By Ravi Sinha
It’s one thing to pin a thought based on something that Hideo Kojima kind of, sort of, maybe alluded to. Case in point, the cybernetic ninja version of Raiden rumoured as the protagonist of the Next Metal Gear Solid. However, when it comes to deciding what Kojima’s next magnum opus should have, much less fix from Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots? Not so easy. Understandable, since Kojima and his team have built a rep for turning the expectations of fans upside-down, then inside-out and finally injecting it with FOXDIE. After looking over the basic genesis of Metal Gear Solid’s gameplay over the years, along with some of the more nagging problems that remained up till MGS4, we list 5 features that the Next Metal Gear Solid must have.
Whether they actually make it into the game is a different issue altogether – another Kojima is good at is force-feeding fans with new mechanics and story decisions, and getting them to admit it tastes like candy. Hopefully, these features should maintain his penchant for innovation as well as evolving the key gameplay of MGS4 further.
1. Implement Truly Intuitive Action Game Controls
The series as a top-down perspective action title with a camera adjustable to various combat scenarios and sneaking. This eventually morphed to accomodate optional first person controls and finally, a fixed third person perspective in Metal Gear Solid 4. These were two conflicting fields: MGS4 was still a distinctly stealth-oriented game but with action elements roughly juxtaposed on top. It was like Kojima was unsure to retain the archaic controls so attuned to sneaking or fully implement the third person shooter controls around which several new sequences were weaved.
For the next MGS, it’s entirely possible to maintain a fluid TPS view that doesn’t require rudimentary dexterity (movement and aiming were the Left Stick and L1 while viewing and shooting were the Right Stick and R1, respectively) and can easily handle a cover system. A system akin to maybe Gears of War. First person mode should also be more than just an option. It shouldn’t simply be a view for refined aiming (like in MGS2) but one that cleverly factors in strategy and the consequence of entering a direct firefight with intelligent enemies (a la Killzone 2).
2. New Threads, New Knots
The Solid Snake story is over. Well, at least the Shadow Moses-Les Infants Terribles-Patriots saga is. Raiden has a family, Snake quit and Meryl got married. In this way, the Next MGS could be called Metal Gear Solid 5 simply for chronological reasons (as it’s the fifth game in the series). Even if it’s called some thing other than Metal Gear Solid 5 or the Next Metal Gear Solid, there’s no denying Kojima will be developing a brand new story with this installment. A few loose ends may appear now and then relating to previous games but the story would most likely utilize new plots, villains (or, villainous figures), pathos and what-not.
3. A Stellar Online Component
Let it be clear: I am not saying Metal Gear Solid has not had a strong online component before. Quite the opposite actually: The multi-player for previous MGS titles, including the recent and under-rated Metal Gear Online that released alongside MGS4, has been an addictive and fresh experience. PSN has appropriately exploded in terms of number of users, so nothing’d be better than releasing the Next MGS with a superior online mode right out of the box. And hey, why not bring back the Rumble Roses gals as additional characters while you’re at it, Konami?
4. Cinematic and Story-telling Renovations
PSX Extreme conducted a poll in March for the best storyline in a game and found MGS4 the winner, beating even the classic Final Fantasy VII. So there you have it: the tale of Otacon and Snake adopting a little girl and acting as her parents was more intricate and long-lasting than an RPG. However, one criticism has always been the long-winding, non-interactive, cinematic cut-scenes that break up the gameplay in the form of story sequences of codec conversations. Some of them are easily the best CG sequences in the gaming industry. Kojima is such a stellar director that he could even make Alvin and the Chipmunks bad-ass. Gaming is not cinema, though. Certain scenes that are great to watch don’t translate to great gameplay.
More work should be done to incorporate the gameplay and story sequences together. No, not in the form of lame Quick Time Events – all flash, no substance, pandering to a “Simon Says” on-screen maze of chaos (or if you’ve played Ninja Blade, a freaking Guitar Hero orgy of “Simon Says”). Look at Mass Effect and it’s detailed conversation system that plays out responses in real time. Look at F.E.A.R. 2 and it’s oscillations between pure horror and acute disturbia. Hell, look at Kojima’s own ZOE: The 2nd Runner that seamless transitioned between short static story sequences and in-game conversations at the drop of a hat and in the heat of combat. With all the innovations being made, saying that there are no new frontiers for MGS to explore and conquer in the story-telling department is ridiculous.
Finally, the Next Metal Gear Solid should have…
5. No Cyborg Ninja Raiden
I remember the original MGS and it’s VR missions. The most addictive were the Cyborg Ninja’s. Swan-diving off a stair-case and sweeping sword executions performed without any altered guards…nothing could beat that feeling. But it wasn’t Metal Gear. There was no fear of having your cover blown, no intensity arising from dealing with superior forces and no deft strategy mixed with skillful dodging. It became like Tenchu, only much less punishing and far inferior adversaries. I loved seeing Raiden slicing GECKOs and battling Vamp as much as any one. Many people may also argue that he was protagonist in MGS2 – what’s to stop him from headlining the newest?
It’s not that you can’t have an MGS without Solid Snake – you can’t have an MGS that plays like Ninja Gaiden with nukes. Unless Kojima is really thirsting to break away from every pre-conceived notion or MGS’s gameplay (with a more superior model to replace it), then Raiden best serves as a side-character. Or a protagonist…without his cyborg enhancements. But that’s really what people expect from him after MGS4, isn’t it?
Any suggestions as to what you’d like to see in the Next Metal Gear Solid? More world-famous models loaning their likeness, perhaps?
6 Responses to “What the Next Metal Gear Solid Must Have”
i suggest kojima should do a remake or make the next game with a “back story” we dont know yet, for example when raiden rescues sunny.
making a new story in the same world of metal gear would be boring, every story has to end and this one already has.
I suggest that Number 5 be taken off the list. Why do professional rating gamers always ask for the most retarded bullshit ever? “OHH well that wasn’t the original mgs” yea. no shit. times are changing you guys are so arrogant, what’s wrong with having ninja raiden in the next game that can still work if implemented correctly your imaginations are so limited. It’s because of articles like these that they try to make games based upon something “FANS” like and ends up looking like a “WTF?” game. LEt the developers do what they like because that is what they were planning on having succeed, unless you can make the game so awesome and never disappoint, don’t complain. No one by the slightest bit complained about what should be in MGS4 and it turned out perfect. Now that Kojima’s had his spotlight time everyone wants to get him to do what they want. That later leads to those same people bitching that their ideas did not work and so they give low ratings.
Just let them put whatever they want yes in mgs vr missions the ninja felt very-powerful but he was not without his faults, and it was very possible for him to die. Besides A “Ninja” –> is a stealthy assassin!! that is the real definition . So aside from snake being famous for capping everyone since he was 18. Raiden is actually more fit to be the protagonist for MGS5 yes in his ninja self otherwise it will just be like MGS2 with some reworked control and everyone will say Raiden sucks because its not solid snake but everyone praised him when he was killing the geckos.
And as for the online. The more PSN users can never be tied to MGO. Maybe people just realized PS3 is about to have a lot more games in the coming years. So that and everything on the Konami store including the game servers should be on PSN and thy should use Son’s servers that don’t lag nearly as much. That way People can download what they want more often and don’t have to come up with weird long-A$$ Konami I.D. ’s and then MGO I.D.’ s. Just use your PSN from Sony and that should be it.
That’s all i have to say for here today.
I dont agree with you on the controls.
MGS4’s controls resemble the one of Uncharted. To be honest, it is the best controls ever. It gives you the option to play the game however you want. The last thing I need is another FPS (a la Killzone 2).
I am an MGS fan, and I loved the controls ever since MGS2. Go into fpv for a clean shot. Ever since MGS2, I always wished other games had optional fpv view and/or 3rd person view.
Also in MGS4, I missed the codec convo’s. In previous MGS’s you could call people to get info on almost anything in the game. I for instance wanted to call Drebin and hear his thoughts about the Socom pistol.
I think Kojima needs to hire an editor to cut back on a lot of the stuff. Too much technobabble, scenes that don’t gel (Naomi’s entire existence, motivations and tusslin’ with Otacon) and simply, just insulting players’ intelligence far too many times. MGS4 was amazing the first time around but showed far too many cracks on subsequent playthroughs.
Take MGS3 for example: it’s a great character-driven story with a lot of humour, a lot of depth and the same silliness that makes MGS unique. That’s what made MGS amazing as well. I’m hoping MGS5 can take more from those two games than from MGS2 or 4.
I sincerely hope they do NOT make a sequel, otherwise the tragic and emotional ending of MGS4 with Snakes last days would have been for nothing.
Let the series die, it’s been an incredible journey but all good things must come to an end.
Yes please let it die. I’ve had enough of this game. It’s not worth ruining a series by thinking up some ridiculous story just to cash in on another game.
Leave a Reply