I’m pretty bored this Sunday evening, so here’s a blog post that no one will actually read.
I picked up Metal Gear Acid 2 on PSP with the extra little scratch I got from trading some games in (more on that in a future article). First thing I noticed was the manual was a five or so page black and white pamphlet. I’m used to pieces of crap like this from EA, which seems to be pushing just how close they can get to three page manuals including the first page of warnings. But Konami doing this with one of their (as they call it) signature series? It didn’t make any sense, especially since the art inside the case is wonderful.
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My answer came up on the first page of the manual – the real instructions were a pdf found on Konami’s website. This isn’t the first online manual I’ve had to download for a game, but it is another trend that I really don’t like. Strike two.
The truth hit me when I read the PDF, which was not black and white but beautifully colored and illustrated. They really did make a nice manual. They just couldn’t fit it in the case.
You see Metal Gear Acid 2 has some sort of wonky 3d graphics gimmick going on, and they allow to enjoy it using some goofy cardboard goggles setup that comes with the game. Adding these goggles into the case insert likely wouldn’t leave enough room for the full manual, hence the measure taken.
I’m not sure what to make of this. It doesn’t really matter considering how few gamers these days care about manuals. I know I’m reading them less and less over the years, despite a once blatant support for them. I suppose I still find that those who put some time into making their manuals look nice generally put the same or more attention into their games. Clearly Konami still did, technically, and I’m sure the game will be very good. I’m just not sure if they actually removed it to stuff their cardboard monstrosity into the case, or to cut costs. Am I understanding things correctly, or giving Konami the benefit of the doubt?
I thought the solid eye peripheral was huge and plastic, like the one in the picture. Is there a less obnoxious cardboard one that comes with the game normally?
Do you know if the online manual is formatted for PSP? If so, I wouldn’t be surprised if they did it that way as another means of getting people excited about taking their PSP online. That said there isn’t really much room for a nice thick manual in PSP game cases. The unorthodox, brochure-like dimensions don’t help either.
I don’t think a big plastic one ever existed. If you look at that picture, you can look at is as either
a) shiny plastic, and that part near the top is silver
b) shiny black cardboard – that silver/white shiny part is just reflective
plus that must be a prototype, as the one I have isn’t nearly as fancy.
Unless a fancier one was available in Japan in some magic bundle.
The manual is a PDF, formatted like a normal PDF, which the PSP is not a fan of.
Being one of those unlucky sods that can’t enjoy the wonders of depth perception (one wonky eye and the other aint that great either), I’ve made a short list of things that tick me off. Even though nobody asked me to, Im going to share it with you all anyway.
1) 3D goggles (Lies, all LIES!!)
2) Those focussing pictures (A schooner IS a sailboat stupidhead)
3) Horror movies that insist it’s better to watch it in blue and red.
4) And now Metal Gear Ac!d 2.
Why does the world mock me with its fancy “point of focus”…
Back on topic, if they had have used the excuse of environmental concern for their online manual then I’d have given them the thumbs up. But bulking it up with some dodgey goggles? Pfff, Lamo gimmic.
How does the game play?
Jeff I won’t know for sure how it plays, because I have to put Acid on the back burner for the time being. I did do the tutorial, and it is quite strange. MGS gameplay where all your actions are based on cards, including movement. Can’t wait to see more.
The thing with the goggles is that every review I’ve read have said it gets dumb (and hard to see) after a minute of use, so yeah, big gimmick that no one probably ever uses for the entirety of the game.
Master System had the best 3D goggles ever. Eat it, Nintendo fans.
Well I’ll be. I cracked open my neglected copy of the game and they ARE just cheap cardboard. No wonder the guy at gamestop was so confused when I asked if they had any big plastic goggles for PSP.