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To start off, I am a Metal Gear fanboy, for better or worse. Better, is that I love a new Metal Gear game whenever it comes out, from the Solids to the Snake Eaters, to even the original on the 8-bit Nintendo, Metal Gear is awesome. The worse coming in the form of having to review this game, which comes off a cross of one of the best games of all time in Metal Gear, and one of the most annoying in Yu-Gi-Oh. It also comes to no surprise that this combination comes from the same developer of both Metal Gear and Yu-Gi-Oh. Not since Snake’s Revenge have I played a game that strays away further from the “formula” as in Metal Gear Acid. Now most gamers who will defend this game will say, you knew before the game came out it was a card battling game, so you cannot fault it for that. True, I can’t fault it for false advertising, but I can still fault it for being a CARD BATTLING GAME! That’s not Metal Gear, I don’t care what setting you put it in, nor context, if you don’t stealth your way through missions, and use careful tactics on weapon and item salvaging, it’s not Metal Gear. Directed by Shinta Nojiri, I can only hope this will be the last he gets his hands on, as Uwe Boll could only have made this game series worse. What really gets my blood boiling is that the story line is actually decent, which keeps this game from being the blunder of the year. All I can say is that Konami had better not try to pull this crap on the PS2 when releasing the next installment, or they will watch their loyal fan base drop to nonexistence. Visually the game is great, from the well-drawn cut scenes to the “action” itself, this game looks like a great port of Metal Gear that almost compliments the PS2. Even though the textures and backdrops are more like Twin Snakes, it is still pretty impressive coming from a handheld. What’s more, even though it’s a total divergence from the series, the card battling system and menus are simple which makes dueling a breeze. You of course get great explosions and action sequences, even if they are done in a turn-based manner. What is absent is great CG cut scenes, or better yet full-blown real time ones that gives the series that “movie” touch, but as is the presentation is bold and does the PSP proud in its visual flare.
Audio…um…where to begin. Okay, the music is true to form Metal Gear, with a riveting orchestrated score that will make your heart pound in tense moments. Sound effects are old school Metal Gear with your trademark “question” sounds and such carrying the series to the handheld in true form. That is until you get to the voice acting. Wait a minute... what voice acting? Konami has given American gamers two slaps in the face, one for forcing our beloved series into a card battling game, and the second by totally omitting voice-overs! Why? Was David Hayter too busy looping his EA Sport intros instead of reprising Snake? For whatever reason, this is what, besides the game play, kicks fans in the groin repeatedly. Especially since the cut scenes are terribly long, now seem even longer when you have to read the text instead of enjoying the majesty that usually helps the story unfold. Now the game play. You know what; I am not going to bother providing intricate details into the game play mechanics, as I do not enjoy such guilty pleasures as playing card battling games. It really boils down to this, if you’ve played Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, or even Pokemon, you should pick up the details of what cards do what and how to counter them in no time. It is a duelist’s wet dream, but a Metal Gear fan’s worst nightmare. Believe me, it is not because the system of dueling is flawed or broken, it is actually done quite well, but it is NOT METAL GEAR! If I want card battling, or better yet tactical strategy, the market is flooded with such titles, but the Metal Gear series is sacred to me, and I feel violated. Sure, there are other stealth titles out there, but they all pale in comparison to the king, and the king is nowhere to be found in this version of Metal Gear. In the end, be your own judge. I for one did not appreciate the deviation from its roots, but I cannot ignore that it did some things quite well. For die-hard fans of the series, a strange but well told story is wasted on a game outside of its own genre. It is a stranger in a strange land, and I am not talking Iron Maiden here folks. Metal Gear Acid is a decent tactical card battling game, but it is not a true Metal Gear title, and for me I expect no less.
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