The new episode of the Kojima Productions Report actually reveals quite a bit of new information about the upcoming three Kojima Productions titles. For those who don't listen to the podcast, here's a breakdown of what was said. Throughout I've included statements by Sean Eyestone, host of the podcast. [Cross-posted from my blog, Metal Gear Scholar]


Metal Gear Solid: Rising

• Kojima Productions is developing a new engine for Rising to "realize this multiplatform goal". Eyestone points out that "Kojima Productions is always associated with quality," and the team go on to talk about graphically. Rising is sure to have "better graphics" than Metal Gear Solid 4. "We're redoing the engine from scratch, and it's going to look amazing. It's going to be a big project like Metal Gear Solid 4. The entire team is serious about making it look as good as possible on every platform."
• On the color of Raiden's eyes, Eyestone says, "We weren't sure if anyone would pick up on that." Clearly he does not know Metal Gear fans. You'll remember, of course, that everyone thought it was either Sunny or Gray Fox. But apparently the eye color change has some significance. "His eyes are a different color and he has that bandage over one eye .... All we can say now is that we can't say, but there is a reason. Of course, the eyepatch ... kind of looks like a bandana."
• They also talk about the meaning of the title Rising. It signifies the rising of a new type of Metal Gear, a new style of Metal Gear Solid. "It's raising the Metal Gear franchise up to the next step". The point that Hideo Kojima doesn't want to be attached to the series for ever is once again repeated, and this time it looks like he means it. Rising is being developed by a new type within Kojima Productions. "The young bloods will come up through this game". Will Peace Walker be Kojima's last Metal Gear title as game designer and director?
• Rising also has another meaning related to the content of the story. Rising is pronounced "Raijin" in Japan which is, of course, the god of Lightning in Shinto mythology. Get it? Raiden = lightning? Because he is the lightning. You'd better believe he's the rain transformed.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

• The talk about Peace Walker was a little more interesting. It "inherits the spirit of [what would be Metal Gear Solid] 5." But they don't want to put a number on it - maybe because it's on the PlayStation Portable, not home consoles.
• Some fans have been questioning the positioning of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops in the series now. Who knows why - apparently when you release a new game, there is the off chance that previous games in the series maybe disregarded (according to some). But they make it abundantly clear: Portable Ops is still canon, and Peace Walker follows it.
• Peace Walker is "a major game" in the series. "It's a story that he's [Kojima] wanted to tell for a while". But just because it's on the PlayStation Portable, doesn't mean it's not official. And on the decision to make it for the Portable platform: "It's related to the type of gameplay that we want to express this time around ... [it's] very well suited to the PSP platform. We're going to do things on the PSP that can't really be done actively on the PS3 or the 360 .... People can look forward to a lot of unique game experiences with this game. It'll take this series in a new direction."
• "It's still sneaking, but there's something else in there. People might have noticed a few clues with the four Snakes. There's more to it. More so than any other Metal Gear game to this date. There will be a lot of replayability .... You'll be playing it for a long time."
• There's also a surprise amount of detail in the trailer which, again, many noted. "One of the Snakes early in the trailer has a scar on the chest that should look familiar to anyone who played Metal Gear Solid 3," Eyestone says, and he is of course refering to the scar on The Boss' chest. But that man didn't have no breasts, and The Boss died in 3, so obviously it's not her. "It definitely is connected to Outer Heaven. It's a major chapter in the Metal Gear saga. It's a missing link .... There is meaning to all of that [detail]." Well, there better be.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

• Not much about the new Castlevania, probably because it isn't actually being developed by any members of Kojima's actual team. Kojima will be "overseeing the project from a high level ... but is trying hard not to get too involved."
• David Cox will be overtaking the true producing role. Cox has worked with Kojima for ten years, back when his team was still part of Konami. He did all the advertising and marketing for Solids 1 through to 3.

So that was it. Oh, and they mentioned something about Metal Gear Online. The 1.33 patch is coming out for Online on the 16th. All the people who have the Scene expansion can download a new Shadow Moses map to celebrate the one year anniversary of Guns of the Patriots. Solid Snake will also be included as a playable character. I liked his beard in 4, so I guess that's cool.

We're bound to see more information about all three titles at the Tokyo Game Show in a few months. Expect in-depth trailers for both games. It's unlikely we'll learn a great amount of detail regarding them any time soon, even from the Kojima Productions Report team.