Metal Gear Solid: Rising is a hack-n-slash with no stealth action

By Mike Ferro

There is a lot of buzz surrounding Konami’s new Metal Gear Solid: Rising. Unlike the previous MGS titles the game will not be written or directed by Hideo Kojima. There is a rumor indicating that the new Metal Gear Solid: Rising game will not even be a stealth title, but a hack-n-slash title.

Kojima-san has indicated that he will be hands off on the Rising title and focus mainly on the PSP title Peacewalker, which he calls MGS 5. That begs the question what Is Metal Gear Solid: Rising then? An extension of the MGS 4 universe?

The game’s lead character will be Raiden and the tag-line no longer sports the “Tactical Espionage Action” sub-heading which has existed since the first MGS game. Rising sports a new tag-line never seen before - “Lightning Bolt Action.”

This has led to speculation that the stealth element will completely be stripped from the game. The most plausible speculation is that the new Rising game will be a hack-n-slash game. The action sequence from MGS4 revealing the hack-n-slash action by Raiden is a big clue as to his new fighting style.

Kojima Productions have been said to be working on a hack-n-slash title since the MGS3: Snake Eater days on the PS2. If you recall, there was a mini-game (”Guy Savage”) during a dream sequence where you control a character with two swords that kills off enemies in some dungeon with destructible environment.

That mini-game (”Guys Savage”) was written and directed by Shuyo Murata, who is one of Kojima’s lead staff members within Kojima Productions. With Kojima-san revealing that his staff will be helming the MGS: Rising project, there is a good possibility that this new MGS is in-fact the same game or continuation of the development of Guy Savage.

This title has been said to be in development since 2005. It would be interesting if this is true as it suggests that Konami and Kojima has been planning on releasing a separate spin-off MGS game for the Xbox 360 and PS3 for a very long time.

:(

Sigh... I'm getting this game and all, it's just not going to be the same..
No snake..big boss.. all those good guys :(

*sigh*

It's not a metal gear game then, well at least not a 'real' one. I also am highly doubtful it will be a hack n' slash that can match any God of War game in terms of quality and fun.

If that's true it seems like a shame to remove all of the stealth from MGS.

Well it did say "Lightning Action" and not "Tactical Espionage Action" on the title promo right? Can't say they at least didn't give you a clue...

Awesome!!

i thought the other metal gears were getting stale. this will be the best one yet

You obviously never understood what Tactical Espionage Action meant did you?

Stale? What are you kidding! MGS isn't about hack and slash, thats nonsense.

what an insult to the series!

this is shocking, how can kojima let this happen!

Great! Looking forward to it.