Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6369 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4,905 out of 6369
  2. Mixed: 824 out of 6369
  3. Negative: 640 out of 6369
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  1. stun
    Sep 1, 2015
    8
    too much weird things.. fire man, flying kid, super sonic zombies? too much japanese.. good stealth game, good gameplay but.. i say wtf when fire man on a fire unicorn chase me.. and extracting people with balloon ? please ? wanna add tenticles kojima ?
  2. r0wdy75
    Sep 2, 2015
    8
    I wasn't 100% sold on the game after the first hour or so during the prologue, however, being chased by a Flaming Unicorn whilst on the back of a speeding bike through a forest, all the while trying to slow it down with a shotgun changed all that.....amazing game 8/10!
  3. Areshandore
    Sep 8, 2015
    8
    I had a BIG expectation on this game.
    My first impressions in my first 3 hours of game-play:
    First minutes thoughts: "Hey, this is like Witcher 3 world grabbing these flowers. Maybe they're using the same engine" After not being able to cross to another side of a mountain with an alert to not abort the mission: "Hey, this is that alert I used to see in Battlefield games and I hate    I had a BIG expectation on this game.
    My first impressions in my first 3 hours of game-play:

    First minutes thoughts:
    "Hey, this is like Witcher 3 world grabbing these flowers. Maybe they're using the same engine"

    After not being able to cross to another side of a mountain with an alert to not abort the mission:
    "Hey, this is that alert I used to see in Battlefield games and I hate it. It's not open world like GTA or Witcher definitely, it's only a very large map, empty scenario but makes good wallpapers..."

    After receiving the first C rank:
    "Hmmm, I used to be better in Metal Gear Solid games, maybe I'm getting old..."

    After seeing credits on the end of each mission:
    "This is not funny, it's boring."

    Running from the "bosses" without noticing square button makes the horse run faster:
    :-/

    Wasting points for using the balloon in the tutorial:
    WTF?! D:

    Being advised that I should not use the balloon to clean dead bodies of the area:
    "Oh God, this was my first idea, this gadget should be for cleaning because grabbing soldiers for my own army is not fun".

    Overall after these 3 hours:
    A little disappointed. The first hours of MGS4 were much better. I think they were low in budget.

    I hope I change my opinion. If yes I will come back later to improve my review.    … Expand
  4. Akanes
    Sep 9, 2015
    8
    'Metal Gear Solid V - The Phantom Pain' has some of the most enjoyable and notable gameplay in any game of the past few years, and Kojima's clear dedication to the gameplay in this one is very obvious. Yes surprisingly the story in this MGS installment takes a bit more of a backseat to the gameplay and provides the most deep and intricate stealth mechanics the entire series has seen.'Metal Gear Solid V - The Phantom Pain' has some of the most enjoyable and notable gameplay in any game of the past few years, and Kojima's clear dedication to the gameplay in this one is very obvious. Yes surprisingly the story in this MGS installment takes a bit more of a backseat to the gameplay and provides the most deep and intricate stealth mechanics the entire series has seen. Coupled with the smooth and clever gameplay is the integration of Motherbase, a system seen in 'Metal Gear Solid - Peacewalker'. However unlike MSF, Diamond Dogs' Motherbase is something I found far more compelling and useful. It was also something I found a lot more real in this installment, as you can visit and traverse along it. Unfortunately there isn't really a lot to see on Motherbase so most of the time you'll probably be there to shower copious amounts of blood from your body.

    Along with Motherbase is the new FOB system which uses online server connection to allow you to build another base for more resources and the ability to invade and steal other players' spoils. The invasion system is certainly a fun one but it really gets put down by the inconsistency of the servers and the integration of a free to play economy with microtransactions in an already full retail price game. The servers also affect the loading speed of the single player campaign which basically leads to the online servers being more of a detriment than anything.

    The story of 'The Phantom Pain' is definitely lacking in a lot of areas and a lot of times led me to believe there should be more where there is little. It also suffers from pacing issues, which is not uncommon for an open world game to have and it makes some of the game feel a little sparse in terms of plot. The story is generally pretty good but really if anything had more potential than it utilized.

    Gameplay has felt smoother than ever and with a pretty consistent frame rate of 60fps and striking 1080p resolution, it really is quite a beautiful game to play. The character animations feel incredibly refined and the core mechanics of the game are the smoothest they've ever been. However there are moments where sometimes terrain is unnecessarily difficult to traverse and small slopes will leave Big Boss, one of the best soldiers known to man, struggling and sliding back down. This may sound nit picky but it has actually gotten me spotted a few times and really looks ridiculous when it occurs frequently.

    The new buddy system is something I rather enjoy in the game and can allow up to 4 options for a partner, with D-Horse for traversal, D-Dog for scouting and attacking, Quiet for sniping and D-Walker.. who I'll be frank never particularly came of use to me but it's pretty cool. I will address the elephant in the room which is Quiet's attire and honestly I really don't like how exploitative the game treats her, and the reason for her look really doesn't justify why she is dressed like that at all and appears as more of a second thought of her character than the initial idea. Her actual personality and character is truly brilliant which makes it even more disappointing that she is portrayed in an incredibly objectified manner. (Thankfully you can purchase and develop clothes for her later on so there's something at least.)

    Overall I'd say 'The Phantom Pain' is the best game I've played this year and is a great addition to the series. It has a few flaws but overall puts on a fantastic performance.

    Pros:
    Excellent Gameplay
    Superb Visual Fidelity and Performance
    Interesting plot ideas
    Tons of content

    Cons:
    A lacking conclusion
    Microtransactions
    Disappointing female representation
    Bad online services    … Expand
  5. macicrack
    Sep 14, 2015
    8
    Alright people. Let's analyze the f*** outta this game.

    I've been a hardcore Metal Gear fan ever since MGS1. Haven't played the 8 bit ones, but I've read their plots plenty of times to know them like the palm of my hand. MGS1 was awesome. Incredible story for a videogame and amazing genre-defining stealth gameplay. It blew my mind. MGS2 blew my goddamn mind. Those graphics at that    Alright people. Let's analyze the f*** outta this game.

    I've been a hardcore Metal Gear fan ever since MGS1. Haven't played the 8 bit ones, but I've read their plots plenty of times to know them like the palm of my hand.
    MGS1 was awesome. Incredible story for a videogame and amazing genre-defining stealth gameplay. It blew my mind.
    MGS2 blew my goddamn mind. Those graphics at that time. And the story... damn. Got Kojima'd so hard when I realized it had been a "simulation" of MGS1...
    MGS3 was the best of the series. No discussion about that. Best cutscene/core gameplay balance, and arguably most interesting and emotional story, since it also sets the cornerstone upon which all of the saga is built.
    MGS4 was... dense. The story was a little bit convoluted and sometimes felt forced, but its final act was so damn epic it redeemed it.
    Peace Walker was damn good too. Great, great story and continuation of Big Boss' story, loved the comic book touch, and the episodic/mission-list structure of the game got along really well with it being for a handheld.

    Now... MGSV... The best gameplay-wise hands down. I've never had so many infiltration methods in my entire life. I felt like the true Big Boss when sneaking into an enemy base, I had so many tools at my disposal... So in that sense, it's a 10, despite the fact that the "open world" is just a vast (as well as beautiful) emptiness with corridors between mountains from A to B.
    However, story-wise... it felt so weak. So uncomplete. So bland. Everytime the story seemed like it was getting somewhere, like you were about to get into the real deal... it just... ended, or took another route, or dismissed it.
    Skull Face made for a great, interesting villain in my opinion, and its end is just so unsatisfying and anticlimactic.
    The battle with this game's Metal Gear comes too soon, with too little build up.
    The Eli story arc and the psychic kid's story arc are simply half-way done, unresolved. And even with that bonus, half rendered scene that got deleted and comes in the special edition, it simply doesn't feel like it has a proper ending.
    The only real, satisfying plot that is resolved accordingly is Quiet's, which I quite (lol) enjoyed, but still, falls short in comparison to say, the Foxhound unit in MGS1, the Cobra Unit in MGS3, or Dead Cell in MGS2 (The B&B unit in MGS4 is just stupid. Sorry).
    Now, the real ending of the game, which admittedly, is one of the BEST, pops up in the mission list in such a disconnected way from the story that hurts. It feels that that final mission appears simply because it has to, not because the player has been through enough or through so much that he deserves it/needs it.
    There is so little story in this game, it's a shame it has the Metal Gear title. And the few cutscenes are so well directed and leave you craving for more than it's just adding insult to injury. The cassette tapes try to alleviate that, but honestly, many of them are just wishing be a cutscene instead.

    This game should really be a 9, but it's a Metal Gear, and as such, it should be held to a higher standard. It's a 7'5/10, rounded up to an 8 for its gameplay.

    PS: Enough of the credits everywhere, Kojima. If I see "Guest appearance of the Skulls ******* unit" at the beginning of a mission, well, it's a stupid spoiler. Now I know I will eventually face/see them, so it will make less of an impact. What is wrong with you. Same goes for the 'trailer' after the end of Chapter 1, which is just a huge spoiler, because it tells you the whole chapter 2 story in a 30 second montage. What the hell man.    … Expand
  6. Kreemkrackered
    Sep 17, 2015
    8
    Its been a long time coming and it's finally here - and its awesome! Graphics, sound and gameplay are all top-notch. However, me being able to whinge about anything means its got a couple of minor problems.

    Firstly - the disk based version. If you think the game is going to install once then forget it - after the prologue you get the inevitable 'game data installing' message - and    Its been a long time coming and it's finally here - and its awesome! Graphics, sound and gameplay are all top-notch. However, me being able to whinge about anything means its got a couple of minor problems.

    Firstly - the disk based version. If you think the game is going to install once then forget it - after the prologue you get the inevitable 'game data installing' message - and it takes around 8 minutes before you're allowed to continue. Me personally I sold my copy and paid the extra for the digital version - problem solved.

    Whinge number 2 - the constant credits! At the start of every mission it's like starting the game from scratch again - you get the names of the developers and characters - just start the game for gods sake!

    Whinge number 3 - not being able to skip the notices at the start of the game - I'm not interested in any of that rubbish.

    Final whinge - a horse?? It's almost like playing Red Dead Redemption.

    Apart from that it's a great game    … Expand
  7. mike5736
    Sep 27, 2015
    8
    graphics: 10.....amazing
    presentation:9....starting hospital escape scene classic
    sound:8...music, voice acting very good
    story:8...good
    gameplay:7....missions/maps are bland, snake moves ackwardly, usual silly japanese flavor breaks immersion.

    overall: 8.5
  8. YoloMcSwag
    Sep 28, 2015
    8
    Not a perfect game, but a SOLID one (reviewed on PS4)

    The Good: +Outstanding Prologue +Well-optimised, butter-smooth most of the time +Huge maps +Buddy system +Controversial but most memorable character - Quiet +Base, Resources and Staff management +Decent graphics, (but not the best in the market) +D-Horse is better than Roach +Solid gunplay and stealth +Memorable licensed    Not a perfect game, but a SOLID one (reviewed on PS4)

    The Good:
    +Outstanding Prologue
    +Well-optimised, butter-smooth most of the time
    +Huge maps
    +Buddy system
    +Controversial but most memorable character - Quiet
    +Base, Resources and Staff management
    +Decent graphics, (but not the best in the market)
    +D-Horse is better than Roach
    +Solid gunplay and stealth
    +Memorable licensed 80s music
    +Wild animals
    +Enemies adapt to your tactics, eg. wear helmets if you headshot too often
    +Tackles real world issues, eg. child soldiers
    +Very open-ended, non-linear mission design, tackle it however you want

    The Bad:
    -Lackluster story
    -Disappointing villain and boss fights
    -Bosses lack character, unlike the Cobra Unit from MGS 3 for example
    -Chapter 2 filler missions
    -Missing Chapter 3
    -Nothing much to do on Mother Base
    -Voice acting: Kiefer Sutherland
    -Snake rarely speaks
    -Difficult to differentiate Kaz's and Ocelot's voices sometimes
    -Missions get repetitive, especially Side Ops
    -Most Main Ops (Episodes) don't feel important to story-telling
    -Can't use weapons on 4WDs or trucks
    -Alternate costumes with no additional abilities cost more GMP
    -Attempts to tell most stories via Cassette tapes, no Codec
    -FOB microtransactions
    -Difficult to capture all wild animals without consulting guides
    -Tackles world issues, but has nothing much to say about them
    -Uninteresting open world, lots of emptiness in between outposts
    -Texture pop-in
    -Framerate dips occationally, but not to the point of hindering gameplay

    Bottom line, MGSV: The Phantom Pain is an excellent, but not perfect game. It does a good job in crafting an open-world experience for the franchise, but falls short in terms of quality content. While players won't be talking about the huge maps, decent graphics, or boss fights in years to come, each player's unique approach to every mission may be the thing that keep conversations going, and may be what Kojima-san has been trying to accomplish in his Tactical Espionage Operations swan song.

    How the series is moving forward without Kojima-san remains to be seen, but if you're a fan of MGS since Snake's rookie days of rescuing Gray Fox 28years ago, you'll definitely wanna support Kojima-san by picking this up!    … Expand
  9. 1movid
    Sep 28, 2015
    8
    Look I love this game, but it has flaws. This score is not representative of this game when compared to the series. To anyone who gave this game a 5 or lower because it didn't live up to metal gear as a series, screw you, the point of a review is to determine a single games quality, not to score it based off every other one in the series.
  10. LiquidOctopus
    Sep 29, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The MGSV: TPP is the best game I’ve ever played that didn’t have an ending. While the gameplay is astoundingly compelling and tight, the story literally does not reach a conclusion. If this is going to be handled as a paid DCL in the future, it’s a crime against gamers. If they do not intend to ever allow us to download the end of the game, this is also a crime against gamers. The ending they give you is both not central to the story and deprives you of Quiet – its two negatives! And there could have been a much better treatment of the identity issues and mental issues Big Boss suffers. If feel emotionally cheated by my investment in the story. It’s a real shame because what story is here is excellent but it goes from point A to point B and then it takes a fishhook and goes all the way to pointless.
    If you are more into gameplay and don’t emotionally invest in stories, this game is probably perfect for you. There is a high degree of mission variety and it is compelling and interesting to problem solve your way through the challenges you are given. Some of the abilities would seem like they are game breaking at first but they are not, the game will actually get hard enough that you will need to change the weather.    … Expand
  11. Paul2k2
    Sep 30, 2015
    8
    SPOILERS

    Too many people giving it 10/10 on a whim because of the name. Its good. But not game of the year. It looks great i.e the environment but so does Witcher 3. This is not the best in the series. Yes the environment is expansive but is does sometimes just feel like its not been filled with important content. The story (including ending) made the game feel like more of a mid    SPOILERS

    Too many people giving it 10/10 on a whim because of the name.

    Its good. But not game of the year. It looks great i.e the environment but so does Witcher 3. This is not the best in the series. Yes the environment is expansive but is does sometimes just feel like its not been filled with important content. The story (including ending) made the game feel like more of a mid section episode game like the side games produced for assassins creed. Yes it has the Metal gear movie feel that we all love and remember and the same sort of game play we all enjoy. And I cant fault any of that. But it just cant be classed as game of the year. It's simply not good enough.

    And finally, the story. Turns out you never play as big boss and are just some random dressed up like him and brain washed to think he is him. Bit of a let down story wise. That should have been a little bit of the side story. Not the main story we have been waiting 7 years for.    … Expand
  12. thebosscat
    Oct 4, 2015
    8
    The game suffers from it own ambitions more than anything. The story is unfinished, the bosses are few and the locations become repetitive. The game is open world MGS sandbox and it's great however the game feels more like sneaking GTA then what the series is remembered for. You can feel The Boss's Struggle with The Skulls... i mean Kojima's struggle with Konami all over this game, we gotThe game suffers from it own ambitions more than anything. The story is unfinished, the bosses are few and the locations become repetitive. The game is open world MGS sandbox and it's great however the game feels more like sneaking GTA then what the series is remembered for. You can feel The Boss's Struggle with The Skulls... i mean Kojima's struggle with Konami all over this game, we got a great open world 90+ game that is somehow unfinished... all in all still the best failed game ever.… Expand
  13. Djones1999
    Oct 23, 2015
    8
    This game has some of the best gameplay that I have ever experienced but I found the story to be lacking especially for a mgs game. Whilst I found the twist at the end to be quite shocking I think it added to the story and in many ways it causes the events of the game to become meaningless. This game could be considered the best in the franchise for its gameplay I consider it to have theThis game has some of the best gameplay that I have ever experienced but I found the story to be lacking especially for a mgs game. Whilst I found the twist at the end to be quite shocking I think it added to the story and in many ways it causes the events of the game to become meaningless. This game could be considered the best in the franchise for its gameplay I consider it to have the worst story in the series and with the missing content at the end it really pushes down my score.… Expand
  14. joshuadegreiff
    Dec 2, 2015
    8
    The gameplay is absolutely gorgeous, the graphics stunning, the game is amazing in multiplayer online mode the reply value very cool but this game I won't give a high rating for the next point I need to say I don't just get why people rating this game as 10/10 if they were truly fans of the series they will know perfectly the story line is just an incomplete inconsistent without any replyThe gameplay is absolutely gorgeous, the graphics stunning, the game is amazing in multiplayer online mode the reply value very cool but this game I won't give a high rating for the next point I need to say I don't just get why people rating this game as 10/10 if they were truly fans of the series they will know perfectly the story line is just an incomplete inconsistent without any reply value in storyline is a joke, this game is just Peace Walker on1080p nothing less or more, I respect people like open world thematic but play an open world not mean will get any story reply value. Don't confuse rating value with loyalty to Hideo this game will be the last is two different things people need be honest.… Expand
  15. SpoiledGamer
    Nov 3, 2015
    8
    I'm a spoiled gamer who refuses to beat a game if it gets repetitive or boring.

    I'm giving this a game 8 out of 10 simply because, it was a perfect game until I got bored of the repetitive gameplay. You can choose to go guns blazing, but you NEED to kidnap Soldiers on the battlefield. Yes you can't kill everyone. (Boring huh?) So you are forced to stealth your way around,    I'm a spoiled gamer who refuses to beat a game if it gets repetitive or boring.

    I'm giving this a game 8 out of 10 simply because, it was a perfect game until I got bored of the repetitive gameplay.

    You can choose to go guns blazing, but you NEED to kidnap Soldiers on the battlefield. Yes you can't kill everyone. (Boring huh?)

    So you are forced to stealth your way around, kidnapping all the skilled enemies.

    10 hours into the game, it becomes a very GRUNDY game where you stealth around to kidnap enemies. Forced to farm materials for upgrades.

    The game would of been far better off if you had alternative ways to gather resources and recruit soldiers.

    Anyways, didn't finish the game and I don't plan to. Why? Because it's simply NOT WORTH MY TIME.    … Expand
  16. WhitelightHBK
    Nov 11, 2015
    8
    One of the best games I played this year, although It's not perfect.

    Let's start with gameplay. This game is the best in the series in terms of gameplay. It's really good. You can sneak to, let's say, a village in TONS of different ways. You can also go full rampage mode if it suits you. You can create lots of equipment for you and your buddies. Whether it's Sneaking suit or a powerful    One of the best games I played this year, although It's not perfect.

    Let's start with gameplay. This game is the best in the series in terms of gameplay. It's really good. You can sneak to, let's say, a village in TONS of different ways. You can also go full rampage mode if it suits you. You can create lots of equipment for you and your buddies. Whether it's Sneaking suit or a powerful RPG or even a Water gun, you can spend hundreds of hours and you still won't unlock everything!

    Now let's go to the bad part, the story. Yes the story in Metal Gear Solid V is weak, whether it was budget cuts or limited time, story in this game fails. Chapter 2 feels rushed, and even trailers had more cutscenes than the final product, and the last main story mission is (Minor spoiler) mission 1 with different cutscenes. I don't complain much, but it's really a big disappointment, especially for a Metal Gear game.

    So final word from me: Metal Gear Solid V, Great game but is nothing like the previous parts. Although I love it, I can't lie that it's perfect. 8/10.    … Expand
  17. Lothar
    Nov 21, 2015
    8
    Snake is back and he's better than ever. Snake is back and he's better than ever. Snake is back and he's better than ever. Snake is back and he's better than ever. Snake is back and he's better than ever.
    Story sucks. Messiah Gear Solid!
  18. eagleultimatum
    Dec 1, 2015
    8
    overrated game fun at first the best stealth game out there but gets repetitive where i got to the point i did not want to play it anymore.
    it has stupid missions like clear mine field of clay mores. parts of your mother base take ages to get to just annoying when they could be closer together.
    just cant see how ign gave it 10 wtf
  19. Abhaygamin2002
    Aug 18, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It was quite long and quite fun but I have the same query as the other gamers it's unfinished it's clearly not finished the real game is up to chapter 1 and then it's just a left over mess what about sahelanthropus with Eli and rest of the stuff it's unclear and I felt like till now I wasted my time on story but gameplay was worth it!… Expand
  20. Pietar
    Dec 30, 2015
    8
    Even though it has pacing and structural issues and lacks the narrative heft of it's predecessors it's still immensely fun and will have you hooked for hours on end.
  21. RodSal
    Jan 25, 2016
    8
    Honest opinion.

    First of all, this is my first Metal Gear game, so i wont bias. The game is GREAT, its NOT perfect and i dont think it deserves a 10/10. Not at all! 9/10 maybe? But a 8/10 for sure! Graphics are awsome, sounds, and the gameplay is superb. Story is a little bit boring and there is no character that i got attached for. The open world seemed a lillte bit empty and also    Honest opinion.

    First of all, this is my first Metal Gear game, so i wont bias. The game is GREAT, its NOT perfect and i dont think it deserves a 10/10. Not at all! 9/10 maybe? But a 8/10 for sure! Graphics are awsome, sounds, and the gameplay is superb. Story is a little bit boring and there is no character that i got attached for. The open world seemed a lillte bit empty and also boring. Missions are repetitives specially when doing side quests for money. But theres a lot of good stuff, like tons of weapons to choose, crafts, improve the helicopter, companions and so on. Mother base is also fun to deal with. IA is awsome and you can complete missions the way you prefer, be stealth agent or a gun maniac shooting everybody. Overall its a great game and you should pick it if you like spy games and on how to elaborate your next move to take an enemy down.

    Graphics: 9
    Sound: 9
    History: 6
    Gameplay: 10
    Fun:8    … Expand
  22. JS99
    Apr 13, 2016
    8
    Game play and graphics are top notch. If you like stealth games this is probably the best ever. The whole defend your base micro-transaction thing is stupid and greedy. The story's a little wonky. Still one of my favorite games to play and replay. Not sure why Konami nuked the franchise.
  23. Naedrif
    Oct 5, 2016
    8
    I quit this game after the first mission. Luckily for me i got really bored one day and gave it another shot. And i can tell you i was about to miss out on a really good game. Definitely top 5 PS4 games, a must play i would say. On the downside i rly hated reading "Hideo Kojima"s every 5 seconds of the game
  24. gilb
    Aug 9, 2018
    8
    The gameplay is fun, but the story is not as good as in the other metal gear games.
  25. Internet_Enzyme
    May 13, 2016
    8
    This game makes you feel like a badass. It also makes you feel like a bumbling idiot (if you're like me and enjoy the stealth route far more). There is nothing more soul crushing than being spotted and being thrust straight into a firefight that can lost several minutes at a time. But, similarly there is nothing more rewarding than stealth-ing your way through an entire stronghold withoutThis game makes you feel like a badass. It also makes you feel like a bumbling idiot (if you're like me and enjoy the stealth route far more). There is nothing more soul crushing than being spotted and being thrust straight into a firefight that can lost several minutes at a time. But, similarly there is nothing more rewarding than stealth-ing your way through an entire stronghold without being seen. The potential for tension and fun is palpable, but so is the potential for misery and self-loathing. Those of you that love going all out guns blazing are serviced as well (although I don't get why you would want to take that route, you crazy bastards), with plenty of high power weapons sans suppressors for you to use. The game really emphasizes choice. Each mission starts you several hundred feet away from your objective (albeit with an annoyingly long, unskippable cutscene) letting you choose how you get to the objective, and from what angle you take it on. It's a very dynamic, reactionary game that lets you tackle things the way you want to tackle them. I'm not saying that choice is necessary in all games (linear games have their place), but it certainly works in this game. And that's the main difference between this game and Splinter Cell. Choice.
    This is my first MGSV. I hadn't played Ground Zeroes, so I was completely new to the franchise's convoluted (from what I've heard) story. The story in this game is very bare bones. Big Boss speaks incredibly rarely, and I had very little context to any of it. Psychomantis? FIre Guy? Skull Face? Sahelanthropus? The hell is all this? Unlike Witcher 3, this game's story is unfriendly to newcomers. But does it matter? Not really. I have a few other complaints such as a lack of variety in a few levels, challenge levels that serve to pad the game's length, etc, etc. But its a fun game. And that's really what matters the most.    … Expand
  26. HTGamer
    May 22, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am a big MGS fan, but I have mixed feelings about The Phantom Pain. It's a highly ambitious game that sadly doesn't hit its goals, maybe because of the notorious fallout between Konami and Kojima.

    The story, one of the trademarks of the MGS series, is both the worst and most under-developed ever (even MGS 4 had a much better and more impactful one). After a good start in the Hospital escape and the Miller rescue, the storytelling becomes either irrelevant or bland, only to pick up in the final few missions (which end up with Skull Face's death and the destruction of Metal Gear). The almost silent Big Boss (who is too calm for a man supposedly hell bent on revenge) voiced by Kiefer Sutherland doesn't help matters, and most other major characters are disappointing (Ocelot and Skull Face in particular) and at times make no sense. Only Huey was a well written, complex and tragic character, and Miller to a lesser degree. Quiet is a mysterious and interesting figure who simply walks away in the end. The pre-release trailers set up a magnificent premise, but the story is, to put it frankly, totally different to what we would expect from Kojima.

    Another big issue is that the game is incomplete. There is the notorious Episode 51 which was cut from the game and is available on Youtube to watch, but I suspect there is more content which was cut. I don't understand why they cut this particular episode as it is awesome, and it ties Eli's (he's young Liquid Snake, but most people recognised him in the trailers anyway) loose end who in the game simply disappeared from Mother Base, his fate left unexplained.

    The story may be a disappointment, but gameplay is simply fantastic. Missions are designed in such a way that you can infiltrate enemy posts from whatever path you want, whichever method you see fit, and whatever time of day you wish. You have to choose from either stealth, Rambo-style-all-guns-blazing, or a mixture, and use whatever gadgets you have. Obviously the way to go is stealth, preferably at night, because the AI is competent enough to be a serious threat. If alerted, the enemy soldiers surround the player, and if you hide while being hunted they won't forget you easily as they keep searching for quite a time. Individual AIs aren't the smartest, but it's a game, not a military simulator. One of the best features is the inclusion of AI companions to aid you in the field (it's 100% optional, but I highly recommend using all the help you can get). You start with D-Horse, then add D-Dog (smells enemies from afar automatically and attacks them if ordered), Quiet (tracks enemies automatically and shoots/tranquilizes them if ordered), and D-Walker (a walking robot, which is both a transport vehicle and can track and shoot enemies automatically). You can ride a jeep or a tank, too, in order to travel between locations. There are 2 maps, Afghanistan and Africa, and both are huge in size and varied, even featuring animals and plants.

    Another big part of gameplay is Mother Base and the Fulton extraction balloon. You can extract enemy soldiers or prisoners of war via Fulton, and convince them to join your ranks so as to raise your army, or extract material containers in order to expand your Mother Base. The more and better troops you have, the more perks you get from Mother Base (mortar strikes, weather predictions, enemy reports, etc.) and you can unlock new weapons and gadgets to use on the field.

    The game has 2 online modes, FOB Missions and Metal Gear Online. The former is tied to the single player campaign, as you infiltrate (PvE style) the FOBs of other players and steal material containers or soldiers, and can be quite challenging when invading an FOB with fully armed troops and anti-theft devices. The latter is a standard PvP online game suite. Nothing outstanding (maybe except the newly added Survival mode), but not bad either.

    A few words about the graphics and sound. The game is powered by the Fox Engine. While the game's graphics aren't cutting edge (you can easily see polygon details everywhere), it's beautiful, with one of the best lighting models out there. And it runs at stable 60 fps, not bad for an open world game on consoles. The only downside is the small draw distance for foliage, shadows and textures, but it's handled carefully (they fade in/out, instead of abruptly popping in). As for the sound, the effects are great, but the soundtrack isn't memorable. The "Sins of the Father" song is awesome, though.

    Overall, it's a great game, non-MGS fans won't lose themselves to 60 minute cut-scens, but the diehards will feel disappointed. Anyway, buy the game and enjoy it as I did.

    MEGA SPOILER: The final and true ending, which links the entire saga in a not-so-perfect way, is the best thank you I have ever seen in a video game. At the same time, Kojima pulled another MGS 2 stunt on us. Even bigger than the previous one. That's all I will say about it.    … Expand
  27. ZantyLopez
    Dec 5, 2016
    8
    This is a good game but not a good "Metal Gear" game, It could have been so much but you know what happened...
    It performs amazing while looking impressive, all of this because the Fox Engine (Kojima’s and Konami's baby that now that his parents got divorced and lives with his abusive mother who only needs him for Pachinko cutscenes). The gameplay is what kept me waitingimeanplaying for    This is a good game but not a good "Metal Gear" game, It could have been so much but you know what happened...
    It performs amazing while looking impressive, all of this because the Fox Engine (Kojima’s and Konami's baby that now that his parents got divorced and lives with his abusive mother who only needs him for Pachinko cutscenes). The gameplay is what kept me waitingimeanplaying for +100 hours, the mechanics are solid and add replayability to every mission.
    I finished the first chapter and although it wasn’t special I wish it would have stayed that way, The second chapter is a mess and don't even get me started on the third. The episodic structure doesn't work and the "guest-starring" ruins the surprises. Plotwise, this game doesn’t need to exist, the plot twist explains a thing from the first metal gear and that’s it. Side-Ops are the blandest thing in the world, the content isn’t a ocean you can dive in, it is a very big swamp (no depth). Also, seeing stuff like the Tuxedo being micro-transactions hurts.
    I feel mixed about TPP, it could have been “the ultimate Metal Gear game” but it fails feeling like a metal gear game... still, it has kept me playing for +100 hours. I would give it a 7.5 if I could    … Expand
  28. TheGabrielRam
    Nov 29, 2016
    8
    "To The Man Who Sold The World"
    PRO: +Gameplay is beyond competition +Visuals are still amazing in 2016 +True open world and freedom
    CON: -Incomplete story -Poorly written characters -Micro transactions
  29. Catalyst13
    Oct 9, 2016
    8
    THE GOOD
    - The usual deep engaging story and interesting characters.
    - Good but not breathtaking graphics - Very open and versatile gameplay. You can choose one of many methods to complete any level and that include weapon loadout and upgrades. - Many tactical options when it comes to companions and their upgrades. THE BAD - Feels undercooked and simply unfinished. - The two    THE GOOD
    - The usual deep engaging story and interesting characters.
    - Good but not breathtaking graphics
    - Very open and versatile gameplay. You can choose one of many methods to complete any level and that include weapon loadout and upgrades.
    - Many tactical options when it comes to companions and their upgrades.

    THE BAD
    - Feels undercooked and simply unfinished.
    - The two locations available get boring fast
    - Repetitive side ops
    - Many issues with online gameplay regarding the addition of micro-payments and pay-to-win.

    FINAL WORDS
    This is a great game that got me hooked for a while and I will gladly recommend it despite that it feels unfinished and its rather small world (by today's standards off course for a triple A title)    … Expand
  30. Neel74
    Dec 11, 2016
    8
    It's difficult to properly judge the story of this game since it's clear there was content cut out. What semblance of a story there is however, is not good. The core gameplay though is a streamlined version of MGS 3 mixed with Peacewalker's RPG elements; it's very engaging and addictive at first, however the lackluster world design causes the game to feel repetitive.
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PS4 Game of 2015
4
#4 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
3
#3 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 86 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 84 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 86
  3. Negative: 0 out of 86
  1. Polygon
    Dec 3, 2015
    90
    If this is where Kojima does finally leave the series he created, it will be a bittersweet send-off, both for Big Boss and one of gaming's most intriguing auteurs.
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  2. Time
    Nov 10, 2015
    100
    The holy grail of world-building games, it’s argued, is a black box that lets players do as they like with minimal handholding. Pliability with just the right measure of accountability. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, a tactical stealth simulation wrapped in a colossal resource management puzzle inside a love letter to theatrical inscrutability, comes the closest of any game I’ve yet played to realizing that ideal.
    Read full review
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Nov 5, 2015
    91
    There’s no denying the Game of the Year potential of The Phantom Pain. The campaign is absolutely massive, it’s almost too much to cope. That being said, Chapter II is a huge let-down and feels like artificial padding. Still, this is about as good as tactical espionage operations can get in a video game. [Oct 2015]
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