The game takes place four years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Raiden, once a child soldier known as Jack, has become a mercenary and the leader of a company called Maverick Security Consulting. He adopts the codename "Metal Gear Rising" and works to protect a client in the country of Cambodia. However, upon arriving, Raiden discovers that the situation is more complex than expected, involving a private military company (PMC) called Desperado and a mysterious individual known as Senator Armstrong.