2011 Gaming Preview: Metal Gear Solid Rising

It's the return of the franchise that kept me on board with Playstation when it came time to upgrade to a next-gen console . Metal Gear will thankfully continue in 2011 after retiring Solid Snake  in MGS4 (one of the best games I've ever played, right next to MGS3). Read more for all the details on the rebirth of Metal Gear Solid.

#1: Metal Gear Solid: Rising: Returning as the main character for the first time since MGS 2 is the cybernetically enhanced Raiden. Many fans complained when only getting to use Solid Snake for the first hour of  "Sons of Liberty" and getting stuck with Raiden's sissy ass for the duration. I believe that's why they turned him into a badass robo-ninja for his appearance in MGS4.

The story of "Rising" will go into detail of how Raiden became a cyborg and promises much faster action as far as gameplay. The game is said to be set between the events of  MGS2 and MGS4. Raiden will encounter a large number of mechs and smaller metal gear throughout the game as well as human opponents. The focus will be shifted away from stealth but as with all Metal Gear games, you will be able to choose stealth, combat, or a mixture of both as you progress. Raiden's main weapon will be his high-frequency blade and this will be the really fun part of the game (see the video below for details). I don't know too much about the game really, I just know that Metal Gear always delivers unique gameplay, epic boss battles, and lengthy cut scenes that almost give you the feeling that your playing a movie. A lot of people dislike that aspect of MGS but I am not one of those dudes. If you want short cutscenes and an easy to follow story you can play Halo or Super Mario. Without Hideo Kojima behind the wheel of the game for the first time in franchise history, this will be a new chapter of Metal Gear. Shigenobu Matsuyama is in charge this time and said the story will be easier to follow than previous efforts and will focus mainly on action. Another major change will be the absence of Solid Snake and the Playstation exclusive label for the first time ever. Metal Gear Solid: Rising has no release date as of yet but I am optimistic we will see it in 2011.