My vacation is drawing to a close, and it’s been a pretty productive one. Well, ‘cept here. I meant to do a game review at some point over the week so I guess tonight or tomorrow.

I could deliver a bit of short form love for now though! I played the free demo of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, because it was well, free. MGS 1 and 2 were alright, but I got sidetracked from starting into 3 (I snagged that Essentials collection that came out in the pre-MGS4 hype.) I know that the heavy handed symbolism of the series is pretty easy to make fun of, but the characters in the first five-ten minutes of the demo had me doing some Tactical Espionage Facepalming. For one, there’s the “Soldiers Without Borders” program Snake’s apparently started, which sounds a hell of a lot like a special ed program for mercenaries- except they’re not mere hired guns! They just fight for fighting’s sake and occasionally take money for their services. So one day, a college professor shows up to hire him, with his prize student Paz Ortega. “Her name means peace, in Spanish,” he says.

wha-

“Yes, and I would do anything to protect my namesake,” says Paz Ortega.

Snake’s buddy Kazuhara speaks up, “What a coincidence- my name also means ‘peace,’ but in Japanese. But you can call me… Kaz.”

Paz and Kaz. Peace and Peace, in a game called Peace Walker, in a series whose underlying theme is WAR IS BAD.

Ha, ha, ha.