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Metal Gear Solid Touch update adds 8 new levels

Promised update now live on App Store

Metal Gear Solid Touch update adds 8 new levels

As promised by Konami, an update available today has added 8 new levels to Metal Gear Solid Touch. Those who already have the game can download the free update, whereas new purchases of the title automatically include the new levels.

Along with the 8 new levels come an additional 20 wallpapers that you can purchase from Drebin's Shop. Points amassed in the main story mode allow you to unlock wallpapers of characters and artwork from Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

Our review of the initial release back in March left us with a lot to be desired. These new stages attempt to address some of our initial criticisms, but introduce a set of different considerations.

An effort has clearly been made to vary gameplay. Even in the first couple new missions, it's evident more thought has been given to mix things us. Old Snake's visit to the chilly Alaskan isle Shadow Moses requires shaking of your handset to clear the screen of frost.

A creative fight against Crying Wolf has you darting your finger about the screen in an effort to nail her before she fires off her powerful railgun. Other boss battles later in the game pit you against Metal Gear Ray and Praying Mantis.

The problem is these levels are entirely too difficult. Split-second timing is demanded of you, particularly in boss battles. Crying Wolf, for instance, moves so quickly in the second half of the fight against her, that getting a shot in is tough.

That's tough to pull off due to the controls, which should have ditched the move-and-tap mechanic for a simple direct tap-to-shoot scheme. Frequently, shots didn't hit the intended target or the cursor moved slightly as a result of tapping the screen.

Ultimately, the levels and new wallpapers round out the package but don't fundamentally change our impression of the game as a whole. We're glad to see Konami eager to improve the experience and hopefully the next full game can be a bigger step forward.

Tracy Erickson
Tracy Erickson
Manning our editorial outpost in America, Tracy comes with years of expertise at mashing a keyboard. When he's not out painting the town red, he jets across the home of the brave, covering press events under the Pocket Gamer banner.