Not being able to read Japanese totally sucks when a lot of good games get announced or featured in the pages of Famitsu and other Japanese gaming magazines. Oh well, at least there are still some people out there kind enough to translate the stuff for everybody else.

According to a post on NeoGAF, Hideo Kojima doesn't reveal a lot about the next MGS game in the interview apart from confirming that it takes place in the "Metal Gear Saga" timeline. There's also a hint that the game will cover different time periods.

Interestingly enough, he never once referred to the guy who general concensus thinks is Big Boss as Big Boss. Kojima just kept referring to him as "this old man". The patch on "Big Boss"'s beret also has a different-looking symbol. Maybe it's not Big Boss?

Kojima also mentioned that the system of the game will be new, although he refrained from elaborating. The MGS4 staff will be handling this one, and while the core target is Japan, there will definitely be a worldwide release.

  

There's also been some talk about who the character shown in the left page of the first scan above is. Some say he's Raiden, some say Gray Fox. I'm leaning towards the latter (the damaged eye, the bandanna, plus I just think he's more badass) but there are timeline issues that seem to rule it out. Oh, and he's dead, so there's that too.

Then again, this is freakin' Metal Gear. Cloning, nanomachines, hypnotizing yourself so you think there's another guy living in your hand... ANYTHING's possible. And different time periods?

That is SO Gray Fox.

Scans courtesy of Wii @ Everyday.

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