Gasp: MGS Portable Ops may see sequel
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Jan 3rd 2007 at 7:00AM }
The effects of Konami's most recent stealth adventure, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, have been frightening to say the least. A simple "hello" to one of the bloggers currently playing it is often unreturned, met only with a vacant stare at the greeter's neck and a forlorn sigh. It is with great, neck-preserving displeasure then, that we report on the status of a sequel to Snake's card-free PSP outing. In a recent (ish) PSM podcast, Ryan Payton, the assistant producer for Kojima Productions, underlines the strong possibility of a sequel. "If it's successful on the retail level there will definitely be a sequel." It's quite simple. If you desire said sequel, you'd best go buy the game ... and possibly discover that you don't really want a sequel after all.
[Via Eurogamer]
Listen -- PSM Podcast (15:50)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
|SOLIDUS| @ Jan 3rd 2007 7:58AM
I Loved This game and would really enjoy a sequel! it was a fun game on both normal and extreme difficulty and the online play is fun and interesting, i really hope they make a sequel because they left the story wide open for one. great game, if you dont have it get it, and if you do have it, look for me online, my name is: ISOLIDUSI
Mof @ Jan 3rd 2007 8:07AM
Great game. Needed a more traditional camera for single-player I feel, but still an outstanding PSP game. I wholeheartedly endorse more. Perhaps one set between MGS1 and 2?
DrXym @ Jan 3rd 2007 8:21AM
I ordered MGS:PO as an import (it isn't even out in Europe until autumn!). I have to say it's a pretty good game, although the levels are pretty boxy, set in yards, with stacked crates, walls and so forth. Most of the graphics detail is on the actual humans such as Snake that inhabit the world than the world itself. The game itself is pretty cute with fairly intuitive gameplay, interesting stealth mechanics, fast loading times, and good replay value. The management system is great and so is the online aspect. The camera control is a bit wonky but I can't see how they could have improved it much without a second stick, and besides the game usually gives you time to pause and adjust it if you have to. One annoyance for me with the controls is that the O and X buttons do the opposite of what I expect. Perhaps this is common to all MGS games since this is my first but it's quite annoying to have to press O on all menus instead of X as in every other game.
I wonder as I play it if MGS: PO couldn't actually become a downloadable title for the PS3. Certainly the worlds need fixing up a bit, but I think it could actually work pretty nicely.
Psyclerk @ Jan 3rd 2007 8:34AM
#3 the reversal of the X and O buttons is common to all the Metal Gear games. I have no idea why they insist on going against the grain on that. Every single MG game I have played on a Sony device has given me at least a handful of instances where I cancel when I wanted to confirm, or vice versa.
Loi @ Jan 3rd 2007 12:10PM
Psyclerk, it's just going by the Japanese standard.
Really, it makes sense. Firstly, as a SNES clone, that's where A would be, secondly O is correct and X is wrong by the general definitions.
I don't know why they forced it remain that way with the US and EU releases, but I welcome it, to the point of always having Jap firmware on my PSP due to the O being select.
Samuel McConnell @ Jan 3rd 2007 9:29AM
In Japan, nearly every game uses O as the select button and X as the cancel button...makes sense to me, they seem like the logical buttons to assign those functions to. But for some reason, when the Playstation came out, SCEA decided to swap the functions of the two. A few games (MGS, FF7) have gotten away with not swapping in localization.
JJ @ Jan 3rd 2007 9:47AM
It seems that the location of the X button is more natural for a select button. I find that my thumb lies in line with the X and square button rather than the O and triangle button. Pressing O therefore takes extra effort which would seem to be a better choice for a back or cancel rather than the button your thumb primarily rests on. This is also the reason that the PS dual analogue layout is inferior to the XBOX360 controller for FPS. The analogue is not in the primary thumb position for the left hand. This is an odd choice for a system that is utilized mostly for 3D games.
But anyways...Metal Gear Solid rocks my socks. Can't wait for MGS4.
Feanor @ Jan 4th 2007 8:46AM
All the Xenosaga games use O for yes and X for no. It was a bit annoying since I was playing Kingdom hearts 2 at the same time. I really wonder why SCEA bothered to swap the buttons around when the PS1 launched.
Ouendan flashes up a big circle when you beat a segment, and gives you a cross if you fail. I think they're general symbols of yes and no in Japan.
Kanadwen @ Jan 3rd 2007 11:52AM
O RLY?
Loi @ Jan 3rd 2007 12:31PM
JJ, you're still throwing out your dislike of Sony analogue placement in 2007? "Pressing O therefore takes extra effort"!?
XD
Damn, keep the Wii remotes away from this guy.
Sam @ Jan 3rd 2007 12:33PM
I'm currently playing through MGS:PO, and I really hope it sells well.
All PSP owners would do well to pick it up.
Any non-PSP MGS fans should pick it up anyway.
KTallguy @ Jan 3rd 2007 12:35PM
"...you'd best go buy the game ... and possibly discover that you don't really want a sequel after all."
I don't get what you mean by this?
Is the game bad so we shouldn't want a sequel?
solomonrex @ Jan 3rd 2007 3:23PM
KTallguy, YES, YES THAT'S WHAT HE'S SAYING!!!
As for the whole x's and o's thing? I like the Western way, X marks the spot. O is the symbol for off on devices. The O/X thing seemed totally backwards on FFVII and FF:Tactics (the only FF games to use that layout in my mind) but you get used to it pretty easily. GT uses X AND O to select things and Triangle to cancel/backup, which is probably the most logical.
Mike @ Jan 3rd 2007 5:03PM
I don't know what the author of this post is tryin' to say, but I really enjoyed this game and all my friends who bought it have really enjoyed it also.
mrbaldyhead @ Jan 3rd 2007 2:34PM
hey ludwig i don't know what your are trying to gain by saying something like that "possibly discover that you don't really want a sequel after all". but cmon everyone knows this game rocks and if there was a sequel it would be even better, improving on the mistakes of this one. it seems developers are finally understanding the psp, 2007 will be a good year for us
OyoyoY123 @ Jan 3rd 2007 9:23PM
I think i speak for all mgs fans when i say i want the option of switching between two camera mode like MGS3 subsistance
Dark-Pen @ Jan 3rd 2007 3:48PM
@3
You should've waited. In the most recent-ish Kojima Productions english podcast, which is hosted by Ryan Payton, they mention that they're actually planning on adding all kinds of new features and some kind of cool artsy hip cover art (so basically, you're gonna have to buy the new european copy when it comes out; you see, Kojima's group has always added new features for European releases, particularly noted with the European Hard setting in MGS2: subsistance and MGS3: subsistence.)
Dark-Pen @ Jan 3rd 2007 3:55PM
@12
if you've played the game, then you know that its a title that shouldn't really have a sequal, or atleast, its hard to see where they could place a game in the MGS canon. In the PSM podcast, the host suggests the idea of perhaps it being the narrative of Solidus snake when he's raising Raiden during the liberian war. Other ideas that have been stated by fans include a post mgs4 time, since mgs4 has to do with private armies anyways. Personally, I think that if it takes place after mgs: po, there's potential for covering the story of liquid growing up.
Dark-Pen @ Jan 3rd 2007 8:08PM
...reading the posts regarding the whole X/O thing is really sad, especially JJ. I mean, wtf.
To put this all into perspective, I think that everyone is forgetting the first system that ever introduced face buttons: the NES, which evolved on the SNES. In fact, many were shocked and surprised by the PS1's initial controller design (which stayed, only to add rumble and dual analogs)and how similar it looked to the SNES pad, meanwhile Nintendo would continue to change their setup. If you've ever played a DS game, you would know that A is confirm, B is cancel. Now, you may think at first that the button placement is the same as the xbox, but its not. A is located where the PS controller's O is, while B is placed on X, Y is on triangle, X is on square.
Many of you are probably spawning theories on button placement differences between japan and the US, and where they're most comfortable, which leads to other nonsensical racial theories like how asians get motion sickness more than americans regarding FPS games, but in the end, it really doesn't matter. What's important is being capable of swapping buttons and getting used to a different setup for different games. If all videogames were to become uniformed and play the same, then our brains would lack encouragment to shift around and adjust to change. While uniformity is faster, creativity and change is what keeps us active.
A being confirm and B being cancel is universal by now at best, but its all about colors too. The reason why the PS controller is so confusing to some people when some games have X/O switched around for confirm and cancel, and then get confused even more, is the fact that O is red, X is blue. In asian media in general, particularly in game shows, O means confirm, X means negative, but universally and particularly thanks to the traffic system, red means stop, and blue is the opposite of red. But blue is on X, etc.
Xbox has green for A, and red for B. Naturally, this setup forces game developers to actually make A to be confirm for every game on the system, unlike the playstation systems, where developers are more free to put buttons on whatever they want.
Keil Joy @ Jan 3rd 2007 5:06PM
Question to Ludwig:
Are you another ninny fanboy -disguised as some blogger- roaming the internet with the intentions of converting Sony goers into DS Lite-loving, one-brand whores??
"...you'd best go buy the game ... and possibly discover that you don't really want a sequel after all."
Dude, are you serious? Do you even know what your talking about? Everyone I know who has bought a copy of this game agrees that it ROXX!! And the game got an above 9.0 rating from from various publications. So where do you get off implying that the game is less than awsome?!!
Qtrain2Bklyn @ Jan 3rd 2007 5:09PM
Hey Ludwig, this game is the shiznit! what are you talking about? Hell yeah, there's going to be a sequel! As a matter of fact, arent't you in it?? That's right(shocked).. you play a terrorist and we get to watch Snake choke you out over and over and over again!!
Ludwig Kietzmann @ Jan 3rd 2007 5:03PM
Hey guys,
No MGS hate -- merely poking fun at the suggestion to buy the original game (before you've even played it) in order to guarantee a sequel. You might not even like it in the first place. :) (hence "possibly" in the last line).
Now if only buying copies of PO would speed up the arrival of MGS4...
StMadnes @ Jan 3rd 2007 6:12PM
The author of this post wets his bed.
StMadnes @ Jan 3rd 2007 6:15PM
Oops! I meant the author of this article. lmao
nick botulism @ Jan 4th 2007 6:51PM
i'm really confused. i can't tell if the author of this article thinks people like MGS:PO or don't. the whole ask-a-blogger neck-staring sighing thing makes no sense to me.
it's garnered good reviews, 88.6% on gamerankings as i write this, so if the slant is negative, what gives?