As most of you know, here at PSU.com we like to structure our reviews so the story element of the game is brought to you quickly from the get go. After all, it’s such an integral part of the game, correct? Yeah, we thought so too, until we put this UMD into the PSP. What was Kojima Productions thinking? They released a marvelous title with a plot that featured plenty of twists and turns within Metal Gear Solid Ops; however, within its expansion pack that is also a standalone, there is none to speak of.

For those of you expecting some incredible journey that is a continuation of the first or even maybe hints at some things from the first, give up on that now. This game is as bone dry as a 60-year old woman in the winter. We understand that maybe having a well thought out story may have been asking for too much in an expansion, but even a nursery rhyme plot could have helped push the title forward. This game was definitely geared towards the die-hard Metal Gear Solid fan who just wanted to complete random objective filled missions without much else.

The game starts out by giving you the option to name your character with only capital letters. To us, this was tedious considering it meant you had to press extra buttons just to get to them each time. Just so you know, I, personally, hate text messaging as well. Afterwards you’re given the option to import your character and the units from the first game into this one. Unfortunately, it fails to bring over your extra stamina or life. The voice-overs to get into the game are well done, if slightly overdramatic, although they are the only voiceovers to feature throughout the entire game.

The game then goes through some text instruction bringing you up to speed on what the game is all about. After that you’re thrown into checking out the menu. The menu is actually one of the bright points to the game considering how simple they chose to make it. In return, this creates a menu that is easy to navigate, as well as to use. From this point you’re forced to play the game from easy and to work your way up. However, Veteran Portable Ops users who are well acquainted with the games mechanics are likely to find this all to simple to accomplish. If you just so happen to be a newbie to the series, you’ll quickly learn that the game itself does have a small learning curve, but it’s easy to get over.

The gameplay itself is very smooth and works well on an overall view. The fact you’re still able to knock enemies out and recruit them in the game is still very enjoyable. The fighting sequences are fine, though they could use a little work here and there, but overall the feel to it is very well done. One of the bright spots we noticed was the realistic recoil on the weaponry you’re using. It’s not overdone but gives you the perception that you’re actually firing a weapon. One thing that boggled us was why it took so many bullets to down an enemy. Sometimes you can unload 10-20 bullets into a regular soldier and he’ll get back up. It’s like dealing with a Terminator villain.

Controlling the camera could have been set up a bit differently. Moving with the analog and using the D-pad for the camera is a little awkward since some of us enjoy tweaking it as we move. Fortunately though, this small niggle doesn’t detract from the overall gameplay.

In-between the infinite amount of missions, you’ll have the ability to manage your units and to break them up. This is also done very well as its easy to understand and get a feel for right away. During this time, it’s best to make sure your crew’s stamina and health has been restored as well. They play a huge role in the game itself.

Unlike the first game, this one allows you to capture up to 200 soldiers. They’re then split into different teams much like the first game. The functionality of these teams works quite ... (continued on next page)