Friday, June 18

Peace Circle

I have a busy weekend approaching, and it looks as though that recently downloaded copy of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker will (for the most part) lay dormant on my PSPgo's hard drive. Billed as Metal Gear Solid 5, I am dying to play through the next chapter in the Solid/Naked/Liquid Snake saga.

I wasn't the the biggest fan of the previous portable installment, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops as the game relied heavily on backtracking and various other repetitive mechanics. Recruitment was probably the most baffling process, tranquilizing enemy combatants and dragging them back to your truck (suspect!). Due to the PSP's lack of a second analogue stick, combat was also very clunky. So clunky in fact that it managed to recapture the frustration of previous installments (as far back as the original), where being discovered was more often than not, equal to death (or at the very best, a reload). The Gameboy Colour installment (also titled: Metal Gear Solid) and MGS:PO are the only MGS games that I have failed to complete at least once.

Having played Peace Walker for about an hour today (and as per usual with MGS, when I say play, I mean watch), I am desperately hungry for more. Already the narrative has blown out to World War 3 proportions, with Cold War tensions at their height, and the KGB looking to set up in America's backyard. Considering how Big Boss has evolved throughout the MGS series, I'm also keenly interested to see how he is finally portrayed. From voiceless villain to self-sacrificing hero, will Peace Walker complete the circle and leave Big Boss as some smug, unsuspecting terrorist (a la MGS1) or will we finally see Outer Haven and the Militaires San Frontiers in a different light (as hinted in MGS3 and 4)?


Summarising both my play today, and my experience with the demo, you should know that using the Shooter-Type controls is a revolution. Similar to what the PSP Syphon Filter games demonstrated, shooters can work on the PSP. The soundtrack and voice-acting (especially when you consider this is a portable game) are of an incredibly high standard. Few games manage to capture the aural magic of Hollywood blockbusters as well as the MGS series, and thankfully, this assertion is also true for PW. The visuals for the gameplay itself are technically and artistically impressive, and truly live up to the standard set by previous iterations. The comic inspired cut-scenes from Portable Ops make a return for Peace Walker and are just as compelling then as they are now. If you have a PSP, you have to at the very least download the demo to see what you are missing.

In somewhat related news, I have now set up wireless internet at my house and can now take the PSP online. With this in mind, if there are any of you out there interested in playing through Peace Walker's co-operative component I would love to hear from you. With that being said though, I would love to hear from any of my readers regardless! What are you guys playing this weekend?

9 comments:

  1. I thought the co-op was ad-hoc only. You using Xlink-Kai or Ad-Hoc Party?

    This weekend will be more Lost Planet 2, Motorstorm Pacific Rift and...hmmm...I dunno...maybe some more Frozen Synapse on the PC.

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  2. HANG ON, How could I not mention Joe Danger?! Yes. And Joe Danger! Get it, people. A Geom-Wars friends scoreboard is there, for rivalries and rage-quitting to blossom and grow!

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  3. Sounds good mate, like I said, Joe Danger will be acquired once I subscribe to PSN plus.

    If you can only do ad-hoc multi then I will be going via Ad-Hoc Party.

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  4. Any other games outta E3 catch your eye?

    Brink got pushed back to 2011, damnit. But, Techland softened the blow with their ridiculous ATV racing title Nail'd. Pure carsick inducement tool. If people aren't vomiting over themselves in woozy glee, then Techland can go back to Poland. Anyone who wants to see what I'm talking about - http://bit.ly/bGO46v

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  5. I was just about to hit you with the bad news that Brink had been delayed. Glad you're dealing with it so well.

    As for games from E3, I'm looking forward to the following: Portal 2, Killzone 3, Time Crisis: RS, MvC3, Medal of Honor, Gears of War 3 and Twisted Metal.

    So only two games that were actually announced at E3, everything else I was aware of and eagerly anticipating anyway.

    As for tech, I can't wait to get my hands on the 3DS and the Move.

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  6. The 3DS doesn't do much for me, but I suppose it's just the fact Nintendo always play it so safe. What's more, I cannot stand Nintendo diehards - the ones who always give Plumber and Co. a free pass for retreading old ground. It's not like they're lacking in creativity, but goddamn...try something new. Invent a new IP. Pikmin is a start, but the way people carry on like the Nintendo franchises are stellar...I dunno. I'm just a curmudgeon when it comes to them.

    Interesting that Steamworks is coming to PS3 with Portal 2, especially with the confirmation of cross-platform co-op - haven't seen that since Shadowrun, or even Q3A on Dreamcast (so ahead of its time!). It's going to be great playing Portal with Move. But the Steamworks thing...if Valve work with Sony in an expanded way and offer Steamworks support to developers - triple A and indie alike - the possibilities for an explosion of content is quite possible. Add the PSN+ infrastructure and the PS3 is looking like the machine to soar in the next year or so.

    LBP2 should be very interesting, with the "make anything" concept. I really do wish we'd seen something of Resistance 3 or Starhawk...but I suppose they're still tightly under wraps.

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  7. I was playing some UFC 2010, some MW2 & 1(of course) and hit up some Just Cause 2 on the 360 at Matt's joint.

    On a related note, I also pre-ordered MoH (trying to figure out how to get my beta code from JB) and COD Black Ops (which I am really excited about, purely for the crossbow!!!).

    As far as E3 goes, I can't believe Tris didn't mention MvC3!!! My god that looks rad. I am also keen for KZ3, was such a massive fan of KZ2.

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  8. Taz - I am also a bit of a hater of Nintendo's tendency to play it safe. In my opinion however, the 3DS is anything but playing it safe. Sure it has DS on the end of it, but this tech is a crazy leap forward. We're yet to see whether 3D will take off in the home, let alone in the hands.

    Portal 2 and Steamworks was one of the announcements of the show. Imagine if Steam were allowed to sell games over the PSN. Madness!!!

    Sambo - I'll only get excited about MvC3 when I see something new. Just Cause 2 FTW!!!

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  9. I saw the Machinima guys having a play, and the controls look really tight. And it just looks sexy as hell.

    On a related note, I discovered that JB was not meant to be a part of the Beta Code promotion, and it was falsely advertised on the MoH website. however they are going to send me one anyway. I will let you know what i think.

    From what I have seen, it looks like a cross between CODs playstyle, with BC2s mechanics, meaning it isn't as team based, but the guns actually react in a realistic way.

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