Metal Gear PSP Extras for Europe

Europeans wait for everything, but at least this time Konami is trying to make the wait worthwhile.

European are used to waiting longer for games, which are delayed to give developers time to translate them into other languages. What they're not used to is a new trend of rewarding their patience with extras, a trend Konami is strengthening with its new Metal Gear Solid game for PSP.

The core of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops is the same as what was released in the US and Japan last year. The game expands on the story from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, following Snake as he assembles the Foxhound team to respond to the violent campaigns of the rival Fox unit. Expect to see many familiar faces in a story that links Snake Eater to the games set later in the Metal Gear Solid timeline.

Gameplay is completely separate from the previous portable games in the franchise. Konami has shelved the trading-card system from the recent Ac!d games, and Portable Ops is as action-heavy as the limitations of the PSP will allow.

During the game you're asked to build teams out of characters you recruit in the field. These are sometimes tied to real-world wireless access points, so you'll need to scan networks around you to find elusive compatriots.

During the process of preparing the game for release in Europe, the developers at Kojima Productions have added 12 extra characters, and the multiplayer map count has also been bumped from eight to 10.

However, the wait is not yet over, and Europeans will need to wait until April for the game's release.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo