12 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About Metal Gear Solid

Back in 1998, Metal Gear Solid landed with so much purpose it made everyone's heads spin. Suddenly stories in games were being told through elaborately-designed, cinematically shot cutscenes, and characters were now fully voiced; expressing all manner of emotions, purpose and dedication. Not to mention what they were actually talking about was incredibly interesting, MGS held up a mirror to real world events such as war and politics that until then were included merely as an excuse to blow away a string of bad guys. Sure it would then go crazier and crazier over the years, but it developed a diehard following precisely because of that, giving creator Hideo Kojima a million off-kilter ideas that would infuriate just as many as they'd please. The franchise has seen everything from overweight, rollerblading psychopaths who drink from wine glasses to a variety of ninjas and even a vampire who can run on water (as you do), but it's with a flying whale and a horn-headed protagonist that 2015's The Phantom Pain looks set to be the craziest yet. For now though, this is a celebration of the coolest facts, production secrets and easter eggs from the various games' productions, alongside some really neat hidden secrets that only the most devoted fans managed to uncover.

You'll need the camera (found past Revolver Ocelot's corridor when you return with a level six security card), but there are 42 ghosts of the creative team scattered across the whole game that'll only show up when you point it in certain directions.

For Kojima himself you'll need to look at the Policenauts poster in Otacon's office (where you fight the Cyborg Ninja).