metal gear solid

[Vito]

METAL GEAR SOLID: RISING was a spin-off intended to feature the actions and transformation of Raiden, one of METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY’s main characters, in the lead-up to METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS.
However, after Platinum Games came on board, the story was changed to take place several years after METAL GEAR SOLID 4 to give them more of an opportunity to show off what they can bring to the series. Cyborgs are spreading at a rapid pace in the game’s world, resulting in earth-shattering superhuman action at every turn!

source

[Smiley]

I'm a mixed bag about this. Not a big fan of "in between" sequels, but it felt like it was going to be a proper chapter nevertheless because the game was going to explain how Raiden became a cyborg and bridge Raiden's gap between MGS2 and MGS4.

Now the story takes place years after MGS4. When we last left off Raiden seemingly was going to live happily ever after. Well that looks like it's not happening now because we get a look at "Jack the Ripper".

But I shouldn't be fooling myself. The original writer was the guy behind the MGS database so more retcons sounded inevitable. Also from what I've been reading "MGS: Rising" had no proper vision and was close to being cancelled which is why KP gave the rights for Platinum Games to develop.

If there's a saving grace to be had here it has to be P*

Their games are impressive and backed up by talented guys behind them. I don't see much nickel and diming out of them, and they really bring the "fun" back in the action genre. So a Metal Gear game where I play as a cyborg ninja might be right up their alley.

[[STARS]TyranT]

Yeah it's complete garbage to me this, I for one really enjoyed GOTP, but more than anything I liked how characters arcs ended, particularly for Raiden who was finally reunited with Rose and their child.

Meh.

[aris13]

The less this game has to do with Metal Gear Solid 4, and the less Kojima is involved, the better, as far as I'm concerned.

Bring it on Platinum. I had zero interest in this title before, but now it's shot right up to near the top of my most anticipated.

My thoughts exactly.

[jagger916]

It looks horrible. I really hope Raiden has gone insane or something and this is his "Jack The Ripper" persona.
"It's time to let Jack to let one Rip!"
The fuck? Seriously?
Also, this shits all over Raiden's ending in MGS4.

[Archelon]

Also, this shits all over Raiden's ending in MGS4.

MGS4 Raiden pretty much did that to MGS2 Raiden also, so why should this be any different?

They took a genuinely interesting and even sympathetic character and turned him into a generic, emo badass just because people were too upset that they weren't playing as Solid Snake. This is just taking it to the next level.

[Smiley]

MGS4 Raiden pretty much did that to MGS2 Raiden also, so why should this be any different?

They took a genuinely interesting and even sympathetic character and turned him into a generic, emo badass just because people were too upset that they weren't playing as Solid Snake. This is just taking it to the next level.

That's the fate of the ninja in this series, and MGS2 had lead Raiden into becoming a ninja himself. He resumes the role when he takes the previous Ninja's sword and makes his way through the Tengu all the way to his final showdown with Solidus. The VR missions in MGS2 even have sections dedicated to Raiden in the Ninja suit for this reason.

So it really isn't that big of a surprise when Raiden comes to MGS4 as a cyborg ninja. And his attitude is more focused on Snake because Snake is the star of that game. He tries to distance his previous character from the events at hand (the life he could have had with Rose and their child), but it gradually returns to him and he gets the long awaited ending he's always wanted.

MGS4's ending for Raiden didn't ruin what was established for MGS2 either. The ending for MGS2 established two things about Raiden.

1. He was his own character now.
2. He can live his life with Rose and their child.

Which is what MGS4 ensures. Problem is that if Rising is to take place after MGS4 then this ending Kojima sought for Raiden will be shattered. The original story for Rising would have lead Raiden to his happy ending, but now all bets are off.

Another crushing truth I realized is that the people Raiden could have collaborated with in between 2 and 4 will be dead now that this takes place years after 4.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what they do with the story from here. It'll be distant, and on its own terms which can work out just fine for everyone.

[Archelon]

MGS4's ending for Raiden didn't ruin what was established for MGS2. The ending for MGS2 established two things about Raiden.

1. He was his own character now.
2. He can live his life with Rose and their child.

I wasn't specifically referring to the ending of MGS4. I was referring to Raiden as a character in MGS4.

However, if you want to talk about the ending, if anything, MGS4's ending does nothing for Raiden that MGS2's ending didn't already do for him. He's back at exactly the same place he was at the end of MGS2. Kojima just had to go and muck it all up by turning him into the cyborg ninja.

It's essentially the same thing that happened with Cloud in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. By the end of FFVII, the game, he had already come to terms with Aeris' death and made his reconciliation. Yet for some unknown reason, he's reverted back to how he was before the end of FFVII by the events of Advent Children. It's as if the events between Aeris' death and AC never occurred (presumably because the fanboys and girls prefer emo Cloud to emotionally sound and baggage-free Cloud).

[Smiley]

It wasn't a random muck up. MGS2 had not-so-subtle hints that Raiden was steadily becoming a ninja. It's the same thing with the Sons of Big Boss having accelerated aging. These things have been hinted at and MGS4 only conveyed what was already known.

But you are right that MGS4 brings Raiden back to the same place he was in MGS2. That was the point. I'd say that out of all the endings for each character Raiden got off easy, but with Rising on the way........

New quote from Kojima via twitter.

"We've only said that the period setting is several years after MGS4. Metal Gear Rising is not part of the Metal Gear Solid series. At present, we can't say more than this."

Some fans are taking this as confirmation that the game will be non-canon like Snake's Revenge (hey, another revenge title!).

Either way it just tells me that fans shouldn't expect much of a tie-in to any of the other games outside of Raiden himself.

[Archelon]

It wasn't a random muck up. MGS2 had not-so-subtle hints that Raiden was steadily becoming a ninja. It's the same thing with the Sons of Big Boss having accelerated aging. These things have been hinted at and MGS4 only conveyed what was already known.

That's not quite what I meant. It wasn't so much that he became a cyborg ninja that was the problem (though one has to wonder how his head and spine being transferred to a cybernetic body didn't lead to Sunny's death, since Raiden's vital signs were what were keeping her alive, and he made his transformation before rescuing her, but that's a whole 'nother discussion). It was his motivation for becoming one in the first place. By the end of MGS2, we're led to believe that he has accepted his past and who he is, and is planning to begin a fresh, new life with Rose and their baby. But then all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, he starts drinking and getting into random fights which ultimately lead to him leaving Rose and the baby. There's no context or explanation. It's just used as a cheap plot device to get him to turn into the cyborg ninja.

[Smiley]

I forget where its said that Raiden was a cyborg when he rescued Sunny. Because at some point Sunny had to make her way to Snake and Otacon who didn't seem to have any second hand knowledge of his cybernetic body. Snake even wondered why he didn't go back to Rose. Snake just finds out that she is with Campbell.

How Raiden saves Sunny and how he becomes a cyborg were things I were hoping to get explained at some point in Rising. We'll never really know for sure unless you take the database into account with Area 51 and all that other shit.

The reason Raiden left was because he thought Rose had a miscarriage. And Rose did this to protect their child from the still present threat of the Patriots. He didn't leave the baby. He thought his son died.

Is that a plot device for him to be in MGS4? Sure is. But not something too unbelievable for Raiden or Rose's character.

EDIT: Shinkawa's teaser art for MGS4 shows Raiden as a human when he saves Sunny.

Spoiler:

show spoiler

[Mr. Spencer]

VR simulation, calling it now. Makes no sense for it to take place after MGS4 as the story has been concluded.

[Smiley]

"It was all a simulation". The mack daddy of scape goats.

[aris13]

(though one has to wonder how his head and spine being transferred to a cybernetic body didn't lead to Sunny's death, since Raiden's vital signs were what were keeping her alive

Nanomachines.

[Dracarys]

MGS4s story was mostly ass that didn't really follow on from things set up in previous games, this follows suit. I'm not any further than that.