Do you have what it takes to get a review published right here on Kotaku? Henry does, as he tries to hide four Snakes in one cardboard box.
Yes, that’s right, we’re now publishing reader reviews here on Kotaku. This is your chance to deliver sensible game purchasing advice to the rest of the Kotaku community.
And thanks to the very kind chaps at Madman Entertainment, purveyor of all kinds of cool, indie and esoteric film, the best reader review we publish each month will win a prize pack containing ten of the latest Madman DVD releases.
This review was submitted by Henry Chung. If you’ve played Peace Walker, or just want to ask Henry more about it, leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)
Prequel to the Metal Gear Solid series and sequel to Snake Eater, Peace Walker continues the story of Big Boss and the formation of Outer Haven. Touted as Metal Gear 5, being on the PSP platform doesn’t hinder this game one bit.
Loved
Kojima: There’s no one who can forge a gripping story quite like Kojima. His genius is his ability to base his games in historical war-time events and put a fictional spin on them. Far-fetched yes, but plot elements and characters are explored in depth leaving the player satisfied with every play through.
Story: Peace Walker adopts a more straightforward plot about nuclear deterrence during the Cold War. The main focus, in my opinion, is Big Boss, having been traumatised by the events of Snake Eater, he faces the actions of his past which allows the player to greater explore Big Boss as a character.
Portable OPs, Huge Game: Being on the PSP platform doesn’t stop Kojima from cramming this game to the brim with a variety of weapons, levels, features and presentation; the fact that a full install of the game into your memory stick comes in about 1GB is clear indication of that. Cut-scenes are fully voiced and are presented in a much stylised sketched style, sometimes interactive. The game will also have you managing “Outer Haven” by recruiting soldiers’ involving a self-propelled weather balloon. Weapons, items and gadgets can then be unlocked.
Graphics: This game really spits at the idea that a PSP, being a portable device, will inherently mean compromised graphics. Yes of course you do have to look over low-grade textures and low-poly models, but the absolutely stunning locales including lush jungles and dusty shanty towns really make you forget that you’re playing a PSP game. Big Boss himself and the enemy bosses are particularly well done in both model renders and animation; they are detailed and are fluid.
Two Snakes, One Box: This one’s self explanatory.
Hated
Chicken Dance With Your Fingers: If you’ve played any of the Metal Gear games, you’d know bad controls are unavoidable. Given the PSP is lacking a second analogue stick, this forces you to emulate that with the four faces buttons (if you decide to use the “shooter” control configuration), nothing really comes out right with the controls. But you do get used to them and they are a lot better than most PSP shooters such as Resistance: Retribution.
Peace Walker is a game for the fans; if you’ve played any of the previous Metal Gear games you’ll feel right at home with this one. Newcomers to the series may be left out in the dark when it comes to understanding the allusions to the previous games and the quirky gameplay mechanics. If there be a ring to rule them all equivalent for a portable game, this would be it, an awesome game that has a scope bigger than its platform
Reviewed by: Henry Chung
You can have your Reader Review published on Kotaku. Send your review to us at the usual address. Make sure it’s written in the same format as above and in under 500 words – yes, we’ve upped the word limit. We’ll publish the best ones we get and the best of the month will win a Madman DVD prize pack.
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