Metal Gear Solid 4 creator Hideo Kojima has said his comments about being limited by the PS3 hardware were taken out of context as a result of Japanese to English translations.

He is, apparently, more than happy with what he had to work with and what he achieved, and points to the cultural difference in modesty for skewing the facts.

"I am Japanese, so I try to be modest. I'm an especially modest person. I don't wish to brag about it and say, 'I am the amazing Metal Gear guy', or say, 'This is the best one', just like how Americans brag [about] stuff like this," said Kojima in a translation on the PlayStation.com forums (translated by Kotaku).

"Westerners do not have a tradition of modesty, so the statements are translated correctly but the original meaning is totally different."

Kojima had originally said that conceptually the PS3 had appeared to be a dream machine with endless possibilities, and he had planned Metal Gear Solid 4 and its innovations with this in mind.

However, soon he had to cut back on his original vision once he ran into the "restrictions" of the Cell processor. The reality was taking just "one step" rather than 10. Apparently this was misconstrued. This is what he really wanted to say:

"Let's say this developer is making a new kind of car. He claims it can fly. And when you claim it can fly then the expectation grows so the developer sets his goals higher. The expectation is that if the car can fly then it should reach MACH speed. But it doesn't stop there; it soon gets to 'it should go into space'," said Kojima.

"However, the developer will end up going to the public and saying that the car reaches MACH speed but it fails to go into space. But he shouldn't give up, because for a car to even reach MACH speed and fly is revolutionary. I wished to transfer my thoughts like this, but it didn't work out very well."

The result is that Kojima may not do any more interviews with the English press, at least until his anger subsides.

"MGS4 isn't exactly my property so I don't have total control over it and sometimes I get confused with it. Some may be disappointed with the way I say things, but I am releasing this game with confidence," concluded Kojima.

Metal Gear Solid 4 is due out around the world on 12th June. Pop over to our Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots gamepage for our hands-on impression and plenty of trailers and screenshots.