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New MGS: Peace Walker demo on Japanese PSN this Sunday
Some days you feed on a tree frog ... and some days you get a new Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker demo! Kojima's official blog brings word that a new demo will drop on the Japanese PSN this Sunday, November 1st. It's not quite the same as the one we got our hands on -- this one will be a tweaked version of the demo that was available exclusively in a special section of Konami's booth at the Tokyo Game Show. Kojima Productions has modified the controls based on player feedback, adding an unlockable third control scheme on top of the original two. The developer also improved the enemy AI and behavior, and changed the CQC system a tad, all in an effort to make the game easier to play. Kojima explains that this process of releasing demos is a game of "catch ball" with the players and that he's looking for more input after they've tried this second demo. Sharing is caring, after all. [Via andriasang]
Kojima and Desilets trade praise over Assassin's Creed 2 and Peace Walker
Assassin's Creed 2 head Patrice Désilets and MGS: Peace Walker head Hideo Kojima had a war of compliments in the most recent issue of Famitsu. It seems that the two gentlemen have a bit of a game industry bromance going on, lauding the other's current project in a back and forth translated by 1UP. "I think there are three games that stand out above the rest of the pack in the remainder of this year. One is Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, one is Uncharted 2, and the third is Assassin's Creed II," said Kojima."If I had to give my impression of Peace Walker, I'd have to say that I want to play more," Désilets responded. "It was great fun; I can't wait for the retail version." Kojima expanded a bit on his appreciation for Désilets' "focus on game design" over style, and said that he's currently considering the possibility of them "maybe, kinda" going steady. Okay, we made up that last part.
Kojima has plan for ZOE sequel, but lacks production line
"The production lines within Kojima Productions are currently full," Hideo Kojima writes on the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker blog. The candid comments, translated by Andriasang, spring from the designer's recently expressed desire to return to the Zone of the Enders universe -- someday. Clogged by large, anticipated titles like the aforementioned Peace Walker and Metal Gear Solid: Rising, the Kojima Productions pipeline doesn't have the room to support the fan-requested sequel. But there's plenty of room in the revered designer's head."I already have a game plan and method for sales in my head," Kojima says before concluding, "I cannot make a promise about time. However, I can promise a sequel." While far from seeing the green light, a new Zone of the Enders would seek to obtain a level of success the previous game missed out on, just as it missed a more profitable release window. "At that time, if I hadn't made a mistake with the release date, Anubis [as ZOE 2 is known in Japan] might have ended up a major Kojima Productions title to follow MGS, still seeing development as a series." How frustrating -- if only that considerable retconning power could be put to use outside of the Metal Gear mythology.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker English voice cast announced
With fingers crossed, we turned to the latest Kojima Productions podcast, hoping beyond hope that the studio had taken our recommendation to refresh the voice of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker's bearded protagonist. Our nominee for Solid Snake's new pipes? Bobcat Goldthwait. Sure, Mr. Goldthwait would likely take the series in an unexpected direction -- but what unsuspecting player wouldn't be swept up in an exploration of Snake's rarely discussed history as a rabid, nigh-incomprehensible stand-up comic? Now there's a 90-minute cutscene we can get behind. Alas, Konami's recently announced voice cast for Peace Walker is actually (gasp!) sans-Goldthwait. Of course David Hayter will reprise the role for, like, the hundredth time. The rest of the totally unsurprising list can be found after the jump -- but why not watch this beautiful excerpt of the Peace Walker that could have been instead? [Via Kotaku]
Hideo Kojima wants a new Zone of the Enders
You guys aren't going to believe who our very own Jem Alexander got to interview recently: Hideo Kojima! That's right, we've got some Joystiq Original Reporting™ in the video above, in which Joystiq's European emissary interviews the Metal Gear Solid creator about his upcoming plans. It's a huge boon for our humble news site, and we thank Jem for his -- wait, what? He doesn't work here anymore? That limey bastard! We're going to be busy stewing in our anger for a while, so go ahead and watch that interview --make sure you don't miss the 3:45 mark, when Kojima speaks about how a current-gen Zone of the Enders title is "on the top of the list" of his studio's priorities. That news is almost delightful enough to make us forget our brutal betrayal.
MGS: Peace Walker to feature Vocaloid, interactive cutscenes ... and a surprise that'll make you buy a PSP?
Ever the consummate hype man, Hideo Kojima is fluffing up Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker by teasing an apparent system-selling feature. "I haven't announced this yet, but there's another feature in [Peace Walker] that will surprise people, to the point where they'll want to go out and buy a PSP right now!" Kojima blabbed in the latest issue of Famitsu (as translated by 1UP). Short of some sort of in-game subliminal advertising (hey, these guys like to experiment), we're thinking The Two-Hundred-and-Forty-Nine-Ninety-Nine-Dollar Feature -- or maybe it's just "The Buck-Seventy Feature" -- could get lost in translation. After all, the two Peace Walker features that have been newly revealed seem distinctly Japanese in their appeal.Also plucked from the pages of Famitsu, is the revelation that Peace Walker will feature Yamaha's Vocaloid software. (Yeah, we'd never heard of it either -- just wikipedia it.) If we understand it correctly, Vocaloid will allow certain weapons in the game to sing and scream. Mm-hmm, sounds incredibly annoying.Also revealed: Those 2D-illustrated cut scenes? Yep, like this one. Well, they're interactive. "For example, if you zoom in on the scene where you first meet Paz, you can see the uniform she has on under her coat, and then what's under that," art director Yoji Shinkawa explained ... rather creepily. "It's an idea I came up with while thinking about what makes games different from movies or animation. I think it's pretty interactive." Hopefully, not too interactive.
TGS 2009: The Recap Post
Last week, the Tokyo Game Show brought in over 100 posts worth of news, previews, interviews, galleries, and videos. Clearly, a lot happened. If you're looking for a comprehensive list of all the goings-on during TGS 2009, Joystiq has you covered -- and organized! Click on a platform below to scan the highlights: (On the far right: that's "News" and "Culture" on the top and bottom, respectively)
TGS 2009: Hands-on: Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker (co-op)
Sharing a flimsy, cardboard box with another soldier is sure to be an inexhaustible supply of awkward discomfort. Aside from the clear violation of personal space, there are two major concerns for the occupants of Metal Gear Solid's iconic camouflage: (1) Who's driving this thing? And (2) that better be your gun poking me in the back, I swear.Thankfully, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker has an elegant solution for the former problem. Holding up on the PSP's d-pad will "sync" you with your sneaking partner(s) and, as long as the button remains held down, you'll stay in automatic lockstep with the leader. Remaining a cohesive group is an essential strategy for a silent approach, though splitting up offers its own advantages as well.%Gallery-73875%
TGS 2009: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker's epic 10-minute trailer
Hideo Kojima wasn't kidding around when he said his crack MGS4 development team was going for an epic, console-quality Metal Gear experience with Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker on PSP. This freshly released TGS 2009 trailer for the game is proof positive that Kojima Productions is putting its all into the release -- it looks absolutely amazing, clearly building on the presentation and gameplay of both MGS4 and MGS3: Snake Eater.Of course, you don't just have to settle for the trailer. Once it's got you good and pumped up to choke out some fools as Big Boss himself, check our post from yesterday to down-la-li-lu-le-load the TGS demo for play on your very own PSP. How cool is that?
TGS 2009: Take a break from the MGS Peace Walker demo for these screens
Is one blurry image from Famitsu not enough to sate your desire to look at the new characters in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker? We hope it isn't, because we have many images of the game, and we'd be sad if nobody wanted to look at them. Our new gallery includes not only screenshots (featuring many Snakes crouching in front of all kinds of different things), but renders and Yoji Shinkawa character artwork for Snake and the new characters. Check out Snake's armor! There's also some new Ashley Wood artwork (the stuff with the yellow and red highlights) that exemplifies the art style used in the cutscenes. But we're guessing you know that by now.%Gallery-73875%
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker demo available now
If you weren't able to make the trip to Japan for the Tokyo Game Show this year, don't fret -- not only do we have you covered on the hot news scoop front, but IGN managed to snag a downloadable copy of the co-op enabled, TGS-exclusive (well, formerly TGS-exclusive, we guess) Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker demo for the PSP. Just make sure you've got the latest firmware, download the file from the acronymed gaming news site, unzip it and place it in your PSP's "Game" folder, and enjoy. If, while enjoying, you also happen to kick ass, you might even get a high enough ranking to unlock a special wallpaper for your Sony handheld. Finally, we have incentive to do something other than make cardboard box fortresses.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker characters revealed in Famitsu
Hideo Kojima has remained tight-lipped about the characters that will appear in Konami's upcoming PSP spy romp, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker -- so far, we only know four: Snake, Snake, Snake and Snaaaake! However, Famitsu has revealed a few other faces that will make an appearances in the game: Amanda, Huey, Chico, Coldman, Strangelove, Galvez, Cecile, Paz, and, most notably, Master Miller from Metal Gear 2. The magazine also included illustrations of these characters, who look as colorful as their names might suggest. Famitsu also provides details about the co-op modes seen in the nine-minute trailer released last month. When two players get close to one another, "Co-op" mode activiates, merging the players' health gauges and allowing them to trade items. When they get really close, they go into "Snake-in" mode, in which one player controls both Snakes' movements so that the other can focus on murdering fools.We wonder if all four players can merge in this manner, forming a growling, bearded train of death? [Thanks, Ryan]
MGS Peace Walker features two control schemes
The Metal Gear Solid franchise transformed quite a bit in its last iteration, Guns of the Patriots for PS3. While many would argue that the third-person shooter controls implemented in MGS4 are superior than the standard controls of earlier Metal Gear games, Kojima Productions is giving players a choice. The upcoming Peace Walker will feature both "action type" controls from Portable Ops and "shooter type" controls inspired by MGS4.We're glad to hear that a new control scheme is being implemented in this second canonical MGS PSP game. The first game had terrific production values, but the controls certainly hampered our enjoyment. We can't wait to try the new Kojima-preferred controls when we get our hands on the downloadable demo at TGS this week.[Via Andriasang]
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker demo to be beamed out at TGS
Compared to previous teaser nonsense from Kojima Productions (including the site that teased Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker), this TGS Peace Walker site is mercifully direct. In fact, we think that the big, bold site might be a satirical overreaction to the criticism the last teaser site received.The result is that the site is very clear about the information it wants to get across. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker will be playable at the Tokyo Game Show, both in the form of demo units and a downloadable version, which will be nice to play while attendees are in line for other demos.
Confused about Metal Gear Solid's timeline? So is Hideo Kojima
Don't feel bad if all the convoluted relationships and multi-generational storylines of the Metal Gear Solid series are occasionally too much for you. During an interview with Eurogamer, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima expressed a similar sentiment. "Actually, strange you ask, because I personally get confused too about the whole timeline and saga of Metal Gear Solid," Kojima said when asked about organizing his thoughts (which become the games' head-scratching reality). "This is especially tricky when you create the future first and then go back in time to create something new. There are a lot of small aspects where sometimes it doesn't match completely."On the subject of the future, Kojima explained that Metal Gear Solid Rising is a good fit for younger KojiPro staff, while Peace Walker requires the Kojima Touch®. "The younger staff couldn't really understand [Peace Walker's] background, and since I made the concept and overall storyline, I thought that I would go more deeply in, because for me it was more understandable a setting." Rising, however, is a new story set in the future, without so much influence from Kojima's existing storyline.
Snake's not alone in this 9-minute Metal Gear Peace Walker trailer
Are you ready for some hot Snake-on-Snake-on-Snake-on-Snake action? Hideo Kojima finally fulfills the wishes and dreams of MGS yaoi fanfic writers with Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, a multiplayer co-op addition to the revered franchise. In typical Kojima fashion, this trailer takes itself rather seriously, highlighting the various boxes you can use in the game. In addition to Naked Snake's adorable Love Pack (er ...), the video showcases the very exciting tank box!Grab some popcorn and watch the new trailer. At nine minutes long, it's about as long (and interactive) as one of Kojima's notorious (but nonetheless entertaining) cutscenes.%Gallery-70455%
MGS: Peace Walker screens are hiding under a cardboard tank
Click image to sneak into our gallery Coming up with headlines is tough -- except in the case of these new MGS: Peace Walker screens from GamesCom. There are plenty of screens to ogle (ten, to be exact!), but none tug at the heart strings more than the screen you see above. There's something magical about two Snakes running around with cardboard disguises that just ... you'll have to excuse us, we have something in our eye.%Gallery-70455%
Kojima finally explains his wacky countdown site
Remember when Kojima's countdown ended ... and started another countdown? Man, that was fun! The creator of the Metal Gear series seemingly had a big laugh as he teased gamers all the way to his E3 announcements: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for PSP, Metal Gear Solid: Rising for PS3 and Xbox 360, and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.As the countdown continued, the site featured a number of symbols that flashed on the screen. Many of you attempted to break the code ... but were you successful? Kojima just revealed what each of those symbols was supposed to mean: 5 = it is an MGS5 class game S = Snake 巳＝snake in Kanji E = E3 R = Raiden 3 = 3 from 360 and E3 6 = 6 from 360 P and S = PSP and adding 3 makes it PS3 Once again, Kojima asks gamers: "Did you like it?" We think we can speak for most gamers when we say ... "no."
Kojima Productions 'aiming for PS3 quality' with Peace Walker
Click to embiggen. Peace Walker may be a PSP game, but that's not stopping Hideo Kojima from treating it as his Metal Gear Solid 5. Kojima explains that "the main staff of MGS4 are producing it," and as such, "they are aiming for PS3 quality because they were creating MGS4 on the PS3 not too long ago." Obviously, the PSP is significantly less powerful than Sony's home console, but the team is trying to push the PSP in new ways, "expressing this in ways only we can express it in."Kojima wouldn't confirm how the multiplayer gameplay of Peace Walker will work, but he does promise it will be "stealth-action based." Some new additions exclusive to the PSP game include "a variety of other different cardboard boxes," the ability to customize Snake's gear configurations, and a "growth feature" where "your character evolves." As usual, the coy designer avoided going into specifics.Check out brand new screenshots of the game (scheduled for a 2010 release) here:%Gallery-68107%
Kojima says MGS: Peace Walker is his MGS5, calls Rising a 'different kind of action' game
Despite stating that he would be more hands-off with the Metal Gear Solid games after the fourth installment, Kojima has decided to once again roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty with Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Speaking with Japanese mag Famitsu (via PSPHyper), the gaming icon has said that Peace Walker will pretty much be his MGS5 -- something that will likely be excellent news to every Genome soldier reading this very post -- and that the MGS4 team will be working on it. (For some new Peace Walker screens, fresh out of Kojima Productions, check out our gallery embedded below). Moving on to Metal Gear Solid Rising, Kojima says the game will include "a completely different kind of action than what has appeared in the series so far," though we're not sure if that's a good or bad thing. He also mentioned that he will be involved with the project "more deeply" than a normal producer which, considering the expectations and the new engine involved, makes sense. The implicit bad news here: With all this Metal Gear stuff taking up Kojima's time (not to mention Castlevania: Lords of Shadow), we're unlikely to see that rumored Snatcher and/or Zone of the Enders and/or Something Else title anytime soon.Source - Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker detailsSource - Kojima discusses Metal Gear Solid Rising [via Eurogamer] %Gallery-66010%
