Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is a 2010 stealth game developed by Kojima Productions and published by Konami. It is the seventh Metal Gear game written, directed, and designed by Hideo Kojima, and the fifth installment of the Metal Gear Solid series, as well as the fourth Metal Gear game made specifically for the PlayStation Portable, following Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. A remastered version of the game titled Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker — HD Edition was later released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as part of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection in North America and Europe and as a stand-alone retail release in Japan. The HD Edition of the game will be included in the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 compilation for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on August 27, 2026. Peace Walker is set in Costa Rica in 1974, and follows the exploits of returning protagonist Snake as he runs the mercenary unit Militaires Sans Frontières (Soldiers Without Borders). The game received critical acclaim, but the PlayStation Portable version failed to match the commercial success of its console predecessors due to declining support for the system.
Gameplay
Peace Walker consists of two primary gameplay modes: "Mission" and "Mother Base". "Mission" are the actual action sequences of the game, where the player must infiltrate an enemy territory or fight a boss, whereas "Mother Base" is an army management mode similar to the briefing screen in Portable Ops.
Missions Players get to choose which missions to play from the "Mission Selector" screen. There are two main types of Missions: Main Ops are the primary story-based missions in which goals are determined by the narrative and must be played in a strict order in order to proceed. Some Main Ops missions include illustrated cutscenes that involve bits of interactivity in order to proceed. Extra Ops are optional missions that involve much more elaborate goals ranging from simple target practices to obtaining secret documents. When the player completes a mission, their performance is evaluated afterward. A player's score is penalized with a lower rank and reduced heroism for excessive killing and frequently being discovered, whereas players who are stealthy and subdue enemy soldiers non-lethally will be awarded appropriately. Players can replay previously cleared missions for higher scores.
The game adopts certain play mechanics from Metal Gear Solid 4, such as the crouching walk, the over-the-shoulder shooting view, the CQC system, and the ability to search held-up soldiers. The truck from Portable Ops, where players can bring subdued enemies for recruitment, has been discarded in favor of the Fulton Recovery System, which players attach to subdued soldiers and prisoners. The Wi-Fi recruitment system from Portable Ops has been modified so that instead of tapping the Circle button to obtain a strong enough signal from an access point, the player will have to knock out soldiers using CQC to accept them. The cardboard box used to hide from enemy soldiers is now available in two-man versions called Love Boxes, which have different variants. The Surround Indicator in Portable Ops can also be used only when it is equipped in the item box and players will also develop and use an early version of the Soliton radar system from the original Metal Gear Solid. The game features the camouflage index system from Snake Eater, but the player does not have the ability to change camouflage uniforms during a mission as the point index will be entirely based on movement, position, and the size of the weapon equipped in the weapon box. The player can also use marking devices to call in artillery strikes or resupply drops. Movement is done on the analog stick; actions such as co-op actions use the directional-pad; melee actions, which include multiple throws into crowds of enemies, use the R button; and weapons use the L button with the R button. Players will be unable to move or shoot while lying down and while pinned on a wall. The player can set the control system according to that of Portable Ops, Guns of the Patriots, or Capcom's Monster Hunter series. Before starting a mission, the player can choose a character, along with their weapon loadout, which is determined by the wardrobe chosen. Players can choose to control Snake or any MSF soldier assigned to the combat unit, with male and female members both available to choose from. Each soldier has their own combat stats, which measures a soldier's offensive and defensive capabilities. Some of the main missions will only be available to Snake, and likewise for MSF soldiers and certain extra ops. The player's carrying capacity is limited and any excessive items that the player obtains during a mission will be transferred over to Mother Base's inventory. There are four primary types of uniforms that can be worn by the player character.
Jungle Fatigues – The default uniform. A balance of stealth, defense, weapons, and inventory. Alternate versions of this outfit with different colors and camo patterns can be obtained throughout various missions Naked – A shirtless version of the Jungle Fatigues, players using Naked uniforms move faster at the cost of lower camo index, weaker defense, and fewer items. When worn by an MSF soldier, they will be wearing a brown tank top. Sneaking Suit – Resembling the sneaking suit worn by Solid Snake in previous Metal Gear Solid games, it allows players to move without generating foot noise and have higher camouflage compared to other suits while moving, but restricts them to five items and six secondary weapons. The design of the Sneaking Suit worn by MSF soldiers differs slightly from Snake's version. Battle Dress – A heavily armored suit that allows the player to carry a third primary weapon and absorb heavy firepower, but at the cost of a lower item carrying capacity, slower mobility and a lower camouflage index. A variant outfitted with a metal headband for Snake, or a helmet for MSF Soldiers, is also available, which increases the defenses. Other outfits are also available, such as t-shirts in various designs, swimsuits, a tuxedo and outfits inspired by the wardrobe of supporting characters.
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