions take about 5 minutes, while story entries can take upwards of a half hour. Almost every one of these missions can be played either by yourself or with up to 3 friends. I haven't touched AD-HOC multiplayer, but it's quite clear that certain missions have been programmed with multiplayer in mind. The boss fights in particular are absolutely brutal. Much like my experience with MONSTER HUNTER, taking down these mammoth mechanical beasts took me many attempts, each swing taking around 20 minutes. It can be pretty frustrating; the boss battles are an impressive spectacle, and yet still the low-point of the game. Outside of the missions, there's a lot of micro-management to do. As Big Boss, you are charged with running MSF, and from forming and sending out small strike squads to managing your food supply, constructing your army is a significant portion of PEACE WALKER's gameplay offerings. Much like GRAND THEFT AUTO: CHINATOWN WARS' drug-running feature, managing MSF is tremendously satisfying and productive while lending itself to short-bursts of portable gaming.
I'd be happy to yammer on about how this is the best game on the PSP, the best METAL GEAR game since SNAKE EATER, and a serious candidate for GOTY, but I'd hate to risk credibility with hyperbole. Gaming-on-the-go can be a trying experience, but with PEACE WALKER, you're in good hands.
Honest reviews on Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker
A sequel to the PSP's earlier "Portable Ops", MGS: Peace Walker is a surprising technical improvement when compared against earlier games. Focusing on the management of a larger mercenary organization, "Peace Walker" still has its share of stealth-based tactical action.
Peace Walker returns to the world of Big Boss, rather than the series' usual protagonist, Solid Snake. In the period between Portable Ops and now, Big Boss has left the US government and assembled his own mercenary team, the MSF. Peace Walker centers around managing the MSF by carrying out missions, recruiting new members, developing new technologies, and building up the off-shore platform used as the MSF's main base.
Gameplay is divided into story missions (main ops) and side missions (extra ops). The main ops constitute normal gameplay, broken up into segments. The extra ops are closer to the VR missions from MGS2 short, timed scenarios with some twist or quirk to them, like "rescue the hostage" or "find the mines". Mission maps are wider and more detailed than in Portable Ops, and many missions take place in an area consisting of several connected maps, which makes the world seem larger. There are a lot of areas that are wooded or swampy, which calls back to MGS3 and its more natural environments. Another MGS3-like feature is the lack of a "standard" radar items like sonar must be equipped in the item slot and have limited battery life, making players more reliant on their own senses to spot enemies.
Managing the MSF is one of the game's major features. New recruits can be captured in the field either by subduing enemies or rescuing hostages. These recruits have a diverse set of stats, and can be assigned to different units, like combat, R&D, or intelligence in a manner similar to Portable Ops. Unlike Portable Ops, every recruit wears the basic MSF uniforms; there's no difference between capturing a guard or a sniper. Characters are instead distinguished by portraits and codenames, both of which are randomly assigned. This allows for some level of identification, although it unfortunately doesn't carry over to actual gameplay. Every character is now represented by a generic masked figure (male or female) except for Snake himself. However, there are different costumes and camouflage uniforms (all of which have masks), and the uniforms have different stealth values and inventory slots. This allows for different types of gameplay depending on the uniform selected.
Bosses come in two main types: vehicles and mechs. Vehicles consist of things like tanks and helicopters. Vehicle fights often involve supporting troops if they're out of the way, the vehicle's commander can be incapacitated or killed and the vehicle can be captured for MSF's usage. Mech fights are more traditional MGS boss fare; instead of capturing them, however, it's possible to salvage parts and AI cores to build your own mech. Both vehicles and mechs can be sent off (along with troops) to missions in other parts of the world. These "Outer Ops" are automatically resolved, but provide a way for the majority of your combat forces to get experience (since only one person can sneak at a time).
Peace Walker focuses a lot on multiplayer, as well. There's a fairly standard versus mode, but the main attraction of multiplayer is a cooperative mode. This allows for players to attempt missions, or even fight bosses, in groups of up to four. However, multiplayer is limited to nearby PSPs there's no online match-making mode or anything of the sort, despite the presence of pre-written communication (which should only really be useful if you can't talk to the person in real life). The relative rarity of the PSP means that this feature will most likely go unused.
Overall, Peace Walker does a lot of things right that Metal Gear should do right. The bosses are fun, the environments are detailed, and the controls are tight enough to not be a problem. It's not quite the second coming of MGS3, detail-wise, but it's definitely a worthy successor, considering its handheld status. The management aspect is fun and addictive, though the actual logistics of the whole thing could have used some fleshing out. Peace Walker is a solid game both for fans of the series and for those who aren't usually interested in it.
Rating: 9/10.
Game purchased through Playstation Network.
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I have always loved the metal gear solid universe. I have immense respect for Mr Kojima out of all the game designers directors producers he is on top of the list he really shows that he care's for his game there's so much quality that all game developers should look at him for inspiration i did have my reservations about this one even thou i really loved the story of portable ops the gameplay i must admit just felt crap there was for me at least to much compromise with the control that it felt awkward! But Hideo has mastered the controls in this game by adding all the best bits from all the previous installments. Storyline wise it's just as good as the rest very engaging and big boss is always a pleasure to play his such a badass overall this game is a must have for any fans of the series
