Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel PSP
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: Jun 13, 2006
Metascore
78 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
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  1. Next Level Gaming
    87
    Metal Gear fans who don’t usually read graphic novels will definitely enjoy the Metal Gear Solid DGN. If you’re willing to work for it, you’ll get lots of information about the games and characters in the Metal Gear universe, which any Metal Gear fan should love.
  2. Detroit Free Press
    100
    The end result feels more groundbreaking than it sounds: It's a delicate dance of images and sounds that should woo anyone interested in digital art, comic books or the game series.

User Reviews

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User Score
6.7 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. Darkhawk
    8
    More than a comic, less than a game.

    First off: if you're thinking of getting this to fill a narrative gap in the MGS series, don't. The PSo    ne classic itself is only $10.00 on the PSN, so for two dollars more, you can actually replay the best PS1 game ever, in lieu of reading the comic.

    If you're here because you adore Metal Gear, here's what you need to know:

    Presentation:
    The beautiful Ashley Wood artwork has been fully animated. This means character's limbs move, weapons fire, snow falls, etc. You can hop to any page at any time, and the "Memory Building" mode allows you to zoom in and reveal new and hidden images. It's more than just a comic.

    Graphics:
    Beyond animation, the neat difference between this and the printed version is all the new and hidden images. Pressing [] lets you move around a comic panel, zooming in and out of layers to uncover and identify new images and elements. A simple example: zooming into Vulcan Raven's tank reveals the interior: Snake's grenade bearing down on two enemy soldiers. Even cooler: when "Deepthroat" first calls, zooming past Snake reveals a stealth-camo'd Gray Fox hiding behind him.

    Sound:
    The MGS sound effects are here, but inexplicably most of the music is not. It might have to do with recent plagiarism accusations, but either way it's a disappointment. No voice acting either.

    Gameplay:
    There's a surprising amount of "game" in here, if you're interested. There are ~400 hidden "memory elements" to acquire through the aforementioned pan-and-scan method. Because much of this exposes hidden comic panels and new perspectives, it's definitely a fun mode to explore. The additional memory-cube is overwhelming at first, but as a connect-the-dots puzzle can be quite compelling. The cube is unlocked piece by piece, and - thankfully - if you've hit a roadblock, the game tells you what element to look for next. It's usually not too difficult to then guess where it might be found. (i.e. look for "Katana" during the Gray Fox battle, or "Save the Hostages" during the opening briefing.)

    Lasting Appeal:
    All told, watching the comic takes a couple hours, then searching out all elements and building memory cube sans guide probably 6 or so more. [Minor spoilers] It IS worth it to seek out all elements, because as you get closer to the end, you'll uncover some pretty interesting revelations.

    Closing Comments:
    For fans only, a great adaptation of the comic, with plenty of new and hidden material to be found.    … Full Review »
  2. KristmundurS.
    7
    It's all right. The artwork is great and the cutting is cool. I had only one complaint: They based too many parts of it on Twins Snakes and added some rediculous stuff such as Psycho Mantis talking to Gray Fox, Sniper Wolf making Meryl watch Snake being tortured. All in all if the choice is between this or Metal Gear Ac!d, go with this.… Full Review »
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