Metal Gear Solid 5 in development, Snake set to return

The creator of the MGS series, Hideo Kojima, has singlehandedly created more excitement than E3 singlehandedly by announcing that his studio, Kojima Productions, is currently working on the fifth instalment in the Metal Gear Solid series.

The news Metal Gear Solid fans have been waiting to hear since Metal Gear Solid 4 was released, almost an eternity ago, is finally out: Hideo Kojima is working on a new Metal Gear Solid game and it will feature the series’ iconic protagonist, Solid Snake.

In a recent interview, Kojima stated: “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.”

We probably should have issued a spoiler alert but the fact is that if anyone is interested in the Metal Gear Solid series, it will not come as news to them as the game gave Snake one of the most memorable deaths in gaming history.

However, it turns out that by some miracle or Raiden styled cybernetic technology, none of which can be confirmed at this point, Solid Snake is set to make another appearance in the iconic PlayStation Metal Gear franchise.

Kojima was quick to distance the latest project from the Metal Gear Rising title that was also under development by stating that both games were something different. He said, “Metal Gear Rising; Revengeance never claimed to be a Metal Gear Solid. It is a spinoff that tries something different.”

Whereas the latest Metal Gear Solid game, Kojima teased that it would be moulded on the classic MGS formula. “There will be much question of infiltration, espionage, and convincing people to give you ‘a favour’ like in the last Metal Gear Solid.”

So fans of the series can be rest assured that there will be no chopping-a-helicopter-into-a-hundred-pieces-with-a-sword in the latest game.

As for inspiration, it turns out that Kojima really liked the idea of interacting with non-playable characters, which was a cornerstone in the gameplay of Deus Ex: Human Revolution before going on to almost stirring up some controversy.

He said, “I liked the idea of social interactions in Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but we will see. And if I say more, the female ninja public relations officer, who is behind the door, I will be carved up into pieces.”

The way things are at the moment it would be no surprise that the media jumps on his comment about the female ninja public relations officer, however, here is to hoping that those with good sense prevail and understand the context in which it was said.

Either way, the news is sure to excite a large number of gamers and opens up a Pandora’s box of speculation as to the plot and whether or not the game is set for release on the PlayStation 3 or the next generation of home consoles.