Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
- December 05, 2006 13:57 PM PST
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The Metal Gear franchise is no stranger to criticism, but what's most interesting is the way its defenders- including the occasional member of the development team- respond to the naysayers. Their way of excusing the series' inherent flaws involves an argument that basically boils down to a shrug and the phrase, "That's just how Metal Gear is."
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The confusing camera system? The clumsy combat controls? The talking heads that cut in to discuss politics for half an hour when all you really want is to go back to playing the game? Dude, that's just how Metal Gear is.
The secret to Portable Ops' success, then, is that this catch-all excuse simply doesn't apply. In fact, it succeeds because it boldly strays away from the familiar path that was forged by its big console brethren. It's a risky strategy that ultimately pays off, and it is proof that being the black sheep of the family isn't such a bad thing after all.
Break With Tradition
PROTIP: If you can, spend a wait action to make it a night mission, the guards won't see quite as far in the darkness, and you'll have an edge if you've got night-vision goggles.
The story in Portable Ops covers a nifty corner of the Metal Gear timeline, taking place in the early '70s, after the conclusion of Metal Gear Solid 3. It chronicles how Big Boss became the leader of FOX HOUND and while it demands some familiarity with Snake Eater, it manages to keep itself on an even keel. Most of the twists are easy enough to follow, and the themes involved are a comfortable mix of the bizarre and the believable. There are also a couple of in-jokes that long-time fans will find richly entertaining.
We're also wild about the new recruitment system. Rather than forcing Big Boss to fight by his lonesome, as in all the other Metal Gear titles, Portable Ops lets you gather allies to your side. As per standard Metal Gear procedure, you can take out enemies non-lethally, using tranquilizer darts or the good old one-two punch. But instead of taking a snooze on the ground, you can now convince them to join you. After they sign onto your cause, they become part of four-man sneaking squads or work from the sidelines as part of the supporting cast. This adds a huge new layer of strategy to the game. Technically-inclined allies provide an edge with new equipment, while spy teams dig up detailed maps of each level and provide extra info about secondary objectives.
The standard stealthy gameplay gets an overhaul here too. Portable Ops uses a behind-the-back viewpoint with manual camera controls, much like Splinter Cell. Combined with some traditional Metal Gear moves, like flattening against walls to peer around corners, it makes for a big improvement on the old top-down camera. It takes a bit more work to see what's happening behind you, but it's much, much easier to figure out what's coming up ahead.
Meet The New Boss
PROTIP: Thermal Goggles allow you to see enemies from a much greater distance through this liquid nitrogen fog.
But for all its willingness to be different, Portable Ops still suffers from some of the familial defects. Take the clumsy combat controls, for example. Fighting at close range has never been fun in past Metal Gear titles, and to a degree that's intentional- you're meant to be a sneaky spy, not a mad-dog killing machine. However, combat in Portable Ops is so frustrating- thanks to the poor handling of the PSP's analog nub- that engaging a group of more than one enemy is almost never worth the effort. If you're spotted by the guards, the temptation to just restart the level is pretty strong. By the same token, the combat-oriented multiplayer games are awfully hard to enjoy.
With luck, the controls will get a good, solid going-over for the next title. Meanwhile, there's enough new stuff here that hardcore fans and the casually curious alike should take a look. Portable Ops still has a way to go- it still sucks being gang-stomped for the tiniest of sneaking missteps- but it's encouraging to see that Konami is willing to take chances with one of its main franchises. With luck, they'll take things even further in the future.
PROTIP: When you're fighting Null, listen for him to empty his machine pistol in three long bursts- wait for that third burst and when he's reloading, you'll have a chance to jump out and stick him.
