Metal Gear Acid

Metal Gear Acid
Developer(s)	Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
Publisher(s)	Konami Computer Entertainment
Producer(s)	Hideo Kojima (producer)
Designer(s)	Shinta Nojiri (director)
Series	Metal Gear (non-canonical)
Platform(s)	PlayStation Portable
Genre(s)	Stealth Action, CCG, TRPG
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer

Metal Gear Acid (rendered 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. Although it is part of the Metal Gear series, it is not canonical 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.

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 character's. COST management and forethought are essential if the game is to be played properly.

Some cards can be equipped, and cards such as weapon cards can have other cards attached to them in order to improve 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 afterwards. 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 cancelled, or eliminate all enemies.

Story

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 games (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.

Characters

• Solid Snake - The main character. A former member of FOXHOUND who has achieved legendary status, he is brought back to duty to infiltrate the Lobito Physics and Chemistry Laboratory compound. He is led to believed that he is actually Hans Davis, a researcher involved in the development of the new Metal Gear model.
• Teliko Friedman - A female Japanese-American member of the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team that was sent to the Lobito compound prior to Snake. She rendezvous with Snake and teams up with him as a second playable character in the game. She reappears in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops as a hidden character.
• Roger McCoy - A CIA agent from New Jersey who serves as Snake's commanding officer in the game. He previously served in the Green Berets and is an acquaintance of Roy Campbell, Snake's former commanding officer.
• Alice Hazel - An English girl who has aided the FBI and CIA in the past with her psychic abilities. She is one of Snake's radio contacts in the game.
• Lt. Leone - The leader of a mercenary group hired by an anti-government militia in the Moloni Republic. He was once known as Jeff Jones and served under McCoy's unit during the Vietnam War until he was suspected of treason.
• Gary Murray - A lab worker who requests Snake's help. He is actually William L. Flemming and is involved in the development of the new Metal Gear.
• Elsie and Frances - A pair of marionettes that carry out the hijacking of Flight 326
• La Clown - An assassin of unknown gender with the ability to disguise his/her appearance.
• Viggo Hach - A Dutch-American senator from New York who is a presidential candidate. Taken hostage by terrorists during his flight.
• Lena Arrows - Hach's secretary, who was also caught in the hijacking.
• Minette Donnell - A young girl who was the same flight as Senator Hach. She is actually Constance Flemming, the daughter of William L. Flemming.
• Charles Schmeiser - A CIA agent from Toronto, Canada who works under McCoy.

Plot

In 2016, a jumbo jet carrying an important politician, Senator Hach, a likely future presidential candidate is hijacked by terrorists. In exchange for the senator, the terrorists demand "Pythagoras", a research project being conducted in Lobito Physics and Chemistry Laboratory of the Lobito Island of the Moloni Republic in southern Africa, from the United States government. In efforts to identify these terrorists, the government begins an investigation of "Pythagoras".

The Moloni government refuses to cooperate and work with the United States, saying that it doesn't want to interfere in it's current affairs. In response, the U.S. sends in a covert special forces team to investigate, but the team is obliterated by armed resistance. With no other options and time running out, the U.S. government calls legendary retired mercenary Solid Snake to infiltrate the laboratory, discover the nature of "Pythagoras" and to rescue Senator Hach.

Production

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 dissolve metal. The second is a reference to Vecuronium Bromide, the chemical used by Elsie 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].

The fourth is, of course, a reference to LSD or 'acid'

Soundtrack

The game's soundtrack was composed by Nobuko Toda, Shuichi Kobori and Akihiro Honda. The soundtrack was released on December 21st, 2005, packaged with the Metal Gear Ac!d 2 soundtrack. The album's title is Metal Gear Ac!d 1 & 2 Original Soundtrack.

Reception

Some fans of the Metal Gear series were disappointed with the 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, as they wanted to give players something unique instead of just another "solid" experience.

Metal Gear Acid 2

Metal Gear Acid is followed by Metal Gear Acid 2. Metal Gear Acid 2 was released on March 21, 2006 in the US, and was made for the PSP.

External links

• Official Metal Gear Acid site
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