The Observer, April 28, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 26
Metal Gear Ac!d 2 PSP gamer's dream
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The launch of the PlayStation Portable was heralded as one of the strongest debuts ever for a handheld. Between Lumines, Wipeout, and Ridge Racer, gamers had no shortage of satisfying software to play. With all of the hullabaloo surrounding more conventional efforts, many early adopters of Sony's new system overlooked one of the most creative strategy games in years, Metal Gear Ac!d.
This spin-off to the popular Metal Gear Solid franchise fused trading card rules to the "tactical espionage action" fans loved. The menus could be cumbersome at times and traversing across levels was a boring process, but the foundation for a fantastic game was there. Luckily, Konami decided to give this series another shot with Metal Gear Ac!d 2, and the improvements to its predecessor have paid off in spades.
The premise of MGA2 is similar to many other strategy RPGs, such as Front Mission or Disgaea. Solid Snake, as well as his new partner Venus, move throughout each map, defeating or succumbing to enemies based on the strength of their stats. The difference here is that the available moves are dictated by a randomly dealt hand of cards. Cards that allow movement, attacks, and numerous special effects can all be added to a deck, but the unpredictable nature of the hand available forces a player to become prepared for any challenge.
The other major twist is that stealth is usually encouraged; levels are much easier to conquer if you don't get spotted by the various guards and surveillance. This approach will only get Snake so far however, as occasionally he'll have to engage some aggressive infantry.
A new game feature are the link cards, which modify attack power, accuracy, and other attributes, adding another layer of strategy. These elements can be combined so that even the most underpowered dartgun can become a devastating weapon. Movement has also been improved. In the first MGA, several turns were needed to make characters face a certain direction or press up against a wall. Now, all of these maneuvers can be done with a single, continuous action. If you were turned off by the previous game's slow pace, you may still enjoy its sequel.
Fans will certainly get their money's worth out of MGA2. In addition to the main story, which deals with Snake's amnesia and yet another nuclear tank, an arena mode has been added. Here, veterans can compete with classic foes such as Liquid Snake and The End to win valuable points. This new design is great for quick matches on the go, and provides plenty of opportunities to earn new cards. Speaking of which, there are over 550 designs to collect, almost three times as many as the original.
Included with the game is the "Solid Eye," a gimmicky cardboard box that supposedly gives the visuals a three dimensional appearance. While cool in theory, I could not get this silly contraption to work properly and instead played through the majority of the gamewithout it. The graphics don't need enhancement anyway, as the surroundings are far more impressive than the drab, militaristic bases of their predecessor. Everything is bright and colorful (uncharacteristic of Metal Gear), and all of the characters are cell shaded. The overall impression is akin to a comic book. If the developers could just get some voice acting in a third installment, the audiovisual presentation would be perfect.
Metal Gear buffs may scoff at the addition of an electronic card game, as the very idea is associated with childish phenomenon schoolyard activities. However, gamers who approach Konami's latest PSP venture with an open mind will discover an incredibly rewarding experience.
Easter egg: For a helpful surprise, enter "GinormousJ" in the password menu.
