User blog:Captain Ned Edgewalker/Game Review: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

In what I believe to be one of the first game reviews here on the wiki, I am reviewing the recently released Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain in detail. Keep in mind, everything ahead is my opinion of the game as a whole, so take that into consideration.





Gameplay
In terms of gameplay, this is hands down the best game in the entire Metal Gear series. The controls are easy to learn & use, as opposed to some previous Metal Gear games in which at times it felt you were playing twister with your fingers. The AI in this game is quite simply some of the best i've seen in any game, period. The AI adopts to your play style. Tranquilize enemies immediately by hitting them in the head too often? They'll start wearing helmets. Infiltrate outposts too much at night? They'll start wearing night vision goggles. The open world is used brilliantly for infiltration. If you come into this game expecting a sprawling environment filled with things to be distracted by & filled with citizens, this is not the game for you. Infiltration options are seemingly limitless, you can go in loud & proud with the battle armor if you want and massacre the entire base, or you can go in silently without even touching the enemies.

Boss battles in this game, although there are only a few, are heart-pounding experiences and even after just 1 run-through, I can honestly say that when there are boss battles in this game, they are intense, done well, and some of the best boss battles i've ever played.

The customization in this game is extensive, you can create new guns with parts from other guns, creating these hybrids that look & feel great. You can customize your emblem, Mother Base's color & much more.

The buddy system is done very well, and I never once felt like the buddies were holding me down due to constant death or poor AI. My personal favorite buddy is Diamond Dog, although the character that Quiet develops into is simply badass.

The graphics, even on previous-gen consoles, which is what I played on, look spectacular.

And just when you think that there's nothing else to see, theres the FOB system, in which another player infiltrates a seperate base you own away from Mother Base. Although I think the FOB system could've been done better, I still think it was done very well. And, theres Metal Gear Online 3 coming on October 6th.

The soundtrack in this game is nothing short of awe-inspiring, which must be mentioned. Gameplay verdict: 10/10

Story
The story in Metal Gear Solid V feels like it's missing something. The time in-between large story plots is at times troubling, although I was definitely invested when the story progressed. The game features well-done voice acting by people such as the, ever-contriversial replacement for David Hayter as Snake, Kiefer Sutherland, who delivers a well-done, new version of Snake who is more subdued and tells more stories through subtle facial movements, also preformed by Kiefer Sutherland, as opposed to words. Troy Baker is good as Revolver Ocelot as well.

The story is ultimately lacking, although it is intriguing when cutscenes happen, and they don't happen often, seeing as this is ultimately a break-away from the traditional 45 minute long Metal Gear Solid cutscene's classic fans have become accustomed to.

Story verdict: 7/10

Final Verdict
Although this isn't the most in-depth review you'll find, I hope it's good enough.

Metal Gear Solid V is simply extraordinary, with amazing gameplay, a strong story that is unfortunately lacking, and much more to offer. If you have the money, Metal Gear Solid V is a must-own.

Final Veridict: 9.5/10