Released on 22-Feb-2013

Included with Metal Gear Rising Revengance is a code to download Cyborg Ninja.

Based upon the design of the hugely popular Metal Gear Solid original, Gray Fox, the Cyborg Ninja allows you to use the character in game as well as use and upgrade his powerful Fox Blade!

Please Note: This code is valid with new copies of Metal Gear Rising Revengance, we cannot guarantee if the code will be valid with preowned copies.

Raiden takes centre stage in a new kind of Metal Gear experience in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for PlayStation 3 takes the series into a bold new direction, combining the stealth tactics and epic story-telling of Kojima Productions with the adrenalin-fuelled action of PlatinumGames.

Key Features of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for PlayStation 3

• An exciting new chapter in the expansive Metal Gear Universe
• Raiden takes the lead as he explores his past and seeks justice
• Fast and fluid combat – high energy, high impact
• New Zan Datsu mechanic that exploits Raiden's trademark weapons and skills
• A truly hybrid production that highlights the best of both creative forces

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is the latest thrilling chapter of the ever-expanding Metal Gear saga. Taking place four years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4, the world of cyborg crimes and terrorism is the perfect place for Raiden to take the lead as he searches for the truth about his past while trying to uphold justice.

Raiden is working for Maverick Security, one of several Private Military Companies (or PMCs) that have sprung up in a world where cyborg technology has become commonplace. In the three years since the Patriots system collapsed, peace still remains elusive as cybernetics become a tradable commodity and renegade PMCs prove to be as corrupt as the former Patriots. Desperado Enterprices are one such PMC, and it is their involvement in terrorist activities that spurs Raiden's new tale on.

Raiden's story continues to evolve in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. As dedicated Metal Gear fans will know, he was a child soldier who was transformed into a cyborg ninja and equipped with a high-frequency katana blade. But he also carries another weapon - a soul fuelled by revenge. Raiden is playable in both his "White" form, as seen in Guns of the Patriots, and his new, more powerful "Black" cyborg armour.

With Raiden a different kind of hero to Solid Snake, so Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a different kind of Metal Gear experience. Some of the key stealth elements remain (including the infmaous cardboard box!) but the focus is on high-energy, high-impact action, with a fast and fluid game style centred on Raiden's katana-based combat.

At the heart of this new hack-and-slash action is the new Zan Datsu cut mechanic. This skillful strike will allow you to cut anything, anywhere within the world of the game along a geometrical plane. Entering a bullet time-like state called Blade Mode, Zan Datsu will give you the precision to slice and slash enemies and objects during the heat of battle, even when falling. But overuse BLade Mode and Raiden will weaken, so choose your moments wisely.

All this is brought to you by the creative forces of two top development powerhouses - Kojima Productions and PlatinumGames. A truly hybrid production that sees the Kojima team focus on the story, characters and stealth, while PlatinumGames add their trademark melee combat, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance promises to push the boundaries of graphics, style and high-speed action.

• MGS Rising will become a series in its own right

  MGS Rising will become a series in its own right

  Properly revealed at this year's E3, Metal Gear Solid Rising looks like an exciting prospect. An MGS game that follows series stalwart Raiden on a slice-'em, dice-'em mission behind enemy lines always seemed to be far more than a simple spin-off.

  And according to the game's producer, Shigenobu Masuyama - thanks, Eurogamer - it is far more than a simple spin-off. "MGS Rising is not a side story," Mr Masuyama told the press recently. "We're aiming for two Metal Gear Solids, making a series out of another standard."

  "I've been asked a lot, 'Is this going to be a side-story or spin-off to the MGS series?'," continued the producer. "But what I'm positioning is that there will be a Hideo Kojima game that is MGS, but what we are planning as Kojima Productions is have this Raiden Rising as almost as a standard so that there's an MGS and the Rising going back-and-forth in the future."

  Set between MGS 2 and MGS 4, Rising will chart Raiden's transformation from slightly annoying rookie soldier to deadly ninja assassin. The game will be released for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 in 2011.

• Metal Gear Solid: Rising aims for 2012?

  Metal Gear Solid: Rising aims for 2012?

  After Snake, it's Raiden's turn in the limelight. Metal Gear Solid fans are used to long waits in between games, but anyone counting the hours until Metal Gear Solid: Rising hits can take a little solace from a Kotaku report which suggests 2012 as a firm release date for the new game.

  And really, we can wait until then for this one, as it looks like a corker. Fitting into the timeline between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4, Rising sees Raiden the cybernetic ninja take the reins from Solid Snake, in a fast-paced action adventure that involves - well - chopping things into little pieces with a sword.

  It looks brilliant, and when you add to the mix the series' trademark stealth gameplay, we're in for a real treat in 2012. Announced at E3 in 2009, the game's been underway for quite a while, but we're willing to let Konami take all the time it needs to nail this one.

  And Raiden may not be the only familiar face. Although he's clearly the star of the show, Konami's hinted that other series regulars might be making an appearance too.

  Metal Gear Solid: Rising will be released for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
  

• History of Metal Gear Solid Series

  "Choose your own legacy."
  

  The History of Metal Gear Solid

  
  

  Metal Gear Solid is one of the most revered game series ever. A unique mix of stealth, storytelling and style, Hideo Kojima's Tactical Espionage Action blends engrossing story, inspired direction and philosophical debate with genuine humour, hilarious quirks, brilliant boss battles and ingenious design decisions. If there's another game that features hiding in a cardboard box, we've yet to play it.

  Yet Metal Gear Solid is gaming marmite. Detractors consider it the work of a frustrated film director and more interactive movie than game. Fans, however, adore its intricate plotting, post-modern spin and sophisticated sneaking. So as Snake's final mission sidles into view, we've taken the opportunity to look back at Metal Gear Solid's highs and lows, based upon six key themes.

  Still confused with the story? Check out our MGS Timeline!
  

  
  Gear - Metal Gear Begins (MSX & NES, 1987, 1990)

  Also: Snake's Revenge (non-Canon)(NES, 1990)

  While the first Metal Gear Solid hit UK shores in 1999, the Metal Gear saga, minus the 'Solid', began in 1987. MSX and NES Metal Gear and its 1990 Japan-only MSX sequel, Metal Gear: Solid Snake introduced Solid Snake, his covert government unit FOXHOUND, and his one-man mission to rid the world of the titular nuclear-equipped mobile battle tank.

  Sneaking past patrolling enemy soldiers who attacked only if they spotted you, was the height of sophistication.

  But it was the unusual concept of a hide and seek videogame which was creator Hideo Kojima's inspiration. In an era of side-scrolling platformers and rudimentary artificial intelligence, to be tasked with sneaking past patrolling enemy soldiers who attacked only if they spotted you, and would hunt you down if you hid, was the height of sophistication.

  The plot was special too, laced with subterfuge, double-crosses and genuine shocks. FOXHOUND commander, Big Boss, was unveiled as the first game's terrorist leader, and in the sequel as Snake's own father which didn't stop Snake killing him in an emotive, bittersweet 8bit finale. Epic and gripping even in 2D, Metal Gear 1 and 2 remain landmarks in videogame history. Both can be found as bonuses on MGS3: Subsistence.

  
  Gene - Metal Gear Solid (PSone, 1999)

  Also: MGS: VR Missions (1999), MGS: The Twin Snakes (GC, 2003), MGS: Digital Graphic Novel (PSP, 2006)

  Twelve years on and Metal Gear Solid arrived on Sony's market-leading PlayStation. Snake's mission was to infiltrate Alaska's Shadow Moses Island and stop renegade unit FOXHOUND, made up of Revolver Ocelot, Vulcan Raven, Sniper Wolf, Psycho Mantis, Decoy Octopus and their enigmatic leader Liquid Snake, launching a nuclear strike. But unbeknownst to Snake and the player, he was merely a vessel for FOXIDE, a deadly virus carried by the nanomachines inside his body, designed to target the terrorist's DNA.

  It was a stellar success. The top-down viewpoint, on-screen enemy radar, sneaky gadget-packed 3D gameplay and thrill-ride story surpassed anything in the genre. Metal Gear Solid was a clever game. Taking out enemy soldiers required sweaty-palmed planning and ruthless execution. One false move and you'd be hunted by gun-toting terrorists as a timer ticked tensely down.

  And it was inventive. One boss required you to swap joypad ports to stop him reading your thoughts. Kojima even had gamers scratching their heads looking for a radio frequency. 'It's on the box' you're told. Cue players frantically scouring Snake's inventory and gameworld. As it turned out, it was found in a screenshot on the back of the game's own box.

  Inspired in design and satisfying at its conclusion, this was one of the great games of its era.

  Metal Gear Solid remains one of the few games to make gamers think outside of the confines of its world. It also wasn't afraid to reference its rich back-story, causing players to read up on the events of the old NES games. Few videogame narratives offer such depth.

  The theme of Metal Gear Solid was Gene. Its closing act revealed Snake and Liquid to be clones of Big Boss; products of a project to create the perfect soldier, called Les Enfants Terrible. By sneaking past the Genome Army (themselves combat optimised by Big Boss's DNA), eliminating the renegade FOXHOUND, defeating Metal Gear Rex, killing his genetically superior twin Liquid (thanks to FOXDIE), rescuing Rex designer Hal 'Otacon' Emmerich and saving rookie soldier Meryl Silverburgh, Snake proved that his own choices and character mattered more than the legacy of his genes.

  Metal Gear Solid was itself proof that the PlayStation was a gamer's console. Setting new standards for production, inspired in design and satisfying at its conclusion, this was one of the great games of its era. Criticised for being short (12+ hours coasting through, but under 5 if you rushed), and for relying heavily on the dialogue-driven Codec (Snake's in-ear radio) to tell the story, there was still nothing like it. A PS2 sequel topped everyone's most wanted lists.

  Meme - Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2, 2002)

  Also: MGS2: Substance, (PS2, Xbox, 2004)

  Hailed as a 'killer app' and delayed in the UK to stifle the Xbox launch, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty proved a controversial follow-up. Consternation centred on the fact that Metal Gear Solid's rock-hard hero Solid Snake was replaced by girly white-haired Raiden for the majority of the game. No-one saw it coming.

  Moreover, Kojima went to town on the plot, confusing with elaborate Codec dialogue, long cutscenes and a bonkers screenplay, enhancing what made MGS1 so divisive. Ocelot now had Liquid Snake's arm grafted to him, which somehow took him over. FOXHOUND were replaced by another set of superpowered freaks called Dead Cell one of which, Vamp, seemed immortal. And a longwinded climax practically told you that everything had been a cover-up. Plenty were perplexed. A disillusioned few swore off the series for life.

  Which was a shame because, between breaks in play, Sons of Liberty was astonishing. For starters, it oozed production values; with unrivalled graphical detail and a soundtrack courtesy of Hollywood Harry Gregson Williams, fronted by a rousing re-edit of the MGS theme.

  Sons of Liberty is, with hindsight, a contradicted game, but still a bonafide blockbuster action-adventure.

  Gameplay followed suit. This was an extrapolation of everything that defined Metal Gear. Refined A.I., a new hold-up technique and some ingeniously designed rooms gave MGS2 a sandbox feel. Lockers, tables, first-person aiming and hiding bodies made sneaking at once tenser, but more open to interpretation. And the big plot twist the Big Brother style Patriots put the entire saga into a new context.

  MGS2 made everything bigger. It showed Kojima wasn't afraid to sacrifice popular opinion to pursue his vision. Impenetrable at its most pretentious but compelling, playable and stupendously surreal at its peak, Sons of Liberty is, with hindsight, a contradicted game, but still a bonafide blockbuster action-adventure.

  It evolved Kojima's storytelling, too. Though controversial, playing as Raiden gave a newfound respect for Snake. The theme also evolved, becoming Meme. Kojima wanted to express that we should pick the ideas, culture and beliefs for us; passing on these memes to shape the future.

  MGS2's story reflected this, seeing Snake and Liquid's older clone brother, Solidus, turning terrorist to rebel against the secret censorship of the all-controlling Patriots. The Patriots became an ominous, faceless, oppressive uber-foe, who have still to be defeated, which is what makes Metal Gear Solid 4 such a tantalising prospect.

  Scene - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2, 2005)

  Also: MGS3: Subsistence, (PS2, 2006)

  The stage firmly set for a climactic battle between Snake, Liquid and The Patriots, Kojima instead made a prequel. Set in the Cold War era, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater starred Snake and Liquid's Dad, Big Boss, in his Darth Vader style turn to evil which led to the events of NES Metal Gear. This was Kojima's Revenge of the Sith.

  The theme, Scene, was something different. Kojima had explored Gene, and genetic legacy. He'd gone into Meme, and handing down values. But Scene focused on adapting to the here and now. It was expressed in the gameplay, with Snake adapting to his jungle surroundings through camouflage and cannibalising wildlife. And it was explored in the narrative, which discussed how values of people, politics and nations change with the times.

  At the same time, Metal Gear Solid 3 detailed the origins of the Patriots; who ultimately pulled the world's political strings, of Metal Gear technology, and of Big Boss himself, known by another codename; Naked Snake.

  Snake Eater starred Snake and Liquid's Dad, Big Boss, in his Darth Vader style turn to evil. This was Kojima's Revenge of the Sith.

  But there was an awful lot of stop-and-start. Cutscenes and Codec conversations were prevalent in the opening quarter of this longest ever, 20+ hour Metal Gear. Healing and feeding menu screens ate into gameplay too. The jungle, meanwhile, presented fewer hiding places. Getting spotted meant running between areas (with long loading screens) or hiding in foliage for minutes at a time. Snake Eater was slow going.

  But when it gathered momentum, MGS3 was a triumph. The 1960's setting made this a low-tech Metal Gear Solid, lacking on-screen radar or hi-spec gadgets, but the story was far easier to follow. Snake's mission to rescue a Soviet scientist and destroy the nuclear-equipped Shagohod tank (the forebear to Metal Gear robots) encompassed memorable characters including a young Ocelot, megalomaniacal cyborg Colonel Volgin, femme fatale Eva, and Snake's mentor, The Boss, accompanied by her team, the Cobras.

  Slow start aside, MGS3's main criticisms lay in the camera, and the Cobras' lack of depth. MGS1 and 2's bosses had intricate personal histories, but here they were simply The Boss's war comrades. Nonetheless, they made for spectacular battles, and when Subsistence re-released MGS3 the following year with a new free-floating camera and online multiplayer, fans and critics were unanimous that Metal Gear Solid 3 was another sneaky Kojima corker.

  Small - Handheld Metal Gears (GBA, PSP)

  As well as the famous home-system versions, the Metal Gear series has spawned a selection of stylish portable spinoffs to varying degrees of success. Here's the handheld titles any true Metal Gear gamer may wish to track down/p>

  • Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (2000): A GameBoy Color title that played a little like the original NES Metal Gears, renamed simply Metal Gear Solid in the west. Starring Solid Snake, the story was later dubbed an 'alternate sequel to Metal Gear' by Kojima.
  • Metal Gear Ac!d 1 & 2 (2005, 2006): Replaced MGS's action with a turn-based card battle system. Not your typical Metal Gear, Ac!d is the most cult release amongst series fans.
  • Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (2007): A proper MGS game in shrunken-down form and a direct story sequel to MGS3, again featuring Naked Snake/Big Boss as the main character, this time in the 1970's as he established the fledgling FOXHOUND.
  • Portable Ops pioneered a squad system, allowing players to recruit soldiers and utilise their unique abilities. It also boasted Wi-Fi compatible online multiplayer that took a lot from Subsistence, and proved a huge success for Sony's smaller system.
  • Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus (2008): Portable Ops Plus gave gamers extra multiplayer content in the form of new characters (including Raiden), new missions and tutorials, plus a new singleplayer component that put aside story to focus on randomly generated missions. One for fans of the first game's online offering.

  Sense - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3, 2008)

  Underpinning Gene, Meme and Scene of Metal Gear Solids 1 to 3 has been a central theme of passing on information to future generations. MGS1 was Gene. MGS2 was Meme. MGS3's Scene discussed how the times and places we live in dictate the information we see and share. Metal Gear Solid 4's Sense focuses on how perceptions and feelings influence those choices.

  What we know about Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots has us extremely excited. In the five years since Sons of Liberty, Snake's clone body has aged considerably. His last mission is to stop Liquid, in control of Ocelot's body, launching a military coup against the United States, secretly controlled by The Patriots.

  Snake's last mission is to stop Liquid Ocelot launching a military coup against the United States, secretly controlled by The Patriots.

  MGS4 will span five global locations including the Middle East, and a snowy area looking suspiciously like MGS1's Shadow Moses, where Snake will face new bosses with familiar codenames; Crying Wolf, Raging Raven, Screaming Mantis and Laughing Octopus. As the final chapter, all remaining stories of an enormous ensemble cast must be tied up especially Snake, pictured holding a gun to his own mouth on several occasions.

  Sense is apparent in Old Snake's new armoury. The Solid Eye combines binoculars, thermal and night vision goggles to one all-purpose sight sense. The Octo Cammo Suit mimics the look of surfaces it touches to conceal Snake from sight. And the Metal Gear Mk.II can scout ahead to stun enemies, becoming an advanced eyes, ears and attack option.

  Sense is also apparent in the new Stress and Psyche system. The explosive MGS4 warzone causes Snake's stress to soar, increasing accuracy and damage resistance for a short while at the expense of psyche, which will eventually crash, affecting stamina and health.

  For its many, many fans Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots will be a fitting finale to a trailblazing series.

  It promises a constant balancing act, maintained with cigarettes, adult magazines, and stealthier approaches. Those who wish, however, can go gung-ho, earning Drebin Points to buy new weapons from MGS4's gun launderer. And of course, it will all be framed by epic cinematics, evocative sound and the option to see catch-up flashbacks from past Metal Gears.

  But what of the remaining sense? Will MGS4 conclusion leave behind a bitter taste? The proof will be in the playing, but Kojima has promised a true fan service, with the boldest, most Metal Gear MGS ever. The inclusion of Metal Gear Online makes this an immense package, and production values are unparalleled. It may still be marmite, but for its many, many fans Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots will be a fitting finale to a trailblazing series, a great goodbye to Tactical Espionage Action, and a Sense-sational send-off for Solid Snake.

  Article by: Mark 'Gene' Scott
  Published: 16.05.08

  The History of Metal Gear Solid - Timeline

  1942

  

  • The Manhattan Project, worked on by Otacon's grandfather.
  • The Boss sets up The Cobra Unit, who go on to help win WWII for Allied forces.

  1944

  • The Boss Gives birth to Ocelot, who is taken by The Philosophers.

  1945

  • Hiroshima is bombed. On the same day, Otacon's father is born.

  1947

  • The Boss disbands The Cobras.

  1950

  • Jack becomes a student of The Boss.

  1959

  • The Boss abandons Jack on a mission.

  1964

  Events of Metal Gear Solid 3 Naked Snake - Metal Gear Solid Timeline

  • Jack, codenamed 'Naked Snake', infiltrates the Soviet jungle, defeats Shagohod, kills The Boss and gets a new codename, 'Big Boss'.
  • EVA, a Chinese spy, steals The Philosophers Legacy.

  1970

  Events of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.

  • Big Boss meets Roy Campbell and Frank Jaegar, and defeats the first Metal Gear.
  • Ocelot retrieves The Philosophers Legacy.
  • American Branch of The Philosophers change their name to The Patriots.

  1971

  • Big Boss officially establishes FOXHOUND, with Roy Campbell his second in charge.

  1972

  • Les Enfants Terribles Project. Big Boss is cloned; Snake, Liquid and Solidus are born.

  1975

  • Big Boss breaks Frank Jaegar out of prison camp and officially adopts him.

  1980s

  First Metal Gear on Nintendo Entertainment System - Metal Gear Solid Timeline

  • Frank Jaegar officially adopts Naomi. Big Boss gets them into the US with the surname 'Hunter'.

  1995

  • Solid Snake joins FOXHOUND.
  • Events of Metal Gear. Snake infiltrates Outer Heaven, rescues FOXHOUND operative Frank Jaeger, now codenamed Grey Fox, defeats the turncoat Big Boss and destroys Metal Gear.
  • Following Big Boss's turn, Roy Campbell becomes FOXHOUND commander-in-chief.

  1999
  Events of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake.

  • Snake infiltrates Zanzibar Land, fights and kills both the turncoat Grey Fox, and the returning Big Boss, who reveals before he dies that he is Snake's father.

  2005

  Metal Gear Solid Codec - Metal Gear Solid Timeline Events of Metal Gear Solid.

  • Dr. Naomi Hunter injects Snake with nanomachines carrying FOXDIE; a deadly virus designed to target FOXHOUND member's DNA. Angry over Grey Fox's death, Naomi also programs FOXDIE to kill Snake at a random time.
  • Grey Fox returns as a cyborg ninja, cutting off Ocelot's hand and fighting Solid Snake, before giving his life helping Snake battle Metal Gear Rex.
  • Liquid Snake details the Les Enfants Terribles project to Solid Snake.
  • Commanded by Campbell via Codec, Snake infiltrates Shadow Moses, stops FOXHOUND, kills Liquid (thanks to FOXDIE) and defeats Metal Gear Rex, rescuing Campbell illegitimate daughter Meryl and Rex designer Hal 'Otacon' Emmerich.

  2007

  Events of Metal Gear Solid 2 'Tanker' Chapter.

  • Snake meets and battles Olga Gurlukovich aboard an oil tanker on the Hudson River.
  • Ocelot, now with the 'dead' Liquid Snake's arm grafted to him, steals the new Metal Gear Ray.

  Snake and Raiden - Metal Gear Solid Timeline

  2008

  • Olga Gurlukovich gives birth to Sunny, who is kidnapped by The Patriots.

  2009

  Events of Metal Gear Solid 2 'Big Shell' Chapter.

  • Ocelot's body is overtaken by the consciousness of Liquid Snake.
  • The Patriots are officially revealed as the true power in the United States.
  • Raiden infiltrates Big Shell, meets Snake, fights members of Dead Cell, battles a series of Metal Gear Rays aboard Arsenal Gear, and kills Solidus, who was attempting to liberate Manhattan from Patriot control.

  2009-2014 (Date unknown)

  • Sons of the Patriots (SOP) system implemented, placing nanomachines in every solder for maximum battlefield efficiency.
  • Snake and Otacon rescue Sunny. She's an awful cook.
  • Liquid Ocelot kidnaps Naomi Hunter in order to control the SOP nanomachines.

  2014

  Snake in Guns of the Patriots - Metal Gear Solid Timeline Events of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

  • A prematurely aged, FOXDIE-ravaged Solid Snake is hired by the UN to eliminate Liquid Ocelot, who is engineering an SOP override, and building forces for an armed insurrection against The Patriots.
  • War has changed...

• Kojima Productions getting ready for next MGS?

  Kojima Productions getting ready for next MGS?

  Okay, big news for stealth fans. Eurogamer's reporting that Kojima Productions is hiring for the next Metal Gear Solid game.

  That's how things certainly look, anyway. The news comes via a job listing on Konami's Japanese website, which was translated rather handily by Andriasang.

  The listing, titled "Next Generation Metal Gear Solid Series Production Staff", asks for programmers with experience on "PC/PS3/Xbox 360" alongside graphics staff with an interest in conducting research into next-gen CG.

  Amongst other things, as Eurogamer notes, this means that the next MGS could be going multi-platform.

  The one thing you have to admit about Kojima Productions, whether you love the studio's slick take on action stealth or not, is that the team likes to keep busy. Since Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots landed on the PS3 in 2008, the studio's also put out the brilliant Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for the PSP, helped out with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, for the PS3 and Xbox 360, and is currently working on Metal Gear Rising, a fast-paced swordplay adventure for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, which follows series regular Raiden on a new deadly mission.

  More news on this as soon as we hear it.

• E3 2011: MGS 1 headed to HD consoles?

  According to Eurogamer, Kojima Productions wants to remake the very first Metal Gear Solid game in full HD. That’s what the studio’s creative producer Yoshikazu Matsuhana is saying, anyway.

  In an interview with Eurogamer conducted at E3 last week, Matsuhana said the team couldn’t use the original game in its forthcoming MGS HD Collection as the original’s looking a little too old.

  "Obviously, we wanted to include it and make it a complete collection. However, as you know, Metal Gear Solid 1 was for the PSone. It has a very, very low polygon count," he said. "While at the time the game was something new and refreshing, just bringing it as is into HD probably wouldn't have that much meaning to us. We're doing two and three with a certain work flow where the goal is to take that game, preserve it and introduce it to a new generation. We can't really take that approach with Metal Gear Solid 1 because it's very dated at this point."

  Excitingly, we went on to add that, "if we were going to do Metal Gear Solid 1 we'd want to take more time with it. Not just up-res the textures, not just make things look pretty and polished, but go back and tweak some of the gameplay, tweak the story to update things and do it properly. Not just a re-master but a re-imagining almost. We do want to do that sometime down the road but it will take more time.”

  Sounds good to us. In the meantime, The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, incorporating MGS 2, MGS 3, and Peace Walker, will be hitting the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 later this year.
  

• Kojima hates Metal Gear?

  Okay, so that’s kind of a misleading headline, but this is still an interesting story. Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima loves his famous stealth action series – but he hates the Metal Gear NES game, which was a lot of fans’ introduction to the world of Solid Snake.

  It all comes down to the fact that Metal Gear was originally released for Microsoft’s MSX computer, way back in 1987. The game only ended up on the NES after it was ported. And Kojima wasn’t happy about it.

  "I had absolutely no participation in the development of the NES version," Kojima told Nintendo Power recently (thanks Eurogamer). "The NES version was a pitiful title developed cheaply and simply by a small team in Tokyo. That was during the bubble economy where anything and everything that was released would sell. I came across the game in a bargain bin and tried play it, but the game design is pretty bad. There is some gameplay that includes infiltrating a base that didn't exist in the original. However, even I, the developer of the original game, was unable to infiltrate the base even once. That title has only soiled my reputation."

  It’s not all bad, though: "Even though it was an abomination, it was during the bubble economy and it sold millions overseas.”

  If you want to check out more recent Metal Gear games, of course, you could do worse than pick up the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 when it comes out this November. It contains HD remasters of MGS2, MGS3, and Peace Walker. Ace!

• Hideo Kojima says he's never been satisfied with any of his games

  Legendary Japanese game designer Hideo Kojima, the mad genius behind the blockbuster Metal Gear Solid series, has admitted to insider website Gamesindustry.biz that he never been completely happy with any of the games he made, including the best-selling Metal Gear Solid 4. Even more shocking, he says that the day he fully satisfied is the day he quits games for good.

  "I've never created something that completely satisfies me," he explained. "I don't think that, even as technology continues to improve, I will ever be able to create something that completely satisfies me."

  "Creating something is about turning impossible things into possible things, things you want to be able to do. If it gets to the point where I'm able to create anything I want, I'll probably stop making video games.

  Kojima, who divides his time between development and his duties as Vice President of Konami, is currently overseeing no less than three entries in the Metal Gear series, including Snake Eater 3D for the 3DS, the Raiden-centric spin-off Metal Gear Solid: Rising and an HD compilation of the original Metal Gear Solid and its sequels.

• Four-player mode confirmed for MGS HD Collection's Peace Walker

  The upcoming Metal Gear Solid HD Collection will feature four-player support in its conversion of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

  Series creator Hideo Kojima, who is overseeing the creation of the new PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 compilation pack, has confirmed that the acclaimed PSP title Peace Walker will make the transition to home consoles with its multiplayer mode intact.

  He revealed via Twitter that the game will be playable online via Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, while players can expect the cooperative experience to run at a smooth 60 frames per second.

  The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is due for release this November and will feature high-definition conversions of three of the most popular titles in the iconic series.

  As well as Peace Walker, the PlayStation 2 classics Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater will be included.

  Each game features support for Trophies and Achievements for the first time, in addition to the visual upgrade.

  Published: 06/09/2011

• Metal Gear to continue after Kojima's gone

  Metal Gear to continue after Kojima's gone

  A fan of Metal Gear Solid? Then you're in luck, as it seems like you'll have games to keep you going for some time to come as creator Hideo Kojima says he'd like to see the series continue long after he's left this mortal coil.

  Speaking at The University of Southern California, Kojima said, "First of all, I just want to say that as long as there are fans who want Metal Gear Solid, as a producer, I will always want to still make them and I want the series to continue."

  "So even after I die, I still would love to have the Metal Gear Solid series continue."

  Kojima, who started the series back when all this was just sprites back in 1987 with the original NES game Metal Gear, also revealed how he just can't get away from the series - no matter how hard he tries.

  "I've tried to hand Metal Gear off to other people within the studio and I've tried to raise people up so they have the ability to take over," he said, "And I think since Metal Gear Solid 3, I've tried this and actually did hand it off and have other people come up with the story and come up with the game design.

  "But for some reason it just never really works out. And, you know, I end up having to step in again to take charge and kind of fix things here and there and just get sucked back in."

  Metal Gear Solid's been relatively quiet of late, though that's all set to change soon; Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is coming later this year, paving the way for the release of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D early next year and - fingers crossed - Metal Gear Solid: Rising late in 2012.

• Bayonetta's Kenji Saito confirmed as director of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

  Bayonetta's Kenji Saito confirmed as director of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

  Several interesting nuggets of information regarding the controversial new entry in the Metal Gear series have snuck out in a Japanese magazine interview, presumbaly disguised under a cardboard box.

  In the extensive feature, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima and Platinum Studio heads Tatsuya Minami and Atsushi Inaba talk about the project's troubled history, and how excited they are by the game's current form.

  Originally announced as Metal Gear Solid: Rising in 2009, Kojima admits development ground to a halt as he struggled to combine the stealthy elements with his desire to create something with a faster action pace. In the end, he handed the game over to Platinum Studio. Minami and Inaba both confessed that they thought someone was playing a joke on them when the offer first reached them.

  Convinced the offer was legit, Rising was taken over by Kenji Saito, the lead programmer on excellent action game Bayonetta. His solution: ditch the stealth completely and make a relentless fighting game instead. Kojima says that upon seeing Platinum's game in action, he realised �his is it�

  Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, as the game is now called, is due for release this year on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

• Kojima's Project Ogre may actually be about an ogre

  Hideo Kojima, the always mercurial madman of Japanese game design, has once again baffled the world by announcing, via Twitter, that his long-gestating Project Ogre isn't some fancy codename but that it may be a game about an actual ogre.

  "Oh BTW, my Ogre Project doesn't mean a game like a ogre nor a game create [with] soul of ogre but a game [with] the use of ogre" said the tweet on his official English language Twitter feed. His original Japanese message seems to confirm the accuracy of the translation - the ogre in Project Ogre will apparently be a literal ogre.

  But what the hot blue blazing heck is Project Ogre? Kojima still won't say. All we know is that it's intended to be "very free" and less "cinematic" than Kojima's Metal Gear series. CNN reported Kojima last December as saying the game is "set in a very open world where players can wander around and explore freely. Players should still be able to find new sights and worthwhile adventures after having played the game for as many as 100 hours."

  The game will also use Kojima's new Fox Engine, offering incredibly realistic graphics. The solitary screenshot released so far shows a soldier crouching by a tank in what appears to be a modern day scenario. Quite how ogres will fit into this remains to be seen, but where Kojima is concerned, anything is possible.

  The bonkers genius will next put his name to the magnificently named Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, an action-paced spin-off developed by Bayonetta studio, Platinum Games, with help from Kojima and his team.

• Zone of the Enders HD sets sights on Autumn release date

  The high def remake of Hideo Kojima's cult PS2 mech shooter series, Zone of the Enders, will get a UK release this Autumn, Konami has confirmed. The compilation follows the lead of the already announced Silent Hill HD Collection, also from Konami, in offering remastered HD remakes of beloved classics.

  Zone of the Enders HD will include the original 2001 game, as well as its 2003 sequel, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner. Both games follow the pilots of a flying robot suit called Orbital Frame Jehuty, as they blow stuff up across the galaxy. The second game is something of a collector's item today, and the series also inspired an animated TV show in Japan.

  "We are looking forward to bringing the legendary Zone of the Enders series to old and new fans in a high definition form," said Konami general manager Martin Schneider. "We are excited to offer these games on new platforms which will allow gamers to experience the drama and action of the Zone of the Enders like they have never seen it before."

  Zone of the Enders HD will be out in the Autumn for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Kojima is also working on a PlayStation Vita version, but no release date has been announced for that.

  Fans of Kojima's unique approach to game design should also look out for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, a collaboration between Kojima and Platinum Games, the developer of Bayonetta, due later this year.

• Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima will "make games until he dies"

  Hideo Kojima, the legendary and esoteric game designer responsible for the Metal Gear saga, has admitted that he plans to continue making games for the rest of his life, regardless of what happens.

  His admission was made to Eurogamer, during an interview held during an event at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. Kojima himself is now 50 years old, while the Metal Gear series celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

  "Honestly, I really don't know in 25 years from now if I'll still be making Metal Gear, or even if Konami will still be around - I really can't say," Kojima said, when asked about the future. "But I can say that if I'm not dead by that time I will still be making games in some form. I don't have any intention of retiring - until the day I die I will be making games. Maybe by that time technology will be so advanced that I can make a game all by myself by using a bunch of robots. Who knows?"

  Kojima is currently working on the top secret Project Ogre using his new Fox Engine technology. It will, apparently, feature real ogres.

  His most famous creation, Solid Snake, was given the re-release treatment in February in the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. The next outing for the series will be Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, a hyperactive combat game co-developed with Platinum, the studio behind the superb Bayonetta.

• Bring On the Bad Guys!

  
  

  

  This week sees the release of Prototype 2, where the Alex Mercer, hero from the first game seems to have become the new bad guy to beat. So, in celebration of all things vile and villainous, the digital team has once again been gently prodded to share with you our favourite evil-doers. These are the people, who, in the style of Bugsy Malone, are "the very best at being bad"

  
  

  

  Glenn - Mad Mod

  Diablo is the Lord of Terror and a Prime Evil of Hell. That's a job title that alone warrants a spot on our best bad guys list.

  He manipulates his opponents using their innermost fears and then obliterates them with his Demonic strength and incredibly powerful Spells. The strongest Demon in Hell, named after the Devil himself, and seemingly indestructible (Read - he's been destroyed a number of times, even with the Arch Angels helping and he's still keeps ticking, like a malevolent Duracell bunny), devious and able to possess his enemies, Diablo is the Ultimate Bad Guy. And he's back in Diablo 3!
  

  

  Marc - Analyst to the Stars

  The little girl from F.E.A.R. - Alma Wade.

  She was scary. Honest. Like the girl from the Ring (Japanese version, obviously). The first corridor experience with her and the ceiling of blood is one of the scariest scenes ever in a game.

  The Music and Sound was eerie too. It was just all far too scary and Alma was the cause of it all.

  Carl - Design Doodler

  Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat. Because he is a massive #@+! and I can't kill him!

  

  Ali - Queen of the Internet

  My favourite video game villain is Revolver Ocelot. He started life in Metal Gear Solid as a random gunslinger who you could kill if you (as Solid Snake) waited for him to need to reload his revolver - he really should have named himself something with more than 6 bullets!

  After cutting off his arm you assume that's the end of him, but he's more maniacal than you realise as he replaces his arm with that of your dead clone brother Liquid Snake. In a strange twist of surgery his arm takes over his mind so you have to beat him again in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Finally the epic family feud of a lifetime is over, but with Metal Gear nothing ever seems to stay dead. Roll on Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance!

  James - Captain Category

  G-Man from Half-Life - not really a villain but still very creepy

  

  Nick - Colonel Category

  Wesker from Resident Evil.
  
  How many times did he die escape get retconned? Nigh on unkillable (until the muddle that was Resident Evil 5), the variety of his super powers (whatever the situation demanded, basically) and his smartass one-liners made him the man (ish?) well all loved to hate.

  Plus, sunglasses in those dark places, yes, THAT's how hard he was!

  Louis - Merchandising Meddler

  Wesker be top of my favourite picks, too. From his humble beginnings in a dual life as a scientist/Umbrella genius/STARS Leader, he goes about sacrificing his entire team in the name of science... and obtaining reliable combat data.

  After he is foiled by Chris and Jill, Wesker fakes his own death, escapes, and, not content with the destruction of Raccoon City, tries to continue his research away from the tenacious and meddling Redfield...

  But, Wesker is a bad guy and is therefore doomed to fail. After failing twice, mutating his body beyond belief and moving to Africa, he becomes nothing short of annoying and impossible to kill. The only way he is stopped is by being tackled by Chris and Eva and hundreds of bullets later, is engulfed in a pool of lava.

  Truly special, I'll always remember him for his rubbish sunglasses (worn at all times) and even worse Matrix-esque coat (RE 5). It was also really weird the way his accent changed too. He went from camp American to indignant English... I guess that cemented the transformation from mildly devious to completely evil!

  My second pick would be The Shredder (many Turtles games, but in particular, the 1989 TMNT Arcade Game). Not content with burning down April's apartment building, he kidnaps her too - forcing the Turtles into action and on a mission to end all missions. To a degree, menacing, but generally just annoying and incessant ; )

  Finally, I'd say my third pick would be Dr. Robotnik from Sonic. Generally, he's also just annoying, but also very devious and innovative. From trying to run Sonic down with a drill machine, to smashing Sonic with a giant wrecking ball, to trying to drown Sonic, to pitting Sonic against Metal Sonic in a race to save Amy Rose. Robotnik never gives up... You gotta love a good villain!

  

  Robyn - In-Yer-Face Interfacer

  Baron von Blubba. You know, the whale in Bubble Bobble! When time runs out it goes ape and super fast... Waaaaaah!!!! (o_o)

  Damien - Good Word Writing Man

  Does 'Dragonforce - Through the Fire and Flames' from Guitar Hero: World Tour count? Talk about an unbeatable enemy... No? Well then there's always the Joker in Arkham Asylum and City - played with delicious glee by Mark Hamill. He won an award for it and everything.

• Kojima confirms Metal Gear Solid 5 is on the way

  Hideo Kojima, the mercurial developer responsible for the critically acclaimed multi-million selling Metal Gear series has confirmed that an official fifth entry in the saga will be released.

  The news came in an interview with French games magazine IG, and was translated by Eurogamer. In the interview, Kojima confirms that Metal Gear Solid 5 is happening, but is coy about how far into production it is. He refers to the presence of a "ninja PR lady" who will "cut him into little pieces" if he reveals too much. He does say that the game will be more infiltration-focussed and that it will feature characters you can speak with, using Deus Ex: Human Revolution as an example.

  The big question is whether the new game would feature iconic series protagonist Solid Snake. Once again, Kojima doesn't say for sure, but his words should still please fans. "We have not yet finished with Solid Snake, despite the fact that I wanted to let him die at the end of Guns of the Patriots," Kojima says.

  One possible direction for the next game is an idea Kojima floated in 2011, of creating a prequel set during World War 2. "I had several ideas for a game featuring The Boss and the Cobra Unit during the invasion of Normandy," he said. "I presented my ideas to the team during the summer of 2008. However, simply dropping MGS5 on the younger staff members was a bit heavy and there was resistance to doing it without my involvement."

  Kojima-san is busy right now, overseeing the upcoming Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, in development at Platinum Games, due early next year, as well as the mysterious next generation Project Ogre.

• Hideo Kojima: developing Metal Gear Solid is like the Olympics

  Hideo Kojima: developing Metal Gear Solid is like the Olympics

  Hideo Kojima, the brilliantly barmy man behind the Metal Gear franchise, has made another of his cryptic teasing statements regarding development on the next in the series.

  "When asked what the MGS series is to you, I once responded, 'It's like the Olympics.' A big event held every three or four years," the gaming legend tweeted. "You devote your life to the major goal of a fight on the world stage. You think of nothing beyond that. The latter half becomes difficult, and you think that you'll retire after this. But after release, you think about the next tournament."

  Kojima has hinted at retirement many times, but is currently working on a top secret project, codenamed Ogre, using his new Fox Engine code base. The true identity of the game is still shrouded in mystery, but Kojima has admitted that it has stealth elements and will have a more openworld feel than his previous games. A solitary screenshot, showing a man creeping past a tank in a desert, suggests a modern or futuristic military setting. "We have not yet finished with Solid Snake," Kojima has said.

  Is it Metal Gear Solid 5? Kojima isn't saying, although he may spill more beans when he speaks at a special 25th anniversary event for the very first Metal Gear game at the end of August.

  For now, fans can look forward to Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, a collaboration between Kojima and Bayonetta developer Platinum Games. That's out for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in early 2013.

• Defeat enemies as gently as possible in Metal Gear Rising's challenge mode

  Defeat enemies as gently as possible in Metal Gear Rising's challenge mode

  
  

  The Metal Gear Solid series is well known for its stealth challenges, with kudos and unlockable bonuses available for players who complete a game without raising any alarms or killing any enemies. There'll be no such sneakiness in slash-happy action spin-off Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, but that doesn't mean the game won't have optional challenges of its own to beat.

  "We know some previous Metal Gear titles there have been some challenges, like having no kills, complete stealth," creative producer Yuji Korekado told Eurogamer. "We are putting challenges in the game. For example, there is one challenge where you have to go through the game just by defeating the enemies dealing the least amount of damage possible, perhaps by cutting just one limb."

  This sort of challenge is made possible by Rising's fiendishly clever "free-cutting" technology, which allows the player to wield their sword and direct each slice manually, using the thumbstick. Obviously you'll be able to go nuts and dice enemies up into sushi cubes, but the option to use a little more finesse and put foes out of action with one well-placed cut sounds very cool as well.

  Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is being developed by Bayonetta and Vanquish developer Platinum Games, with series creator Hideo Kojima watching over the proceedings. It stars Raiden, the cyborg ninja who divided fans with his lead role in Metal Gear Solid 2, and marks a departure from the sneaking and stalking traditionally associated with the Metal Gear name. "We believe we are proving that Metal Gear Solid has many possibilities and we are showing another way of enjoying it," says Korekado. "It's not only stealth. It is still our intention to prove this."

  Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is out for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in February 2013.

  Published: 21/08/2012

• The secret's out - Hideo Kojima unveils Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes

  The secret's out - Hideo Kojima unveils Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes

  The existence of a new Metal Gear Solid game - not to be confused with upcoming spin-off Metal Gear Rising - has been one of the worst kept secrets in gaming over the last few years, with mercurial creator Hideo Kojima constantly hinting at it, without ever coming out and confirming the bloomin' thing.

  Well, now he has. Speaking at an event to celebrate the series 25th annivesary - Solid Snake debuted in a game simply called Metal Gear in 1987 for the obscure MSX2 computer - Kojima has confirmed that he's deep into production on Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes.

  Formerly known as Project Ogre, this is Kojima's openworld take on the stealth genre he pioneered, and it will use his shiny new Fox Engine to create its vast free-roaming landscapes.

  Footage shown at the event blew attendees away by all accounts, showing Snake crawling past searchlights and taking down a guard, before stealing a Jeep, driving away and calling in a helicopter for evacuation. And while fans were still reeling from that, Kojima casually let slip that the Metal Gear movie is moving ahead with former Marvel man Avi Arad producing.

  It's an exciting time to be a grizzled future combat veteran with an eye-patch then, but for those who can't wait to find out where and when Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes will be released, direct your attention to Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, the all-action spin-off that sees Kojima teaming up with Bayonette studio Platinum Games for a slick hack-and-slash spin on the Metal Gear saga. That's due for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 next February.

  Published: 30/08/2012

• Metal Gear Rising demo included with Zone of the Enders HD Collection

  Metal Gear Rising demo included with Zone of the Enders HD Collection

  If you've been twitching in anticipation of slash-happy spin-off Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance then you should pay close attention to the impending launch of Konami's Zone of the Enders HD Collection. That retro bundle will come with the first playable demo of the game, which sees Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima handing control of his baby over to Bayonetta developer Platinum Games.

  The result is an action game centred around Metal Gear Solid supporting character Raiden, now reborn as a cybernetically enhanced ninja. You'll slice your way through dozens of enemies, using an innovative new control scheme that allows you to direct every single slash of Raiden's sword using the analogue control sticks.

  Not that you should need much of an excuse to pick up Zone of the Enders. Another Kojima creation, it's a frantic mech combat shooter with an emphasis on epic space battles. The first game, released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2, came with a demo of the then-upcoming Metal Gear Solid 2. See? It all fits together beautifully.

  The Zone of the Enders HD Collection remasters both the original games in the series, with the second game appearing in its European special edition form. That means you get lots of extra stuff, such as new mechs, scenarios and game modes.

  Zone of the Enders HD Collection should be released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 - the first time the games will have appeared on the Xbox platform - later this year. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is due in February 2013. A long overdue new Zone of the Enders game is in development, Kojima has confirmed. Whether it will beat the recently announced open world Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes to the shelves has yet to be confirmed.

  Published: 20/09/2012

• Bring On The Bad Guys!

  
  

  

  This week sees the release of Prototype 2, where the Alex Mercer, hero from the first game seems to have become the new bad guy to beat. So, in celebration of all things vile and villainous, the digital team has once again been gently prodded to share with you our favourite evil-doers. These are the people, who, in the style of Bugsy Malone, are "the very best at being bad"

  
  

  

  Glenn - Mad Mod

  Diablo is the Lord of Terror and a Prime Evil of Hell. That's a job title that alone warrants a spot on our best bad guys list.

  He manipulates his opponents using their innermost fears and then obliterates them with his Demonic strength and incredibly powerful Spells. The strongest Demon in Hell, named after the Devil himself, and seemingly indestructible (Read - he's been destroyed a number of times, even with the Arch Angels helping and he's still keeps ticking, like a malevolent Duracell bunny), devious and able to possess his enemies, Diablo is the Ultimate Bad Guy. And he's back in Diablo 3!
  

  

  Marc - Analyst to the Stars

  The little girl from F.E.A.R. - Alma Wade.

  She was scary. Honest. Like the girl from the Ring (Japanese version, obviously). The first corridor experience with her and the ceiling of blood is one of the scariest scenes ever in a game.

  The Music and Sound was eerie too. It was just all far too scary and Alma was the cause of it all.

  Carl - Design Doodler

  Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat. Because he's massive and I can't kill him!

  

  Ali - Queen of the Internet

  My favourite video game villain is Revolver Ocelot. He started life in Metal Gear Solid as a random gunslinger who you could kill if you (as Solid Snake) waited for him to need to reload his revolver - he really should have named himself something with more than 6 bullets!

  After cutting off his arm you assume that's the end of him, but he's more maniacal than you realise as he replaces his arm with that of your dead clone brother Liquid Snake. In a strange twist of surgery his arm takes over his mind so you have to beat him again in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Finally the epic family feud of a lifetime is over, but with Metal Gear nothing ever seems to stay dead. Roll on Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance!

  James - Captain Category

  G-Man from Half-Life - not really a villain but still very creepy

  

  Nick - Colonel Category

  Wesker from Resident Evil.
  
  How many times did he die escape get retconned? Nigh on unkillable (until the muddle that was Resident Evil 5), the variety of his super powers (whatever the situation demanded, basically) and his smartass one-liners made him the man (ish?) well all loved to hate.

  Plus, sunglasses in those dark places, yes, THAT's how hard he was!

  Louis - Merchandising Meddler

  Wesker be top of my favourite picks, too. From his humble beginnings in a dual life as a scientist/Umbrella genius/STARS Leader, he goes about sacrificing his entire team in the name of science... and obtaining reliable combat data.

  After he is foiled by Chris and Jill, Wesker fakes his own death, escapes, and, not content with the destruction of Raccoon City, tries to continue his research away from the tenacious and meddling Redfield...

  But, Wesker is a bad guy and is therefore doomed to fail. After failing twice, mutating his body beyond belief and moving to Africa, he becomes nothing short of annoying and impossible to kill. The only way he is stopped is by being tackled by Chris and Eva and hundreds of bullets later, is engulfed in a pool of lava.

  Truly special, I'll always remember him for his rubbish sunglasses (worn at all times) and even worse Matrix-esque coat (RE 5). It was also really weird the way his accent changed too. He went from camp American to indignant English... I guess that cemented the transformation from mildly devious to completely evil!

  My second pick would be The Shredder (many Turtles games, but in particular, the 1989 TMNT Arcade Game). Not content with burning down April's apartment building, he kidnaps her too - forcing the Turtles into action and on a mission to end all missions. To a degree, menacing, but generally just annoying and incessant ; )

  Finally, I'd say my third pick would be Dr. Robotnik from Sonic. Generally, he's also just annoying, but also very devious and innovative. From trying to run Sonic down with a drill machine, to smashing Sonic with a giant wrecking ball, to trying to drown Sonic, to pitting Sonic against Metal Sonic in a race to save Amy Rose. Robotnik never gives up... You gotta love a good villain!

  

  Robyn - In-Yer-Face Interfacer

  Baron von Blubba. You know, the whale in Bubble Bobble! When time runs out it goes ape and super fast... Waaaaaah!!!! (o_o)

  Damien - Good Word Writing Man

  Does 'Dragonforce - Through the Fire and Flames' from Guitar Hero: World Tour count? Talk about an unbeatable enemy... No? Well then there's always the Joker in Arkham Asylum and City - played with delicious glee by Mark Hamill. He won an award for it and everything.

  Published: 22/04/2012

• Hideo Kojima doesn't like being 'the Metal Gear guy'

  Very few games developers get to become synonymous with a massive global franchise, but Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima reckons the fame isn't all it's cracked up to be.

  As the critically acclaimed stealth espionage series celebrates its 25th anniversary, he's spoken with EGM about the downside of being known as the father of Solid Snake. "I'm often misinterpreted," he said. "I've always said that I want to work on original properties, but Metal Gear offers plenty of benefits."

  One of those benefits is being able to use the guaranteed sales the series generates to fund new technology, such as the Fox Engine which will power Ground Zeroes, the open world Metal Gear game now in development. "We were only able to develop it because it was intended for the next Metal Gear," Kojima admits.

  However, the veteran developer hopes his legacy counts for more. "I'll admit that I hope my future endeavours are thought of as 'works by Hideo Kojima' rather than 'from the creator of Metal Gear," he said. "I haven't really shown the world what else I might be capable of yet. This may sound pretentious, but I don't like being thought of as 'the Metal Gear guy.' There's a lot more I can do."

  You can sample one of Kojima's other works in the new Zone of the Enders HD Collection, on sale now for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as well as revisiting the classic adventures of Solid Snake in the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. The series next entry will be Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, an action-based spin-off developed by Bayonetta developer Platinum Games under Kojima's watchful eye.
  

  Published: 30/11/2012

• Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance will have stealth as well as action

  Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, the spin-off action game from Bayonetta studio PlatinumGames, won't just be relentless hacking and slashing, even though much of the gameplay revolves around hero Raiden's sword. Players will be able to direct Raiden's sword strokes, leading to precision sword fighting.

  However, Metal Gear fans will still find that there's plenty of stealth and sneaking involved, even if the game's action slant means that Raiden is always pressing on ahead rather than backtracking.

  "In the beginning, we wrapped around the core concept of just having Raiden moving forward," producer Atsushi Inaba told Shack News. "It was based on sole action. But looking back, it would have been very dull and very centered around just cutting. We think that players would just give up on it so we needed to have more options and variety and that's when we decided to include a lot more stealth and different routes where players can really flex on their play style."

  One thing Raiden won't be doing is blocking. Instead, Revengeance uses a more realistic style of sword play where attacks are parried and chained into an offensive combo. "We never want him blocking or moving sideways in order to defend himself," Inaba says. "We always want him on the offensive. So when he moves and parries something, it connects to his next combo. As a character and as the concept, we wanted to keep in line with that."

  Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is out on February 22nd for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
  

  Published: 12/12/2012

• Platinum Games would like to make more Metal Gear spin-offs

  We're only a few months away from the launch of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, the melee combat spin-off from Hideo Kojima's feted stealth series, but developer PlatinumGames is already talking about making more games set in the Metal Gear universe.

  Speaking with Siliconera, director Atsushi Inaba said: "I really think I was able to see Raiden grow independently and strong as a character and as a man. To be part of that was an honour. Moving forward, if Kojima Productions feels that another Raiden game is needed I would love to be a part of making Raiden's next growth."

  Yuki Korekado, producer at Kojima Productions, agrees. "In Rising, we got to see Raiden grow as a character and develop as a person," he told the site. "Beyond that, within the Metal Gear universe there are a lot of characters and stories. Within that we were able to show the value of the universe and expand on it. We were able to prove we can create branches to explain more deep stories within the universe."

  Much will obviously depend on how fans react to this change of pace for the Metal Gear saga, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. You'll be able to draw your own conclusions soon enough - a playable demo of Metal Gear Rising will be available for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in January.

  The full game is out on the same formats, plus PC, from February 21st.
  

  Published: 17/12/2012

• Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance demo coming next week

  If you're eager to get your hands on Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, the frenetic and ferocious action spin-off from the beloved Metal Gear Solid series, then the wait is nearly over. A downloadable demo will be available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 from January 22nd. It's unclear what the demo will contain, and whether it's the same trial version that was included in Konami's Zone of the Enders HD compilation last year.

  What is for sure is that you'll get your first chance to control Raiden, the unlikely hero of Metal Gear Solid 2, in his new guise as a souped-up cybernetic ninja. The game's rather clever control system means you'll be able to direct his sword strikes with the utmost precision, a skill that will be tested by gameplay that combines some of the Metal Gear stealth you'd expect with the eye-popping melee combat that developer Platinum Studios brought to such classics as Bayonetta and Vanquish.

  Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is out from February 22nd on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

  Published: 15/01/2013

• Konami releases free Metal Gear Art Studio online

  As part of the ongoing 25th anniversary celebrations for the Metal Gear series, Konami has delivered a rather wonderful gift for artistically inclined fans. The Metal Gear Art Studio - available free at artstudio.metalgearsolid.com - is the work of Yoji Shinkawa, the artist whose painterly brush techniques have come to define the Metal Gear brand.

  Not only does the Art Studio give you access to digital tools that enable you to recreate Shinkawa's style in your browser, it also offers some really cool community features. You're able to watch other artists work take shape, stroke by stroke, and zoom in on their drawings for finer detail. There are also contests to draw classic Metal Gear characters and the ability to share anything you like to the social network of your choice.

  It's a fitting tribute to a series that enters 2013 in rude health. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, out this week for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, finds Bayonetta studio Platinum mixing the series up with graceful melee combat and thrilling sword play. Series creator Hideo Kojima, meanwhile, is hard at work on Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes, an ambitious next evolution in the saga which introduces open world gameplay and flexible narrative.

  Both Mr Kojima and Mr Shinkawa will be on hand for the midnight launch of Revengenace at GAME Westfield White City this Thursday evening, taking part in a Q&A session, photoshoot and personally serving the first 200 customers.
  

  Published: 19/02/2013

• Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - Review

  
  

  

  One Hell Of A Raiden

  After watching the end credits of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, you'll immediately restart from the beginning with a massive grin. A third-person beat-em-up that's fast, stylish and unforgiving, Revengeance feels like the future of high-octane entertainment, an endlessly replayable game that blasts out of the gate and simply doesn't stop until the final strike hits home - though there's plenty of slow-mo along the way.

  Revengeance is an offshoot of the Metal Gear series, starring MGS2 main man Raiden - who is now a cyborg ninja, a one-man army with an electric sword and bags of flair. The gameplay will be familiar to fans of games like DmC or Ninja Gaiden, but Revengeance is a different kind of experience; it's easier to pull off moves and destroy enemies in a blink, but parrying attacks and staying aggressive is the real challenge.

  Down Low - Too Slow

  Blocking and parrying are handled by a timed button press and directional input - go too early and Raiden blocks attacks with no advantage, but hit it just as the enemy attack lands and he'll parry into a devastating counter-blow that leaves them wide open. And this is when Revengeance comes up with another silly word to describe something fantastic: the Zandatsu.

  

  Revengeance has a slow-motion 'blade mode' that lets Raiden shred weakened enemies and scenery to pieces with his diamond-sharp sword. The Zandatsu is using blade mode after a parry, and whoever invented it is a genius; a button prompt makes Raiden execute a few quickfire moves before launching into the air. Things go into slow-motion at crazy-upside-down angles and there's a few seconds to line up a killer blow; it is an unbelievable spectacle, something no other fighting game has, and the first occurrence makes you want more and more.

  Thor 2.0

  There's a trophy for clearing Revengeance with full S ranks that includes the words 'Lightning God', and there couldn't be a better description of Raiden. A razor-edged dervish that moves like wind and hits like thunder, his endlessly intricate movements are matched only by their speed; he positively crackles across the screen, a devastating and irresistible force. Left unchecked Raiden is basically a superpower, capable of demolishing anything with fabulous hard-hitting moves.

  So Revengeance's challenge is all about keeping him there, and it makes the fights incredible. To play Revengeance is to face a merciless onslaught of enemies that press individually and work terrifying well in packs. The staple grunts are cybernetically-enhanced humans, and a sword-wielding variety is a particular delight to fight, capable of counter-parrying and drawing Raiden into a blink-first mini-duel in the midst of a storm.

  

  Intense Intentions

  The soldiers are soon enough joined by a very Metal Gear cast of biomorphic mechs and cyborgs: MGS4's mooing Gekkos kick like cranes and charge like bulls, while vicious gorilla-aping androids merrily pound Raiden into the dirt. These enemies are relentless because they have to be, and this can easily tip towards overwhelming - multiple unanswered hits will stun Raiden, guaranteeing several more, and entire health bars can disappear in a blink.

  Revengeance is a game meant to be replayed, and its ten hours of flab-free campaign are matched by VR missions that set up especially challenging battles. Amazing settings, like a traditional Japanese garden at the top of a skyscraper, are matched up with pyrotechnic set-pieces: on the very first level Raiden moves from rocket-jumping to sprinting down a crumbling church, and splitting a gigantic Metal Gear in half. That's not even the end of the level.

  Ultra Violence

  Revengeance has one problem - a camera that occasionally gets confused when you're in a corner, and flicks around unhelpfully. But this doesn't come close to spoiling a brilliant game, and an experience that improves exponentially as it gets faster and you get better. So come get some.

  GAME's Verdict

  The Good

  • Incredible combat!
  • Explosive set-pieces!
  • Huge replay value!

  The Bad:

  • Dodgy Camera
  • Philosophy-spouting bosses
  • Doesn't last forever

  Published: 21/02/2013

• Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes 'targeting a lot of taboos'

  Hideo Kojima, the mercurial genius behind the Metal Gear franchise, has been talking about the upcoming evolution of the series, Ground Zeroes. VideoGamer has reported that the Japanese auteur thinks the game may be too controversial for audiences to handle.

  "Video games as a medium haven't matured very much at all in the last 25 years," Kojima told journalists. "It's always about killing aliens and zombies. Not that I don't like those kinds of games... they are fun, but I think games have a long way to go before they can mature."

  "Over the past 25 year I have tried to work with the Metal Gear series to introduce more mature themes, but really it hasn't gotten there yet. Compared to movies and books it still has a long way to go. That's precisely what I want to try to tackle with Ground Zeroes. Honestly I'm going to be targeting a lot of taboos, a lot of mature themes that really are quite risky. I'm not even sure if I'm going to be able to release the game, and even if I did release the game then maybe it wouldn't sell because it's too much. As a creator I want to take that risk."

  What could he be talking about? Ground Zeroes marks a radical departure for the Metal Gear brand, using Kojima's own Fox Engine to power an open world stealth action experience unlike any previous title. It will follow the recently released - and absolutely fantastic - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, which also shakes things up, focusing on cyborg ninja Raiden and his ability to slice enemies into tiny chunks.

  Published: 25/02/2013

• Talking swords and robot dogs coming to Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

  Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance has already won over critics and slashed its way into the charts, but Konami hasn't finished with the title yet. The enjoyably barmy melee combat game from Bayonetta developer Platinum Studio will be getting a bunch of extra weird stuff as downloadable content.

  First up will be a suite of 30 new VR challenges. This add-on will also introduce a bizarre new weapon - a wooden sword that speaks with the voice of Metal Gear icon Solid Snake. There will also be a mission where you control a dwarf gekko droid with three arms, and a side-scrolling section where you must batter your way to victory unarmed, just like arcade beat-em-ups of yesteryear.

  The second DLC pack will allow you to play as Jetstream Sam, the nemesis of Revengeance star Raiden. Konami has released a screenshot of this add-on, showing Sam going up against a towering Metal Gear Ray. A third downloadable update will allow you to play as LQ-84i , a robot dog.

  The first DLC pack is dated for April in Japan. It's been confirmed for Europe but doesn't have a date yet.

  Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a fast-paced and quite brilliant combat game with a unique swordfighting mechanism. You're able to direct Raiden's sword slashes precisely, and dismembering enemies is the best way to refill your health. Fans of ingenious Japanese game design will love it. It's out now for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

  Published: 27/02/2013

As a valued customer we now offer you the facility to sign up to email price alerts. Please enter the price you want to be, or below, and if drops to that level we will let you know...