
For the first third of the game, there’s very little to remind us of the characters introduced in Ground Zeroes or Prologue. However, as Episode 1 (each mission is structured as an episode) rolls, it is clear the approach to story is starkly minimalist. The prologue in Metal Gear Solid V promises much of the same. Kojima-san has borrowed liberally from science fiction movies, manga and anime in the past, and this has been reflected in convoluted plots, extended cutscenes, and colourful characters, reaching its peak in Metal Gear Solid 4. Not interested in blowing up armoured vehicles? Fulton-em instead! However, if I had to mention one, it would be the hilarious Fulton surface-to-air recovery device.

I have deliberately shied away from citing examples and discussing specific systems – this game is far too dynamic and complex for that. However, as a sum of its parts, Metal Gear Solid V is remarkably well balanced, and offers the most comprehensive and all-encompassing action gameplay I have ever experienced in a game. There are times where the game’s design does exceed the limits of current technology. Not every mechanic is polished and there are several inconsistencies. Combined with support from Mother Base, a seemingly endless plethora of equipment options, the weather and time-of-day systems, interacting with the environment, a surprisingly dynamic AI, changing objectives etc., all opens up almost infinite possibilities. Metal Gear Solid V is not just a stealth game, but a truly open sandbox, a semi-realistic representation of a real-world tactical espionage operation. While the open world may not offer much innovation, the gameplay within it is another matter.
#Metal gear v the phantom pain soundtrack rip free
Free roam and exploration isn’t very rewarding as both worlds are rather small and repetition sets in quickly. The environments do have a degree of intractability, but nothing special. The barren canyons and dunes of Afghanistan or the equally wild Angolan Savannah aren’t particularly interesting visually, neither are the buildings and mission areas. The open world in Metal Gear Solid V is more akin to Far Cry or Crysis than The Witcher 3 or GTA V – designed chiefly to expand gameplay possibilities rather than immerse us in the story and its world. You would even be congratulated for ignoring the given objective and executing the mission in a better way! Some missions do have rigid requirements, usually those crucial to the story. Indeed, the objective is just a guideline, and there are multiple ways to finish each mission, wherein you make your own objective. This is not just a cool quote, but also sums up the chief design concepts of this game. From there, we are left to our own devices, being told “How you do it is up to you”. Once out in the field, we are dropped somewhere in the vague mission area, with an indefinite objective. At its height, with six units, nine platforms, and hundreds of personnel (each of whom can be managed individually) this is not just a side game, but a deep, full-fledged sim – a game of its own.īored of Snake? Hungry Raccoon is just as badass.


From there, we get to expand it into a massive complex over the course of the game. The Mother Base starts off with a single Command Platform with a handful of people, based on top of what is presumably a defunct oil rig off the shores of Seychelles. The stage is set – Metal Gear Solid V is all about gameplay, with narrative taking a firm back seat. Over the course of the game, we are periodically reminded that there’s an overarching plot and an ultimate objective which carries over from Ground Zeroes and the prologue of Metal Gear Solid V.

Snake is sent out on missions, often for private contractors, with the objective of gathering resources to expand the Mother Base and its personnel. Therein lies the core of Metal Gear Solid V – developing Diamond Dogs into a powerful private army, and the game reflects this, essentially being a complex military sim. Diamond Dogs’ Mother Base is serious business.Īfter the dissolution of MSF (the private military company Snake previously headed) following the events of Ground Zeroes, Snake and surviving members of the MSF set out to build a new mercenary unit from scratch – Diamond Dogs.
