Metal Gear Acid
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| Metal Gear Acid | |
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| Developer(s) | Konami JPN Ltd |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Designer(s) | Shinta Nojiri (director) |
| Series | Metal Gear (non-canonical) |
| Release date(s) | JPN December 16, 2004 NA March 22, 2005 HKG May 12, 2005 EU September 1, 2005 |
| Genre(s) | Turn-based Strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature (M) BBFC: 15 CERO: 15+ OFLC: M |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation Portable |
| Media | UMD |
Metal Gear Acid (also spelled Metal Gear Ac!d; commonly abbreviated as MGA) is a video game developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan for the PlayStation Portable handheld game console. It is part of the Metal Gear series, and was first unveiled at E³ 2004 in May. It was released in Japan on December 16, 2004, and in North America on March 22, 2005.
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[edit] Story
In 2016, a jumbo jet carrying an important politician -- Senator Hach, a likely future presidential candidate -- is hijacked. In exchange for the senator, the terrorists want something called "Pythagoras" from the United States government. In its efforts to identify the terrorists and discover what "Pythagoras" is, the U.S. finds that "Pythagoras" is the name of a research project being conducted in Lobito Physics and Chemistry Laboratory of the Lobito Island of the Moloni Republic in southern Africa.
The Moloni government refuses to cooperate with the United States, saying that it does not want interference in its affairs. In response the U.S. sends in a special forces team to investigate, but the team is destroyed by armed resistance. With no other options and time running out, the U.S. government calls up legendary retired mercenary Solid Snake to infiltrate the laboratory, rescue the senator, and discover the nature of the secret research.
[edit] Gameplay
While the Metal Gear series, despite being stealth-based, has always had a heavy influence of action, Metal Gear Acid is not action-oriented, but focuses on turn-based strategy (this is possibly why the game's logo lacks the "Tactical Espionage Action" tagline featured on all of the Metal Gear Solid games). It uses a trading card-based system to control the main character's movements and actions. Acid stands for "Active Command Intelligence Duel"
Before each round, the player can customize the deck of cards used by the main characters. The majority of the cards presented in this game are based upon elements spanning the entire Metal Gear series, such as weaponry, characters, and even the Metal Gear mecha themselves. The player's "hand" can consist of a maximum of six cards, while the maximum number of cards in a deck increases with overall progress through the game. In action, the player can choose to use the cards as they are intended, or use them to move the character. Most cards only allow three space movements, while certain cards let one move up to six or higher.
"COST" is an important factor in game play, and can be summed up as "the weight of your actions". With some exceptions, all cards have a COST attached to them, and when used this COST transfers to the player. COST varies radically from card to card. The higher the COST a character has, the longer that character must wait until their next turn. For example, if a player character has a COST of 15 and a guard has a COST of 10, then the guard's turn would occur before the characters. COST management and forethought are essential if the game is to be played properly.
Some cards can be equipped. Some weapon cards can be equipped, and can have other cards attached to them in order to improve its performance. In order to fire the weapon, another weapon card that uses the same kind of ammo must be equipped. Some weapons don't need to be equipped and can be used by themselves, however they are discarded afterwords. Other cards that can be equipped are equipment cards (such as a cardboard box and body armor) and action cards (such as evasive actions and attribute boosts).
Multiplayer, or "Link Battle", is also a new feature. Two PSP systems running Metal Gear Acid can link wirelessly, allowing players to face each other in a "sneak-off". The objective is to collect a certain number of diskettes before the rival player. Diskettes can be stolen by another player, however, so the emphasis on avoiding detection has not been lost. This multiplayer mode is quite similar to the link battle mode of Metal Gear: Ghost Babel in most respects.
The standard Metal Gear rules apply to the game play: if a player character is discovered (usually by being spotted by an enemy), an alarm will go off and all enemies are made aware of your location. In order to return to a normal (and safe) condition, the player must either evade enemy detection until the alert is canceled, or eliminate all enemies.
[edit] Place in the series
Metal Gear Acid is a "side-story" and not part of the series' main storyline (similar to the earlier Metal Gear: Ghost Babel). While the game features an all-new cast, characters, weapons, items and game mechanics from the previous games are depicted on the cards used by the player. There are three card packs available to the player that covers each of the major Metal Gear Solid game (the original, Sons of Liberty and Snake Eater). A fourth set is also available featuring cards based on the classic Metal Gear titles (including Metal Gear: Ghost Babel) and miscellaneous Kojima games (Snatcher, Policenauts, Boktai and Zone of the Enders).
Metal Gear Acid is followed by a sequel, Metal Gear Acid².
[edit] Characters and Organizations
[edit] BEAGLE
BEAGLE is one of the world's largest financial conglomerates, providing much-needed aid and support to developing countries worldwide. Of course, that's only what gets fed to the public. In reality, it's an enormous munitions company established to appease profit-hungry big wigs in the U.S. government and financial circles.
Where there's a regional conflict, BEAGLE will be there. On the scene to provide humanitarian aid to refugees via transport planes chock full of firearms and ammo. At times they even fabricate crises.
All sorts of tragedies were fabricated in order for BEAGLE to profit immensely off the longstanding Moloni conflict. Those tragedies led to justification for military action, combat expansion, and to a hefty increase in defense spending. Moloni was a country plagued by constant warfare and strife. Support from the international community has led to a national reconstruction, but the most generous financial contributor to Moloni was BEAGLE...by far. Conflicts provide excellent business opportunities...
Lobito Island itself belongs to the southern African republic of Moloni. But the Lobito Physics and Chemistry lab itself is under corporate control. Three research projects were developed at the Lobito Physics and Chemistry lab under BEAGLE's orders:
- the production of Pythagoras (Metal Gear Kodoque)
- the production of ACUA Troops, human weapons.
- the creation of a Neoteny to control them.
All of BEAGLE Projects were destroyed by sympathetic forces during a counterinsurgency operation.
The U.S Government began an independent investigation into BEAGLE and shut down their remaining research projects.
[edit] Title significance
According to an interview originally published by Electronic Gaming Monthly with the game's producer, Masahiro Hinami, the Acid portion of the title actually has three different meanings. The first meaning refers to the Acid's complete departure from the previous Metal Gear games in terms of style, which is an analogue to acid's ability to melt metal. The second is a reference to Vecuronium Bromide, the chemical used by Else and Frances to hijack the passengers from Flight 326. The third is stated to be an acronym for Active Command Intelligence Duel, a reference to the game's mixture of turn-based strategy with card-based gameplay [1] -- but is more likely a backronym.
The exclamation mark in the title (!) is in reference to the "Alert" icon that appears over a guard's head when they hear or see evidence of an intruder. The exclamation mark is something of an unofficial symbol for the Metal Gear series as a whole.
[edit] Criticisms
Some fans of the more Metal Gear series criticize this game for straying from the series' stealth/action gameplay, with Acid opting for a turn-based card battle system. Director Shinta Nojiri stated in an interview that decision on making Acid a card-based strategy game (instead of a conventional action-based game) was due to the hardware's characteristics.[2]
