The thought of reading an entire book on a PDA is about as exciting as going to an arcade without any quarters. You could do it, and if you're like me you probably have, if only to stare at the crowded Mortal Kombat machine (circa 1993). But really, why bother? Books were meant to be printed on paper.

Graphic novels, on the other hand, are finding a new, more exciting home in digital form. Konami began the evolution with the Silent Hill Experience. Three months later they continue to explore new territory with the Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic Novel. Not as varied as the SH Experience, this novel is a different take on digital comic books. Rather than stuff the disc full of bonus content, this one shoots for an interactive edge.

The story takes us back to the original Metal Gear Solid, where the secrets of Fox Hound and the DARPA chief were first revealed. Every real-time movie sequence has been re-created for the graphic novel. It consists of thousands of pieces of individual artwork – characters, items, weapons, backgrounds, etc. The images are taken from the Metal Gear Solid comic book series, but are no longer stuck in a flat, motionless world. Pages are thrown onto the screen piece-by-piece; the order and speed at which the pages appear varies by scenario.

Drama

Images are slowly brought onto the screen. If only one character is shown, he or she will appear, followed by the dialogue marker and a slight zoom that brings the character closer to the screen.

Suspense

All is well until suddenly, something catastrophic happens! Images are dealt out more quickly, and may be exchanged for others faster than the details can be deciphered. Close-ups are used to add to the intensity, while music and sound effects reinforce that feeling.

Suspense 2

A new page pops up. The music changes to a track that lets you know something bad is about to happen. As the scene progresses, one page is darkened as another one appears over it. The transition is quick and cool, and very Metal Gear Solid.

Action

Multiple images from multiple angles, plastered all over the screen in a way that would make the creators of 24 proud. Gunfire is accompanied by moving stills – a graphic novel image pushed along the screen to show the characters' actions. Solid Snake might be trying to dodge a bullet, or he might be stunned by an explosion. That’s two of a zillion actions that unfold during the course of the story.

Sound

In addition to the aforementioned content, players will hear many of Metal Gear Solid's trademark sounds, including the unmistakable beat of Solid Snake's Codec.

Misc.

Weapons, keycards, additional thoughts (text markings) – anything, at any time, may be thrown onto the screen in an unexpected way. Metal Gear Solid fans know what's coming, but it's the way this UMD presents each scene that adds the element of surprise.

Some of the scenes have been extended slightly, showing you a little bit more of what went on during Solid Snake's toughest mission. (As you'll see in the beginning, before Snake takes off in the tiny, torpedo-like submarine.)

The novel also features scenes and dialogue that are almost identical to the game's content.

Snake: "Is this the first time you've pointed a gun at someone? Your hands are shaking."

Snake: "Can you shoot me, rookie?"

Unknown Character: "Careful, I'm no rookie!"

Though I'm sure everyone knows who the "unknown" character is, to be safe, it's only fair that I keep it a secret. If you don't know, you've been missing out on the king of cinematic video games.

Gameplay: 7.0
The Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic Novel lets players pause and examine every page of detail. Your goal is to scan the page with the cursor and click on any highlighted element, unlocking information (a memory) that can be viewed on another screen. Key characters have the most amount of pixels and are thus the easiest to locate, but they're one of many "things" you'll have to target.

Some don't seem to have a specific item or character to click on, instead focusing on a scenario that relates to the memory that needs to be unlocked. It's somewhat confusing, and when you take a look at what the memories actually are (not much more than a character description, in some cases), the satisfaction of finding them is significantly lessened.

The scavenger hunt is kind of cool, and certainly appreciated – if you love Metal Gear Solid, you'll understand where the developers were coming from. But rather than scan every single page for memories, I had more fun watching and reading the story as is, and only searched for memories when I felt an important one was nearby.

Graphics: 8.5
Intense and entertaining all the way through, the Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic Novel is the next best thing to playing the game. If the story is your favorite part of the experience, you might just consider this novel to be even better.

The artwork looks unconventional when compared with other comic books and graphic novels, but it’s a perfect match for the MGS universe. It's semi-sloppy, yet surprisingly detailed. Many of the images are black and white. Bold colors are used to add to the drama of certain images.

Fans will love the way each page is introduced, popping in and out to the beat of the story. It's a twisted story, with enough surprises to draw comparisons to 24 (remember gamers: Metal Gear Solid came out first). Whether or not you know how the story turns out, you’ll love the way it's presented.

Sound: 8.9
The sound and music of Metal Gear Solid. The game cleverly weaves in realistic sound effects, each one perfectly in-sync with images as they're flashed on and off the screen.

Overall: 8.0
The interactive elements don't exactly move mountains, but the rest of the content and overall experience is a trip every Metal Gear Solid fan should take.

Gamers who have never played the MGS series but enjoy graphic novels owe it to themselves to get this UMD. You'll love the artwork, the way it's presented, and the inclusion of music and sound effects. It's a new level of storytelling for graphic novels. Once it catches on, it'll be too hard for other writers and artists to resist.