Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops - A solid product

First, I'd like to start off and say that I have never played any of the other Metal Gear series. This was my first. My friends always raved about the greatness of the Metal Gear series, so I went in with pretty high hopes. But I also know that the PSP was not exactly designed for games that require a complex system of controls (such as this one), so I did not know what to expect.

For those who do not know what Metal Gear is about, it is a game of espionage and stealth which revolves around a character named Snake. He is a legendary agent who is always tasked with saving the world.

Anyways, on to gameplay. Starting out the game was incredibly frustrating for me, given the many things that you can make Snake do. Every button did something unlike other games. But after a few tries, I began to get the hang of it. Soon, this game became a great collection to my PSP.

The game itself is mostly 3rd person, but can be switched to 1st person for precision shots, which was a nice feature for them to include. The story progresses at a suitable pace, a plus. And the varied ways to which you can approach a mission was always a good thing. For example, you can choose to sneak into a compound using patience and good timing, or you can rush in with guns blazing and take out everybody that stands in the way (not recommended since even one of the guards can open a serious can of whupass).

What struck me as most interesting was actually the experience of the game. There's something very thrilling about sneaking past patrols, ambushing targets, and using everything in your arsenal to complete the mission. To my experience, no other game on the PSP has placed an emphasis on stealth.

However, just when you start to understand the mechanics of gameplay, you are introduced to a team management function which allows you to recruit captured enemies as playable characters (!!) and supporting characters, allowing you to plan out your missions with utmost detail. I had heard that this game was the first time in the series where you could do such a thing, which means future games on the PSP would probably improve on this already great system... Something to look forward to.

Honestly, this game was an outstanding experience. When you play MGS:PO, you feel like you're actually in the game trying to evade detection. It sucks you right in. The graphics are beautiful. Very fitting for the game. I recommend this title to everybody. No previous shooter/rpg experience required.

Note: What I have given here is just a small sample of the gameplay. The MGS:PO experience is simply so vast that if I were to cover every aspect, this review would be 20 pages long. Go and see for yourself.