Our favourite eyepatch wearing mercenary is back for the conclusion to Metal Gear Solid V, this time round sporting far more scars and a few bionic limbs. Yes Snake has returned for Konami Digital's The Phantom Pain, which has now been officially dated for a September 1st release. To jog your memories as to what The Phantom Pain is all about, check out the E3 trailer after the break.  

We first caught glimpses of The Phantom Pain's gameplay (featured in the 30 min video below) at the Tokyo Game Show late last year, and it looked as slick and polished as we're used to seeing from Konami. A few short months later and Konami has spilled the beans on when PS4 and Xbox One gamers can look forward to playing it. Also announced were a series of exclusive Special Editions, which means some extra consideration must be given to how we'll be spending our pocket money come September.

Better, Faster, Stronger

First though, some of the gaming elements that Konami has highlighted for this upcoming title. It appears as though the weather will be playing an important part into how well gamers can adapt to their environment, as new enemy tactics have been built into Phantom Pain which change according to the weather. If it's raining for example, that enemy soldier might be less inclined to check out that noise he heard in the distance.

Konami has also refined the Close Quarters Combat system to make Snake a bit more lethal when dealing out melee attacks. Enemy AI is also improved, which means taking down a generic soldier will prove a far harder task than before. As expected, the Phantom Pain will see a number of eccentric bosses come to the fore, as only MGS can deliver. Chief among them is the hideously disfigured Skull Face, and fanservice baiting Quiet (a mute female warrior who seems to have lost her shirt, as she only wears black bikini top).

Party Favours

Now for the special editions, two of which are worth mentioning. Konami will be releasing a Day 1 Edition, which will feature a few unique skins, new maps and an experience boost to MGS Online. The other is a Collector's Edition, which has a half scale replica of the bionic armed Snake, as well as a behind the scenes Blu-Ray Disc and a few in-game DLCs.  

Although Phantom Pain's release is confirmed, the Special Editions are yet to be made available for purchase, with pricing also being a mystery at this stage.