The only things that makes me wonder if Rising might be set after MGS4 are the screws in Raiden's head and his orange coloured eyes – and the bandana over his right eye, which looks surprisingly familiar to Snake's bandana. Here are few reasons as to why I think Rising being a prequel is unlikely.

Firstly, if Rising is set between the events of MGS2 and MGS4, then that would mean that Raiden's eye-colour would have to change from blue, as it was in MGS2, to orange, and then, back to blue, again – as they were in MGS4. That's a hell of a lot of irregular eye-colour changing – in opinion. Secondly, it would also mean that his jaw, which is constructed entirely from metal, would have to be remade into a normal human jaw – again, as it was in MGS4; and how would that be possible? And lastly, it would also mean, bizarrely, that Raiden would have to have taken Snake's bandana from him before he even died, presuming of course, that is even Snake's bandana to begin with – although it does look very similar.

Furthermore, why has Raiden got his right-eye concealed? Is he poking fun at Snake, or, is he wearing it in memory of Snake, who he obviously admired and respected a great amount? In which case, it could possibly indicate towards Snake being dead, and the bandana could be used symbolically to imply 'the passing of the torch' onto Raiden – from mentor to student. Passing things onto the 'next generation' is a prevalent theme throughout the MGS series. Additionally, in the E3 presentational artwork, Raiden is also seen straddling the back of Crying Wolf, wearing his normal visor from MGS4 and same exoskeleton-suit, different to the heavy-armour plated suit he's seen wearing in the other image. This could mean one of two things:

Rising takes place in two separate time-periods, or, perhaps, there are two entirely different Raiden's? I agree; it's a little far-farfetched – but it's certainly not impossible. So, the Raiden seen with the heavy-armour, uncharacteristic orange eyes, and bandana concealing his right-eye, could be a robotically-constructed version of Raiden – or someone else entirely all together, and the Raiden straddling the back of Crying Wolf wearing his normal exoskeleton-suit is the real Raiden.

Also, the screws in Raiden's head weren't there in MGS4, so what are they for and when did they appear? We know that Raiden was constructed into a cyborg before the events of MGS4 when he rescued Sunny, he got damaged – was rescued by Dr Marder, and constructed into the cyborg as he subsequently appeared in MGS4, so maybe, the screws in his head, were the Patriots handy-work – before Raiden got rescued. Or alternately, maybe it's something that happened to him after MGS4; both are equally as plausible as one another.

Next, his eye-colour. As I mentioned earlier. Raiden had blue eyes in MGS2 and MGS4. So, if the game takes place between the events of MGS2 and MGS4 then that would mean that his eye-colour would need to change from blue, to orange, and then – back to blue again! Bizarre? I'd say. For this reason alone, I'd say the pigmentation alteration in his eye-colour was something that happened to him after MGS4, not before. As for an explanation? Well, if I had to throw out a guess, I'd say that Raiden's change in eye-colour is a result from nanomachines (I'm playing it safe).

Either that; or as I said before – the Raiden with the heavy plated-armour and orange eyes may not be the real Raiden. Yes, I know, in the Podcast they say 'Raiden is Back'. Raiden appearing in Rising is an established fact, but that doesn't automatically mean that the Raiden-look-alike, with obvious differences in appearance to the Raiden we are all familiar with, is the real Raiden. Kojima could be pulling the wool over our eyes. Don't forget – so far we have been shown two Raiden's completely different in appearance; one with him wearing his normal suit from MGS4 straddling the back of what appears to be Crying Wolf, and the other with him in the heavily-armoured suit, with orange-eyes, screws in his head, complete with a metal jaw.

>> http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j304/A...Raiden.jpg (image linked due to size)

As you can appreciate from the image presented above Raiden clearly had a human jaw in MGS4 – it wasn't metal. Therefore, how could Raiden be fitted with a human jaw after he was fitted with a metal jaw (if Rising is a prequel as some people are speculating)? You can't fit someone with a human jaw after they've been fitted with a metal jaw. To me, that would be impossible, wouldn't it? Once again – this to me further strengthens the idea that Rising will be a sequel.

Another thing that would strengthen the idea that Rising takes place after MGS4; is what Sunny said in MGS4, after she cooks her eggs; she mentions that it looks like a Sun 'rising'. Incidentally as well, in MGS2 – President Johnson mentions that if the Patriots were removed from power there would be a struggle between new warring factions, and this was also hinted at the end of MGS4 – so, perhaps the 'Rising' in the title (if it is a sequel) could mean these new warring factions are rising up and struggling for power? It's a fair assumption to make, I think.

hmmmm touché salesman...


youve given me oodles to ponder...

(no sarcasm, good job deducting. also e3 artwork? link plz?)

First, this is a very good first post, thank you, I appreciate your analysing skill xD!
I like your conclusion with the Sunny quote!
Storywise, I wonder if it's good to get Raiden back to a cyborg having the mgs4 ending back in mind.

But I have a little theory too, I don't want to go to much in the details, but I think it could be indeed a prequel to mgs4!

We know that Raiden was captured by the Patriots, so could it perchange be that Bandana Raiden could be an unfinished cyborg version of Raiden?
But the eye color ultimately eliminates this theory, so it could really mean, that this isn't Raiden on the picture after all! They told us that Raiden is back, but they did not say it was him in the Teaser!

Again, good post Snape!

question:


say it IS raiden. and say its after mgs4. y would they take Raiden apart and make him into a cyborg AGAIN? he got a new body at the end of 4 mirite? that doesnt rly add up

Quote:The only things that makes me wonder if Rising might be set after MGS4 are the screws in Raiden's head and his orange coloured eyes – and the bandana over his right eye, which looks surprisingly familiar to Snake's bandana. Here are few reasons as to why I think Rising being a prequel is unlikely.

The things you listed make be believe either;
-It's a prequel to MGS4
-It's not Raiden.

Of course we'll have to see a real trailer, before we'll know for sure.

Quote:Firstly, if Rising is set between the events of MGS2 and MGS4, then that would mean that Raiden's eye-colour would have to change from blue, as it was in MGS2, to orange, and then, back to blue, again – as they were in MGS4. That's a hell of a lot of irregular eye-colour changing – in opinion. Secondly, it would also mean that his jaw, which is constructed entirely from metal, would have to be remade into a normal human jaw – again, as it was in MGS4; and how would that be possible? And lastly, it would also mean, bizarrely, that Raiden would have to have taken Snake's bandana from him before he even died, presuming of course, that is even Snake's bandana to begin with – although it does look very similar.

Eye color, I don't see it meaning anything. It could had been a problem when they where turning him into a cyborg. Or, it could be a completely different Raiden.

Quote:Furthermore, why has Raiden got his right-eye concealed?

This goes with, him being experimented on BEFORE MGS4, and having problems with his eye. It does look like Snake's, but you can't be sure tbh.

Quote:Additionally, in the E3 presentational artwork, Raiden is also seen straddling the back of Crying Wolf, wearing his normal visor from MGS4 and same exoskeleton-suit, different to the heavy-armour plated suit he's seen wearing in the other image.

Another reason why I'd say pre-MGS4. Wolf dies on Shadow Moses(MGS4). Unless they make another suit like hers, or it could be prequel and Raiden disabling, or Wolf helping him(sounds far fetched but possible in the MGS world).

Quote:Rising takes place in two separate time-periods, or, perhaps, there are two entirely different Raiden's? I agree; it's a little far-farfetched – but it's certainly not impossible.

I believe it will atleast be MGS2 Raiden --> MGS4 Raiden. Therefor, that is 2 different Raidens.

Quote:Also, the screws in Raiden's head weren't there in MGS4

This points to him being "worked" on before MGS4. In the process of him turning into a ninja.

Quote:Next, his eye-colour. As I mentioned earlier. Raiden had blue eyes in MGS2 and MGS4. So, if the game takes place between the events of MGS2 and MGS4 then that would mean that his eye-colour would need to change from blue, to orange, and then – back to blue again! Bizarre? I'd say.

Not really. He was experimented on, they could have tried replacing his eyes with something - artificial. Lets say like Snake's solid eye, or similar.

Quote:so far we have been shown two Raiden's completely different in appearance; one with him wearing his normal suit from MGS4 straddling the back of what appears to be Crying Wolf, and the other with him in the heavily-armoured suit, with orange-eyes, screws in his head, complete with a metal jaw.

Which points to as I listed before, MGS2 --> this "unknown" experimented on Raiden --> MGS4 Raiden. Or completely different, I won't throw that possibility out.

Quote:As you can appreciate from the image presented above Raiden clearly had a human jaw in MGS4 – it wasn't metal. Therefore, how could Raiden be fitted with a human jaw after he was fitted with a metal jaw (if Rising is a prequel as some people are speculating)? You can't fit someone with a human jaw after they've been fitted with a metal jaw. To me, that would be impossible, wouldn't it? Once again – this to me further strengthens the idea that Rising will be a sequel.

How do you know it was human? Looking at the end of MGS4, they completely covered his body with human tissue - meaning they could have done the same here.

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I believe its set between MGS2 and MGS4, with his change from MGS2 Raiden, to MGS4 Ninja Raiden. Main reason being, they "killed" Raiden off at the end of MGS4, with a son & girl friend(or soon to be wife, i'm sure).

Lets say this is set after MGS4, that would be them changing MGS2 Raiden > MGS4 Raiden > Cyborg "human" look > back to Cyborg. And as you listed, that's alot of changes, and im sure the suit would be almost identical or atleast improvements. A bulky suit is not improvements.

It's very possible its two different Raidens. TBH to me the new Raiden looks almost like a female. Meaning, this could be Sunny(?) after MGS4. She loved Raiden, so if its a sequel I'd point to her being involved as a cyborg, or something similar.

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that last Sunny comment is disturbing, but goddam would that be awesome... Olgas kid ninja badass?

but then again, y would the suit be bulkier/less technological/wutevr?

Katana Wrote:that last Sunny comment is disturbing..

This!

But I don't think that is meant to be Sunny on the picture.

In a KP Report they said: "Those who watched the site, they might have noticed all the little hints etc."!
And I think they pretty much mean it that way, so the person we encountered during the countdown is indeed Raiden!

On the other hand we have this Project Snatcher theory
This leads to Big Boss, who suffered a similiar procedure! (According to the MGS Database):


But there another thing that catched my eye: Do you see that barcode like stamp above his bandanna?

No one can't tell if the jaw is metal or not, that's an assumption simply from your point of view.

I don't know if this will be a prequel or sequel. I honestly believe the eye color was just a screw up, unless someone has evidence to prove otherwise. I like the brown color better though.

I really don't care though. Whatever comes out of this, I'll buy it and most likely love it like every other MGS game. The only problem for me is that the only thing Hideo said good about the game at E3 was "It has really good cut scenes". I'm pretty sure you all have seen it, but if someone wants me to link it I will

still waiting 4 the concept sketch with crying wolf...

I personally dont see the crying wolf picture any relevance to this new game it could just be concept art or promotional art , secondly hideo kojimas own words were completely new gameplay experiance and new story he wrapped up everything in Metal Gear Solid 4 and everything we have learned in past games is Solid Snakes story and kojima said that Mgs4 was the conclusion of solid snakes story. Third im going more towards a game that is set before the events of metal gear solid 4 but has no significance to metal gear solid 4 as in it tells the events before mgs4 from raidens perspective from him rescuing sonny to him finding big bosses body for big mama. Why do you automaticly assume just becouse raiden is dressed as a ninja that he was rebuilt as a ninja again if im not mistaken u dont necassarly be built into the cyborg ninja in the mgs franchise gray fox and raiden in mgs4 were but if u remember olga was a ninja and she wasnt built as a ninja it was just a suit .

I dodn't even read any posts after the first cause they just can't stand up to the 5+ paragraph essay you wrote on why you think Rising is a sequel not a prequel...all hail...bow to the master...our king JOEL SNAPE!!

WHAT!? ~MatthewAlan

all of his points were molested by Matts insane deductive skills...

Warned for spam. ~MatthewAlan

Suspended for a week for being 3rd warning ~MatthewAlan

Calico-Jester Wrote:I dodn't even read any posts after the first cause they just can't stand up to the 5+ paragraph essay you wrote on why you think Rising is a sequel not a prequel...all hail...bow to the master...our king JOEL SNAPE!!

WHAT!? ~MatthewAlan

You know for someone who has experienced the horrors of war you sound like a pretty immature kid.I mean really,just point out the things you disagree with and stop making fun of people.

I really thought aquired eye discolorisation was because of sickness in the body. That's what i would think about having those cybernetic augmentations it would affect the pigment. But then again i just read the books on iridology. Maybe those bolts there are ports that allow him to plug himself in and network with external computers like Ghost in the Shell. That might not be Raiden it might be the return of Raikov from the Gru. Colonel Volgin was a kind of cyborg too. I was wondering why Raikov was the splitting image of Raiden, he even does similar close combat techniques. I don't know how the Patriots could be removed from power, we don't even know who they are. The woodland scene portrayed in Next however looks just like the Russia of Metal Gear Solid 3. Another explanation is that the image is infact Big Boss looking at himself in the mirror, haunted by The Sorrow with his prophesies of the Sons of Big Bosses Sons. That being Raiden who was called son by Solidus Snake. The patch covering his eye is precisely where Big Boss would see his eye patch if im not mistaken, and we did see Big Boss in the Next trailer, there is no need to percieve that next is referring to two different games with it's content, Next might not have indicated Peacewalker anyway. It certainly wasn't a vision for Metal Gear Solid Arcade.

Well the game might continue past MGS4 and end at a point after it. Could get to re-enact that fight with Vamp. I hear some people saying that this is a prequel but i find it hard to believe when you see snakes head band covering raidens eye and his body looks different from MGS4. Anyway if this is a prequel they should have just made a remake of MGS4 letting you play with raiden and snake. I wanted to play with raiden when MGS4 came out.

This is a prequel confirmed by KP to take place between MGS2 and MGS4.

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