Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker demo impressions

Despite its clunky controls, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops was one of the more impressive PSP games released so far, so I was dying to see how Peace Walker takes portable Metal Gear Solid to the next level. Peace Walker for those who has been living under a rock, takes place ten years after the events of MGS3: Snake Eater and follows an event in Central America that will eventually lead to the creation of the Outer Heaven mercenary force. The Japanese TGS 09 demo is available for download here. The demo features a tutorial as well as a playthrough where Naked Snake has to infiltrate an enemy complex via a jungle (similar to MGS3).

Visually, Peace Walker is an absolute stunner. If there ever was a game that could give God of War: Chains of Olympus graphical fidelity a run of its money, it would be this. And unlike Chains of Olympus, Peace Walker has fully working player-controlled camera. Peace Walker's visuals are so impressive, they look close to their PS2 cousins, and MGS2: Sons of Liberty and MGS3: Snake Eater were some of the best looking games on a last generation console. Despite the limitation in storage, textures are detailed and are only pixelated when looked at a short distance. MGS5-class title indeed. If there is a problem, it seems to suffer from long loading. This despite the demo running from Memory Stick. Still, once the game loads it seems to run just fine, with no framerate issues. This despite more enemy combatants on the screen at the same time.

The control scheme of Portable Ops has been ditched in favour of a more wholesome and intuitive mode. The analog stick is still used to move Naked Snake. The R shoulder button is used for CQC moves, such as punching and kicking enemy combatants, or grabbing them and throwing them. Pressing the L shoulder button will switch to shooting mode, with R triggering the shot. The face buttons controls the camera, as well as aiming (Auto aiming can be turn on). The d-pad acts as a menu system - allowing Snake to select weapons, crouch etc. Like Portable Ops, controls can be customised to suit your need, though I am liking the default controls enough not to bother experimenting yet.

Unlike Portable Ops 'bite-sized' portable friendly missions, Peace Walker features from the get-go full size missions. This is evident by the demo where Snake has to make his way from the beach to the enemy hide-out via a series of jungles. The jungle is divided into 'zones', similar to how MGS3: Snake Eater and other full-size Metal Gear games are structured. In Portable Ops, moving from one area to another is as simple as going to the menu and selecting the area from a map from which then Campbell would just drop Snake off in his jeep - which works well as a portable title, but it isn't the full Metal Gear experience that many were seeking for. Peace Walker will definitely offer a fuller MGS experience, but whether this will translate well as a on-the-go portable title remains to be seen.



The gameplay is a mixture of Portable Ops and MGS4. An acoustic radar is available on the top right. Players of MGS: Portable Ops will be familiar with the radar. For those who has not played Portable Ops, the radar tracks noises, with the middle circle representing the noise created by the player and the outer ring for enemies. The distortion on the radar will indicate the level of noise made as well as the direction the noise is coming from. I like it as it is far more challenging than relying on the visual radar commonly found on other Metal Gear titles. There is also a camouflage indicator. Unfortunately you can't crawl in the demo. A plethora of weapons and items can be found, including sniper rifle, Snake's standard tranquiliser and his famous cardbox.

The dialogue cutscenes are in the same mould as Portable Ops and Digital Graphic Novel, using the same classy comic book style scenes. They are once again drawn by Ashley Wood, whom some has derided but I actually find pretty nice and refreshing. Short cutscenes are still rendered in real time. It is early days and we may yet see more cutscenes being rendered in real time rather than in comic panels. The demo also contains a local multiplayer co-op mode. Unfortunately I am unable to test this yet. Early impressions on the co-op mode by other gamers seems to indicate that the feature is quite a feat. It should be, considering how much of it was highlighted with the last trailer.

If the finish article has the same quality to attention and more to the demo, then it is safe to assume that Peace Walker will be a great game and one so deserving of its Metal Gear Solid 5-class tag. It is a shame that because it does not have a '5' in its title, many will assume it is strictly a side quest (which was the assumption wrongly applied to Portable Ops). If the people at Konami has any sense, they better stick that MGS5 branding ASAP, because I truly believe it has earned it. Go ahead, download the demo and play it. It even features a certain Master Miller.

If you have no means to access demo, then check out the epic TGS 09 trailer embedded above, of which highlights includes the MGS4-scale of the game as well as Naked Snake still lamenting the death of The Boss.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker trailer

Portable Ops was one of the better PSP games I've played (and I've played some). The controls were lacking, but the RPG-like power-ups, recruitment gameplay and snack-able portable friendly missions made it a joy. As you know, a new Metal Gear Solid game is being developed again for the PSP, and with Hideo Kojima taking lead, who has at great pains declaring it as the true Metal Gear sequel, even calling it his MGS5 - I wouldn't be too worried about how it will turn up. And just to wet your appetite a little bit - check out the new nine minute trailer filled with gameplay and tank cardbox goodness:

New Kojima tease

Looks like a tease for MGS5, but knowing Kojima it would probably be a red herring. Truthfully, I wouldn't mind another Metal Gear, but isn't it about time we had a new Zone of the Enders? Hmm..., Mr. Kojima?

This is what you get when you buy budget re-release

Now be a good lad and buy the proper release with its nice unspoiled cover-art before they sell out.

Dear LittleBigPlanet virgins

With Kratos (God Of War), Nariko (Heavenly Swords) and now Old Snake (MGS4) and Sephiroth (FFVII) making their sackboy cameos, are there really any more excuses you are not playing this yet? Or planning on buying it?

via

Kubrick Metal Gear 20th Anniversary by Medicom

Medicom's Kubrick figures are an extremely popular and collectable character block figures. These figures are similar to trading art figures, but their Lego-like constructions (though figures are bigger, more flexible and are made up of more tools) set them apart from other conventional figures like the Final Fantasy III figures or Medicom's own 7 inch Metal Gear Ultra Detail Figures. The 20th Metal Gear anniversary line of Kubrick figures were released late last year, and like the one released in 2001, I totally forgot about it. It looks like I would be paying through my nose for these when I saw it in Dooyobi (a store that specialize in importing rare Japanese goodies) on a recent trip to Brighton and in a moment of impulse madness I went in and came out 15 minutes later with seven figures in a 'loud' bag.

The figures themselves are of exceptional quality, but I do not have other Kubrick figures to compare with (truth be told I dont really care about BearBricks collections). The paint job could have been better, but I am not complaining considering the costs of these things. The accessories provided are unfortunately fragile and flimsy that I've decided to display the figures without them. Get them all if you consider yourself a fan of the series. Enjoy the pictures.

Metal Gear 20th Anniversary Ultra Detail Figures by Medicom

Medicom’s 20th Anniversary Metal Gear Ultra Detail Figures is a collection of figures made of characters from the Metal Gear Solid universe. The figurines are quite small - only around seven inches in height but are pretty damn detailed, almost as detailed as my collection of 1/8 scale figures. Like their Kubrick’s BearBrick Metal Gear line (will post about this on another day), some of the joints can be moved or even removed. These aren’t like those cheapo action figures as the movements are still limited. For example Old Snake’s torso and arms can be turned to allow him to point his gun at a certain angle, and Raiden’s upper arm and elbow can be repositioned depending on how menacing you want him to display his katana. These allows a degree of flexibility but still gives the figures an almost similar to those more expensive fixed-pose PVC/Resin figures.

I have six of the figures, including Solid Snake’s stealth camouflaged version and Old Snake’s Octocamo suite version (both not pictured, still in storage). Unfortunately a liberal amount of blue tack is required to keep the figures from jumping down. All in all, these figures are a must have for fans of the Metal Gear franchise.

Metal Gear Solid 4 (MGS4) Bluetooth headset review

Well here it is. Somehow I finally got my grubby hands on Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4 milk-it till death merchandise. Manufactured by a no-name company that nobody has ever heard off (Performance Designed Products) the official MGS4 Bluetooth headset design is based on Metal Gears Mk.II mecha. And no, you can't use it to Codec Meryl.

My first impression was that the headset is huge. Combined with the universal ear loop, this headset was designed for people who want to be noticed. The backside contains the earpiece which unlike most modern Bluetooth headsets, isn't an in-ear piece. Wearing the plastic headset proved to be both cumbersome although I wouldn't classify it as uncomfortable. It is also pretty heavy, for a headset. As far as aesthetics goes, I love the design but utterly dislike the rubbery ear loop and overall size and weight of the device. The Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots: Tactical Espionage Action silkscreen seems tacky too, but is small enough not to be an eyesore.


Pairing it with my E51 is easy as it gets and I won't trouble you with procedures on how to do so. Inside the headset contains the latest Bluetooth specs, at 2.0. Operating the headset is easy enough. There are a total of three buttons on the headset, the power button and two volume buttons that doubles as a mute button. A cool multi-purpose LED strip adorns the side of the headset that changes colours depending on the status of the headset. A proprietary USB cable connects through the backside to charge it (the battery isn't replaceable). The headset (like every other generic headset) is compatible with the majority of Bluetooth enabled mobile phones as well as the PS3 for in-game voice chatting.

That Metal Gear design won't help it if it isn't backed up by a quality microphone and sound driver, and unfortunately none of Otacon's electronic expertise were used when designing this headset (apart from lifting the design of Metal Gear Mk. II). It isn't as hopeless as some has described but the quality isn't on par with say, the A2DP-enabled Sony headset I got some months ago (which is half the price of this). The microphone in particular is susceptible to picking up echos and ambient noise, which resulted in minor complaints from my recipient. I understand that this is no Jawbone, but at the very least it should have a variable microphone gain or one that performs well. But it is workable and isn't as rubbish as some have claimed. I am unable to test the rated 8 hour talk time (come on, I am not that sad).


All in all, I can't endorse the MGS4 Bluetooth headset except to the most hardened collector or fan, at least not at the current price (maybe at £20 as a niche product). I really do love the design but unfortunately its size, weight and more importantly performance relative to its price, leaves much to be desired. If Konami had contracted a more reputable manufacturer like Jabra (whom Sony bundled one of their Bluetooth model with Warhawk) rather than a company that makes sleeves for Wiimotes, then perhaps things may have turned out different. Right now the only thing I can highly recommend about Metal Gear Solid 4 is the game itself.

Perhaps a Subsistence version Konami? One with enough substance.

Metal Gear Solid 4 first impression

From the moment Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots starts I knew that this would be something special and different. Eschewing the stealth approach of previous MGS titles, MGS4 opens with aplomb throwing you right into the middle of an intense battlefield - a showcase of Hideo's new 'No Place To Hide' approach, as well as the technological showcase of what a current-gen console like the PS3 was capable of. And yes Snake is still the old man he was confirmed to be some years ago and no last minute MGS2 style switch-a-roo (at least not within the two hours when I had the opportunity to play it), and playing as an old man has many disadvantages...

The first act of MGS4 is something that is not at all unique to modern video gaming. The setting is in a typical ravaged Middle Eastern setting where war is an on-going normality. The local militias are battling one of Liquid Ocelot's PMC (Private Military Companies) made up of standard conscripts and Gekko, a new generation of Metal Gear mechas. Littered in between are Hideo Kojima's trademark excessive use of cut scenes, which in my opinion, are what made this series so compelling. I am aware that near the end the cut scenes will tread towards over-excessive but I won't lie to you - I will be looking forward to those. The transition between pre-directed sequence to real time gameplay is so seamless, much more so than God of War.

The visuals are fantastic. If there ever was a game that one should use to promote high definition, this would be it. It was crisp, and the lack of overt-aliasing was pleasing to the eyes. Something that can't be said about GTA IV (which yes, I played a little bit of that too)... The graphics on the 32" Samsung 720p telly (not mine) is so good, I am convinced. Now I can't wait to jump on the high-def bandwagon but I will have to wait for 1080p screens to drop in price first, though I have to admit it is all so tempting to just order the special edition MGS4 PS3 pack now. Combined with the cinematography, storyline and script; Guns of the Patriots is the most film-like video game since, well, Snake Eater and such a title surely deserves the best telly.

Change is good and the way MGS4 takes stealth game forward by pushing you towards a none-linear battlefield, allowing you to choose exactly how you want to proceed, is beyond anything I've ever played. There is little doubt here if the rest of the game follows the same freshness as the opening first act (from what I was told, I was only halfway through the act one), this is definitely the game of the year.

Metal Gear Solid: Shadow Moses revisited!

MGS remake on PS3? Playable flashback sequence in MGS4? Hype hype hype! Make it happen Kojima! Make it!

Some none news

Quote of the day

"But don't worry. I'm not about to create Wii Fit. As for Snake, though... that's it. It's over."

Hideo Kojima (EDGE 188), assuring his admirers that despite MGS4 being his last Metal Gear game as a director, he won't be making none-games just yet. It gives me great hope that we will one day see Zone of the Enders 3.

Also...


A poll by parents to find out what kind of material they find offensive in video games revealed some not too surprising results. Perhaps as an affirmation on their religious values or merely current taboos, 37% responded stating that they find scenes of heterosexuals having sex to be offensive and 27% who hated the idea of two men kissing, compared to the 26% who would squirm at the sight of a severed human head. Can't say I am surprised though. The date might read 2008, but many are still living in their own little Victorian paradise.

via Wired

MGS: Portable Ops: the foundation of unit FOXHOUND

More Portable Ops posts... Sorry, slow news day again (Easter weekends are boring) and I recently finished it. This was written for those Metal Gear fans have yet to play Portable Ops for whatever reasons. Anyway with Metal Gear Solid 4 incoming in June this year, some of the key plots in Portable Ops should be known. It is assumed that you are familiar with the key plots in the other five released canonical titles.

The story of Portable Ops began in 1970, six years after the events of Operation Snake Eater, when Naked Snake inherited the title of Big Boss after being forced to defeat the Boss as part of her covert operation. Snake, now disillusioned has discharged himself from the FOX unit. However he was captured and sent to a prison in the San Hieronymo Peninsula, the site of an abandoned Soviet nuclear missile silo in Colombia, South America. Naked Snake's former team FOX unit has rebelled and broken their once strong allegiance to the CIA. Snake was tortured by ex-CIA and FOX Lieutenant Cunningham, who was demanding half of the Philosopher's Legacy. It was here where Snake first met Roy Campbell, the sole survivor of an American Green Beret team sent to investigate.

After escaping with Campbell, Snake learnt from his former FOX members, Para-Medic and Sigint that they and their former Commanding Officer from Operation Snake Eater, Major Zero, were accused of instigating the FOX up-rising. In order to clear their name, Snake had to crush the insurgency and its leader, Commander Gene - who was a product of the Successor Project and was promoted to leader of the FOX unit when Snake left. With the renegade FOX unit, as well as morally low Russian soldiers stationed at the abandoned base, Snake was far outnumbered. After a suggestion by Campbell, Snake started knocking out Russian and FOX soldiers, bringing them back to his truck and convincing them to join his side. While it wasn't official yet, this was the events that cemented the creation of unit FOXHOUND.

Campbell and Snake recruited not only front line sneaking members, but also established a spy unit, a tech unit and a medic unit. Through this bolstered unit, Snake and his crew set out to investigate the various aspects of the base as they plotted their way deeper within the base through sabotaging as well as recruiting an insider known as Elisa, an ESP. Snake also learnt of machete-wielding member of FOX called Null, the sole survivor of the 'Perfect Soldier' project. Snake later found out that Null was Frank Jaeger, a former child soldier mercenary whom Snake once helped years ago in Mozambique. Snake fought Null twice, beating him both times and finally recruiting him. Null would eventually come to be known as Gray Fox years later (in Metal Gear, MG2 and Metal Gear Solid). Snake also defeated a Metal Gear RAXA prototype being controlled by Ursula, Elisa's renegade personality.

Snake eventually confronted Cunningham who revealed that he was an agent working for the Pentagon. Gene and the Pentagon plotted on using Snake into provoking Gene to launch a nuclear warhead into the Soviet Union. This was to crush the CIA's desire for peace as well as to prolong the Cold War, thus retaining the Pentagon's status quo and possibly strengthening the organisation. Cunningham attempted to talk Snake into his scheme and promised that he would be awarded as a hero. Refusing the co-operate Snake kills Cunningham.

When Snake and Gene finally met, Gene confessed that he was actually aware of Cunningham's plan from the beginning and wanted to launch the Metal Gear with its nuclear warhead payload onto the Pentagon itself, thus destroying the Philosopher's Legacy and the New World Order. Gene also revealed his intention of establishing a state called the Army's Heaven, a country to populated by elite mercenaries whose life revolves around the battlefield. Ursula, determined to avoid a Nuclear war, attacked Gene but was easily defeated. Dying, she predicted that Snake would build his own Metal Gear and that out of the Les Enfants Terribles, one would seek to destroy the world (Liquid Snake) and the other save it (Solid Snake). Snake eventually defeated Gene, who before dying acknowledged Snake as the true successor to The Boss and relinquished his funds for the Army's Heaven to Snake. The funds would later be used to establish the Outer Heaven.

In Washington, sleeper agent Ocelot assassinates the Director of Central Intelligence and obtains the Philosopher's documents for himself. He has had enough with the Philosophers. It was later revealed that Ocelot was in contact with a man "with the same codename as Null". Ocelot planned for Gene to send the nuclear warhead to Washington in order to get the DCI to bring to Philosopher's documents to him, in which he succeeded. Ocelot was also planning on using the Philosopher's Legacy to form the Patriots and in his conversation with the unknown man, requested that Big Boss be recruited as well.

It is unknown whether Big Boss would join the Patriots, but hopefully the answer would be revealed in Guns of the Patriots or in the sequel to Portable Ops.

EVA: model spy extraordinary

This is very old, but I am going to blog about it anyway (slow news day). The Chinese Philosopher's ex-spy codenamed EVA, last seen in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and presumed dead, appears in MGS: Portable Ops as a recruitable non-canonical character. Nothing surprising as we have all seen the various screenshots of her before the title was released. But I was kind of surprised to find her centrefold spread in the 'Erotic Kingdom', which is the magazine used by Naked Snake's crew to trap horny enemies. Can't say her augmentation went to waste there. ;)


So, nice easter egg Kojima. Nothing on the level of both Solid Snake and Raiden's past-time shenanigans in Sons of Liberty, but still good harmless fun. Can't wait to see what he has planned for us with MGS4.

LTTP: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

I have been trying to get into MGS: Portable Ops for some time now. Hell, it was the reason I got the PSP after all. Sadly the few times I tried, the controls would kill off any attempt to get beyond more than 15 minutes of gameplay. But yesterday I deleted my save game and started over from the beginning. I still hate the controls and its MGS3: Subsistence style camera, which in normal circumstances would have been great - if there was a right analog nub. The awful weather (and Patapon is taking up Jennifer's time) meant that we stayed in for most of the weekend, allowing me to catch up on this backlog.


I am now a couple of hours deep into Portable Ops and am starting to get hooked with the new squad-based gameplay, which allows us to play as other characters besides Naked Snake himself. Enemies procured in the battlefield are first imprisoned and then undergoes a brain washing scheme where they eventually agrees to join the team. Each unit have their own strengths and weaknesses and can be assigned to work in the battlefield as part of Snake's four member sneaking squad. It isn't only soldiers that can be captured. Disgruntled technicians can be recruited to work on expanding the inventory of weapons, and the medical unit can produce new medicines and rations as well as allowing for injured conscripts to recover quicker. Spies can be assigned to each location, which allows them to scout for ammos, provide the sneaking unit with detailed map as well as opening up new side quests.


While I still dislike the controls, but am getting used to it. Because of the limited camera field, I have to admit I am spending less time sneaking around than in past Metal Gear games. There are far less places to hide and the A.I. of enemies are better than in past games. Enemies do not only rely on their field of vision but sound feedback as well. One other thing Kojima did right in Portable Ops are its bite-sized missions, essentially making Naked Snake's founding of FOXHOUND to be a very portable experience.

Look out for a full review in the future. Maybe.

Hilarious Solid Snake antics

Sweet Jesus was that hilarious...

Leipzig Games Convention 2007 link dump

Live text Sony press conference here. Announced Tivo-like function for PS3. Redesigned PSP will arrive in Europe next month in boring black, white or silver. Two boring film tie-in special editions will also be available (Simpsons and Spiderman). No Europe PS3 proper price cut or Dual Shock 3 announced. Conference mainly made up of fluffware for non-gamer journos and lifestyle people. Grrr...

New Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer reveals four new bosses. Looks hot. Europe won't get screwed, Kojima promised. Video maybe tomorrow.

Nominations for best of Leipzig Games Convention 2007 right here.

PS2 Rock Band exclusive track list. Still do not know what the fuss is about. Get a real guitar people and form a real band! And learn to play Faith No More properly.

Iga developing yet another Castlevania DS... maybe another PSP version as well.

Still no sign of a proper next-gen Rayman platformer. If mini-games is your thing (which shouldn't be a problem considering 90% of Wii titles are mini-games) check out the new gameplay videos from Rayman Raving Rabbids 2.

Nintendo still turning its back on conventional video gaming. Ridiculous Wii Chess apparently in sight. Nothing new will be announced, instead time will be spent gloating about Wii success to journos. WHERE ARE THE GAMES???

"PlayStation 3 is very much benefiting from Gears of War. That sounds silly, but it's very much benefiting from Gears of War"

With waggle wand wonder, 3rd party Wii developers aren't even trying any longer. Check out this mobile phone game, to be released on Wii soon.
Konami announces new Track & Field for DS!

Half of Germany will be video gamers in three years time.

Far Cry 2 looks lovely. Not as lovely as Crysis though.

Nokia announced details on new N-Gage platform. Hope it doesn't suck. Will target more casual gamers. Someone better reminds Nokia that S60v3 sucks without more RAM.

Updates over the next few days

Revisiting Metal Gear Solid

All these MGS4 megatons has been giving me a good reason to revisit Metal Gear Solid. I last played MGS about four years ago, so I thought this would be the perfect time to brush up on Metal Gear's history, starting with the third game in the series, Metal Gear Solid. It isn't long anyway (less than 2 hours clocked by the time I reached Sniper Wolf, half way through the game). As I no longer have the PlayStation version, I instead played the PC version, which was a bit shit because I no longer have a joypad. Playing a game on keyboard which was originally designed for console, was difficult! But at least I was able to make screenshots!

Spoilers aplenty:


Infiltrating Shadow Moses


Sneaking around the Tank Hanger


Meeting Donald Anderson, the DARPA chief




Before the first boss battle with Revolver Ocelot


Meeting Gray Fox


Hideo Kojima needs to make a next-gen Policenauts




Meryl possessed


After defeating Psycho Mantis



Sniper Wolf strikes

Metal Gear Solid 4: new screens

Video here.

I take back whatever disbelief I had about a higher entity and today proclaim Hideo Kojima my god.

More screens and videos of MGS4 and Metal Gear Online here.

Raiden

I just started my third playthrough of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty yesterday (currently half way through the Plant Chapter). Some has lamented the inclusion of Raiden as the main playable character in the fourth Metal Gear game, but I never understood why. Many has dubbed him an annoying bugger and worse, a fag (in a derogatory sense).

Sure he has an androgynous appearance, but I think this probably highlights the cultural difference in gaming between the West and the East (well Japan and Otaku sub-culture). One has to look at Gears of Wars, Halo et. al, big budget American games with big burly grunts as heroes, to realise this. I like my video gaming characters to have a 'normal' body. And while Solid Snake is in no way like any id/Epic grunt, he does conform to the archtypical stereotyped male character of the West.

I understand why some are annoyed, because Kojima did (mis?)lead people to believe that Solid Snake would be the main character, due to the box art work (only the original Sons of Liberty Japanese cover that Raiden is featured on the cover before the Substance version is released two years later) as well as the Tanker Chapter. But I do not know why they have to get worked up with playing as Raiden. In a way, by introducing Raiden, Kojima and also introduced new moves that were only being capable of being replicated by someone more agile. In addition to that the gameplay is 99% similar to Metal Gear Solid with Solid Snake.

I like Raiden as a character. He fumbles, trips, and questions a lot, but this is the proper behaviour of an innocent rookie isn't it? Raiden is also a good playable video gaming character with a wider range of moves. In fact I look forward to him taking over from Snake from MGS4 and beyond.