(even if it comes down to gathering experience and better weapons) eventually, but they are incredibly frustrating. There are insane amounts of things for the player to do in the game, from managing troops captured in missions (who become part of the MSF organisation after that) through to making sure that every branch of the MSF is running smoothly. There is so much to do, in fact, that Peace Walker is almost too deep for its own good. This is not a game that you will run through once in a weekend. It’s an addictive masterpiece that will keep you coming back for absolute ages. This game won’t appeal to everyone. The stealth aspect of the game alone is one that doesn’t appeal to every gamer. But the stunning graphics, great sound and revamped control system certainly will draw some new players to the franchise. This game is a true testament to what the under-rated PSP is capable of, and is well worth playing if you’re looking for an engrossing, very deep action game to put in your pocket. g
AT A GLANCE: An absolutely awesome gaming experience for fans of stealth action. Developer: Kojima Productions Publisher: Konami Distributor: Ster Kinekor
Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
18+ gamecca review • issue 14 • August 2010
Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual
PSP Platforms
player can select kit, in terms of weapons and armour, before each mission. This is crucial to success… some armours, for example, allow added stealth, while different weapons for different tasks are obviously something that the player needs to look at. A nice aspect of the missions is that, for the most part, they are broken into bite-sized chunks. This means that the player will be able to change equipment mid mission – the missions themselves are broken into chapters, which means that the player will often be able to kit out with new equipment just before a boss battle. Some of the boss battles lead to one of the very few complaints we have about the title. See, all of the missions can be played as co-op missions. The games have to adhoc, but that’s ok. Having the ability to do it is awesome. However, not everyone will want to play through the game with a friend, which is fine. Until, that is, they run into a boss battle that is so insanely difficult, it’s almost impossible to beat as a solo operator. That’s a balancing issue. Sure, players can get around these missions
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Score
89 87