There’s been a lot of questions lately regarding Metal Gear Solid: Rising, which was revealed during E3 two years ago. During last night’s VGA show, Hideo Kojima announced the titles new direction. Dumb name, but whatever, it looks really cool. Bonus video below of Kojima losing it during the announcement.

The seminal voice of the Metal Gear series, David Hayter, recently did a guest stint with the MTV movie blog talking videogame adaptations. While there, he revealed a few behind the curtain details on the status of the planned Metal Gear movie. He is a trustworthy source on the subject since he wrote the screenplay for the seemingly lost project. According to what David has heard, Sony has simply never been able to close a deal with famed creator of the series, Hideo Kijoma. The script was written and pre-production began, but unfinished business between Sony and Konami/Kojima have stalled the process indefinitely.

When and if the Metal Gear movie does come out, I’m sure it will be rad. Here’s to hoping these guys can settle their differences before people stop caring about Metal Gear completely…

If I were Sony, I’d ditch the Walkman name, as all it brings to mind is my ancient portable CD player (though it was awesome), but nevertheless the electronics maker is pushing full steam ahead, today announcing a limited edition Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Walkman.

The .mp3 player, officially model NWZ-W252, arrives this June alongside the upcoming PSP game Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and comes with the game’s soundtrack on its 2GB hard drive, as well as camouflage pattern, the official MGS stamp and a code good for “original designed characters.”

Look for it this summer in June alongside the game for around $60.

One of the most exciting titles headed to the PSP this year has got to be Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The first gameplay trailer was posted by konami on youtube yesterday. There is some pretty rad stuff shown in this trailer, especially the Dark Knight-esque parachute used to airlift incapacitated enemies out of the combat zone called the Fulton Recovery Device. You also have an invisibility blanket, a scanner for disabled bodies and a slew of tranq darts.

The storyline for Peace Walker bridges the gap between MGS3 and MGS, if that makes sense. The chronology goes MGS3, Portable Ops, MG, MG2, MGSolid, MGSolid2, MGSolid4.

The point is that this time you play as Big Boss, and there’s like an army of Snake clones that can play the game with you via online co-op (up to 4). You’ll play through what happens between MGS3 Snake Eater, and the original Metal Gear.  This one is personally directed by Kojima as well.

After watching the trailer, you’re likely to move this one to your must-buy list. No matter how corny it gets, there’s just always something special about Metal Gear. Peace Walker is available May 25th in the US…

Games are becoming more cinematic than ever, but how much is too much?

Upcoming and expected PlayStation 3 blockbuster Metal Gear Solid 4 is about to help us find out.

Reportedly, Hideo Kojima’s highly anticipated epic contains cut scenes that approach the 90 minute mark.

Let that sink in for a bit.  

Ninety minutes – the length of some feature films – and that’s cut sceneS, as in plural.

“MGS4′s story is massive. The videogame equivalent of all three Godfather movies on one disc,” reports PSW magazine. “As you’d expect, you’ll spend a lot of time watching cut scenes, so if you found previous games’ story exposition laborious, then you’d better find yourself a nice cushion and plenty of teabags in readiness for MGS4′s.”

While these cut-scenes can be skipped, the magazine doesn’t recommend it, proclaiming that some of the later scenes contain what they call “some of the most finely crafted examples of FMV footage anywhere in gaming.”

Metal Gear Solid 4 is scheduled to hit store shelves on June 12.

Konami and Verizon Wireless jointly announced this week that Metal Gear Solid Mobile is now available for purchase exclusively for Verizon Wireless customers.

Metal Gear Solid is one of the most successful PlayStation titles ever, and the mobile version promises to bring 3D graphics and addictive action gameplay — or as much as you can get on the mobile platform.

“Metal Gear Solid Mobile features never-before-seen dramatic 3D art displays and camera work that greatly surpass the current standard of mobile games and allows players to shift the viewpoint from first to third person and to control a variety of weapons,” the companies said in a statement Wednesday. “The game also takes advantage of the camera functionality — for example, Verizon Wireless customers can use their camera phones to capture images and the game will incorporate the image colors into the players’ camouflage system.”

Kojima Productions developed the game with Ideaworks3D’s Airplay 3.5 SDK.

“Metal Gear Solid Mobile is an original game designed specifically for the mobile platform,” the developers said. “Players face the same extreme tension of solitary infiltration that fans of the classic tactical espionage action game have come to expect from the Metal Gear Solid series, previously released to the PlayStation and PlayStation 2.”

Verizon Wireless customers can purchase Metal Gear Solid Mobile for $4.99 per month or $10.00 unlimited in the Get Fun and Games shopping aisle in the Get It Now virtual store.

Verizon says the game will work on over 30 phones, including the Voyager by LG and the LG VX8700.

For more information about Metal Gear Solid Mobile, check out www.konamimobile.com.

This article originally appeared on Reviewcenter.com in 1998.

Konami’s Metal Gear Solid is the most intense stealth game for any system. Not only has it completely revolutionized stealth/action games, but it has raised the expectations of all games. In other words, this could be the best Playstation game ever!

As one of the first full length stealth games, Metal Gear Solid provides an exciting adventure through a nuclear warhead disposal site in Alaska. Along the way you sneak around with your character, Solid Snake, fighting only when necessary. This may sound boring, but your heart races throughout the entire game. Your ultimate goal is to destroy a top-secret weapon named Metal Gear. But before you can do that, you must fight a series of bosses — maybe even some family members.

Metal Gear is a nice change up from the typical 3rd person shooter games. The view in Metal Gear is normally an overview, however, pressing “triangle” makes you see in the first person.

Throughout the game, you encounter different kinds of fighting and torture. Two examples are a fight with a sniper rifle and resisting death on a torture machine!

When you are hooked-up to the torture machine, the enemy tells you press “O” repeatedly to regain your strength. Konami should have found a more tasteful way to relay a message to the player.

For an early PlayStation game, Metal Gear Solid has outstanding graphics and sound quality. Some of the movies are so realistic its like you’re watching television! I strongly recommend buying this game. You’ll begin to love the complicated twists-and-turns of the intricate plot as well as the intense and invigorating game play.

Quick hits:

Publisher: Konami
Developer: KCEJ (Konami Japan)
Platform: PlayStation
Genre: Action/Adventure
Players: 1
Launch Date: September 30, 1998

Playability: 5 out of 5 stars
User friendly: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Sound: 5 out of 5 stars
Graphics: 5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
Ratings were determined in 1998