Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

The unique hook to MPO is how the single-player action is tied in directly to the multiplayer, which comes in both ad hoc and infrastructure. Called the 'comrade system,' by playing MPO at a variety of waypoints and wireless hotspots, each of which contains its own unique IP, the game will randomly generate a selection of multiplayer characters for gamers to use. These are your unlockable comrades. Different hotspots will cough up different characters, so it's in player's best interests to try MPO out at as many places as possible. As long as you don't let a new character die in multiplayer (we're still curious as to how this will really work out) you get to keep them, stored on your memory stick. If a rare character, say for example Revolver Ocelot -- who might only be obtainable at a hotspot in Tokyo, were to go down it would be a pretty bitter loss. But, by throwing up a white flag in multiplayer, you can save him from being eliminated. Given how quickly someone can die in multiplayer action (from a headshot, as one example), we're not sure how effective the white flag system will be.

One cool feature integrated into MPO's 'comrade system' is how your PSP will automatically exchange unlocked characters with another PSP that happens to be in the vicinity with wireless functions activated. You don't lose the ones that are transferred to another PSP, you just gain access to whatever characters you don't have. Another method in recruiting allies to your side is by basically abducting them and yanking them into Roy Campbell's truck. Since Roy tells Snake "You'll need allies," the game offers an staggering amount of characters that you can woo over to your side. MPO offers hundreds of potential allies to convert, giving Snake even more things to do after he's put someone in a choke-hold. Up to 100 of these characters can be saved to your memory file, giving you a huge roster of talent to choose from in multiplayer. Even bosses can be recruited to your side, which will surely be among the most challenging of all recruits. You can then take three of these soldiers into battle, whether it be single-player or multiplayer.

Once you've unlocked some characters in the multiplayer, using them in the single-player campaign is even more intriguing. Unlike the relatively linear levels of MGS3, in which you -- in the words of one Konami producer -- "basically go North," MPO's levels are designed to be bigger and more elaborately conceived. The reason for this is because you're not alone in MPO. Even in single-player mode, Snake's allies fight the good fight alongside him. For example, say Snake is pinned down by snipers at Point A in a level. By pressing select, and provided you've also included a sniper in your ally pool, you can cycle through your team until you get to the sniper, and control him, moving him through the level until you've taken out the sniper harassing Snake. Many job classes, like medics and snipers, can be outfitted in your team, which will help players create a myriad of team styles, whether it be an all-out assault team, or a more tactical, defense-minded team, or a team specializing in demolitions. The possibilities are nearly endless.

As you can see, level design had to be carefully considered to accommodate such large teams, and must be flexible to allow for all types of team configurations. After all, it was hard enough taking Snake from beginning of a level to the end of a level in MGS3; where on Earth would you hide three other team members in an MG3 map? The goal of the development team was to keep the signature elements that define a Metal Gear Solid game (like the exclamation points, attention to detail, etc.), while introducing truly fresh game mechanics that would allow MPO to stand on its own as a compelling addition to the Metal Gear canon. From the looks of things, between the comfy-as-a-glove controls, and the high production values (every voice that's been in every relevant game returns here, David Hayter as the voice of Snake among them), Kojima Productions is on the right track.

Hands-on time with the multiplayer element of MPO was fun. Playing much like the multiplayer action in Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, running around in a four-player deathmatch, tuck, and rolls are performed with the X button (which also makes players crouch or lie flat), while ledge climbing is handled with triangle. R-trigger pulls things into first-person mode, and square fires. Of course you can also shoot in 3rd-person mode as well, as the situation dictates. Plenty of ladders are found in the environments, for snipers and campers to ascend in the hopes of finding fresh prey to kill. It'll be fun to see how the multiplayer performs in both LAN and wireless environments, but in the wireless set-up Konami had with four PSPs everything ran smoothly. We expect to get more personal time with MPO at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show, but for the time being, check out the collected media we have here. While Kojima Productions won't commit to a release date, save for winter, we know they're aiming for the holidays.

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