 Review By: Andrew Joy |
Developer: | Konami |
| Publisher: | Konami | |
| Genre: | Card-based Strategy | |
| ESRB: | Mature | |
| # Of Players: | 1-2 | |
| Online Play: | No | |
| Accessories: | Wi-Fi (Ad Hoc), Memory Stick Duo, Solid Eye (included), Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (transfer pics from PS2 to view in Solid Eye) | |
| Buy Now: |   |
Acid 2 has very little voice acting, just little sound bytes like comments between Snake and his partner, Venus, as they help each other out, though what they are actually saying is far off from the words that appear onscreen. Apart from that, every revelation and conversation in the game is made through pages upon pages of dialogue. And, on top of that, it is very, very dry, too. The characters talk and talk, tossing in the occasional cheesy quip and snide remark – and, just so you know, sarcasm doesn’t translate that well with straight conversation such as this – only adding to the low-budget action movie feel and making an already snail-paced game feel that much longer. However, the tiring length and pace of the game, provided by the dialogue and everything else, is nothing more than illusion. And, even without it, Metal Gear Acid 2 is a pretty hefty adventure with lots of replay value.
When you first play each level, you are given a letter grade of your performance, which then translates into points (which can be used to purchase themed card packs and single cards in the Card Shop) and extra cards. Afterwards though, you can play that level again and again with different objectives – such as passing through undetected, eliminating every opponent, playing with only a limited field of vision or any number of other tasks they assign. Those, too, will earn you a letter grade, again earning you extra points and cards. And, once you beat the entire game, you can play through the story mode all over again, trying to beat your main mission grade, testing out different strategies and earning upgrades in the Card Shop. Another reason to complete the game is so that you can unlock the Arena, where you can challenge classic Metal Gear foes in card-based combat instead of with real-time guns and fisticuffs, just another of the little treats for those who know the canon.
For fans of the Metal Gear series, I would definitely say Metal Gear Acid 2 is a must have. You can connect with the original Acid, transferring over a certain amount of your points and cards, and to Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, transfering photos to view in 3-D. And, even though the story is independent of the original Acid and both games are side-stories of regular series, there is something to be said for continuity. For instance, the cards are based on all the games in the series (including some from Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the upcoming PS3 game), with lots of characters and cutscenes from the past games. Also, as you collect certain cards, special videos are unlocked in Solid Eye Theater.
Being a sequel, the MGS/TCG mix is not as original as it once was, so Acid 2 has a new novelty to help sell itself: the Solid Eye. The Solid Eye (which, like the title, is also written Sol!d Eye) is a packed-in, card-board accessory that slips over the PSP to create a stereoscopic, 3-D effect. Of course, this isn’t 3-D as you and I would normally think of it concerning videogames (that is to say, not 2-D), but true, immersive 3-D. The videos include small movies of women, cutscenes from Metal Gear Solid 3 and even a trailer of MGS4, all reworked to make use of the Solid Eye. Though, when it comes to the models, I must admit it was a little creepy.
After all, I’m staring through a little box at young Asian women prancing around and doing things that are generally considered quite innocent, such as having a squirt gun fight. Other times, apart from touting a gun and sometimes water guns, a lot of the videos seem to have nothing to do with the game at all. It’s just a bunch of girls (who also have cards, which give their names and measurements, but are otherwise useless) in skimpy outfits and, for some strange reason, almost always wearing high heels. Now, while that may do it for some of you (and that’s just fine – go out and buy the game!), it was all a little too voyeuristic and, as I’ve said, creepy for me. On top of that, I also have to tell you that it doesn’t at all help that the movies – albeit, named after cards – are titled things like "Choke" and "The Fear."
Though the Solid Eye looks nothing like the conceptual image first shown when the game was announced, and it is in fact flimsy and almost impossible to wield with the system, after you first see one of those movies, it won’t hardly matter at all. And, despite the somewhat perverted nature of half the movies, the effect achieved in the Solid Eye Theater is simply amazing. In fact, if it wasn’t so much of a hassle to hold in place while trying to play (and didn’t cause such a splitting headache), it might be worth it to play the whole game with the Solid Eye, as it is an option. But, even without it, the game looks great, even if it is something of a departure from the rest of the series.
Whereas the original Metal Gear Acid had graphics similar to the regular games in the series, one of the larger complaints was that it was too dark and hard to see. In Acid 2, the problem has been remedied with comic book-like cel-shaded graphics. Not as familiar with the series as some, I can’t say how fans of the Metal Gear games are going to feel about the new look, but as far as I’m concerned, it looks pretty decent, if not a little too colorful. By this point in the review, though, you should have expected nothing less and, if you learn anything else from this game, it’s that you have to take the good with the bad.
Bottom Line:
Disturbed as I am by the continuing trend of so many games becoming bedfellows with TCG/CCG, even I have to admit that I enjoyed Metal Gear Acid 2, and I think a lot of other people could as well. Unfortunately, it seems for every point, there is also a counterpoint, so purchasing this game is a decision every gamer will have to make for themselves.
The graphics are easy on the eyes, but quite a departure from anything else in the series. The Solid Eye is a neat concept, even if the accessory itself wasn’t executed so well and some of the videos are rather...well, we’ll just say odd. There is a multiplayer aspect to the game, but it is ad hoc only, so I never got to try it and therefore can’t comment on it. And, finally, the gameplay is very enjoyable, but it is not very solid, with strange instances such as disappearing cards (which has happened more times than I can count) and bogus descriptions.
For all its flaws, Metal Gear Acid 2 may not seem to have a winning hand, but addictive gameplay and loads of replay value may be the real ace up its sleeve.
| Pros: | Cons: | Final Score: |
|---|---|---|
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| 7.5 |
Posted: 2006-04-18 08:38:50 PST