I will give them one thing: I'm actually really feeling the whole 80s-metal style to the logos, soundtrack and overall vibe. I think that's actually a pretty cool art direction to utilize.

But I was never really into Rising to begin with. It was kinda hard when it was announced alongside a full, co-op Metal Gear starring Big Boss. It was pretty much the game they gave Microsoft for their "Level the Playing Field" initiative this generation, but like other titles in that category, it's devolved into a confused concept lost in development hell before it just gets released as something we've seen before.

About the setting... I do think it's dumb to change it to after MGS4. For a game with so many brilliant moments to close that chapter of the series with a heartwarming ending in which every character finds peace after decades of hell, it's completely undermined for it being "time for Jack... to let 'er rrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiip!!!!" LOL. And I do think him flinging RAYs as if it's nothing is silly, because it cheapens that moment at the end of Act 4 that you guys have brought up already.

Despite my concerns of the original, as Nirojan's said, it still looked like a Metal Gear, with all the bizarre-ness of the art design, the high quality graphics engine, and new innovations for the series like destructible environments. But this looks like every action game that's been released every three months since this generation started, with the magnet-mechanics dragging you towards enemies to boot. I mean, damn, even graphically it looks pretty generic.

I'm a fan of Metal Gear, I play them because of Kojima's vision and his genius, that unpalpable signature feel he brings to his games, and I just don't have interest in something like this. I'll wait to see how Project Ogre materializes, keep unlocking items and completing side missions in Peace Walker, and continue clamoring for a new iteration of Metal Gear Online (which the switch to Platinum Games undoubtedly killed any chance of...)