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Ever since its official debut almost 28 years ago, many gaming fans deem the Metal Gear franchise to be one of the most unique, and daresay, solid video game series to ever exist. As a matter of fact, due to the myriad titles' deft blend of epic storytelling, stealth-driven action, and impeccable gameplay mechanics, there's little doubt that expectations are high for the forthcoming Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Undoubtedly, Hideo Kojima has taken all of this into consideration, and intends on making the latest installment in the capstone in his concatenation of espionage games.

Despite Kojima and Konami's recent split, the man who created the complex series has gone on to promote its latest installment with glee, as Kojima has been active on Twitter, recently Tweeting images of Snake with a blue bionic arm, and engaging with fans on the social media platform. Such actions go to show that the legendary game designer has a passion for the franchise, and we're likely to see a great culmination of his creative prowess in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain once it releases. Sony Computer Entertainment recognizes their relationship with Kojima-san's artistry has been fruitful, and today the Japanese multinational has released a special trailer honoring their partnership, as the footage mostly focuses on the storied history of the game.

While the video above is mostly edited together with clips that nod to the past, it also hints at the future, referring to the enigmatic story behind Metal Gear 5's protagonist, Big Boss. The mystery, of course, is why the title's main character decided to shirk his role as a hero, and ultimately become a villain. Or, as the trailer puts it, fans will get "the conclusion" of the tale, for as every MGS fan knows, Kojima typically creates his characters with nuanced emotions and motivations, never explicitly painting them with broad strokes of "good" or "evil".

If everything revealed thus far is any indication of what can be expected from The Phantom Pain's narrative – the gamescom trailer featuring Psycho Mantis certainly had a lot to unpack – then surely we're in for an intricate geopolitically-themed plot that has become a franchise trademark. However, if some gamers want to eschew the elaborate story of the main campaign (it would be odd if they did), Metal Gear Solid 5 is hedging its bets by including an online multiplayer component.

With MGS 5's production being involved in so much development drama, many fans are simply happy to experience yet another game from the mind of Hideo Kojima. So hopefully, once The Phantom Pain finally releases, we'll be celebrating the game for many years to come.

With today's Metal Gear Solid trailer in mind, what's your favorite release in the series thus far? In your opinion, what's the most memorable moment from the franchise's history?

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is set to release on September 1, 2015, for PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Source: PlayStation Japan (via VG 24/7)