PS3 Informer

Metal Gear Solid Sneaks onto PSN

Fans of the playstation one classic Metal Gear Solid can now pick up the game as a download on Sony's PSN service. The game, which is priced at $9.99, is currently only available in North America and Japan. Presumably, a European localization will be coming soon.

The game holds up surprisingly well on the PSP, remaining playable despite blocky textures and low-polygon environments that were typical of early 3D Playstation titles. We would wager that it is one of the best games from that era currently available for download on the PSN service. Even the fight with Psycho Mantis can be handled on the PSP machine, although we won't tell you how.

This first game is a great place to start for those new to Kojima's often inpenetrable series. Metal Gear Solid takes place in the southern Alaska region around the Bering Sea. The player takes control of Solid Snake, a retired military soldier who is ordered to infiltrate a nuclear weapons facility to eliminate FOXHOUND, a genetically enhanced Special Forces unit that has threatened to launch its nuclear weapon if the government does not cooperate with their demands.

A screenshot showing Metal Gear Solid running on the PSP.