Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus for PSP is very much an expansion pack to last year's Portable Ops, forgoing a compelling single player campaign for a more frantic multiplayer adventure. This could be either a strength or a weakness, depending on how you like to play your Metal Gear Solid.

While the series is known for its stealth game play, the bulk of your time in Portable Ops Plus will be spent in the multiplayer arena, which generally is more fast paced than your standard Metal Gear Solid. The original Portable Ops had a somewhat robust campaign for solo players, with the multiplayer component being a very fleshed out addition. There is something here for the lone player this time, but it is completely at the service of the multiplayer game. The goal is to build up a team of four characters to take into the battlefield against friends. Playing the campaign missions is also how you'll stock up on supplies, weapons and upgrades. In this sense, the single player is somewhat like a dumbed down role-playing game; it exists to allow you to compile your perfect team, but there is not much on the plot side.

The game supports both ad-hoc and infrastructure modes, and wisely allows you to play against those who are still playing the original Portable Ops. This makes Portable Ops Plus a complete package for those who are only interested in the online aspects of this particular series.

There are a host of new features, but none of them drastically change the way you play the game. New characters are playable, spanning the history of the MGS series, killing any sense of coherency, but being able to play as Old Snake or Young Snake is fun for fans. The new maps look good but feel similar to the original ones. You are often battling in sparsely decorated locales, but everything looks sharp and detailed and runs at a brisk framerate with a good draw distance, so it's an even trade. The music and voice acting remain true to the series, but both are less dramatic than you'd find in a typical, full-featured MGS adventure.

Because of its multiplayer nature, Portable Ops Plus is bound to turn off those who come to the series for the over-the-top plot, the amazing cut scenes and the slow-paced and methodical action. However, for those who are open to expanding the MGS universe and/or love the original, there is plenty in the game to warrant the paltry $20 entry fee.

Our Final ScoreOK

What did you think of this game? Post Your Own Review