[Dark Age Iron Savior]

Okay, you have to forgive this topic for a few things. I'm should've made it earlier in the week, and now I'm making it really early in the morning (relative to most of SB), in hopes that it will slowly catch steam through the day. It's also written by someone who doesn't know a lot about what he's writing, and so on, and so forth.

Basically, this topic is here to say: Metal Gear Solid 4 is on it's way, and I want to know what you think.

The Metal Gear Solid (sub)series, among gamers, needs practically no introduction. It's one of the most celebrated legacies of gaming and has sold millions, having become a household named alongside titles like Final Fantasy and Halo, and if I try to write another sentence like this on SB I will probably kill myself. Let me go straight to the heart of the matter.

I am eagerly awaiting Metal Gear Solid 4. This might seem a bit odd, insofar as I've only played the original Metal Gear Solid, and I have no intention of buying a Playstation 3 any time soon (and probably not an Xbox 360, either). But I have a thing where I lust for games I may never actually play. I'm strange that way.

As I said, my own experience with MGS is limited. I quite enjoyed the first one on PC, although I could never get past REX (luckily, the VR missions provided fun after that). I've never touched the seocond and third game (for reasons I won't go into). However, after I became aware of the series, I devoured everything I could find on MGS2, and lived MGS3 vicariously through other people's experiences. I've enjoyed everything I've tasted of MGS - the music, the stories, the glimpse at attempts of truly creative gameplay.

And now I'm looking forward to Metal Gear Solid 4, and...I don't know. Is it because it's coming to the PS3? Is it because it's the last in the series? Is it because the classic main theme is no longer present? For some reason, I'm feeling apprehensive and uneasy about Guns of the Patriots. I want to think it has the possibility to be the best game in the series by far, but...

So it comes to this - I have the following questions to ask of everyone who reads this topic, in regards to Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots:

Do you believe Konami will deliver a final product with an AAA-level of quality?

Do you trust Kojima to create both enjoyable gameplay and a unique, interesting plot?

Will you feel regret if this turns out to truly be the last Metal Gear Solid game (by Kojima or at all)?

Which of the new gameplay systems are you the most curious about?

What do you want from this game? What will you expect of it when it finally arrives?

What do you think the biggest obstacles facing the developers are, and do you think they will overcome them?

Do you think think this game will live up to the hype?


....

Honestly, I would really appreciate if you answered all of these questions in as much depth as you like - although I'd prefer it if we avoided simple responses like "eh, I'll get it when it's on the 360" or "lol Kojima". I am interested in what everyone here has to say about this game, and FKW is an excellent opportunity for us to discuss our hopes and fears for what will likely be one of the defining titles of this generation of consoles.

Please, put out as many paragraphs as you want - I promise to read them all. This topic may fall flat on it's face, but the reason I continue coming to selectbutton is because I feel that the people who post here always have something interesting to say.

Also, go ahead and talk about any other Metal Gear games if you think they're relevant to the conversation. Post your own positive and negative experiences that are shaping how you view MGS4!
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[Levi]

I completely trust Kojima to spin an interesting gameplay schematic around what he considers to be an interesting plot. That being said, I would be very suprised if he didn't try to pull some MGS2 level meta-wankery with it, thusly alienating the nominal target audience for MGS4 and the PS3.

I mean, the robots pee. And make chicken noises. And bleed. And Snake likely kills himself, only to be replaced by a younger version of himself, probably without too much obstruction to the main narrative.

What I'm more concerned about is whether we'll get to see Nastasha and Mei-ling again.

I'll probably buy it in 5 years.

[Intentionally Wrong]

I always find the most interesting threads when I'm in the least functional state for attempting to respond to them. (The only reason I'm still awake is because this chair is doing a pretty good job of keeping me propped up, and I have vague guilt about my obligations for today.)

So, while I'd like to leave a long response, I don't think I'll be able to. I'm not sure how coherent I can be, but let's give it a try, yeah?

Do you believe Konami will deliver a final product with an AAA-level of quality?

Yes. I think some people will find individual elements in the overall package to nitpick, but largely I suspect MGS4 will be as well-constructed as its predecessors.

Do you trust Kojima to create both enjoyable gameplay and a unique, interesting plot?

Yyyyyes. That is to say, I have faith that people who enjoyed previous Metal Gear Solid games will have no difficutly enjoying MGS4 and being interested by its story. I'm beginning to question my own abilities in that regard, but I don't doubt that series fans will find something to love here.

Will you feel regret if this turns out to truly be the last Metal Gear Solid game (by Kojima or at all)?

No. If Kojima's finished with Metal Gear Solid, then I won't have any interest in future installments, so if this IS his last game then I'll be finished with the series either way. It's enough for me that we have the games that we have; it doesn't need to be perpetuated just for the sake of perpetuity.

Which of the new gameplay systems are you the most curious about?

I haven't really been following the game, but the ability to manipulate a factional dispute and pit opposing armies against one another kind of intrigues me. MGS games are as much about not acting as they are about acting, and getting other soldiers to do your fighting for you is as firmly in the former category as Sonic is in the latter.

What do you want from this game? What will you expect of it when it finally arrives?

I'm not sure that I have any specific desires for the game; my gut response is to wish for plot resolution, but I think we've got all the plot resolution we need if we're willing to look closely enough. (The problem being that I never look close enough.) My expectation is that MGS4 will provide some rough approximation of satisfaction while being perplexingly bad in some ways and intentionally ambiguous in others.

What do you think the biggest obstacles facing the developers are, and do you think they will overcome them?

I suspect one of the biggest obstacles is the Metal Gear series's accumulated history: from a storyline perspective, I think MGS4 is going to attempt to rap most of the unresolved plotlines up, which is both admirable and daunting. Froma gameplay perspective, it has a huge array of abilities and mechanics to consider retaining or discarding. I saw a bit of gameplay where Snake is lying on his belly, rolls over, and then shoots a soldier standing at Snake's feet. That's sort of neat, but I wonder whether this sort of move comes at the expense of something else? For mental real-estate, at least?

Do you think think this game will live up to the hype?

Does this game even HAVE a lot of hype? Hmm. Well, I guess it won't, because so many people are still in doubt from MGS2.

And now, to home and to bed.
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JSNLV is frequently and intentionally wrong.

[Duckzero]

Do you believe Konami will deliver a final product with an AAA-level of quality?

Yes, he will, simply because of his track record. Sony would not let the game fail either because it will be a system seller.

Do you trust Kojima to create both enjoyable gameplay and a unique, interesting plot?

Kojima seems to be one of the few who seem to do this well, every single game has a James Bond like plot but with a lot more substance relating to the backstory. Which could be said for the gameplay also. You could run through the previous games like the general player, but you also had the ability to never get caught, never kill anyone, kill everyone, etc..

Will you feel regret if this turns out to truly be the last Metal Gear Solid game (by Kojima or at all)?

No, because the series needs to come to an end.

Which of the new gameplay systems are you the most curious about?

The Camo suit and how well it will actually work.

What do you want from this game? What will you expect of it when it finally arrives?

I just want the game to be fun and discussion worthy.

What do you think the biggest obstacles facing the developers are, and do you think they will overcome them?

Mostly likely the pressure from sony to create extra content you have to pay for in some way. I could see MGS4 having very little in terms of extras and the rest being available online for a few bucks here and there. Imagine in order to play as Raiden you have to pay 10 bucks for his part of the game. Will they overcome them? I hope so!

Do you think think this game will live up to the hype?

Yes.
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Keepin' it real like Oatmeal

[internisus]

I would prefer to have Kojima slave away for the rest of his life making new MGS games and updating the MG games. And then remaking the MGS games so that they are perfect. Then, once there is a beautiful 20-game saga, he can go and reinterpret Zelda like Maztorre wants.

The gameplay feature I am most excited about in MGS4 is the supposed equipment manipulation and customization. I want to get as close to taking apart a gun through a playstation as possible. I want to replace springs and pins with slightly modified alternatives. I want to experience what Snake in MGS3 was talking about when he excitedly described that beautiful M1911A1.

[Maztorre]

I hope Kojima finishes off MGS completely with MGS4. Shuyo Murata and the team at Kojima Productions should start a completely fresh Metal Gear after 4 that is free from the Solid subtitle. I'm looking forward to the gun modding system which I imagine will replace the food and cure systems whilst adding a greater degree of depth than either of MGS3's systems offered. Also anticipating to the extra manoeuvrability showcased in the trailer, which I imagine will be controlled by the tilt sensors.

Then get Kojima the hell off the franchise for a while so he can do Wii Snatcher with Suda51.

Oh yeah, I predict MGS4 will be the high water mark for technology on PS3 for at least 18 months.

[Mr. Mechanical]

Maybe it's just due to the fact that I don't have a PS3 or haven't really been obsessively watching the pre-release trailers, but I can't really drum up a whole lot of excitement for Metal Gear Solid 4. I'm glad that it's coming out I'll definitely play it, if not this year then the next, but there's just something about the whole affair that feels kind of "been there, done that" already.

Anyways, question!

Do you believe Konami will deliver a final product with an AAA-level of quality?

Absolutely. If the past two games (the main ones, at least) are anything to go by then this new one will be top notch in terms of quality. There's a lot of anticipation for this game so I imagine Konami is pumping in every resource they need.

Do you trust Kojima to create both enjoyable gameplay and a unique, interesting plot?

I don't think it's a matter of trust so much as personal taste. I've enjoyed both the gameplay and the plots of the games since the first Metal Gear Solid, and as each new game gets more complex in gameplay and more wacky in the story I just can't get enough of it. So I'm pretty sure Kojima will come up with something that will really blow me away.

Will you feel regret if this turns out to truly be the last Metal Gear Solid game (by Kojima or at all)?

Not really. In fact, I'm kind of hoping this will be the last game in the series. There's a sort of fine balance to the serious and more wacky elements of each game, and it's hard to sustain that balance that allows a player enough room to suspend their disbelief long enough to enjoy the games. Each new game has to top the others in some way and I think at this point if they just keep going Metal Gear will turn into a caricature of it's former self, if it hasn't already.

Which of the new gameplay systems are you the most curious about?

I haven't really kept up with the game but the whole "No Place to Hide" concept intrigues me. I imagine the camo system from MGS3 will make a return in some form with the new sneaking suit, if the videos are any indication, only here it will be more immediate. Hopefully part of the fun will be in avoiding detection by finding clever, on-the-spot ways to disguise yourself with the rest of the environment.

What do you want from this game? What will you expect of it when it finally arrives?

I want it to blow all my expectations out of the water. Besides that, I just want it to entertain me. I want the story to wrap itself around to some sort of conclusion, especially after going back to the "source", so to speak, with part 3. I am ready for some big earth-shattering plot twists and massive conclusions. I will be very disappointed if Solid Snake doesn't die and Raiden is not allowed to take over the reign (in a new series of games, perhaps?).

What do you think the biggest obstacles facing the developers are, and do you think they will overcome them?

The biggest obstacles are the technology and such. I think it's looking good so far, from the few trailers I've seen. The other big obstacle is fan expectation, which is probably reaching astronomical proportions by now. I hope Kojima pulls a huge switcheroo and kills Snake off within the first hour of the game, and then makes the new, more bad-ass Raiden the star for the rest of the game.

Do you think think this game will live up to the hype?


Probably. At least for me.
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[Toups]

sup dais


Do you believe Konami will deliver a final product with an AAA-level of quality?

I have my doubts. MGS2 was something of a step down gameplay-wise compared to MGS, and I suspect that this was because they had implemented loads of new features and were doing so on new hardware. The game didn't feel "rushed" but it didn't have the meticulous polish that the first game had to its gameplay. MGS3 on the other hand was extremely polished and is the best game in the series.

MGS4 has been in development for quite some time but it's also on hardware which is dramatically different than anything to come before it (much moreso than MGS2 was), so it's hard to say for sure. I have no doubt that it will be an excellent and polished game, but it may not be on the same level as MGS3.

Do you trust Kojima to create both enjoyable gameplay and a unique, interesting plot?

Always. There... isn't much else for me to say here. He's a very talented game designer with a strong vision for the sorts of games and scenarios he wants to make and has consistently proven himself in both areas.

Will you feel regret if this turns out to truly be the last Metal Gear Solid game (by Kojima or at all)?

Not at all. I would've been fine with MGS3 being his last MGS game, and frankly I'm more interested in whatever new franchises Kojima plans to work on more than this game.

Which of the new gameplay systems are you the most curious about?

I'm definitely the most interested in the psychological element that they've introduced -- the idea of scaring enemy soldiers and manipulating them for your end, as well as the fact that there are two warring factions, neither of whom you are working with. I suspect these two factors will play into each other in interesting ways.

What do you want from this game? What will you expect of it when it finally arrives?

My expectations are wide open. You could play the entire game as Metal Gear (the personal assistant robot I mean) and I would still be happy.

What do you think the biggest obstacles facing the developers are, and do you think they will overcome them?

I frankly think the PS3 hardware is their biggest obstacle, as in every other sense Kojima has arguably the most talented development team on the planet at his disposal, but even expert coders can run into trouble when trying to learn new system architecture. This being said I think they might overcome this issue but it may result in certain ideas or features being cut to make launch.

Do you think think this game will live up to the hype?

Arguably MGS2 didn't really live up to the hype, so who knows. I think I'll be perfectly happy with it either way.
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[dongle]

I've saved money since last E3 so I can get a PS3 and this game within a reasonable timeframe of its release.

[Lurky]

My first experience with Metal Gear was the nes port of the original game, I ran around, punched some people, punched some dogs, and basically thought it was another terrible nes action game.

In the late 90's I saw screenshots of tenchu and thought it looked badass as fuck!

The Metal Gear Solid trailer was on the same opm as the Duke Nukem Time to Kill demo. I was looking forward to the release of Time to Kill, the demo was pretty fun. A friend of mine got really hyped watching the Metal Gear Solid trailer and we tryed playing the Time to Kill demo all stealth like. Sometime later I went into a game store to buy Time to Kill only to find that it's release had been pushed back again. That's when I noticed Tenchu, which had been released early! I bought it and fucking loved it.
Metal Gear Solid came out, and the friend who liked the trailer bought it and played it all the time, over and over.

I bought it a month later, when I saw a used copy cheap.
My intial impression was that it wasn't as good as tenchu, as I got a little ways into the game I realized that it was a silly comparison, somewhere along the way I got really sucked into Kojima's story. Every boss was interesting, some seemed to have really interesting back-stories. I grew fonder of the gameplay as I played further. Once I had finished it I was really impressed with the whole game, and I played it through on the harder difficulties. I liked how the hardest part of the game was the completely optional torture section, and that Snake's choice felt like it was really being presented to you. Do you try to endure the torture or do you yield and let meryl die? How much of a man is snake?

I bought the nes game and played it through with some understanding of what Kojima was trying to make, it wasn't exploiting poor AI to just walk past guards, sneaking past was what you were supposed to do! I got a ways, found it kind of enjoyable. I didn't finish it though.


I was hyped as fuck for the sequel. I think I may have enjoyed the trailers for this more then I enjoy most games. I really really enjoyed the first playthrough of Metal Gear Solid 2. It was the first game I bought for the ps2. The story was wierd and interesting, full of bizarre twists and shit that didn't make sense, and the game itself was full of bizarre twists and shit that didn't make sense. I was still sucked into the storyline. The boss fights were even more fun to me then those of the original. The second playthrough I tried to make sense of the story, and tried to convince myself that it made sense somehow. Big Shell wasn't as interesting a place as Shadow Moses island, and apart from Otocon, I wasn't really pleased with the voice acting. Still it was a fun ride the first time through, and it was the start of the next generation of games. I especially liked the fight with Vamp and the fight with Olga. Boss fights were the highlight to me. I was pretty hyped for what I expected to be Metal Gear Solid 3, in finding out just what happened when Ocelot left in Metal Gear and Snake followed (which during the first playthrough of Metal Gear Solid 2, I had been expecting to find out sometime later in the game.).

Sometime afterwards I played the two msx games, Metal Gear was a little better then it was on nes, but still not great.

Metal Gear 2 though! Holy shit, this game fucking rocks!
The stealth in the first Metal Gear was silly, this game actually made me feel like snake was sneaking past guards. The stealth was more believable this time around. The story was so fleshed out! It had peoples faces in the codec screen like Metal Gear Solid did. All that backstory in Metal Gear Solid, this game was were it was all from! Grey Fox!
Metal Gear 2 was more Videogame-y then Metal Gear Solid was. Most of the boss fights were fun, but were detached from the main story. The bosses were mostly silly charactures, with the exception of Grey Fox, Big Boss was somewhere inbetween a real character and a characture, playing Metal Gear Solid helped flesh him out into feeling like a real character. sneaking around in the jungle was fun, having to actually infultrate a base was fun.

Metal Gear Solid 3.
I didn't expect for this to come out on the ps2. I didn't expect for this to be a game about Big Boss. I did not expect for this game to be Metal Gear 2 in 3d. Sneaking around in the jungle was fun, having to infultrate a base was fun. Crawling under fences and through tall grass was fun. Many of the bosses were silly charactures, but the main story was interesting, and seeing more of the past of Metal Gear Solid was interesting. To me Metal Gear Solid 3 did for Revolver Ocelot what Metal Gear 2 did for Grey Fox, fleshing out his character, showing who he was before Metal Gear Solid.
The Boss was Big Boss of Metal Gear 2, the powerful and interesting parental figure who seemed better then Snake, but who needed to be fought. Like Metal Gear 2 this was a really fun game, with silly bosses, and a good story. I didn't enjoy this as much on my first playthrough as I enjoyed Metal Gear Solid 2, but unlike Metal Gear Solid 2 and unlike Metal Gear 2 I actually enjoyed the second playthrough even more then the first. The jungle was just so damn fun. It was also unlike Metal Gear 2 in that I had never really cared much about who Ocelot was before Metal Gear Solid where as I had been curious about who ninja was before. Ninja's past was constantly being alluded to, Ocelot was a well contained character in Metal Gear Solid without any need of a backstory.

I was a little suprised at how little of what happened to start Metal Gear 1, was explained in Metal Gear Solid 3. Big Boss's story seemed largely untold.

I've become less enthusiastic about the series over time, Metal Gear Solid 3 was a lot of fun, but where Metal Gear Solid 2 was the start of a new generation of games for me (one where characters finally had fleshed out facial features), Metal Gear Solid 3 didn't usher in a new anything, it was a solid videogame for people who enjoy videogames. After that second playthrough, I didn't really give it as much thought as I had given to Metal Gear Solid 2. I was no longer as intrigued with the story and the series.

I am not looking forward to Metal Gear Solid 4.
I will play it, if the means to do so become available to me, and I will probably enjoy it.




Do you believe Konami will deliver a final product with an AAA-level of quality?
Absolutely. I think the production values are going to be through the roof on Metal Gear Solid 4. Character models and animation will be fantastic, direction will be superb. Hell just look at the trailer, it's all there.

Do you trust Kojima to create both enjoyable gameplay and a unique, interesting plot?
No. Not for me anyway. I'm getting a bit tired of 3d action-adventure gameplay in general really. I'm finding long 3d games less and less enjoyable. I really like danmaku now. Slowly but surely other games aren't as appealing, especially modern 3d games. I think they continued in a direction that I'm not especially fond of. Character movement and the overall pace of games is slower then I'd like it to be. I've played six Metal Gear games (I played a bit of Ghost babel) and finished four, the four I finished were all enjoyable, but I'm not really up for a round 7, if I was I probably would have bought portable ops by now.

Will you feel regret if this turns out to truly be the last Metal Gear Solid game (by Kojima or at all)?
Maybe. I've had my fill of Metal Gear for now, but I'd like to see a new Metal Gear, and I'd like to see games move in a new direction.
Metal Gear 2 was a huge jump from Metal Gear 1, and gaming itself had evolved. Metal Gear Solid was an even bigger leap from Metal Gear 2: 3d, voice acting, so much had changed! Metal Gear Solid 2; Characters had detail, they were no longer a funny looking batch of polygons representing an idea enhanced by drawn pictures in the codec. Hell they didn't even need to draw pictures for the codec anymore!
I might like a new Metal Gear eventually, when games have something new to offer. Kojima explores the evolution of gaming with some of his games and Metal Gear was a fun series, but maybe it's time has come.

Which of the new gameplay systems are you the most curious about?
Barrel Roll

What do you want from this game? What will you expect of it when it finally arrives?
I'm not sure I want it. I'm not as into gaming as an immersive story telling mechanism as I used to be. I've never played very far into Snatcher, and as time passes the idea of playing through it fully becomes less appealing, to an extent I feel the same way about the Metal Gear series; I've enjoyed what I have played, but it doesn't feel like it's aged gracefully.

What do you think the biggest obstacles facing the developers are, and do you think they will overcome them?
Making Metal Gear gameplay feel fresh again.

Do you think think this game will live up to the hype?
How hyped is it?

I wasn't very interested in the Segacd or the Jaguar and I didn't buy either. With the new systems I'm facing the same lack of enthusiasm. If I had bought a system back then I would have bought the Segacd, my first game would have been Sonic CD and Snatcher would likely have been second. If I do buy one of the new systems it'd be a ps3, and I'd probably buy Metal Gear Solid 4 right after I buy Pursuit Force ps3. I'm not sure I want a pursuit force 3 or a Metal Gear Solid 4 though. I'm not sure what they'll offer me over Pursuit Force 2 or Metal Gear Solid 3.

Sonic 2 was better then Sonic CD anyway.

[Rud31]

[The Drunken Samurai]

[Lurky]

[Rud31]

Nope!
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My Hawt Blog Vita Games

THERE ARE DEFINITELY WORSE VIDEO GAME PODCASTS

[The Drunken Samurai]

[inmatarian]

Theres no doubt in my mind that MGS4 would be anything but a Kojima masterpiece.

HOWEVER.

Kojima did say something about Sense being the 4th part of his Gene-Meme-Scene sequence. So, In the way that "Meme" represented F'ing with your expectations of a game (I NEED SCISSORS, 61!), "Sense" will seriously F with your expectations of what will work and what won't work. Better put, MSG2 put bad ideas in your head. MSG4 will cause you to distrust everything.

I wouldn't be surprised if one of the Cardboard Boxes in MSG4 has a bullseye on it.
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2993 badness blog email

[Adilegian]

I heard that Shinkawa mentioned that Raiden's basically just a face and a spine in MGS4. Apparently he reveals this in the latest Kojima Productions Report. I am investigating this now.

Sounds awesome!
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[Ratoslov]

[ole]

Do you believe Konami will deliver a final product with an AAA-level of quality?

Part of me is expecting something more in line with MGS2 as in 'less polish' since there's new hardware to get acquainted with and probably lots of pressure to get this launched as soon as possible. I doubt it'll make 2007 as was initially promised, by the way.
Then again I feel MGS2 was built around a point to be made (whatever that point might be) while MGS3 was conceived as a sum of fun setpieces and mechanics only later wrapped together as a spy flick. MGS4's premise with it's large battlefields hosting various skirmishes seem to lean more toward the latter.
To sum it up: I'm not too sure. Will MGS3 remain a "happy accident" ?

Do you trust Kojima to create both enjoyable gameplay and a unique, interesting plot?

Enjoyable gameplay is a given.
I never had too many expectations about plot in the series. To me Kojima's stories were always good fun sprinkled with intriguiging concepts. I don't give a shit about the Patriots subplot for instance, they made sense in the context of MGS2 but seemed forced into later games to please the fans.
One aspect I am anxious about though is Old Snake's fate. Despite all the siliness, I do care about some of these characters and seeing Snake put a gun in his mouth certainly didn't leave me cold. Now, whether he lives or dies doesn't matter as long as the conclusion is handled with a little dignity and restraint. That suicide scene better not be a stupid twist or red herring. Don't toy with my emotions Kojima >:(

As a sidenote, I'm really interested in the parallel between a dying Snake and a worn-out Kojima. How everyone and everything looks so old and tired in MGS4. How the aesthetics are mostly black and white (just look at that light-haired Snake in a black tuxedo VS dark-haired Otacon wearing a white coat in last E3's trailer)... there's something nostalgic and sad about this game.

Will you feel regret if this turns out to truly be the last Metal Gear Solid game (by Kojima or at all)?

Not in the least. It's the perfect set-up to end the series.
And I'm not too keen about Kojima's concept of Snake and the Metal Gear mythos being derived into multiple alternative worlds and stories. History and continuity seems very important to MGS' appeal, and whether Kojima wants it or not, it's got his own imprint all over it. It's just not the same without his input and MGS4 serves only to strenghten this.

Which of the new gameplay systems are you the most curious about?

Not a system per se, but I'm most curious about how the different factions will be handled. We've seen soldiers fighting and killing each other, but what happens when a single group is taken out, does the surviving team stand there camping ? Do they investigate further until they find other enemies to fight ? Is there a finite amount of soldiers ? How much of it will be scripted ? If it's all real-time, would it be possible for the player to just wait things out until a certain side has cleared the map ? etc.

What do you want from this game? What will you expect of it when it finally arrives?

Huge playgrounds, basically. I don't think there has been much discussion about how the environments wil be handled: streamed or not, and if not just how big can we expect each map to be ?
Lately I've been pondering the importance of physical continuity in games that try to immerse players in their world. Shadow of the Colossus made a lasting impression on me and I'm convinced this is the way to go, especially after seeing FFXII's wonderful environments constantly cut by black screens. Loadings are a thing of the past.

What do you think the biggest obstacles facing the developers are, and do you think they will overcome them?

PS3 hardware ? Haven't really thought about this...

Do you think think this game will live up to the hype?

Hype is a curious beast, especially when you wallow in strange places like GAF. There's no pleasing everyone anyway.
I don't care about "hype" as long as I'm pleased and I'm really liking what I've seen of the game so far. Again, this is expecting something akin to MGS3 rather than MGS2's surprise! approach. But even then I wasn't dissappointed with MGS2... so yeah let's just say it will live up to the hype.

[Schwere Viper]

[parkbench]

Do you believe Konami will deliver a final product with an AAA-level of quality?

Though I'm fearful for MGS's next-gen future, I'm going to have to put my trust in Kojima. He hasn't failed me yet. I'm not really clear on how it's all going to work, especially with the whole new camera system thing, but I have good reason to believe that anything that man touches will instantly become gold.

Do you trust Kojima to create both enjoyable gameplay and a unique, interesting plot?

I love the MGS series's plot. I don't understand why it gets so much flak. How is it that people can openly accept The Invisibles and Transmetropolitan and Being John Malkovich and Haruki Murakami and pretty much anything else, but MGS is somehow beyond on the threshold? I don't really know how you make 'quasi-magical realism one-man army taking on a massive international conspiracy' realistic. The answer is, you're not supposed to. Kojima always creates a colorful cast of absurd characters who dance on the stage that is his game.

Watch the movie "Smoking Aces" to learn two things: one, how to emulate Kojima poorly, and two, why Kojima is so good at what he does.

Will you feel regret if this turns out to truly be the last Metal Gear Solid game (by Kojima or at all)?

Well, I mean. It's inevitable, and probably for the best. I'd rather it be the end than have it artificially inflated for economic reasons. But it will still be a sad moment for me.

Which of the new gameplay systems are you the most curious about?

To tell you the truth, I don't know much about them. Except that the environment is extremely malleable, or something. Which is totally hot.

What do you want from this game? What will you expect of it when it finally arrives?

I'm not sure what I expect. I want an epic experience. I want it to not be on the PS3. That's about it.

What do you think the biggest obstacles facing the developers are, and do you think they will overcome them?

Well, programming on the PS3 is a real bitch apparently. But other than that, again, I don't really know much about the developments of the game, so I couldn't say.

Do you think think this game will live up to the hype?

It has to.