Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (PlayStation Portable, 2006)

The game is a replica of the ps2 metal gears with slight new additions of controls. The biggest change is that you are able to play as other characters and soldiers as you recruit them through out the game. The multiplayer over a LAN or internet hot spot is also very fun. The thing that just dosnt go right with me is that im a huge fan of the MGS saga and the psp version just does not cut it for me graphics and control wise.... the story is kinda blah as well.... but hey ive bought almost all mgs titles including the two AC!D card based versions for psp.... overall a good buy for your psp

So, I will start about by saying, "WOW". For a Metal Gear Solid game on the PSP, this game has some amazing graphics. The first thing that got me to check this game out was the fact that it's a sequel to the 3 title on the PlayStation 2. I really enjoyed Snake Eater, I felt like it hit back to some of that old school nostalgia of the first Metal Gear Solid. So when I got this game I was expecting some more of that wonderful feeling. The game is a very fun and interactive game. Unlike the previous Metal Gear Solid games, this game isn't a solo mission. You rely on team members that you recruit to help you through stages, giving a more strategic feel to the game. I say right now that the storyline for the game, for as much as I've played, is pretty darn good. If your a fan, and have been following the story of these games, this game is a must play. There were only a couple of things that I didn't like about the game. The first being the way they went about the cut scenes. I have to say that the animation is really cool, but sometimes when there is a lot of action and it's hard to see what's going on because there is no color to signify one thing from the other. Next the controls take a lot of getting use to. The camera is epecially annoying to perfect, but you eventually get the hang of it. I understand that they had to change the controls to fit the PSP, but it was a little annoying. The third and final thing that bothered me was the lack of audible dialogue, another thing that you get used to, but it was still disappointing. The only time you hear the characters talking is in the cut scenes, no more voiced codec. ;( If you are a fan of Metal Gear Solid, or just looking for a fun game for your PSP, I definitely recommend you check this game out. It's a pretty darn fun game.

Portable Ops stars off with very few tutorial sessions, but it's not a problem for fans of the genre.

Graphics 5/5
The graphics are nice for a PSP game, but the digital comic style cut scenes are a change of pace from what fans usually experience from a Metal Gear game.

Sound 5/5
The soundtrack is what you'd expect from a Metal Gear game; it's silly spy music, but it's all good.

Controls 3/5
Controls unfortunately are not very customizable.

Story 4/5
The best cutscenes start getting cooler from the middle and carry on until the end. The gameplay time is short, but it is a handheld game after all. The #1 reason to purchase this game is to add bits to the cannon of the story.

Gameplay 4/5
It doesn't really pick up until you collect more items to use. Capturing soldiers becomes a tedious chore. Overall, it's fun to play through & multiplayer could add replay value if more people were still playing this game.

Conclusion 4.2/5
Fans can jump right into this and enjoy it; I don't know why they haven't already, but I recommend that newcomers play Snake Eater or any of the other Metal Gear games first to appreciate the universe.

I put away my PSP for about a year. As soon as I found out this game released, I dusted the PSP off. This is by far the best game on the PSP. This game and its story is a continuation to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (MGS3). This game is filled with a deep storyline with cutscenes that look like Metal Gear Solid Digital Novel. The game has full voiceover in their missions and scenes from the cast of MGS3. The gameplay is similar to past Metal Gear games, so expect the similar controls and artificial intelligence. To complete missions, you will have a team of people that you will need to recruit to build your team. There is a multiplayer games that I have not played, but it looks like there are a lot to choose from, such as deathmatch and team deathmatch. This game has everything Metal Gear fans want.

Portable Ops is set at the beginning of November 1970, a full six years after the events of Operation Snake Eater. Naked Snake, who's received the title of Big Boss, has walked away from command of FOX, an elite special forces unit. At the start of the game, Snake has been kidnapped, drugged and thrown into a South American jail cell. After a torture session by a former CIA agent and FOX member, Snake is left alone to try to recall the location of a vital secret that's gone missing: The Philosopher's Legacy from Snake Eater is now highly sought after, and Snake is the last known person to have any information about it.