Hideo Kojima, creator and director of the legendary Metal Gear Solid series of video games, will be in HMV's Oxford Street branch on March 9th signing copies of the latest and greatest addition to the series: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

Kojima-san will be signing copies of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater in the first floor games section of the store from 17:00-18:00 for anyone purchasing the eagerly-awaited stealth title that day. It is part of a European promotional tour for the new game, which is released on March 4th exclusively for PlayStation 2 and is already being hailed as one of the key releases of 2005.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater concludes Hideo Kojima's original trilogy of stealth-action titles. Set during the Cold War, the game eschews the urban settings of its predecessors and drops its hero, Snake, into a remote jungle in Afghanistan. Players guide Snake as he attempts to locate and rescue a defecting scientist, but a series of plot twists showcase double-crossings and reveal a duplicitous mentor from Snake's past as player's pick their way through Kojima-san's cinematic masterpiece.

The new game features a number of unique elements that ensure the Konami title is the most realistic action title imaginable. Players can switch camouflage outfits in order to blend in with the jungle surroundings, while an all-new close quarters combat system allows players to sneak up on unsuspecting guards and either snap their necks soundlessly to avoid detection or use them as human shields to avoid capture. Similarly, while the jungle offers Snake cover, players must ensure they are wary as they progress through its hazardous section as rustling leaves and cracking twigs will give away his position to the patrolling guards and their dogs.