Menu Close

Ground Zeroes Is A Prologue To MGSV: The Phantom Pain

Ben-Dutka 21 Comments

'sigh' Now we're all confused.

When Hideo Kojima officially announced Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain yesterday, it was assumed and widely reported that this was the combination of Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain , which had previously been teased.

But now, a Konami representative has informed Siliconera that in fact, MGSV and Ground Zeroes are two separate games:

"Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain are two separate games. Ground Zeroes will actually be a prologue to The Phantom Pain, and that's all we can share at this time."

We know The Phantom Pain is coming to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 at an unspecified time, but we have no idea where Ground Zeroes is headed. If it's a prequel, will it be on the same platforms? And if so, how much before The Phantom Pain will it release? Konami said they couldn't talk about whether or not the two games will be bundled together.

Well, this adds another dimension to things, doesn't it?

Related Game(s): Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes

Read more →

Is David Hayter Not Reprising His Role As Snake In Ground Zeroes?

Ben-Dutka 23 Comments

Well, this is somewhat alarming.

David Hayter is the voice of Solid Snake and has been for some time. His voice has become synonymous with the iconic character, so to have someone else voicing Snake might be tough for the hardcore fans to handle.

Is Kojima and Co. courting another voice actor for the role in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes ? Or is Hayter simply considering passing on the project? He ran an informal poll via his Twitter page , asking gamers to respond to the following question- "How would you react if I didn't play Snake in the next Metal Gear?" 303 people answered and nearly 1/4 of them (24%) said they absolutely wouldn't buy the game if Hayter didn't play Snake, and 64% said they'd be "Sad/Angry." Only 12% said "No Big Deal."

This poll indicates the possibility that the main man won't be back to play Snake. On the other hand, maybe no final decisions have been made, and this poll will have some impact. What do you think?

Related Game(s): Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes

Read more →

Kojima: Ground Zeroes Almost “Too Risky” To Even Release?

Ben-Dutka 29 Comments

Oh, don't worry, Kojima. Controversy always sells.

During a roundtable review session attended by Videogamer , the MGS guru said his new project, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes , might actually be too "risky" to put on store shelves.

Kojima said he'll be "targeting a lot of taboos" and "a lot of mature themes," which does sound intriguing. But on the downside, he said they're so controversial, that he's not even sure he'll be able to release the game. Furthermore, if it did launch, he's afraid it won't sell because of all those elements. But those who are worried should remember that this guy is a visionary and a perfectionist so he's probably going to see this through to the end: "As a creator I want to take that risk," he said.

He also added that to him, creativity is more important than sales. Well, that's true from the artist's standpoint but sadly, not true from a business standpoint. We'd hate to see this game fail!

Related Game(s): Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes

Read more →

Kojima: Ground Zeroes On Next-Gen Consoles Is A “Secret”

Ben-Dutka 9 Comments

At this point, nobody would be surprised if the next MGS title was available for at least one next-generation console.

And even though franchise guru Hideo Kojima wouldn't confirm the idea during a recent interview , it certainly seems possible that Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes will hit the PS4/Xbox 720.

When asked if the game would be released for next-gen machines, Kojima's cryptic reply was that it's a "secret" he couldn't really talk about, but the answer might come "sooner than you think." This could be due to the fact that Sony and Microsoft will likely unveil their new systems at E3 or before (provided recent reports are accurate). Obviously, such a giant title probably wouldn't launch exclusively for next-gen consoles, but it could very well be one of those "generation straddling" games, where it's released for both current- and next-gen machines. There's a definite chance of that.

I don't know about you, but I think Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes would be one hell of a launch title for any new console…

Related Game(s): Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes

Read more →

Kojima: I Haven’t Shown The World What I Might Be Capable Of

Ben-Dutka 27 Comments

You know, Hideo, if you're going to be known for something, you could do a lot worse than Metal Gear Solid .

In a recent EGM interview , the MGS guru said he believes he has a lot more to offer, and doesn't want to be known only as the " Metal Gear creator."

"I'll admit that I hope my future endeavors are thought of as 'works by Hideo Kojima' rather than 'from the creator of Metal Gear. 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."

Of course, it's not that Kojima isn't proud of MGS and he intends to use the franchise as a gateway to new projects, saying- "I'm introducing concepts intended for entirely new intellectual properties using the Metal Gear brand." We'd definitely be interested in seeing what this guy could create outside the realm of MGS, although we never want the esteemed series to disappear entirely. And it probably won't.

Read more →

Splinter Cell’s Current Events Makes It More Realistic Than MGS

Ben-Dutka 17 Comments

Sometimes, a story setting can create an extraordinarily authentic atmosphere.

And while Metal Gear Solid typically utilizes science fiction and even fantasy themes in the telling of their excellent stories, the competing Splinter Cell franchise has opted for more current-event type plots.

And according to Splinter Cell: Blacklist cinematic director David Footman, this is what makes their new game feel more realistic when compared to a title like the upcoming Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes by Hideo Kojima's team . After saying the "tones" of the two games are very different, Footman said he believes the games are also for different audiences:

"I see it as [for] a much different audience. With our realism pillar, all of the story elements we have in Splinter Cell are much more ‘current events’, stuff you’d see in the news. It really needs to have all those elements of realism in it, and that really drives the story. Which is also what I think makes it mature, and maybe disturbing to some people."

Just please bear in mind that contrary to the potentially misleading headline through the link, this guy isn't saying Blacklist is more realistic from a gameplay perspective (although that may in fact be true). I've played all the Splinter Cell s and all the Metal Gear Solid s and it is mostly true that the SC franchise has had more of an emphasis on simulated, authentic stealth. That being said, the storylines and characters between the two franchises aren't even remotely close…MGS wins that by a landslide.

Related Game(s): Splinter Cell: Blacklist , Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes

Read more →