May 19, 2005 - Konami's E3 conference on Tuesday was prefaced by mounds of hype and speculation regarding the possible announcement of Metal Gear Solid 4. With the conference now behind us, we've finally got answers to a few key questions. MGS4 will be on PlayStation3, and we now know that Hideo Kojima's role in the production will be every bit as hands-on as before. But in typical Kojima fashion, these answers didn't come without presenting a million other questions that need to be answered.
What is Raiden's role in the trailer? What's the setting? Which characters will make an appearance in MGS4? Konami's E3 presentation for Metal Gear Solid 4 was brilliant comedy, but it hardly gives a hint of what's to come from the game. Perhaps the best form of evidence produced by Konami is a large piece of poster art that presents eight characters to star in MGS4. Combine the right bit of knowledge with this character art and the following speculation of Metal Gear Solid 4's story unfolds.
Spoiler Warning: It's impossible to speculate about the future of Metal Gear without revealing details of Metal Gears past. If you'd like to avoid spoilers for Metal Gear Solid, Sons of Liberty or Snake Eater, we highly suggest you stop reading. Right about now.
To speculate on the future of Metal Gear's plot we've got to first understand the basis of the characters' motives. On the surface, Metal Gear Solid is a story about a very sneaky dude trying to destroy a very giant robot, but that's far from everything that's going in Metal Gear. Spend some time contemplating the series and you'll discover that the main conflict of Metal Gear underlies the bulk of the storytelling. Describing the conflict without going completely nuts is impossible (which is why we're sure Kojima is brilliantly insane), so bear with us for a bit.
The central conflict that binds together all Metal Gear games is the fight to break out from under the control of a faceless organization that controls governments around the world. This organization is generally named the Patriots (also the La Li Lu Le Lo, or the Philosophers). In the world of Metal Gear, all US government actions are scripted and dictated by the Patriots. Presidents are chosen, not elected, and the Patriots manipulate media to sway public opinion. The Patriots prevent true freedom, and there's a constant struggle to topple the organization.
The Characters of Metal Gear Solid 4
By no means do we know for certain which characters will play a role in MGS4, but we do have character art for eight different characters that we expect to be a big part of the game. Most of these are returning characters from what we can tell, which gives us insight to the future story.
Vamp
Other Appearances: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Are we sure this is him?: Yes
This is surely Vamp of Metal Gear Solid 2 fame. The tell-tale bullet hole in his head makes this clear beyond most doubt, so we feel safe saying that Vamp is coming back for Metal Gear Solid 4. In Sons of Liberty, we learn that Vamp is a member of a group called Dead Cell that's basically a mock terrorist group used to test the defenses of government facilities. In short, the US government formed Dead Cell to attack the US's own facilities as training for US forces.
In Sons of Liberty, Dead Cell's leader Colonel Jackson is imprisoned by the government and dies in jail, which is why Dead Cell turns away from the Patriots' rule. In the Big Shell terrorist incident (again, in Sons of Liberty), Dead Cell joins forces with Solidus in an attempt to damage the Patriots.
Near the end of Metal Gear Solid 2, we assume that Vamp is killed by a sniper shot; he falls into the ocean after being shot, but we never actually see him die. However, his appearance in this new MGS4 poster suggests that, in fact, he didn't die in that incident.
The situation with Vamp also raises questions about the possible return of Fortune, another member of Dead Cell and wife of the deceased Colonel Jackson. At the end of Sons of Liberty, Fortune learns that Ocelot killed her father, Scott Dolph, in the Tanker incident that makes up the first portion of the game (with Solid Snake). Fortune gets shot by Ocelot and we assume she dies afterwards, but much like Vamp her death isn't obvious. We might just see this killer vixen make a return with Vamp in some sort of effort against the Patriots.
Meryl Silverburg
Other Appearances: Metal Gear Solid
Are we sure this is her?: Yes
Meryl made her first appearance in Metal Gear Solid on PlayStation where she aided Solid Snake in defeating Liquid Snake's terrorist threat in Alaska. Meryl is the daughter of Colonel Campbell, the familiar face that guides Snake through Metal Gear Solid and Sons of Liberty. She's sent into the terrorist situation of Alaska in order to coerce Colonel Campbell into working with the Patriots (bringing Solid Snake with him) to squelch Liquid Snake's rebellion.
We don't really know what happens to Meryl after the events of Metal Gear Solid, but we do know that she's still alive. Metal Gear Solid has two possible endings, one of which leaves Meryl dead. The true Metal Gear Solid ending shows Meryl riding away from the Alaskan weapon storage facility with Solid Snake.
We've really no clue as to why Meryl is returning to the story. It's possible that Meryl joined Solid Snake and Otacon in their non-governmental organization, Philanthropy, which is dedicated to wiping out all Metal Gear projects. Philanthropy operates outside of the jurisdiction of any higher power, beyond even the US government and the Patriots. If she did join Philanthropy, her role in MGS4 could simply be support for Solid Snake as we really don't know her personal motives.
