Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops is brilliant. I've only ever played the first MGS that appeared on the PS1 and so haven't a clue as to what has happened in between then and now on the newer console versions. And it's precisely that which was my biggest worry when starting this game. There was always the chance that I wouldn't have a clue why I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, or who was who. But it doesn't matter because story does a pretty good job of explaining things as it goes along.
The basic gameplay is as MGS should be instead of the bizarre card based MGS Acid games that have been released for the PSP. You sneak around in third person mode hiding behind boxes and walls, occasionally knocking out guards in an attempt to reach your goals. The controls on the PSP are surprisingly good for this type of game. Other games have struggled with the lack of a second analogue stick but MGS:PO works perfectly well. The graphics are also extremely impressive with very few glitches which don't cause any problems when playing the game.
Apparently new to the series, (remember I haven't played any of the newer games), is the ability to take any enemies you knock out to the back of your truck. Once there they are then your prisoners and will, over time, be converted to work on your team. These people have various skills and can be allocated tasks to make your job easier or to unlock extra missions. Some soldiers may be good medics and so you place them in your medics unit to improve the rate of health replenishment and creation of health packs. Others may be technical wizards so you place them in the technical unit to develop weapons and equipment. Others may be good at surveying or spying so they can be sent on missions to discover new items or mission requirements at the various sites you will visit. Those and the rest of the soldiers can also be placed in any of the four units that can go out on missions. Each unit can have up to four soldiers and these can also have skills that make life easier whether it be skill with particular weapons or the ability to sneak, run or drag unconscious guards faster. There's quite a lot of decision making that needs to be done.
One area that is impressive and unimpressive is the on-line side of gameplay. There is the ability to scan for wireless access points which will give you new recruits and this is a nice touch. There are also on-line multiplayer modes. The first of which allows you to send any of your four man units out into cyber battles where they will fight other cyber teams and hopefully capture enemies and gain experience. The other mode allows you to use your team and do the running around yourself. These would be impressive modes of play if they hadn't been ruined by players who have seemingly cheated to get better characters in their teams. It is almost impossible for anyone else to get anywhere in on-line play against these much higher ability teams.
Even without the on-line play though, MGS:PO is still a brilliant game and ranks as one of the best to appear on the PSP so far.
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