"Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker" may very well be the best handheld video game I've played in my life. After ten
straight hours of complete immersion in Hideo Kojima's world of sci-fi political espionage, there is nothing that
can convince me any other game on a handheld system has presented such an epic scope, heart-wrenching story and
tight gameplay as the latest entry in the venerable "Metal Gear" franchise.
Taking place a decade after "MGS 3: Snake Eater", "Peace Walker" finds Snake, aka "Big Boss", a shell of his former
self. Sure, he's still strong, deadly and ruthless, but he's an emotional trainwreck after being forced to kill
the woman whom he loved and was trained by. Ten years still can't wipe away the pain he feels, and even distracting
himself with the private mercenary organization he's founded can't make him forget. But one fateful day, a mysterious
man and young girl come forth with a mission that involves restoring peace to Cuba. Snake initially refuses, but
when the man presents an audio tape which suggests that the woman he thought dead to still be living, he rushes headlong
into the mission, unaware of the consequences which await him. On the surface, it may seem like a simple "stop the
bad guys from nuking the world" type of plot, but fans of the series will realize that it's much more; this game is
a spiritual journey for our tortured protagonist, filled with twists and turns every step of the way.
The gameplay has gotten an overhaul from previous PSP entries of MGS, and I have to admit: it's really for the better.
Close-quarters combat (CQC) has been streamlined and assigned to one button, making it incredibly easy to dispatch
whole mobs of foes with nothing more than your fists and a quick trigger finger. Also more simple this time around
is the gunplay; no longer do you have to stand in an awkward position to get off a good shot on your enemies. Kojima
took the fast-paced gun battles of "MGS 4: Guns of the Patriots" and put them onto the PSP with no complications
whatsoever, and without anything being lost in the process.
Speaking of "MGS 4", the very thing I liked about that entry in the series is prevalent in this one as well: options.
You don't HAVE to stealthily dispatch hostiles; you can walk in with guns a'blazing, and easily get through each
section, and vice versa. There is no wrong way to play "Peace Walker", in the sense that how it's played is
completely dependent on your own playing style. I prefer the "sneak in undetected" approach, but my friend operates
by the "might makes right" strategy. We both get through each level with our respective plans, albeit with some
complications exclusive to those plans (sneaking around often involves hiding in awkward places that you can
easily get trapped in if detected; taking the forceful approach can often leave room for unseen enemies to sneak up from
behind and take you out without any warning.) But that's the beauty of this game, really: learning from your mistakes,
taking what you've learned and then applying it to the next level. Very few games have rules that are as broadly-defined
as these.
Another key strategy that will differ from player to player is the vast recruitment system. Much less convoluted than
the previous PSP entries, getting soldiers on your side is as simple as knocking them out, then strapping a
balloon harness (yes, a balloon harness) on them to be sent straight to your Mother Base, which is incidentally a
prototype for the pivotal Outer Heaven base seen later in the series. The soldiers can then be assigned to their
respective units, such as Combat or R&D, or even Mess Hall. As the game progresses, the more soldiers you have,
the more weapons and resources you'll gain. You can even play side-missions with your recruits to unlock more
weapons to aid Snake in the main story missions. Catching and training new blood adds an addictive "Pokemon"-like
aspect to "Peace Walker", one which I found myself spending a vast amount of time with.
Now, on to minor matters (sort of): graphics and sound. And folks, these are just two more of this game's good points.
How the developers got a game this beautiful and rich in detail to fit onto a UMD, I'll never know. I won't question
their magic, though, because I'm just too blown away to even consider doing anything of the sort. The quality
and effort bleeds from each micro-pixel, putting other PSP graphics darlings such as "God of War: Chains of
Olympus" to shame. Not a single time did I feel the game was constricted because of the PSP's graphical limitations.
Kojima Productions has created the single most immersing world ever rendered on a handheld.
The music is great (as per usual for the series), and the voice acting, featuring the likes of Steve Blum and Tara
Strong, is absolutely phenomenal (again, as per usual for the series). Sound effects are also great, complimenting
the graphics to form the aforementioned immersing world. After playing this game for a few hours, it's hard
to go outside and not think of the game. It's that mind-altering.
In the end, there is no reason any PSP owner shouldn't own this, unless of course you haven't played any previous
entries in the series. In that case, go back and play "MGS 3: Snake Eater" before playing. But for veterans of the
series, buy this without delay. As a longtime fan, I can firmly say this may be one of the franchise's high points,
easily topping "Snake Eater", which was previously my favorite entry until this came along. It's also the
largest in terms of content and replay value. All subsequent entries will be greatly affected by "Peace Walker", and
thus you owe it to yourself to play it.
Then again, I won't be surprised if all PSP games are greatly affected by "Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker." It reminds
me of how good the PSP can be, to be sure, but more importantly: it reminds me of just how good a video game can
truly be.
Story: A+ (Jaw-dropping, tearjerking, and pulsepounding; there's never a dull moment.)
Gameplay: A+ (As tight as the series has ever been; nothing is lost on the PSP.)
Graphics: A+ (The very best the system has to offer.)
Sound: A+ (Great music, great voice acting... Just great in general.)
Overall: A+ (One of the rare examples of a perfect game; Easily the best I've played all year.)
NOTE: I apologize for not being able to review the multiplayer; my friend lives in another state,
and this game only supports local Ad-Hoc play. I have no other PSP-owning friends (they all have
DS's, which I have one of as well), and thus can't give a review on the multiplayer. Again,
I apologize.