New mode and map for Metal Gear Online News

Konami has updated the Metal Gear Online beta test with a new "Sneaking Mission" game mode and a map called "Midtown Maelstrom" based on one of the environments in Metal Gear Solid 4.

The publisher has also reassured fans that MGO is the multiplayer component of MGS4 and thus will not cost money, although it will be possible to buy additional downloadable content ("such as maps, weapons, skills, and much more") post-release.

Sneaking Mission, then, sees one player operating as Solid Snake, attempting to collect dog tags by stunning or holding up players on the red and blue teams. Meanwhile, players on those two teams have to defeat Snake a certain amount of times or kill off members of the other team.

"If more than 10 people are in the game, another player may play as Snake's mini robotic sidekick Mk. II, to assist the Snake player," says Konami. "If you are playing as Snake, you have many of his incredible abilities available to you - such as the camouflage!" Presumably you can also talk to yourself about valour and the meaning of being a soldier and Godzilla, too.

As for the new map, Midtown Maelstrom, "This is a part of the Middle East stage in MGS4. This consists of some main streets and alternate routes. Numerous alleys are in between buildings, and are dark, narrow, and very confusing."

For more on that, including a few pics, and some updates on the community site, microphone support and so on, check out the full Konami update on the US PlayStation Blog.

Look out for our review of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots as we close in on the game's 12th June worldwide release date.