With Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker, Konami’s stealth franchise returns to the Sony PSP in what could be seen as representing the handheld’s final hurrah. Does it offer a truly legitimate reason to dust off your ignored console? We go behind enemy lines to bring you the full verdict, here in our Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker review.
Read the rest of our Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker review
Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker review: Storyline
Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker review: Modes and multiplayer
Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker review: Controls
2010 isn’t looking particularly rosy for PSP devotees – the handheld world has a new darling in the shape of the recently-revealed Nintendo 3DS and Apple’s iPad and iPhone formats are taking massive bites out of Sony’s rapidly diminishing market share. Taking these points into account, it’s astonishing that Konami has chosen this underappreciated console for the launch of Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker, the next instalment in its million-selling Tactical Espionage Action series.
Make no mistake about it, Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker is a fully-fledged entry in this hugely popular linage – creator Hideo Kojima very nearly added a “5” to the title to illustrate this fact – so those of you worried that we’d be getting yet another MGS: Lite (as was the case with the previous PSP title Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops) can rest easy. This is the real deal.
Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker effectively cherry-picks the best elements from recent instalments to create a game which is suited to its mobile format but also feels epic at the same time. For example, the mechanics of creating an army, researching new technology and tackling a wide variety of different missions are all retained from Portable Ops. The shorter mission length is also carried over from the handheld prequel, ensuring that you won’t have to face an hour-long sneaking assignment when you’re stuck on 30 minute bus journey to work.
However, Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker also blends in elements previously seen in home console editions like Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, such as the ability to conceal yourself from enemies by hugging the scenery and sticking to undergrowth. The game mechanics are also beefed up, with a new limb-targeting system and more instinctive close-quarters combat capabilities.
Of course, being a Metal Gear Solid title you’re practically guaranteed to be confused as hell by Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker’s constantly evolving storyline and deranged cast of characters. This is all part of the charm and at least this time around Konami has been a little more forgiving when it comes to cut scenes – very few of them last more than a few minutes so you’re never left twiddling your thumbs, which was a common problem with Metal Gear Solid 4 on the PS3.
However, the process of downsizing Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker’s epic scope for the PSP has resulted in a few unwelcome compromises, the most obvious being the way in which you control the on-screen action. This is a game which is begging for a second analogue stick and although Konami has provided three radically different interface methods – one of which even mimics the configuration seen in Capcom’s best-selling Monster Hunter PSP titles – you never feel as comfortable as you did with the home console instalments.
Another element which Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker cheekily borrows from Capcom’s aforementioned monster-staying smash hit is the ability to team up with fellow players to tackle special “Co-Ops” missions. Most of these are purely two-man affairs but certain boss encounters allow you to draft in the assistance of up to three buddies. Clever mechanics are in place to encourage you to working together as a team rather than going for solo glory.
Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker may have some niggles but they’re relatively minor and can easily be forgiven when you consider the sheer volume of content that is being offered up here. With the PSP slowly fading into obsolescence – God of War: Ghost of Sparta is arguably the format’s sole remaining Triple A title – Konami’s latest adventure may go down in history as the crowning glory of an often-underrated system.
Read the rest of our Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker review
Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker review: Storyline
Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker review: Modes and multiplayer
Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker review: Controls
