Sunday, December 13, 2015

Video Game Review : Metal Gear Solid 5 : The Phantom Pain

(Something new , once in a while )

Metal Gear Solid 5( - 2) : The Phantom Pain :  Well that was a whole lot of stuff. Both in that the game is really really long, longest one in the series and surprising for a game like this. But also in that alot is going on in it. Where do I even begin..... Just with all of it! What shines the brightest is the core stealth gameplay. Mgs is always about using one's own approach in big areas with cool gadgets, and well the open world design was the next logical step and leads to some crazy things. Sneak in, guns blazing, helicopter assault, use comrades..... the same scenario can go zillions of ways which was so fresh. The open world takes a little bit of red dead redemption and a little bit of far cry into it with its outposts and so on, with crafting components galore which meant there was always something to do. That's a good thing though since while there was some exceptions, the same formula of sandbox play is in nearly every mission and gets slightly old after dozens and dozens of hours . but by that point the amazing has been felt .This is certainly a   kojima game, and it shines in its superbly beautiful visuals , music choices, and cinematics. But maybe it became a little too much game instead of cinema influenced game like the past , since there's so few actual cutscenes. much of the juicy stuff of lore is saved for hours of audio logs, I wish some were integrated into the main action.   but the characters are all so good personality and voice actors wise , and even Kiefer does a good replacement as Big Boss, it just fits.  However if one is stubborn to change it feels like bits of classic mgs are between these huge empty stretches , but a kojima fan should know to expect experiments
The core storyline is great as a self contained story  and side ops fine within reason .  But as for the game we were promised, the fall of big boss....welll one has to play to see but things get messy here and there, with some cut stories and other bizzare choices (though it is cool to see the Ocelot/Miller dynamic, some of the best of those mentioned great voice actors ).  This is especially messy in chapter 2 with its wonky mix of challenge levels and actual great story bits which I wish were in the first part. Also there's grinding which just doesn't belong at this point.  but those good moments are worth it , it can be thought of as "bonus round " .    The other thing that got tiresome was boss fights, for a franchise which has had some of the best of all time its disappointing there's so few and so few good ones. 

The mother base system is also great once one gets a hang of it, blowing away peace walkers and making everything count. 

Oh also if all of this huge worlds and missions and secrets and bases and customizing and story wasn't enough. There's the newer patched in versus mp. The same fun gameplay but limited in maps and modes, and with barely any players it seems. But just another side dish to an meaty main course.

It's hard to say if this is the best mgs game, because of all the new things and presentation change. But if kojima never comes back, he went out with a bang and overall contender fsho for goty 2015 to me. A wild ride it was Big Boss , may the diamond dogs live on forever. 9.45 out of 10

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