But really, how did it happen?!
And lo, a Deadly Alliance formed in the background of Nerds Without Pants. Could Julian withstand a dual assault from Rob Ottone and Mike Fallek? Tune in to find out! It’s not quite a Halloween Havoc, but it’s certainly scary!
David Hayter is out. Or is he??
Konami held their big “Pre-E3” presentation today, but considering all of the buzz around new consoles, the company didn’t have much to show. Besides showcasing how the new Fox Engine is implemented in the PES soccer franchise and an extended look at Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, the big news came from Hideo Kojima, who announced that Kiefer Sutherland (24, The Lost Boys) would be playing Snake in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
The PixlBit staff is quite diverse in their gaming passions, and it’s one of my favorite things about writing here. In addition to being “Mr. Final Fantasy” I probably also hold the title of biggest Metal Gear Solid fanatic. Well, I might tie with Patrick Kijek, but MGS is a series that I’ve followed religiously since playing the Japanese Famitsu demo disc way back in 1998. It follows, then, that I should be beyond excited at the announcement of Metal Gear Solid 5, right? While I’m always happy to hear of another main entry in the series directed by Hideo Kojima, I just can’t muster up much enthusiasm for this one. Even the shininess of new console hardware and the Fox Engine can’t get my blood pumping. Why? Chalk it up prequel fatigue, and a longing for what could have been. (Note: The following editorial contains major spoilers for Metal Gear Solid 4. You have been warned.)
Hopefully you aren’t planning on buying this edition of the game just for Metal Gear again.
While Kojima Productions is best known for its work on the Metal Gear series, last generation they were able to sneak out a couple of other titles that took place in a war torn world dominated by mechs, known as Orbital Frames. Zone of the Enders HD Collection brings both of the PlayStation 2 titles in the series onto one disc for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. While these games look much better and remain entertaining, they suffer from intermittent frame rate issues, as well as an overall slower pace that diehard fans will immediately notice.
This ain't your daddy's Metal Gear!
I was really worried about Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. It was originally known as Metal Gear Solid: Rising, and was announced in 2009 as an Xbox 360 exclusive. A troubled and protracted development cycle almost ended in cancellation before the project was given over to Platinum Games. We may never know the full story about how an Xbox 360 exclusive designed by an in-house team hand-picked by Hideo Kojima became a multiplatform game developed by Platinum, but I can at least say that my worries are gone. Metal Gear Rising may not be what people have come to expect from the Metal Gear series, but so far I’d say it’s an impressive game in its own right.
I’m not sure 30 minute cutscenes are particularly well suited for portable play, but hey, whatever floats your boat.
It wasn’t long ago that we saw the release of Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Previews Editor, Julian Titus, was able to take the title for a spin and his review clearly indicated that this is a great collection of games. The same holds true here, but there have been a few changes in its transition to the PlayStation Vita.
It's a shift in a very positive direction.
The 3DS version of Snake Eater has been moved around quite a bit since its announcement at the 2011 Tokyo Game Show. Originally scheduled for a December 2011 release, the game was pushed back to March 8, 2011 in November to iron out some bugs and prep the game to be compatible with Nintendo’s Circle Pad Pro. Now the date is shifting again, but this time it’s going in a much more favorable direction.
Kojima also confirmed this title's place in the story arc.
Metal Gear Solid: Rising has been missing in action for over a year. Suddenly, at this past weekend's VGAs, it was revealed that the game now carries a new name, a new story, and a new developer. As it turns out, in the year the game has been missing, it has been through some extreme turmoil. For a brief time, it had been cancelled by Hideo Kojima.
Raiden's latest chapter will be even more over the top than expected.
At tonight's VGA awards, it was revealed that Metal Gear Solid Rising will now be known by a different name - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. In addition to the name change, development was also handed to a different studio. Taking the helm is Platinum Games, known for their over the top style as demonstrated in Bayonetta, Vanquish, and Madworld.
