PSPHyper: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

Title(s)

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

Genre

Action

Developer(s)

Kojima Productions

Publisher(s)

Konami

Release Date(s)

Dec 1, 2006

Dec 7, 2006 (Japan)

Apr 4, 2007 (EU)

Description

The PSP first real Metal Gear Solid game promises to be a great adventure as well. Set six years after the Snake Eater events (making it a direct sequel to Metal Gear Solid 3 and a prequel to all Metal Gear games), the story has Snake finding himself embroiled in a military coup and jailed in a location in South America. He later found out that the rebel group is actually the Fox unit, where he previously a member of.
One of the major elements of the game is the recruitment system, where instead of beating everyone in sight, players can convince their captives to join them. You will be allowed to bring a maximum of three Non Playing Character with you, each of these can have different classifications such as sniper, medic, engineer or spy. You can also switch to play one of these classes by pressing the Select button, setting the stage for a strategic gameplay.
As in all Metal Gear Solid games before it, all cut scenes will be fully voiced, and all the voice casts will return to provide their talents. Comic artist Ashley Wood, who have collaborated with Kojima to produce Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel, returns to provide more artwork for the game animations.
On the multiplayer aspect, the developers seem to have gone great length to make it more worthwhile. Apart from the standard Ad Hoc mode, the game is set to be among the very first PSP games to take advantage of the new GPS feature. You can bring your PSP to a WiFi HotSpot and connect online to fight with the other through the Infrastructure Mode, and intriguingly, some HotSpots will have a unique ID to it that will allows you to download a character to play with, this character will have different levels of attributes from HotSpot to HotSpot.

Official Fact Sheet

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops redefines the stealth action genre for handheld gaming systems with an original storyline that follows from the events of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and boasts ground-breaking online play that lets gamers recruit comrades to form a unique fighting force.

The single-player campaign of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops follows the events of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, as Naked Snake establishes FOXHOUND in an attempt to hunt down the treacherous FOX unit, which has started a bloody revolt in South America. Set in 1970, the game will be the missing link in the ongoing Metal Gear saga, as players will learn more about returning characters such as Para-Medic, Major Zero and Sigint and also witness Naked Snake's greatest tragedy – a loss that sets into motion the events of later games in the Metal Gear Solid timeline.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops delivers the series' trademark stealth-based action to PSP while introducing several new elements that add even more depth and variety to Naked Snake's new adventure. Using an intuitive new third-person camera that is optimised for handheld play, gamers will be able to see more of Snake's surroundings, identifying threats while also targeting the best areas for sneaking and hiding. The story of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops will be told through fully voiced cinematics featuring 3D models and original artwork by acclaimed illustrator Ashley Wood.

As players progress through the single player campaign of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, they can recruit comrades to create their own fighting unit. In addition to regular enemies and soldiers, players can also recruit unique NPCs depending on their actions in key situations, building an armed force to fit their style of play. Through the wireless capabilities of the PSP system, players can also search for volunteer soldiers via wireless access points.

Features

Refining the gameplay of the online multiplayer mode from Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops lets players engage in online skirmishes through the PSP system's wireless infrastructure functionality.

Players will be able to use their squadron from the single-player portion of the game as well as recruiting new members and trading with other players, unleashing their distinctive abilities and wreaking havoc across the game's numerous multiplayer levels.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops also introduces a new "White Flag" system to the game's multiplayer modes, letting players choose to surrender and live to fight again in each round or fight to the death until the next game begins. Placing emphasis on stealth gameplay, the White Flag System further evolves online play for the Metal Gear series and creates a bond between the player and their team as they work together to achieve their objectives.

Review Scores

1UP	9.5/10
Electronic Gaming Monthly	9.17/10
Edge Magazine UK	7/10
Eurogamer	9/10
Famitsu (Japan)	9.25/10
GameSpot	9/10
Gamespy	5/5
IGN	9/10
Play Magazine	8/10
PSM Magazine	9.5/10

Ratings