NEWS: Hideo Kojima Discusses Dark Themes Throughout Metal Gear Solid V

Kojima has spoken out on the sensitive themes throughout Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain.

Speaking with Gamespot, series creator Hideo Kojima has highlighted his thoughts on how it's important for video-games to include dark themes and questionable subjects.

His first point is how the gaming industry can increase their cultural relevance, saying:

"If we don't cross that line, if we don't make attempts to express what we really want to express, games will only be games."

"I didn't want to stay away from these things that could be conisdered sensitive. If we don't go that far, games will never be considered as culture."

Kojima then goes on to discuss how the characters from hit TV show Breaking Bad go that extra mile to convey their message, and how this had influenced his way of thinking:

"In Breaking Bad, I also see that these guys are trying to to the limit; trying to take it as far as they can to try to get their message across. For us as well. In games we have to got the limit; we want to stay within this limit of how far pushing the boundaries of conveying our message. We look around and we don't see too many games like this; that is unfortunate."

And last but not least, Kojima highlights one of the themes we can expect in Metal Gear Solid V; that of revenge and various criticisms himself and possibly the rest of Konami might receive by including controversial content:

"One of the main topics of Metal Gear Solid V is this chain of revenge. That is something that I really didn't want to step back from, I really didn't want to go around it."

"I know that I will probably face a lot of critcism because of it but I really wanted to portray that accurately."

Whilst Kojima believes Metal Gear Solid V is going to go all-out with its content and themes, he finishes off by saying:

"I don't think neccessarily that all games have to go this far; in our case we have a strong message that we want to convey."

Ground Zeroes is to hit shelves first in North America on March 18, then Japan and Europe on March 20 - The Phantom Pain is to release after with no date confirmed as of yet. It was recently announced the price of Ground Zeroes is to be reduced - read more HERE.

NEWS: Metal Gear Will Continue After Kojima Retires

With or without him, Hideo Kojima would like to see the Metal Gear games to continue for at least another 25 years.

In a lengthy interview on Xbox Wire, creator of the Metal Gear franchise has shared his thoughts on the next MGS games and the future of the long-running series.

When asked about wrapping up the narratives of Big Boss and Snake, Kojima said:

"I honestly have no idea. The only thing I can say for certain is that I personally will not be able to carry "MGS" forward for another 25 years."

This could be a subtle hint at Kojima's retirement, although he announced he'd be leaving the franchise numerous times in the past, but keeps on coming back for more. 

He went on to say "with new talent at the helm guiding the series through each new stage, I can easily imagine a world 25 years from now where a new "MGS" franchise continues onward into the future."

However, at the Games Developers Conference (GDC) back in 2009, Kojima stated he would continue to make games till the day he died.

PREVIEW: Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes - New Gameplay Footage

A lengthy video has been released, showing off what players can expect in the prologue game; MGS V Ground Zeroes.

Footage taken directly from the PS4 version of the game has been shown off recently, demonstrating various features in the game. As well as the main narrative, players can choose from various side missions via the 'Side Ops' option on the menu screen - one of those missions can be seen in the video.

It's pointed out that side missions can take place at the same locations used during the main game, allowing for different styles of gameplay and different objectives. The particular mission shown is set at the Naval Prison Facility in Cuba,  the same base we saw in the TGS 2013 demonstration.

Big Boss must meet with an undercover agent who holds a cassette tape containing classified information, first he needs to actually locate this agent - the player decides to stay in the truck whilst periodically looking over the top to mark enemies he may see, decreasing possible future encounters.

By marking these particular enemies on the map, this lets players tactically decide which route would be best - whether it be to avoid detection or other reasons they may have. The gun's reticle can sometimes turn white, meaning the player is out of that weapon's target range, which means you'll have to align your reticle in accordance to the bullet's travel distance i.e. aiming just above an enemy's head so the bullet 'drops' during the shot, making for a clean take-out.

Eventually, the player makes his way to the informant mentioned earlier, but doesn't get all of the information needed as the tape is stashed somewhere in the camp - after getting the location of this stash, a waypoint is placed on the map, enabling players to easily get to desired destinations.

You'll probably notice the weather is actually good - very sunny and calming, however this will prove a nuisance as it will highly increase the visibility of yourself, allowing enemies for easier detection. The game will use certain weather conditions to alter how players navigate certain missions.

And like Peace Walker, players can utilize 'Consecutive Close Quarter Combat', enabling you to take down more than one enemy at time using CQC tactics. Casual players do have the option to turn on 'Reflex Mode', which slows down the time after being spotted by the enemy, allowing for easier gameplay, although it's advised seasoned players turn this option off.

For the sake of the demonstration, the player purposely sets the escape helicopter landing point in a danger zone, showcasing the various challenges you might come across. The nearby Sniper rifle is used to take out a bunch of enemies, but considering how many there are - the player decides to make a run for it using his trusty MRS-4 assault rifle and the numerous obstacles around him to use as cover.

The chopper get's blown down, so escaping the camp that way just went out of the window - however, there are many ways to finish a mission. In this case, the player decides to outrun one of the enemy vehicles and lead it to a cliff-edge, planting C4 on the ground, which ultimately causes the oncoming vehicle to explode and end up in the ocean below.

A vacant vehicle is then taken and used to escape the base to complete the mission, all whilst mowing down groups of enemies. Also note, there will be a health regeneation system in this game, allowing for much more casual gameplay than before.

MGS V Ground Zeroes will be released spring 2014 on the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One - it was recently announced the PS3/PS4 versions of the game will have access to exclusive content including an extra mission titled 'Déjà Vu', which will take players down memory lane and let you play as 'Classic Snake' from Metal Gear Solid on the PSOne. Check out the gameplay video below.

NEWS: MGS V Ground Zeroes - Classic Snake Available As Playstation Exclusive

The PlayStation versions of MGS V Ground Zeroes will contain exclusive content, allowing players to play as Solid Snake from MGS1.

At the PS4 launch event on Spike TV, Konami revealed exclusive content only available on the PS3/4 versions of the game; Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes. This included a 'Déjà Vu' mission, which according to Hideo Kojima, should leave players questioning if anything has really changed in the last 16 years. 

The video shows a wounded Big Boss taking out various enemies at the enemy base, sneaking around - the usual MGS stuff. It's then we see glimpses of the 'classic' Snake originating from the 1998 phenomenon; Metal Gear Solid.

The Solid Snake character model from MGS1 - feel old yet?

We see classic Snake eventually make his way to a cage which contains a man who highly resembles the Darpa Chief - an iconic character in the series. The blurb on the video talks about how the series "set new standards in videogame storytelling", as well as the limitations of the graphics back when Metal Gear Solid was making its release - "In an age when graphics were limited to blocky pixelated polygons."

Releasing in spring 2014, MGS V Ground Zeroes will officially be the prologue to MGS V The Phantom Pain, also released around the same time.

NEWS: Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes - Spring 2014 Launch

Konami has revealed the highly anticipated MGS5: Ground Zeroes will be available in the spring of 2014.

In the newest blog post from the official Konami website, details have surfaced revealing the game's release date and the initial launch price.

Ground Zeroes is a prologue leading to the events of The Phantom Pain, Konami describe the game as a prologue that "brings all of the hallmarks of the renowned franchise in a concentrated story mode that guides players into the new gameplay mechanics against the backdrop of the expansive Metal Gear Solid universe."

The FOX Engine is being used for both Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain - creator the series Hideo Kojima said:

"The advanced capabilities of the FOX Engine are allowing me to express the story of Metal Gear Solid in a new way. As such, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes has been designed to introduce key elements, while setting up the events of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain."

The game's retail price has been set at a suggested $29.99, which is around £19 in the UK - however, the digital version will be at a fixed price of $19.99 (approx £12). The game will release nationwide spring 2014, with no specific date revealed, and will be available on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.