Kojima: "It may be hard" for MGS traditionalists to get into Rising

Love your stealth? Love Snake? Metal Gear Solid: Rising might not be for you.

Hideo Kojima has told OPM UK that Metal Gear diehards used to stealth and Solid Snake may not gel with Metal Gear Solid: Rising.

"If somebody thinks ‘I love Snake’ and just really wants traditional stealth gameplay and that experience, then it may be hard to get into Rising," he said.

"But for people who are more open and willing to try new things, it shouldn’t be a problem."

Raiden's introduction in Metal Gear Solid 2, in a surprise switch around a quarter of the way through the game, left a sour taste in most fans mouths, but his return in Metal Gear Solid 4 impressed fans, according to Kojima.

"Raiden in MGS4 was received very well, and I wanted to keep going with that direction in Rising. The people who liked him in 4 will like him in this, but it’s a personal preference.

"The character in the game is supposed to equal the player, so if you want to introduce things to a new recruit, you have to learn how to interact with that world along with the character. If we had Snake [in MGS 2] he was this old, experienced veteran and there would’ve been a disconnect with the [new] players. So that’s why we brought in Raiden.”

Metal Gear Solid: Rising launches on PS3, 360 and PC in 2012.