With the astronomical hype surrounding the final entry into Hideo Kojima’s epic Metal Gear Solid saga, the Metal Gear Online BETA was recently released to members of the PlayStation network. Honing the now defunct mode available on the PS2 “Subsistence” release (a redux version of Snake Eater), the Beta opened on April 25th.

The Launch

The launch of MGO was naturally much-hyped, and was initially tipped to launch on April 21st. Upon attempting to log in moments after the start date, users were disconnected almost immediately. A small percentage of users reported being able to connect, but of course, had nobody to play against. Further problems also resulted from the heavy traffic inundating the Konami website, making the registration process extremely difficult. Ultimately, the install file was removed from the PSN, effectively preventing any further users from joining the beta, in an attempt to curb the astronomical levels of traffic.

Rating: 3/10

Gameplay

The game relaunched on April 25th with optimised servers, and we were finally able to play! Upon loading up, you must customize a character, and although the options are fairly limited (arbitrary clothing and such), it’s not that important, especially when you’re itching to engage in the online action.

MGO touts itself on providing an unprecedented online experience, promoting teamwork and communication. There is an “SOP” system borrowed from MGS4 itself, whereby the senses of your teammates are interconnected, whereby you are able to detect a teammate in distress, as well as the general locations of your team. This is by far the most innovative and intriguing aspect of the game, and whilst it appears at a somewhat diluted capacity in this beta, one cannot wait for the complete component.

Where MGO fails is with other gameplay mechanics – there is no option to toggle between walking and running, and so players are forced to walk/jog. This works to slow the pace down considerably in a rather cheap manner, and forcefully promotes teamwork. More frustrating than tense, this precept does little for the game rather than make rounds last longer than is engaging. A toggle option NEEDS to be added to the final version, or many will be turned off from it.

That said, there are plenty of masterful touches throughout; the array of weaponry is outstanding, and the HUD and general aesthetic of the game will be familiar and identifiable to fans of the series. Also, the “feign death” feature, whereby you can quite convincingly pretend to be dead, before rising up and slaughtering a squad, is great fun. The series mainstay – the cardboard box – returns in glorious form, looking better than ever, and is surprisingly effective in staying alive (thanks to the other inanimate boxes lying around the maps). Moreover, the girlie mags used to distract guards in previous games can be used to distract your enemies, allowing you to mercilessly end them.

The gameplay is not without other tiny foibles – the control system has been changed considerably, and deviates from the distinctly Eastern control scheme of previous games. In line with the single-player offering of MGS4, MGO is considerably Westernised, which many may find both jarring and disappointing. For instance, it took me over 10 minutes alone to realize that you could change from auto aim because of the clunky and cumbersome controls. Surprisingly, however, the camera angles never become awkward or fiddly, and the controls should be commended for this, although combat is also hampered due to the awkward aiming system, whereby auto-aim often does not lock on when it should.

Rating: 7/10

Graphics

MGO’s graphics are rather solid overall – the frame-rate is not as high as some would like (seeming to run at about 35-40FPS), yet it is still unconfirmed as to whether this is the final FPS rate or not. The game’s textures are pretty and inviting – the character models as competently rendered, and the locales never appear blocky, or overly glossed. The game’s menus are all appropriately scientific and flashy, lending themselves to the schema and style of the series.

Rating: 8/10

Audio

The soundtrack is one of the game’s stronger components – whilst Harry-Gregson Williams is nowhere to be found, the tracks are nevertheless appropriately tense and add to the atmosphere. Weapon sounds are decent, although not as crisp as the likes of Call of Duty 4, yet the death noises are frequently hilarious – sniping a man from a roof and listening to him scream as he plummets to the floor is an absolute joy.

Rating: 7/10

Overall

MGO hit a huge bump in the road at the first hurdle, although appears to be over the worst. The concept is a dream idea, although its execution is frequently questionable, even with some great groundwork. Konami MUST allow the player the option to run if they wish, otherwise it feels all-too controlling, and not as fun as a game such as this should be. There is no doubt that when the game comes bundled with MGS4, that it will be a superb addition to the title, yet some of these less-favourable issues need to be resolved in order for the title to reach its full potential. Given the value for money potentially abound here, Konami MUST capitalize on it – otherwise, this will be one of the most wasted opportunities in gaming history.

Rating: 7/10

Thanks for reading,
Reefer