Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

XLord007 wrote:

First, I want to say that I am shocked that Angela allowed me to beat her to the punch on this one. ;-)

Probably because I'm a bit crestfallen that I'm unable to play it.  Firmware 6.0 would mean having to forgo my custom firmware-equipped PSP..... And as much as I love my Metal Gear, I'll be darned if I'm giving up having my Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! on the go.

It's encouraging to hear that it's a nominal step up from Portable Ops.  The camera work and controls were a big detriment to the game, so it's good to see them doing a ground-up reworking with Peace Walker.

I'm really liking the new theme song, "Heavens Divide."  Donna Burke.... she was Angela Orosco from Silent Hill 2, wasn't she?

Last edited by Angela (Aug 27, 22:19)

SonicPanda wrote:

You could get an auxiliary PSP to update and play new stuff on, that's what I did anyway.

I'm surprised she doesn't already have one, especially considering how many DSes she's bought over the years. :-)

Right, so I finally bit the bullet and got me a second PSP.  A 3000 model, and I've gotta say, when compared to the 1000, I'm totally not used to the ultra-light feel of the system.  Did they take out all the electronics or something?

Getting to start the game off proper, I'm certainly enjoying it.  It's a graphical powerhouse, and even a framerate whore like myself is able to find a lenient compromise with the lower locked speed.  You can tell a lot of thought went into trying to make the conventions of MGS's controls work for the PSP.  Allowing the necessary options to tweak and customize on a personal level is always appreciated, yet despite that, I'm still finding it a bit tough using the face buttons for aiming purposes. (Under the Shooter Mode setup.)  I've gotten used to using the analog nub to properly Stalk, but I still can't get over how you can't crawl when lying down.

It feels great to have the gameplay more readily emphasize the MGS3 school of stealth.  Patience and deliberation is once again key, and there's a keen sense of satisfaction with getting in close enough for a CQC encounter, and hurling the sucker straight into a wall.  I've been using the Fulton Recover System like a madwoman, effectively drawing out the collectathon beast in me.  After the shooter-happy excursion that was MGS4, it's nice to have a purpose to strive for perfect No-Kill streaks.

I took down the first boss, the LAV-Type G.  I'd heard the fights are tough in the game, but holy hell, was it hard.  Could've been that I was unprepared, but I only got through by the skin of my teeth.  Seriously, even after using up all four of my rations, I was down by a "one more hit and you're dead" sliver of health.  I laid out all my M16A1 and M1C tranq ammo -- and my VERY last M1C bullet was the one that brought the commander down.  I was damned lucky.  Had I popped out for the shot at the wrong time, I would be grousing for days how that fifty minutes spent fighting was all for naught.  Needless to say, I'm fearful for what the next few battles have in store.

I haven't quite warmed up to the story yet.  It's extremely geopolitical-heavy, even for a Metal Gear title, but not in a particularly engaging way.  I'm hoping the plot eventually becomes more character-centric as the game goes on.  One thing I will say: I wish I could shoot Paz myself for her frequent and obnoxious ramblings about peace.

Last edited by Angela (Aug 27, 22:22)

the vehicle battles can get annoying after a while, since you'll be repeatedly doing them. especially if you want to clear as many missions as possible. that was my only gripe with PW, the rest of the game is top-notch. konami went all-out with the budget, i've never seen so much voice acting in a handheld game before, the animations of all the real bosses are also pretty crazy. don't get me started on the chracter models, but check the model viewer.

this game has it all.