Publisher: Konami

Developer: Kojima Productions

Release Date: Fall 2005

Last September, EGM asked Metal Gear Solid mastermind Hideo Kojima if we could expect a spruced-up “director’s cut” version of MGS3: Snake Eater, à la MGS2: Substance. “No, that would be a waste of time when we could instead be working on the next game,” he replied. Well, he’s got some explaining to do: Enter Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, an enhanced version of 2004’s finest PS2 stealth adventure. “At the time, my answer was totally true,” says Kojima. “It wasn’t until this spring, when we shipped MGS3 in Europe with enhanced features, that I decided to do Subsistence.”

This re-release adds an array of upgrades to last year’s hit....

Look forward to several new stages for this wacky Ape Escape–Metal Gear crossover minigame, including a showdown against a lumbering Metal Gear Ape.

Several critics dogged MGS3 for its adherence to the series’ somewhat limiting top-down perspective in an era of more customizable cameras. Whine no more, crybabies: You can now opt for a behind-Snake view freely controlled by the right analog stick. “3D cameras always gave me motion sickness,” admits Kojima. “But I really want to play Grand Theft Auto and Half-Life 2, so I’ve been practicing with this new MGS camera to become stronger.”

Theater Mode

Most U.S. gamers probably aren’t aware of the unbelievably hilarious “secret theater” videos that Kojima’s crew have been putting up on the game’s Japanese website. We won’t spoil anything, but trust us: Watching MGS3:S’s collection of these comedy clips (using all in-game graphics but with new dialogue) will have you in stitches.

Reasons to Replay

Returning players can look forward to new camouflage and face-paint patterns like this one used to infiltrate a Toby Keith concert. Also, you’ll be able to tackle the game on a new überhard “European Extreme” difficulty setting and refight bosses in a boss rush mode.

Now this is the biggie: Kojima plans to include a full online multiplayer mode in Subsistence. Two gameplay modes will be available: a standard team deathmatch mode and a stealthier Snake vs. enemies mode in which one player controls our gruff hero against a group of player-controlled enemy soldiers across all-new levels. Exact details on number of players, voice chat support, and well...a release date remain sketchy.

Metal Gear Ac!d 2

Konami also recently announced a quick follow-up to its successful PSP Metal Gear offshoot, Ac!d. This sequel maintains the card-based gameplay of its forerunner, adding hundreds of new cards (including close quarters combat moves from MGS3), refined controls (you can now duck, crawl, and choose Snake’s direction with simple button presses), some sort of connectivity with MGS3: Subsistence (via USB cable), and a boss battle mode. However, the biggest change can be readily seen in these screenshots: Ac!d 2 sports a colorful cartoon look. “We thought, let’s try something that we can’t do with the normal MGS series,” explains Producer Shinta Nojiri. “So we decided to take a new approach with the graphics.” No firm release date has been set.

Metal Gear Solid 4

One Metal Gear–related announcement dwarfs all the rest: Metal Gear Solid 4 is coming to PlayStation 3. Konami revealed a jokey teaser trailer at the recent Electronic Entertainment Expo, but it offered few hints of what we’ll see in the game. In that clip, Solid Snake and Raiden fought over who gets to star in the game...and Snake won. A few details are known: You play as Snake in an adventure taking place after the events of MGS2, and several characters from past games return, including Raiden, Vamp, Otacon, and Meryl. We’ll have some exclusive info from Kojima on this blockbuster next issue....

Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Electronic Gaming Monthly.