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Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker is not a spin-off of the series. It is not some side-story,
or alternate reality or anything like that. Peace Walker was originally going to be MGS5,
so that will let you know how big it is to the story. This is a major point in the story
of Snake/Big Boss and also one of the more interesting games in the series.
The story takes place after Portable Ops but before the original Metal Gear. Big Boss and
Kaz Miller have created an army without a nation and are ready to build a new home.
Their services are requested in Costa Rica, and after hearing a familiar voice on a audiotape,
Big Boss sets out. There will be intrigue, betrayal, torture, and more, all mixed with
great MGS characters, both new and old.
One of the major points to the game is how to make a full Metal Gear Solid game play
well on the PSP. They succeed in this by being creative. The controls have been streamlined
and simplified, and work well. It takes a little to get used to it all, but when you
do it will feel like Metal Gear.
The gameplay is also a mix of the familiar and new, feeling both very in line with Metal
Gear but also offering enough new things that it feels very much its own thing. For one,
the game is mission based, allowing you to select your camo, weapons, and equipment before
each new mission. Sneaking through the grass, bring tranquilizers and suppressors. Squaring
off against a tank, might want to exchange them for a rocket launcher and machine gun,
but the choice is yours. Also, in addition to the fantastic Big Boss story missions,
there are tons of extra operations that you can complete. Doing so will unlock additional
gear and missions.
Another feature that works well and keeps you interested is Mother Base. Throughout
the missions, you can recruit, if you want to call it that, additional soldiers to join
your army. You can assign them to combat, medical, mess hall, R&D, or intel. More quality
soldiers, the higher that division's level and the better gear and weapons you can develop.
It’s crazy how much more incentive this provides to replay missions to fill your army
with only the best. There is just so much to do, complete extra ops, develop gear, send
out soldiers to extra ops. And you can have other real people join your missions and help.
Peace Walker is a great addition to the Metal Gear franchise. The story is very relevant,
tying together many games, and the additional ways to play are all welcome. It all builds
to create one of the best Metal Gear games, no matter what system it is on.