Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Tactical Espionage Action in the palm of your hands!

The Metal Gear series blends sneaky stealth and mech destroying action with often ridiculous storylines and a whole heap of weapons and gadgets. The latest in the series, 'Peace Walker' aims to convince you a Metal Gear game works just as well on the bus as on a HD TV. Mixing the classic gameplay with the task of recruiting and building a millitary team, and throwing in plenty of side missions and secrets, just how well does it manage?


The biggest obstacle to the playability of this game is the lack of a second analog stick on the PSP- meaning camera controls and aiming have to be relearned, although you are given the option of several control methods to choose your favourite. This aside, the game feels just how you would expect from a Metal Gear, with the usual mix of sneaking and blasting, and some well thought out missions and levels. After a brief training session, you are thrown into the action as Snake, or should that be Big Boss, initially investigating a CIA incursion into Costa Rica, and culminating in the usual Metal Gear battles. This time though, the bosses are all varieties of AI Mechs, which unfortunately obstructs any truly interesting villains (Psycho Mantis anyone..?) but allows you to collect parts to eventually create a Metal Gear of your very own.

Instead of a continuous story, the game is split into handy missions, which in turn allows you to set up and run your own military base inbetween tasks. This varies from recruiting soldiers, sending them out on missions, assigning staff to various departments and developing new weaponry and items for use in missions. This pushes you to complete some of the varied side missions as they are a good way to build up your team, meaning better gear for the main story missions. Ranging from sneaking missions, item recovery and boss battles, these 'Extra Ops' are well designed and generally very worthwhile. I really enjoyed watching my team grow and this is a great addition to the series.

Graphically, the game works well, and although perhaps not the best graphics I have seen on a PSP they are in no way terrible. Of note too are the comicbook style cutscenes, all fully voiced, which although initially a bit offputting, soon work their charm.

Although sometimes disjointed, the story pulls you along well, and manages to even turn what is quite a strange premise into something quite touching and tense. Characters are often wheeled in and out a bit quickly though, and several characters are not really given much chance to develop. Once recruited to your team however, you can often have pre mission chats with them to flesh them out a little.

Overall, this game is well put together and definitely worth your time, especially if you have enjoyed any of the previous ones. A decent chunk of the story is reliant on previous games, although newcomers are catered for with the occasional flashback. Once you get over the slightly awkward controls and slightly awkward plot, there is a real gem of a game within, with a good variety of gameplay and a well implemented growth mechanic. If you have played the other games this is probably a must buy, although there is enough to keep Metal Gear virgins interested too.

Score: Five Destroyed Mechs out of five.

Thanks for reading! Andrew