The legendary Metal Gear series comes to the PSP in METAL GEAR ACID. Experience a whole new gameplay system that focuses on deep tactical strategy with an entirely new Metal Gear storyline. As the role of top-secret agent, Solid Snake, players will make calculated decisions to plan out their infiltration strategy and accomplish the mission in a turn-based style of game. Through the use of strategic battle cards, players are given different abilities and stealth tactics to achieve the mission objectives. METAL GEAR ACID delivers the trademark stealth-action experience in a completely new game for the portable gaming audience to enjoy.
- Over 200 strategic battle cards to accomplish the mission
- Buy new cards to enhance your infiltration strategy – and discover new cards as you play
- Different decks give you new & unique abilities and actions
List Price: $ 39.99
Price: $ 43.99
This is NOT for Die-Hard Metal Gear Fans,
Metal Gear Acid is quite different from any other Metal Gear game before it. Most of the time when a game in the series is “different” from the others, it’s slapped on with a “For Die-Hard fans only.” This isn’t the case in Metal Gear Acid. This isn’t for die-hard fans, but for tactical RPG fans. To put more simply, if you like Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy Tactics, this game should please you just fine.
On the other hand, Die-Hard Metal Gear fans may be disappointed that this isn’t your typical Metal Gear game. This has more RPG elements, and while it influences stealth and strategy beyond all else, it isn’t as exhilirating as the previous Metal Gear Solid games.
Our story begins when a plane flying above Lobito Africa is suddenly hijacked by terrorists. All the passengers on the flight were paralyzed by fumes from the plane. Once again, Snake is called out of retirement because he’s the only one capable of stopping this terrorist plot.
Acid takes place outside the Metal Gear timeline. Snake is actually the only returning character in the series. His commander’s name is Roger, and he’s also your tutorial guide. This may sound great, but it’s Metal Gear Acid’s first flaw. The card system is new and unique. Roger does a terrible job at explaining things to you. Most of getting to know this card system is because you’ll have to experiment with it yourself, and that takes nearly three hours of gameplay, and attempting the same missions over and over again.
The Card System isn’t terrible, but it could use it’s improvements. Each card grants certain abilities. Everyone of them allows you to move, but depending on the card depends on what you do. For example, a silenced socom card lets you shoot your enemies, a cardboard box card can be equipped to evade enemies and a ration card restores your HP.
Roger also neglects to let you know your cards are drawn at random for every turn. You’re also never told you can equip cards so that they’re not always randomized. Really, Roger is useless, and don’t think the instruction manuel will help you much either. You’ll basically have to figure out the card system as you go along, and you may die several times in the process.
Each mission consists of you, as Snake, getting from one end of the level to the next. It starts off as simple as getting past a fence, and then getting past guards. Be forewarned that while this is a short game, it’s going to take you a while to complete each mission. Metal Gear has always been about stealth, and Acid is no exception. You’ll be expected to go undetected. Likewise, the cards will let you crawl, use stun grenades, flatten against walls and knock on them, and whatever else you can think of.
The game also ranks you after each mission. You can always play through levels again to get a better ranking. Your ranks is based on how long it took you, how many enemies you killed, how many times you were spotted, how many continues you used and how many rations you used.
As you get further into the story, you’ll be able to buy more cards to help you along in your quest. Any Metal Gear fan will LOVE looking at some of the cards. Some date as far back as the NES days, others are more recent and from MGS2 and 3. You’ll get to see Metal Gear REX and RAY, and even all the different reincarnations of Snake.
Once you get to a certain point in the game, it goes from being just Snake you control, to controlling Teliko as well. She’s Snake’s ally, and just the same, you’ll have to get her through each mission as well.
Later on you’ll also unlock a multiplayer game, and it’s quite fun. You can connect with other user’s wirelessly for some combat fun against one another. You’re goal here is to collect as many disk as you can and kill your opponent. There’s a set time limit, so you’ll have to be fast about it.
Graphically, Metal Gear Acid is one of the most beautiful handheld games ever made. Sometimes the framerate slows down, but it’s forgiveable. Also, it’s really nice to see the character animations on the cards. If it weren’t for the card battling, you’d probably think Acid was just another normal Metal Gear game.
Likewise, the audio is great! The music in the missions is incredible, and the sound effects are even pretty cool and unique. Definitely Metal Gear music.
Of course not everything about this game shines. I really didn’t like the slow pace of the game. The cutscenes are LONG and it isn’t the classic voice acting that Metal Gear fans enjoy. The cutscenes are LONG and drawn out, and like most MG games, they talk about useless things that aren’t important. The good news is you can blow through them by holding down the X button.
There are a bunch of hidden cards, but they require you playing through the…
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|Strategic, innovative, but very niche,
This game is going to appeal mostly to a very specific audience, but it’s flexible and interesting enough to be appealing to a fairly wide audience if they give it a try. It might even serve as a good entry for some into the tactical/strategic gaming genre.
MG:Acid is reminiscent of Final Fantasy: Tactics, or Tactics: Ogre, or even the Front Mission series. Tactical turn-based play with a sort of ‘card’ system to commit actions and equipment to play. It’s fairly innovative and very interesting, and the MG storylines are always pretty involved. The missions (so far) have been fun and not excessively long (clearly designed with portable gaming in mind.)
Some will dislike the fact that the game has steered away from real-time, full freedom gaming, but I think MG:Acid really focusses on the essence of the game, distilling gameplay to the tactical level and combining it with excellent graphics.
The audio leaves something to be desired, and the gameplay won’t appeal to everyone, but I believe that this title will definitely provide good solid entertainment and be a precursor to many similar games to come. Give it a whirl, you probably won’t be disappointed.
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