Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (REVIEW)

written by Celeste Tainari B. (@elidmorvive)

“Metal Gear Solid V”, Let’s clear somethings up regarding this highly anticipated, trembling with excitement PAX Weekend game. Metal Gear Solid “V” is actually NOT Metal Gear Solid “5” as many call it. And it’s actually be confirmed by Kojima that it’s a “V” not a “5.’ Perhaps V stands for Venom Snake, who is the main character you play as throughout the game. 

Now, if you’re a regular “Metal Gear Solid” fan, you’d know that this has been a game EVERYONE in this fan base has been waiting for. At least, that's what I believe.

D-Dog... one of the best things in this game!

The very first Metal Gear release was back in 1987 for MSX2. From there, you branch off. Metal Gear started out as the first game using Solid Snake. His mission was to go into Outer Haven and destroy the nuclear weapon “Metal Gear”, along the way you meet other characters like Gray Fox, and actually “Duke” it out with Big Boss. 

Big Boss is actually the “character” you'll be playing as in Metal Gear Solid “V”. Also known as Venom Snake, aka Punished “Venom” Snake. There's so many code names to keep up in this game it's ridiculous. But, anyways, moving on. So let's start with how EXCITED I was with this game. I had been waiting YEARS, along with EVERYONE ELSE after MGSIV, then we got the HD edition for Metal Gear 2, 3, and the Peacewalkers. And then Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. Let's not mention AciD. Even though, Kojima actually really loves that game apparently. 

my pain... is like a phantom

So, once I got my hands on MGSV, it was literally all I played for the entire week. I'll try my best not to give away spoilers. 

As stated, you start out as Venom Snake, if you played Ground Zeroes and uploaded your saved data, you get some extra items and gear to help aid you in the playthrough of MGSV. This game is definitely in another league of its own. Close to Open world, the sneak factor isn't really so much of a big element like the others games, I mean YOU CAN Sneak, by far you can, even use tranqs, but that's for more of the hard core MGS Fans, and if you're anyone trying to do a speed run, most people just rush in through the chapters with guns blazing.

The graphics, are to say the least, amazing. I love the amount of detail from the rocks in the desert to the scars on Venom's face, the visuals really are breathtaking. No wonder it took nearly 7 years for us to get a damn game after MGSIV. (I'm not counting ground zero, especially since it was a cocktease of anything. OH KOJIMA.)

hello...

Moving on from visuals, the voice acting isn't TOO horrible. You don't really hear Venom talk too much, he's voiced by Keifer Sutherland (Emmy Award winning lead from 24) rather than MGS mainstay David Hayter. Dialog is mainly either Ocelot speaking to you through the communicator, Kazuhira's whining about keeping Quiet, or every now and then, you'll hear Venom talk through some tape recordings. But other than that, I found the cutscenes and voice acting very lacking in MGSV. I remember people complaining how MGSIV was nothing but a movie. Now they complain that MGSV is nothing but gameplay and no cutscenes. PICK A SIDE PEOPLE. 

Controls aren't very difficult in this game since they actually had the decency to give you a tutorial mode right in the beginning of the game that lasted like a full 30 minutes. It could get a bit annoying when trying to interrogate individuals only to accidentally throw them over a shoulder, but....eh... whatever.

bang bang

Some of the things I didn't like in the game were the reused missions for side quests. Sure, side quest are optional, but if you want to build up your Motherbase; get more gear, get more items, recruit more soldiers... the side missions are kind of a must. The only thing that was annoying were the recycling of side missions. “This guy is a translator, go get him, Snake. “
“That place has a heavy armory. Go destroy it, Snake.”
“That guy was a part of our old group. Bring him home, Snake!” 

And on and on. *sigh*

meet Quiet

They recycled missions, so after doing the first few constantly, having to do them AGAIN only at a harder difficulty was not pleasing. 

One funny thing about this game was the chicken hat you get to wear if you die too much. And trust me, there are just some of those story missions that make you want to throw your controller across the room, ESPECIALLY if you're trying the “no kill” run through. After dying at least 2- 3 times, you're prompted to wear the chicken hat.

ya chicken Snake?

And man do they rub it in especially if it moves to a cut scene right after your mission...

The online play had a few issues right in the beginning, but as far as I know right now, it's been patched and is actually really fun. You try to take over another player's Motherbase and steal their crap. Fun right?

I didn't want to say too much about the characters, or who appears. Really trying to keep this as spoiler-less as possible.

VERDICT

So, as much as I LOVE Metal Gear and how different the mechanics are from its previous iterations, it's not Game of the Year. You can definitely tell WHICH part in the game Kojima stops writing. (Especially due to the whole Konami FIRING HIM. THAT'S RIGHT KONAMI. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. AND YOU SUCK. BURN!).

Pros

+ Making your own MotherBase. Recruiting who you want and don't want
+ Online Gameplay. (Look forward to Metal Gear Solid Online)
+ Story was AMAZING, up until maybe ¾ in.
+ The Mods for PC Version. (These are great. I can't get enough of them...)

Cons

- NOT ENOUGH CUTSCENES AND VOICE ACTING. 
- Is this Gundam Wing?