Hideo Kojima is calling the PSP exclusive Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker an “MGS5-class game,” but what does that mean? Apparently that there’s going to be a “variety” of cardboard boxes and what sounds like some RPG elements for Snake?
When he wasn’t too busy making us feel like a pack of idiots by explaining the bizarre logic (or rather lack thereof) behind his pre-E3 teaser site, Hideo Kojima had some actual information to share on one of the games he used the aforementioned site to promote. While he stayed firmly within the realm of vague pseudo-fact, Kojima shared a few interesting tidbits on Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, the PSP-exclusive title starring Big Boss.
From its E3 trailer, Peace Walker appeared to be a multiplayer-focused co-op Metal Gear game with multiple Big Boss clones running around and working together. While Kojima wouldn’t say exactly what Peace Walker is – aside from what he calls an “MGS5-class game” – he did say that it will be “a little different from the METAL GEAR that players have come to know.”
How exactly is that? Well Kojima says that the game will be “stealth-based,” but how it’s structured sounds a bit unorthodox. “However, the story can be replayed numerous times and the game is full of challenges to complete, so I feel that this title will really satisfy players with its long-lasting play time,” Kojima said. “Just as an example, do you recall the cardboard box at the end of the Peace Walker trailer? In addition to that two-man box, we are preparing a variety of other different cardboard boxes this time around.”
So, more cardboard boxes = different ways to play through the story? What of the “challenges” he mentions? Could there be mini-objectives that people will have to solve in co-op mode? I’ve got no clue, but Kojima says “we are implementing features that can only be realized on the PSP platform that I believe everyone can look forward to,” so it’s probably best to assume something crazy.
More curious is the talk of customization and configuring characters that seems to suggest that Metal Gear might be taking on some RPG-esque traits. Apparently, you can “customize Snake according to your preferences and determine what kind of soldier you will use prior to embarking on your mission.” Kojima gives the example of different “gear configurations” you can have: one that makes you less stealthy but gives you more weapons or one that does the opposite.
Kojima also mentioned a “growth feature…where your character evolves.” That’s pretty vague, but to me at least it brings to mind, when considered with all this talk of customizable gear and kits, something like the experience systems in games like recent Call of Duty games. “It will be a new type of system, so I hope everyone will look forward to it!” Kojima said.
