So I found myself on the verge of a little quandary when I reviewed Metal Gear Acid 2 earlier this year. On the one hand, it's an improved sequel over the original, complete with a trippy little 3-D peripheral, a new visionary look, and some improved gameplay. But on the other, it's still doing the same old card-battle stuff. Look, if I want to card battle, there's Yu-Gi-Oh! games and the old SNK Vs. Capcom titles on the Neo Geo Pocket Color. What I want out of Metal Gear in a portable game is the same sort of experience I found in Subsistence for the PS2- a raw, intriguing blend of action and stealth. And I know a few others that feel the same way, chomping at the bit for something to hold them over as they patiently await Sons of the Patriots for PS3 sometime next year.

Well, consider your wish fulfilled. Hideo Kojima and his team are stepping up to deliver a whole new Metal Gear handheld experience, and it looks to be the first action/stealth chapter to come around since we were playing Solid on the Game Boy Color years ago. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops should deliver on every account with its new gameplay system, which is mostly based on the console efforts but has a few additions to make it stand out.

The game follows a few months after the events of Snake Eater have unfolded. Big Boss, the main character from Eater, awakens in the middle of a prison, and finds out his former teammates at FOX are up to no good. They're wreaking havoc in the middle of South America, leaving many dead in their wake. Boss finds himself in a position where he and a few recruits must stop them, although events are going to unfold during the game that will change his fate forever...and fill in some of the gaps left open in previous Metal Gear games. That right there is going to make this a pivotal must-play for die-hard fans, as they'll finally get a few of their questions answered. But, there might be new ones that they'll have to get resolved with Patriots next year. Oh, well, that's storyline intrigue for you. Always building. Maybe we'll see how FOXHOUND got started.

The game will allow you to recruit specific members to your party to help you complete missions, and a lot of these characters are recognizable from previous Metal Gear games. There's a wide variety to choose from, each with their own abilities and attributes, and you can gain access to new ones from wireless hot spots. Simply reach the hot spot where your network allows you to access, and then download the new data onto your PSP. From there, you can add the character to your party.

Online won't just come in handy for downloads. You'll also be able to experience online interaction with other players. You can trade up members of teams to other players to try to give yourself an advantage, or take part in a huge fight to see who's party is tougher. The game also features a "white flag" surrender system, in case you think your party is not strong enough to win a fight. If you see that you're destined for a loss, you can throw the "white flag" into play and save your team members for another day of battle. Or, if you feel that risk is necessary, you can skip this option and just fight it out to the death. Whether that's a smart tactic relies on the strength of your team and the logic of your thinking. You kill your team, it's your own fault.

The game will follow the more traditional design of Metal Gear instead of the cel-shaded look that Metal Gear Acid 2 inhabited, and I think it will work better for the series. Don't get me wrong, I liked the engine that Acid 2 used, and it had a creative touch, but the grittier path that the series follows is always the better one, I feel, and fans will purely enjoy the visual touches Kojima and his team have put into this game. The audio will also feature a return to normalcy, complete with moving music and a voice cast once again headed up by David Hayter, who returns as Big Boss.

The details behind multiplayer are scarce at this point, but we do know a few things. First of all, sneaking around is going to be a deep part of the game, as you'll want to make sure you can get close to your opposition without giving up your location. However, a twist that's added to this is something that will give other players the advantage to take the lead. The winning player in the round will be tormented by a little toy frog hanging over his or her head, forcing "ribbit" sounds to try and give up their location. This adds a nice touch to the series, and makes veteran players work a little bit more for their lead. A huge variety of weapons and abilities are also usable, and the game will support both AdHoc and Infrastructure match-ups.

Metal Gear Solid continues to be a series that stands its own ground, even if it manages to annoy a few people with its wavering storyline. The consoles have gotten more than their fair share of worthy adventures, and now the PSP looks to finally be catching up with Portable Ops. We'll be back to review the game and its numerous online features when the game arrives later this year. But at least the cards are folded and some of us are finally getting the game we want. That's great news.