History VideoGame / MetalGearSolidPortableOps

* MotionComic: In contrast with the main consoles videogames, both this game and ''[[Videogame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker Peace Walker]]'' use animated comic book panels for its cutscenes.

* CallForward: Ursula and Elisa have different visions about Snake, regarding his [[CloningBlues "accursed Snake children"]]. [[spoiler:As she lay dying, Elisa has one final vision for Big Boss and his future; him building the TX-55 Metal Gear at Outer Heaven (though it could also be [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker Zeke]], one of his sons will bring the world to ruins while another will save it]].

* LostForever:
** When you get the rescue Raikov mission, if you wait too long, you'll fail the mission before you even attempt it.
** Konami's online servers for both, ''Portable Ops'' and ''Portable Ops Plus'', were shut down in 2012, removing the game's online functionality. However, players can still experience the game's multiplayer modes with other PSP users via ad-hoc.

* [[ReassignedToAntarctica Reassigned to the San Hieronymo Peninsula]]: This is the reason for Raikov's presence on the San Hieronymo Peninsula.
** ReassignmentBackfire: If the player recruits him, he'll also have a chance to redeem himself in the eyes of the Soviets, although it is not revealed whether the Soviets did accept him back, or if they decided to keep him exiled anyways.

* TheRival: Gene sees Snake as this.

'''''Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops''''' ([[InsistentTerminology officially abbreviated]] ''MPO'') is a ''Franchise/MetalGear'' game released for the UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Portable}} in 2006. Following the release of a few ''Metal Gear'' spinoffs for the PSP (both ''VideoGame/MetalGearAcid'' games and ''Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel''), Kojima Productions decided to develop a legitimate ''Metal Gear Solid'' game for the handheld system that remained true to the stealth action game design of its console counterparts, with a story that followed the events of ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater Metal Gear Solid 3]]''.

* {{Badass}}: A lot of the game revolves around this, and in the story, Snake's reputation allows him to form his own army against Gene.
** BadassArmy: Practically the whole point of the game is to [[StartMyOwn start your own]].
** BadassPacifist: Elisa.
** BadassLongcoat: Gene.
** EmpoweredBadassNormal: Python (due to being AnIcePerson) and Ursula (due to PsychicPowers).
** FourStarBadass: Snake and Gene.
** HandicappedBadass: Cunningham.

* CutSong: When allegations of plagiarism for the "Metal Gear Solid Main Theme" began to surface during the game's production, the game's theme song, "Show Time," which [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzHhAcD8TS4 originally]] included the "Metal Gear Solid Main Theme", was re-edited so that it didn't. Sadly, this was not a temporary change, and the song has [[ExecutiveMeddling never surfaced again]], even in the 20th anniversary soundtrack collection (also, this is the only game with ''Metal Gear Solid'' in the title that doesn't have ''Metal Gear Solid'''s game over music at all, including ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearGhostBabel Ghost Babel]]'', but this is generally viewed as less significant by fans).

** Later in the game, you need to know the location of the Guest House by either stealing a map from the rail bridge, or interrogating the government official at the town. This is the same official interrogated from the airport earlier, so if you recruit him at the airport, he won't appear in the town, and the only way to know the location is from the rail bridge.
*** Consequentially, recruiting him at the town will make you unable to recruit [[spoiler:EVA and Ocelot]] as he plays part in their recruitment.

** In-game, if the player decides to unlock Elisa and/or Ursula prior to fighting [=RAXA=] either by busting hard on recruiting medics or simply by code, you'll notice that [[spoiler:you can't recruit them both simultaneously. This foreshadows the fact that Elisa and Ursula aren't physical twins, but two different personalities of a single girl]].

** During subsequent playthroughs, you can start the game with your previous roster. This includes characters who aren't supposed to be on Snake's side at that point of the story and characters that aren't even supposed to be on Snake's side at all.

* ImproperlyPlacedFirearms: Soviet soldiers armed with [=M1911A1s=] amongst other weapons. This can be handwaved as being FOX equipment, but it's a bit of a stretch to suggest that they have no Makarovs available. Also, given the time period, the AKM would be used by the Soviets instead of the AK-47.

* TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything: Later in the game, you need to know the location of the Guest House by either stealing a map from the rail bridge, or interrogating the government official at the town. This is the same official interrogated from the airport earlier, so if you recruit him at the airport, he won't appear in the town, and the only way to know the location is from the rail bridge.
** Consequentially, recruiting him at the town will make you unable to recruit [[spoiler:EVA and Ocelot]] as he plays part in their recruitment.

While initially advertised as the missing link between ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' and the original ''VideoGame/MetalGear'', ''Portable Ops'' is considered more of a sidestory, as it was developed without Creator/HideoKojima's own direction. Kojima would take directorial helm of the next PSP game in the series, ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker Peace Walker]]'', building upon the game design of ''Portable Ops'' and chronicling the further exploits of Big Boss. Kojima [[WordOfGod has since clarified]] that while the game '''is''' part of the ''Metal Gear'' canon, [[BroadStrokes future games may take some liberties with certain elements of the plot]].

* AFatherToHisMen: Snake plays this straight, and the {{big bad}} does a twisted parody of this.

'''''Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops''''' ([[InsistentTerminology officially abbreviated]] ''MPO'') is a ''Franchise/MetalGear'' game released for the {{PlayStation Portable}} in 2006. Following the release of a few ''Metal Gear'' spinoffs for the PSP (both ''VideoGame/MetalGearAcid'' games and ''Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel''), Kojima Productions decided to develop a legitimate ''Metal Gear Solid'' game for the handheld system that remained true to the stealth action game design of its console counterparts, with a story that followed the events of ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater Metal Gear Solid 3]]''.

''Portable Ops'' was followed by a stand-alone expansion titled ''Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus'' (or ''MPO+'') in 2007. It drops the story mode from the original game with an "Infinity Mission" mode, while introducing new multiplayer modes, maps, units and unique characters based on ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty Metal Gear Solid 2]]'' and even ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots Metal Gear Solid 4]]'', rather than being based strictly on ''Metal Gear Solid 3''.

* AnimalThemeNaming: Snake himself and the generic members of his team. Subverted by the members of FOX: Gene and Cunningham are also known as Viper and Boa respectively, but they're never really addressed by those codenames; Null didn't use the codename "Gray Fox" until years after the events of this game; and Ursula's name (which coincidentally means "little bear") barely counts as a codename since it's a common given name. Only Python uses an animal-themed codename.

[[caption-width-right:350:''"[[StartOfDarkness Calling to the Night]]"'']]

[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Metal_Gear_Solid_Portable_Ops_Logo_7265.gif]]

Set in 1970 (six years after Operation Snake Eater), Naked Snake (a.k.a. Big Boss) finds himself abducted by members of his former unit (FOX) and imprisoned in a base somewhere in the San Hieronymo Peninsula in Colombia. After escaping from prison, Snake finds out that FOX has allied themselves with members of the Red Army and have taken over a secret Soviet missile base. They're now threatening both the US and Russia, and the US government thinks Snake is leading the FOX revolt. Unable to take down the FOX unit by himself, Snake joins forces with a Green Beret soldier named Roy Campbell, forming the core of a soon-to-be-much-larger team dedicated to saving the day.

** Sigint and his UMA Club is referenced by Snake and Sigint

** Most of the characters and areas in the original ''Portable Ops'' were recycled from ''Metal Gear Solid 3'', right down to using the same textures. This especially noticeable with all the returning characters from ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' (aside for Snake himself, Para-Medic and Sigint) who look and dress exactly like they did during Operation Snake Eater six years ago. Ocelot, Raikov and [[spoiler:Sokolov]] in particular were playable characters in the original incarnation of ''Metal Gear Online'' included with ''Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence'' (released two years prior), so their abilities were carried over from that game intact.

* PlotTwist: Although it has several twists left and right, arguably the biggest one to deserve a mention on here is [[spoiler:that the American branch of the Philosophers were not the founders of the Patriots, as previously stated in the scrolling timeline of ''[=MGS3=]'', but rather they were murdered by Ocelot under orders from Zero, who forms the organization alongside Big Boss. This sets up the backstory of ''[=MGS4=]''.]]

* PlotTwist: Although it has several twists left and right, arguably the biggest one to deserve a mention on here is [[spoiler:Volgin launching a nuke towards the Sokolov Research Facility being revealed to have been intended all along by a single deviously cunning strategist. In ''Peace Walker'', it is revealed that Hot Coldman was the one responsible.]]

** Most of the characters and areas in the original ''Portable Ops'' were recycled from ''Metal Gear Solid 3'', right down to using the same textures. This especially noticeable with all the returning characters from ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' (aside for Snake himself, Para-Medic and Sigint) who look and dress exactly like they did during Operation Snake Eater six years ago. Ocelot, Raikov and [[spoiler:Sokolov]] in particular were playable characters in the original incarnation of ''Metal Gear Online'' included with ''Metal Gear Solid 3'', so their abilities were carried over from that game intact.

** Konami themselves prefer to use ''MPO'' as the official acronym for the game instead of "''MGSPO''". This is because ''MPO'' was largely based on ''Subsistence'''s free-to-play online component, ''Metal Gear Online'' or ''MGO''. ''MGO'' and ''MPO'' are play on NGO (non-government organization) and NPO (not-for-profit organization) respectively.

** Elisa definitely qualifies. Heck, she does it both times (although one time was completely against her will, [[spoiler:as Gene was starting to forcibly awaken her other personality half.]]), and later does it with her twin sister [[spoiler:(or rather, split personality)]]. Raikov also technically counts, namely in regards to allying with Snake (in the last game he appeared in, he was an enemy. Of course, considering what Snake did in ''Metal Gear Solid 3'', he probably does still view him as his enemy, and probably would fight against him [[EnemyMine had it not been for the fact that they had a common enemy]]), though also due to the fact that he wished to redeem himself in the Soviet Army's eyes (they exiled him to the San Hieronymo Peninsula due to the fact that he abused Soviet soldiers, as well as Volgin's death).

** Konami themselves prefer to use ''MPO'' as the official acronym for the game instead of "''MGSPO''". This is due to the fact that ''MPO'' was largely based on ''Subsistence'''s free-to-play online component, ''Metal Gear Online'' or ''MGO''. ''MGO'' and ''MPO'' are play on NGO (non-government organization) and NPO (not-for-profit organization) respectively.

Set in 1970 (six years after Operation Snake Eater), Naked Snake (a.k.a. Big Boss) finds himself abducted by members of his former unit (FOX) and imprisoned in a base somewhere in the San Hieronymo Peninsula in Colombia. After escaping from prison, Snake finds out that FOX has allied themselves with members of the Red Army and have taken over a secret Soviet missile base. They're now threatening both the US and Russia, and the US government things Snake is leading FOX. Unable to take down the FOX unit by himself, Snake joins forces with a Green Beret soldier named Roy Campbell as they try try to take down FOX and end the crisis.

Set in 1970 (six years after Operation Snake Eater), Naked Snake (a.k.a. Big Boss) finds himself abducted by members of his former unit, FOX, and imprisoned in a base somewhere in the San Hieronymo Peninsula in Colombia. After escaping from prison, Snake finds out that the U.S. Government has accused of him leading the FOX unit's revolt, who are now threatening both, the U.S. and the Soviet Union, after joining forces with members of the Red Army and taking over a secret Soviet missile base. Unable to take down the FOX unit by himself, Snake join forces with a Green Beret soldier named Roy Campbell as they try to convince members of the revolt to join their cause and take down the FOX unit.

* FakeDefector: Subverted with the FOX Unit. The CIA intended to have the FOX Unit fake defection to the Soviet Union so they could supply the [=ICBMG=] to the Soviets and thus have the CIA maintain all the power it gained during the ColdWar. However, this plot was undone by the Pentagon (of whom [[spoiler:Cunningham]] was a plant to), where FOX was to launch the ICBMG at Soviet Russia in order to tarnish the CIA's reputation. It's even further subverted when Gene intended to nuke America with the [=ICBMG=]. See GambitPileup below.

* MegaManning: Variation: recruiting enemy soldiers means that you'll also have access to any item or weapon they may possess. The only exceptions are the four FOX bosses (Null, Python, Cunningham and Gene), who are each come with a permanently-equipped weapon (a machete, liquid nitrogen grenades, a laser cannon and bowie knives respectively).

* BroadStrokes: How the events are interpreted in succeeding installments. Basic details, such as Big Boss forming FOXHOUND to take down renegade FOX members and Zero gaining the missing half of the Philosophers' Legacy, are still considered canon. However, the entire side-mission to recruit EVA contradicts how Big Boss and EVA were actually reunited according to ''Metal Gear Solid 4'' and [=Metal Gear ZEKE=] from ''Peace Walker'' is now considered to be the first Metal Gear tank ever built (in-universe) instead of the ICBMG.

** Campbell states that he left the Marines and joined the Green Berets because he and his brother fell in love with the same woman and he didn't want to interfere. [[spoiler:This is a subtle indication of the eventual affair with his brother's wife that results in the birth of Meryl, as confirmed in ''Metal Gear Solid 4''.]]

* ImproperlyPlacedFirearms: Soviet soldiers armed with [=M1911A1s=] amongst other weapons. This can be handwaved as being FOX equipment, but it's a bit of a stretch to suggest that they have no Makarovs available.
** Plus, given the time period, the AKM would be used by the Soviets instead of the AK-47.
* InsistentTerminology

* GottaCatchThemAll: There are several enemy soldier types (including unique characters) that can be added to your roster throughout the game, including scientists and engineers. The ''MPO+'' expansion adds an encyclopedia of all the character types and how many you've recruited.

* BroadStrokes: How the events are interpreted in succeeding installments. Basic details, such as Big Boss forming FOXHOUND to take down renegade FOX members and Zero gaining the missing half of the Philosophers' Legacy, are still considered canon. However, the entire side-mission to recruit EVA contradicts how Big Boss and EVA were actually reunited according to ''Metal Gear Solid 4'' and the [=Metal Gear ZEKE=] from ''Peace Walker'' is now considered to be the first Metal Gear tank ever built (in-universe) instead of the ICBMG.

** During subsequent playthroughs, you can start the game with your previous roster, including characters who aren't supposed to be with Snake at that point of the story, as well as characters that aren't even supposed to be on Snake's side.