MetalGear Solid: Portable Ops + Announced

Discussion related to the most well-known series by Kojima. News, debate and any related discussions are welcome. IMPORTANT Any topics related to MGS4 should temporarily go in the appropriate forum. Please keep spoilers out of signatures too.
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Henry Spencer
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Kojima games owned: Metal Gear (NES)
Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (GB)
Metal Gear Solid (PSX)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)
Policenauts (Saturn/PSX/3DO)
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Post by Henry Spencer »

Kojima only produced the game, he didn't write or direct it.
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Skycladiana
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Post by Skycladiana »

He certainly wrote the story, provided the original concept and did the basic game design. Really, a lot of Japanese games don't always distribute the authorship where it's due-- if you believed the credits at the end of Nintendo games, Miyamoto didn't do anything but "Produce" Mario or Zelda games, save one or two here and there. Kojima effectively remains the auteur on anything that's part of the MGS canon. He might not have had the same degree of control as he did on the console titles, but it'd be imprudent to believe that MPO was just another Ghost Babel or Ac!d to him.
Big Boss: Snake's my brother. (Slap) My son. (Slap) My brother. (Slap) My son. (Slap) My brother. (Slap) My son. (Slap) He's my brother and my son!
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Post by Artemio »

I categorize as imprudent =P
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87th
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Favorite Game: MetalGear 2: Solid Snake
Kojima games owned: METALGEAR SERIES
MetalGear (MSX2) [European]
MetalGear (NES) [European]
MetalGear (Famicom) [Japanese]
MetalGear 2: Solid Snake (MSX2) [Japanese]
Snake's Revenge (NES) [European]
MetalGear Solid (PlayStation) [European]
MetalGear Solid: Premium Pack (PlayStation) [European]
MetalGear Solid: Integral (PlayStation) [Japanese]
MetalGear: Ghost Babel (Gameboy Color) [European]
MetalGear: Ghost Babel (Gameboy Color) [European]
MetalGear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty (PlayStation 2) [European]
MetalGear Solid 2: Substance (PlayStation 2) [Japanese]
MetalGear Solid 2: Substance + The Document of MGS2 (PlayStation 2) [European]
MetalGear Solid 2: Substance (Xbox) [European]
MetalGear Solid 2: Substance (PC) [European]
MetalGear AC!D (PSP) [European]
MetalGear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PlayStation 2) [European]
MetalGear Solid 3: Snake Eater - Premium Pack (PlayStation 2) [Japanese]
MetalGear AC!D2 (PSP) [European]
MetalGear Solid 3: Subsistence - 1st Edition (PlayStation 2) [Japanese]
MetalGear Solid 3: Subsistence - Promo copy (PlayStation 2) [European]
MetalGear Solid 3: Subsistence - 1st Edition (PlayStation 2) [European]
MetalGear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel (PSP) [European]
MetalGear Solid: Portable Ops (PSP) [American]
MetalGear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Limited Edition (+ Bonus Disc, Soundtrack and 6" Old Snake Action Figure) [European]

SNATCHER SERIES
Snatcher (Mega CD) [European]
Snatcher (Saturn) [Japanese]

POLICENAUTS SERIES
Policenauts Pilot Disk (3DO) [Japanese]
Policenauts (3DO) [Japanese]
Policenauts (PlayStation) [Japanese]
Policenauts (Saturn) [Japanese]
Policenauts (Saturn) [Japanese]

ZONE OF THE ENDERS SERIES
Zone Of the Enders (PlayStation 2) [European]
Zone Of the Enders: The Second Runner - Special Edition (PlayStation 2) [European]

BOKTAI SERIES
boktai: The Sun Is In Your Hand! (Gameboy Advance) [European]
boktai 2: Solar Boy Django (Gameboy Advance) [European]

OTHER SERIES
Penguin Adventure (MSX) [European]
Kabushiki Baibai Trainer Kabutore (DS) [Japanese]

KOJIMA-RELATED GAMES
Konami Krazy Racers (Gameboy Advance) [European]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) [American]
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Post by 87th »

MPO simply screamed of bad design to me. It never seemed very certain of what it was trying to accomplish. Sometimes it felt like a tactical strategy game, sometimes an RPG, sometimes a stealth action game. The lack of a sense of identity would have been completely acceptable, had the game succeeded in making any of these elements work well. The choice to borrow Subsistence's "3D Camera" seemed completely under-thought when bringing the game to a system with only one analogue stick. The familiar top-down view would have worked much better. It was also quite hard to "get into" a game where you rarely spend more than 20 minutes on a level.

I'm in the same camp as Snatcher. I'd much sooner play Ghost Babel.
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Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (GB)
Metal Gear Solid (PSX)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)
Policenauts (Saturn/PSX/3DO)
Snatcher (PC Engine/Mega CD)
Zone Of The Enders (PS2)
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Post by Henry Spencer »

To be honest...I hated MPO. I know Osiris already knows how I felt about it (hence: David Hayter and Ryan Payton: "masturbating all over it"). I went way over the top on MGS: TUS about it, hilariously. :lol:

But still, my judgement on the game stands...I just didn't like it. It did fuck up the timeline a lot really.
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Post by Skycladiana »

To me, the mix of genres wasn't too bad, for two reasons. It does a pretty good job of at least attempting to put you into the mindset of a millitary leader, distributing goods among soldiers, sending them to different areas and so forth. Its focus wasn't 100 percent on stealth action this time, but I didn't hold that against it.

Besides, the degree to which this game used RTS and RPG elements is about as much as I can stand RTS and RPG elements, to begin with.

Other than that, as a portable title this really isn't meant to be played for long stretches, 87th. True, it might've been wise to have missions last a bit longer than a handful of minutes at a time for avid players, but for the most part portable gaming lends itself to shorter exchanges. Train and plane rides are really the only times it's practical to play for anything longer than 15 minute bursts. Unless you bring it into the bathroom, anyway.

Kojima tried to restructure the game for the portable market. Next time he'd probably do well to lengthen the duration of missions, but for the most part I think it's an experiment that's worth taking, at the very elast.
Big Boss: Snake's my brother. (Slap) My son. (Slap) My brother. (Slap) My son. (Slap) My brother. (Slap) My son. (Slap) He's my brother and my son!
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87th
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Favorite Game: MetalGear 2: Solid Snake
Kojima games owned: METALGEAR SERIES
MetalGear (MSX2) [European]
MetalGear (NES) [European]
MetalGear (Famicom) [Japanese]
MetalGear 2: Solid Snake (MSX2) [Japanese]
Snake's Revenge (NES) [European]
MetalGear Solid (PlayStation) [European]
MetalGear Solid: Premium Pack (PlayStation) [European]
MetalGear Solid: Integral (PlayStation) [Japanese]
MetalGear: Ghost Babel (Gameboy Color) [European]
MetalGear: Ghost Babel (Gameboy Color) [European]
MetalGear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty (PlayStation 2) [European]
MetalGear Solid 2: Substance (PlayStation 2) [Japanese]
MetalGear Solid 2: Substance + The Document of MGS2 (PlayStation 2) [European]
MetalGear Solid 2: Substance (Xbox) [European]
MetalGear Solid 2: Substance (PC) [European]
MetalGear AC!D (PSP) [European]
MetalGear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PlayStation 2) [European]
MetalGear Solid 3: Snake Eater - Premium Pack (PlayStation 2) [Japanese]
MetalGear AC!D2 (PSP) [European]
MetalGear Solid 3: Subsistence - 1st Edition (PlayStation 2) [Japanese]
MetalGear Solid 3: Subsistence - Promo copy (PlayStation 2) [European]
MetalGear Solid 3: Subsistence - 1st Edition (PlayStation 2) [European]
MetalGear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel (PSP) [European]
MetalGear Solid: Portable Ops (PSP) [American]
MetalGear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Limited Edition (+ Bonus Disc, Soundtrack and 6" Old Snake Action Figure) [European]

SNATCHER SERIES
Snatcher (Mega CD) [European]
Snatcher (Saturn) [Japanese]

POLICENAUTS SERIES
Policenauts Pilot Disk (3DO) [Japanese]
Policenauts (3DO) [Japanese]
Policenauts (PlayStation) [Japanese]
Policenauts (Saturn) [Japanese]
Policenauts (Saturn) [Japanese]

ZONE OF THE ENDERS SERIES
Zone Of the Enders (PlayStation 2) [European]
Zone Of the Enders: The Second Runner - Special Edition (PlayStation 2) [European]

BOKTAI SERIES
boktai: The Sun Is In Your Hand! (Gameboy Advance) [European]
boktai 2: Solar Boy Django (Gameboy Advance) [European]

OTHER SERIES
Penguin Adventure (MSX) [European]
Kabushiki Baibai Trainer Kabutore (DS) [Japanese]

KOJIMA-RELATED GAMES
Konami Krazy Racers (Gameboy Advance) [European]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) [American]
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Post by 87th »

I don't believe that a stealth game works well when played in short bursts. In my opinion, if Kojima thinks that portable games won't be played for more than 15 minutes, then he should reconsider making a stealth game for one.

Personally, I feel that portable games shouldn't be viewed as something that's so far removed from console games. Most of the time I spend on my PSP is used on emulation. The ability to save at any time removes any problems about how long you're able to play the game. A radio frequency for saving could have provided that ability. There was no real need to make a game based around such short levels, especially if it didn't fit the style of the series.

If the game really was an experiment, I don't think it was a wise choice to make it part of the main series. Announcing something as the sequel to MGS3 is no small claim, and I don't believe they took as much care with MPO as they had with previous games in the series.
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Post by Solidé »

The Japanese version of the game is now sale at the play-asia.com
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-bl- ... -29ht.html

I'm wondering when the European/American release will be, and will the price get more expensive?
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Post by Synthoid »

Personally, the only reason I can think of for buying MPO+ is purely for collection's sake. As for the original MPO, I didn't like the free-roaming camera that much myself either. Like 87th said before, the standard camera setup would have worked much better. Now, MGS4, should be the last main game in the series. Once it's out of the way, they should work on filling in the gaps in the series' past, either via Portable Ops-esque games (but more thought out than their predecessor) or something else. I'm not sure.

I've got mixed feelings on remaking the original MG titles, while it would be nice to have them fleshed out to coincide with the series current canon, I wouldn't want them screwing around with what are essentially "classic" games. In addition, just look at TTS and what a debacle that turned out to be. Mind you, that's what happens when you put Kitamura in charge of direction - Solid Snake or Dante? I couldn't tell the difference.

However, there's one key factor which I am adamant about - that the series should be placed to rest. Course, we all know that'll never happen but we can dream. Just like what was said earlier, the Metal Gear "franchise" is a nice little earner for Konami, and the longer they can stretch it out, the better. Worst case scenario: MGS becomes like FFVII, a bloated cash cow - fuelled by increasingly silly storylines and farfetched, half-baked plots.

Maybe I should just look forward to the Policenauts translation instead. :)
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Zone of the enders games for PS2.
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Post by Solidé »

Synthoid wrote:Personally, the only reason I can think of for buying MPO+ is purely for collection's sake.
I think same.
I'll propably buy this game, but most likely will never play it. Maybe i'll try the single player missions if i got time. I didn't like MPO too much so this MPO+ doesn't interest me so much as usually when new MGS game is coming...

Actually right now i'm looking forward to MGS mobile more than MPO+ or MGS2BD.
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Post by Synthoid »

Yeah, MGS Mobile looks interesting enough.
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Henry Spencer
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Metal Gear Solid (PSX)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)
Policenauts (Saturn/PSX/3DO)
Snatcher (PC Engine/Mega CD)
Zone Of The Enders (PS2)
Zone Of The Enders 2: Special Edition (PS2)
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Post by Henry Spencer »

Wonder if it'll be canon or not?

As for MGBD2 - Kojima said it's essential we play it before we play MGS4 (which is strange, I always thought it was like a fan fiction tale, based on each MGS game? :S)

Not only that, but with full voice overs, it should be great.
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Post by Marc »

Henry Spencer wrote:Wonder if it'll be canon or not?

As for MGBD2 - Kojima said it's essential we play it before we play MGS4 (which is strange, I always thought it was like a fan fiction tale, based on each MGS game? :S)
I think essentially that was meant for people who haven't read the comics. After all, remember that the comics haven't been published in Japan. I expect DGN2 to just be the comics on disc, like DGN1.
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Post by Missing »

Synthoid wrote:I've got mixed feelings on remaking the original MG titles, while it would be nice to have them fleshed out to coincide with the series current canon, I wouldn't want them screwing around with what are essentially "classic" games. In addition, just look at TTS and what a debacle that turned out to be. Mind you, that's what happens when you put Kitamura in charge of direction - Solid Snake or Dante? I couldn't tell the difference.
What does it matter if they remake the originals? They've already been made available, faithfully ported from their MSX incarnates, fully translated in English. It hardly matters now if Kojima chooses to disown them in suit of a more grander beginning for the franchise -- I wouldn't mind much either, though I think it's unlikely of happening. Kojima's sick of the franchise already, so I doubt he really cares at this point of going back to something he started some twenty years ago.

As for TTS, I've learned to lighten up on it. It may be a piss-poor Metal Gear and no match for the original, but it's still a very strong game in its own right.
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Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (GB)
Metal Gear Solid (PSX)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)
Policenauts (Saturn/PSX/3DO)
Snatcher (PC Engine/Mega CD)
Zone Of The Enders (PS2)
Zone Of The Enders 2: Special Edition (PS2)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl; it counts, right? ;P
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Post by Henry Spencer »

My guess is Murata taking over as director, I think Kojima's made it obvious whom he wants to hand over the reigns over to. And whatever happened to Tomokazu Fukushima? Has he left for another company? Or is he writing the 'other work' that there Playstation magazine mentioned eons ago, that was not Z.O.E 3?
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