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. Pwnographyz
    Sep 7, 2015
    10
    I've never ever had a Gameplay like this in any Game ever, the extremely many possibilities u're offered finishing a Mission. This was the first MGS for me, didn't played any others, I've never been gripped that hard into a Story like this one. There are so many 'wait, don't tell me this is poss... THIS IS POSSIBLE?!' moments. Also the hundreds of small details put in the Game gets a smileI've never ever had a Gameplay like this in any Game ever, the extremely many possibilities u're offered finishing a Mission. This was the first MGS for me, didn't played any others, I've never been gripped that hard into a Story like this one. There are so many 'wait, don't tell me this is poss... THIS IS POSSIBLE?!' moments. Also the hundreds of small details put in the Game gets a smile into my face. By far the most fun game I've ever played. 120 hours into currently. 81% Finished.… Expand
  2. RockmasteR
    Nov 5, 2015
    9
    ok, first of all let's get something out of the way, I hate Stealth, I really do, waiting for 10 or 15 minutes just to make a move, is not my favorite thing to do, but here I am, playing MGSV, and oh GOD I'm loving it, the freedom this games gives you to do your missions is what makes this game shines, you can equip yourself with the deadliest weapons enter a base and start a killingok, first of all let's get something out of the way, I hate Stealth, I really do, waiting for 10 or 15 minutes just to make a move, is not my favorite thing to do, but here I am, playing MGSV, and oh GOD I'm loving it, the freedom this games gives you to do your missions is what makes this game shines, you can equip yourself with the deadliest weapons enter a base and start a killing spree, or you can choose a stealthy way and interrogate the enemy to get information and put them to sleep or extract them or even kill them, or you can do both, start stealthy and end in a killing spree, and what I'm talking about here is just missions and did not talked about free roaming which is freedom at its best, so if you are a stealth fan go grab the game, if you are a MGS fan you already grabbed the game, and if you really do hate stealth, try this game before and I think you'll like it and get it just like I did...… Expand
  3. nezj29
    Apr 26, 2016
    10
    This game is amazing point blank period. The attention to detail the replay value the story the side missons this game is the best next gen game period. There is so many different things and ways you can go about playing this game it just blows my mind. And it really puts your brains snd skills to the test. People giving this game average scores do not know a masterpiece if it slapped themThis game is amazing point blank period. The attention to detail the replay value the story the side missons this game is the best next gen game period. There is so many different things and ways you can go about playing this game it just blows my mind. And it really puts your brains snd skills to the test. People giving this game average scores do not know a masterpiece if it slapped them in the face and that is what this game truly is i rarely come on here to score games but this is a stand out and it needs to be treated as such… Expand
  4. joaopontesvaz
    Oct 7, 2015
    10
    Graphics: 10 Sound: 10 Gameplay: 10 Fun/Story: 10

    A huge game. Directly to my all time top 10 games, if not top 5... It deserves the number 10 like Ocarina, RE4, Metroid Prime, GTA V or Goldeneye. In my opinion the open world favored this type of game. The infiltration feeling and freedom is near perfection. The guns and the amount of items to develop, missions, side ops, Mother Base,    Graphics: 10 Sound: 10 Gameplay: 10 Fun/Story: 10

    A huge game. Directly to my all time top 10 games, if not top 5... It deserves the number 10 like Ocarina, RE4, Metroid Prime, GTA V or Goldeneye. In my opinion the open world favored this type of game. The infiltration feeling and freedom is near perfection. The guns and the amount of items to develop, missions, side ops, Mother Base, post end missions, partners, ..., give a great dimension and replay value. Thanks H. Kojima.    … Expand
  5. MaximumD
    Dec 1, 2015
    9
    I'll have to say that this game does feel like more of a Metal Gear Spinoff that a true Metal Gear game. However, that's great for me, because my 2 favorite in the series were Peacewalker (the remake for ps3) and MGS3. This game is more along the lines of those two, offering much more freedom than the standard MSG formula of moving through a room and watching a 30 minute cutscene followedI'll have to say that this game does feel like more of a Metal Gear Spinoff that a true Metal Gear game. However, that's great for me, because my 2 favorite in the series were Peacewalker (the remake for ps3) and MGS3. This game is more along the lines of those two, offering much more freedom than the standard MSG formula of moving through a room and watching a 30 minute cutscene followed by a 15 minute codec conversation. Don't get me wrong, all MGS games have been stellar, but I found MGS4 and 2 to be the worst as it offered the most limited gameplay and terribly long cutscenes.

    That being said, for 60$ or less depending on when you get it, the bang for your buck is astounding. Go on missions, free roam, or do side ops while building up your base, with an option to further things with the online portion which is also pretty robust. The story is fleshed out with long casette tape recordings so if you want in on it, play the tapes. Or don't, it's up to you. I love the freedom. After completing about a 2 hour session of missions and free roaming (extracting specialists for my base and scrouging for precious supplies) I sat and listened to a few tapes on the way back to Mother Base to fill in the story a bit. Everything you do in the field has an impact on your base and while the world is a little sparse, it's really all about infiltrating outposts and finding stuff to extract and build your resources. The amount of weapon variations and gadgets is huge and once you start cruising with R&D you won't even know what to do with all the possibilities at hand. Also, having buddies come with you on missions to build trust is also essential and really enhances the gameplay. Any hey, if you don't feel like stealthing it and just want to blow **** up, you can do that too. The controls are as tight as any game I've played on new gen thus far, so you can shoot it out with high caliber weapons if you so desire. Or go ahead and call in that support chopper to rain hell as you sit back and enjoy the view from a hilltop with your horse.

    Gameplay is emergent and things happen that you would not expect. You can do things that seem logical and they work, like shining a flash light at a guard with night vision which will blind them. Leave an unconscious guard on a bed and no one will notice, or they stop and complain that they are lazy, lol. I recently had an incident where I deeply infiltrated a base to extract a specialist, but as I pick him up to carry him out I was spotted. I booked up a cliff under heavy fire I noticed he got clipped a couple of times by his buddies. I thought nothing of it, except that when I tried to extract him out he was dead, lol. That sucks but at least it makes sense. Stuff like this that you don't expect frequently happens during gameplay. For instance, guards can clearly see you from a long distance during the day, but they have rely on spotlights and flashlights at night, so doing missions in the dark is logically much easier. Other times they will shoot flares out in an effort to spot you. Simply put, things feel natural and if you think you can do it, you probably can actually. If you put on green camo, you hide better in tall green grass. Put on the yellow camo and you hide better in the desert. It makes sense and the game doesn't need to explain it to you.

    The one thing that detracts from all this though is the addition of boundaries at certain places. You can climb a cliff as long there is a crack, but sometimes you can't traverse up a 5 foot high stone for instance. It's kind of distracting when it happens. Another thing, for some reason soldiers sometimes act really dumb and I'm wondering if they don't all have there own hidden skill levels. Every once in a while you will see them make some stupid decisions. Also, sneaking around in a box has always been ludicrous, but it's a staple of series at this point but I choose not to use it too much. I guess no game is perfect, but overall gameplay wise this might be the deepest game I've come across yet.

    Tell ya what, if you liked Peacewalker just get the game and you won't regret. The lack of major cutscenes in the game is a little jarring if your a fan of MGS4, but otherwise the game is superb. It's not like there are no cutscenes, it's just that they are not as developed and snake barely says anything in them.

    My one ohter disappointment is that there a clear lack of boss battles like some of the legendary ones in games past. Those were the highlights of previous games but they are almost non-existent here or are completely underwhelming. You won't any find battles like the one against Psycho mantis or The end,etc. So I have to knock the game down a notch to 9 because of that, but hey it's already got plenty of straight 10s    … Expand
  6. MickMiko
    Nov 8, 2015
    10
    Como cada Metal Gear es un juego increible, le falta la historia de los demas pero en jugabilidad es la mejor , el mejor juego del año y de muchos años , gracias Lord Kojima
  7. roman_emperor
    Oct 1, 2015
    10
    I really love what Hideo Kojima did with this game. He finally gave me the open world I always wanted in a Metal Gear game. The ability to tackle a challenge from any angle is fun. I like how you can gather intel and hope that you didn't miss anything. Surprises can lead to death and constant frustration. The chicken hat is humiliating but fun if you want to get some good in game footage.I really love what Hideo Kojima did with this game. He finally gave me the open world I always wanted in a Metal Gear game. The ability to tackle a challenge from any angle is fun. I like how you can gather intel and hope that you didn't miss anything. Surprises can lead to death and constant frustration. The chicken hat is humiliating but fun if you want to get some good in game footage.

    The game does adapt to your behavior. If the engine begins to notice that you like running mission in the dark, the next time you return to an area, you will find that the enemy is equipped with night vision goggles. If you like running in an going guns blazing, the game will throw heavily armored guys at with shotguns to knock you off your ass. If you like hanging back and sniping. You will find more snipers hanging around. The games mechanics are just so varied. As you progress and unlock new goodies, you change your tactics as wells.

    I'm just patiently waiting for Mother Forward Base Operation and Metal Gear Online. I have a group of friend I will cause mayhem with.    … Expand
  8. Batman2752
    Sep 24, 2015
    10
    I have been with metal gear sense the beginning. So believe me when I tell you this is one of the best metal gear games by far only rivaled by snake eater. This is the best farewell gift Kojima could ever give us!
  9. bryan016
    Mar 17, 2016
    5
    Am I playing the same game as everyone else?

    The game isn't even finished and even though there are well over a hundred missions, they are all the same, literally. This game is very similar to MGS2 except for time period and your character undergoes spoiler plastic surgery. The character is never given a chance to develop and become evil or venom snake. The gameplay is great yes, but it    Am I playing the same game as everyone else?

    The game isn't even finished and even though there are well over a hundred missions, they are all the same, literally. This game is very similar to MGS2 except for time period and your character undergoes spoiler plastic surgery. The character is never given a chance to develop and become evil or venom snake. The gameplay is great yes, but it is the same as MGS4 gameplay so I don't see what all the hype is about. Also, this game's open world idea should have never been created. Just wasn't met to be for this game, what a waste of 5 years of development this game was and I had such high expectations for this game.

    Pros:
    Great gameplay even though it is exactly like MGS4
    Great soundtrack
    Great variety of weapons
    Great introduction
    Beautiful graphics

    Bad:
    Where is the story?
    Short and repetitive missions
    The bloody chopper rides are just tiring
    Is there even a story worth mentioning here
    Where is the rest of the game
    Characters are never given a chance to develop
    Same missions that are repetitive    … Expand
  10. Blaxpupas
    Mar 16, 2016
    9
    Boss, congratulations! One Metal Gear that strikes with an assom gameplay and open world, but story, performaance... aren't very good but, i just think its assom.
  11. DavidHoltzer
    Apr 22, 2019
    4
    This game is bad, not terrible but still tedious and hard to get along with it.It should be about stealth however the controlls are uncomfortable so hard to execute a stealthy approach.In the whole game you do the same things: rescue hostages, or conquer bases the same formula used by Ubisoft and also the same boring experience.
  12. dagoldberg
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    Really an amazing game. By far the best i have played on PS4 so far. Its wacky, has a ton to do, and the story is pretty good too. The game is challenging and i really dont have much to complain about!
  13. Aryandaddy
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    The game is very good with amazing graphics, good voice acting, perfect smart game and enjoyable story. This will probably be the game of the year I enjoyed it even more than the Witcher 3 and Batman Arkham
    Knight!
  14. brandog0
    Sep 1, 2015
    9
    wow, this game has so much content it blows my mind, the graphics are fantastic, and it even has weather affects. I don't know how well the ps3 and 360 versions run but I doubt it looks as pretty as the current gen versions because there is just so much going on at once in this game. Also voice acting is fantastic i mean im one of the few who love/prefer Keifers voice for Big Boss overwow, this game has so much content it blows my mind, the graphics are fantastic, and it even has weather affects. I don't know how well the ps3 and 360 versions run but I doubt it looks as pretty as the current gen versions because there is just so much going on at once in this game. Also voice acting is fantastic i mean im one of the few who love/prefer Keifers voice for Big Boss over Davids even tho David is better when it comes to young boss and solid snake. I havent gotten far story wise but i can already tell this is a 10/10 already and I just beat the prologue. if you're a true metal gear fan, you have to get this game! also its a Hideo Kojima game, just in case you didn't know ;)… Expand
  15. TsukasaHiiragi
    Sep 10, 2015
    5
    Metal Gear Solid V: TPP has a dirty and terrible secret that needs to be exposed, especially after Konami lied to everyone about how F.O.B would work, and that the FOBS would be optional, and you could disable invasions but these features was cut and made mandatory - What that means for the player is that anyone can invade, steal your soldiers/resources/GMP at anytime whether your onlineMetal Gear Solid V: TPP has a dirty and terrible secret that needs to be exposed, especially after Konami lied to everyone about how F.O.B would work, and that the FOBS would be optional, and you could disable invasions but these features was cut and made mandatory - What that means for the player is that anyone can invade, steal your soldiers/resources/GMP at anytime whether your online or offline, this directly affects your SINGLE player experience, imagine you go on vacation for a week and find out your missing most of your troops and all your GMP?

    Alot of the more paranoid players, the ones who'll stay up for days at a time will most likely kill themselves to stop players from raiding their bases.

    The FOB invasions are already a mess with hackers usings CEs - Konami, your fall from grace is astounding here, Lets also talk about the microtransactions the FOB have, and that MSG5 most likely will go directly into P2W areas, to make matters worse that will still affect your SinglePlayer game, and indeed progress.

    The research tree is also directly impacted and designed that you HAVE to invest into FOBS if you want to better gear since your base is restricted at 700 personnel so naturally it doesn't take a genius to figure out that you need the extra bases to increase the amount of people you can have which increases the rank of your equipment.

    MGSV is a good game thats ruined by all of these forced online components after Mission 22. Sure, people have mention you can attempt to stay offline permanently, but then you'll miss out on the daily bonuses (think fish + bait here) and what about patching the game? Once you log back into the game for any reason, all the damage is applied retroactively so instantly you could lose everything. Right now, there are supposedly ways around this by backing up several files - but this might be patched so the player cannot do this soon.

    There are many posts about it now, with this being a COMMON theme-

    ""
    Play offline

    While the online multiplayer mode of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has you constructing a Forward Operating Base (FOB) to which you can allocate soldiers and resources, it also leaves you open to attack from other players even if you're offline. What this means is, you can lose your top Mother Base staff that you spent time and energy capturing, even when you're not playing the game or in online mode. Simply pause the game and disconnect from it as soon as you start and ensure you do so before the end of mission 22 to prevent being forced to build an FOB and take part in a game mode that's more detrimental than it should be. Hopefully Konami patches this mode to make invasions from other players optional. ""    … Expand
  16. Heavy_Boab
    Sep 4, 2015
    10
    A fitting installation to a crazy series. In my opinion they have got the game play right this time. I've always felt MGS was slow with is mechanics and you had to be very methodical with your approach, the more action orientated mechanic really works well and compliments the stealth mechanics nicely.

    Micromanaging your motherbase is a nice way to take a break from all the action. I    A fitting installation to a crazy series. In my opinion they have got the game play right this time. I've always felt MGS was slow with is mechanics and you had to be very methodical with your approach, the more action orientated mechanic really works well and compliments the stealth mechanics nicely.

    Micromanaging your motherbase is a nice way to take a break from all the action. I really enjoy assigning staff to particular roles and sending them out on missions to get more rewards.

    I could say more but I'd be rambling about my love for this game.

    A fitting swan song for Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear.    … Expand
  17. SK747
    Sep 1, 2015
    8
    I got a chance to play and finish this early in my country. The only negative points were pacing issues, some repetition and inconsistencies with gameplay, and not as much development as I'd like for Big Boss. I like the base management and dark themes but I can understand these things aren't for everyone. Other than that it's a fantastic game with great presentation and insane gameplay.I got a chance to play and finish this early in my country. The only negative points were pacing issues, some repetition and inconsistencies with gameplay, and not as much development as I'd like for Big Boss. I like the base management and dark themes but I can understand these things aren't for everyone. Other than that it's a fantastic game with great presentation and insane gameplay. It merges the best stuff from all MGS and improves on all of them.… Expand
  18. archonome
    Jun 26, 2017
    0
    Can't believe this game got such a high score.

    I played MGS 1-4.

    Who on earth thought it would be a great idea to combine fetch quests with this game? This alone killed the game for me. And also, apart from the first hour which makes you believe this game is going to be awesome.... there's no more story after that.

    Are you serious?
  19. mrcollaborator
    Sep 10, 2015
    10
    A fitting ending to the metal gear saga. The gameplay is brilliant. Much more freedom than before. This leads to a story that is a bit more spread out over several missions. But every second of it is enjoyable. Spent an entire week, just getting through the story. Still only at 50%. Worth every penny.
  20. snick
    Sep 5, 2015
    10
    Massive, complex, challenging, deep, ambitious and innovative, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is more than a mere video game, it's a life devoted to the medium. A game for the ages.
  21. daytoneous
    Sep 9, 2015
    10
    This game has been receiving quite a bit of hate for the lack of story and the massive change in gameplay. Critics scores are high yet user scores are low. As a self professed huge Metal Gear Solid fan (seriously guys I have every game, as well as put over 500 hours into each) I must say that I was massively excited for this game. I have never been more excited for anything in my life.This game has been receiving quite a bit of hate for the lack of story and the massive change in gameplay. Critics scores are high yet user scores are low. As a self professed huge Metal Gear Solid fan (seriously guys I have every game, as well as put over 500 hours into each) I must say that I was massively excited for this game. I have never been more excited for anything in my life. They day it came out was euphoric for me, I could not believe that the day had finally come where I would not only get another Metal Gear Solid, but the final Metal Gear Solid. I was expecting massive story which would be highly emotional and mind-bending. I was expecting a gigantic world with smooth gameplay, and a game which is overall fun and a masterpiece... and you know what, thats exactly what I got.
    Gameplay
    It goes without saying that the gameplay is the best in the series. This is the only part of the game that everyone agrees on. The game feels so smooth it must be illegal. The shooting from all guns feels firm like a real gun, but light making it easy to shoot. The sneaking feels like you are in your own movie and most of the time the mission will play out like a grand action sequence in a movie where you are the star. Everything ties together and feels magnificent. There isn't much more to say other than, this game is worth it's 60 dollars alone for how fun it is and there is so much content on top of that. I can easily see myself putting hundreds of hours into it. As a final statement on the gameplay, I must say I felt completely in control the entire time. These grand action sequences were on par with something like Uncharted's scenes of grand mayhem and cinematic glory, except, in Metal Gear Solid V, the scenes were because of my choices, and my choices would have to get me out. This is something extraordinary which I have never seen a game do before. Suffice to say gameplay blew me away.
    Story
    This is the controversial one, the one that some people makes or breaks the game. For me, it made it. At first I was very disappointed at how after that glorious opening, the cutscenes calmed down and frankly left me without a story for about 3 hours. I almost hated it for what had happened, I almost gave this game a 7/10, but the game's story started to kick up dust again, and it was glorious. The games story really start to rank up at the end of the first part of Afghanistan, most people say there are less cutscenes and subsequently less story, but this is simply not true. If you look at the amount of cutscenes altogether, its the same as something like MGS 3 but just more spread out since the game is longer, and the story is not told as much through cutscenes (which are beautiful by the way) and more through audio peaces after missions telling you what happened and cassette tapes which give that famous MGS dialogue and deliver gut punching revelations. Some people think this was a stupid way of doing but I disagree. Yes I miss the extremely cinematic cutscenes but this new way of doing it makes it so if you don't like cutscenes and are new to the MGS franchise, you are not burdened with a huge amount of them, and the cassette tapes can be listened to while on long horseback rides giving you insight into the story while you ride. And the twist, oh the twist, it is game changing and it will make you scratch your head while you ponder it.
    Tone
    The tone is extremely dark while keeping that signature Metal Gear silliness. It as always, handles heavy topics like child soldiers with grace. Sometimes the more serious moments make the silly moments seem a little to silly but this is the case with every Metal Gear game.
    Conclusion
    The game is presented very cleanly and feels and looks incredible if any game deserves praise it is this one. This game is incredible in every way and deserves your money.
    10/10    … Expand
  22. KJosey
    Sep 2, 2015
    10
    Figured this game was going to be a little polarizing with the open world aspect and the reduction of cut scenes...me included in that. However, I've spent over 50 hours with this game so far. I'm tired. My eyes hurt. My hands are near deformity. Yet, I still want to play more. The game play is unbelievable, the amount of REAL content is fantastic (not running around opening randomFigured this game was going to be a little polarizing with the open world aspect and the reduction of cut scenes...me included in that. However, I've spent over 50 hours with this game so far. I'm tired. My eyes hurt. My hands are near deformity. Yet, I still want to play more. The game play is unbelievable, the amount of REAL content is fantastic (not running around opening random treasure chests or "animus" fragments), the visuals are impressive...I could go on and on.

    The low scores are from idiots. It's that simple. If you're not a Metal Gear fan, you might not get the inside jokes and the peculiar oddities that crop up during the game, but I highly recommend this game to anyone with the cash to afford it. You can adjust practically any setting to make your play-through as easy or as difficult as you want and you can replay your missions over and over at any point (The Witcher 3 could learn from this) to improve your score, find all the goodies, and get that S-rank.

    I can't tell you if the story is good or not. This is a story that has been continuing for almost 30 years. You can accept the great parts with the cheesy parts or not. I will say that I enjoyed the story in this game better than any other MGS game, except maybe MGS1 (and I think that's due to nostalgia more than anything). The voice acting is absolutely terrific all around.

    PRO TIP: Turn off the camera shake under options. I was seriously getting a headache from it and it's my only true complaint.

    Seriously, play this game. Then send me hate mail because you spent money buying other Metal Gear games because I got hooked on the series. Happy gaming.    … Expand
  23. thegadfly44
    Sep 26, 2015
    9
    I had to scale my initial review back a bit. This game is absolutely amazing, worth every penny of 60 bucks. the graphics are awesome, it's a lot of fun to play, the story is engaging it's just about perfect.

    The reason I had to scale my initial review of a 10 out of 10 back is because of the repeated story missions. They literally force you to replay missions you've already beat at    I had to scale my initial review back a bit. This game is absolutely amazing, worth every penny of 60 bucks. the graphics are awesome, it's a lot of fun to play, the story is engaging it's just about perfect.

    The reason I had to scale my initial review of a 10 out of 10 back is because of the repeated story missions. They literally force you to replay missions you've already beat at harder difficulties to progress. This was a really dumb design choice and I have no idea what Kojima was thinking. What they should have done instead is just allowed you to go back and replay those missions on harder difficulties if you wanted to. With the way it is this was an obvious ploy to extend the amount of missions available and pad out game time. Something that wasn't even needed as the game without these "extra" missions would have been amazing anyway.    … Expand
  24. Mcfly69
    Sep 3, 2015
    6
    Well here it is, I was so excited about this game, I've played every Metal Gear from PS2 and up and have always enjoyed them. Metal Gear 5 is NOTHING like the past Metal Gears, you're in a open world and you pick your missions? NOOO that's not what Metal Gear is about, I loved these games because of the intense and interesting storyline with missions that went with the storyline, MG5 isWell here it is, I was so excited about this game, I've played every Metal Gear from PS2 and up and have always enjoyed them. Metal Gear 5 is NOTHING like the past Metal Gears, you're in a open world and you pick your missions? NOOO that's not what Metal Gear is about, I loved these games because of the intense and interesting storyline with missions that went with the storyline, MG5 is not like that and pretty much should be called Far Cry 5.. So disappointed :( you messed up on this one Kojima… Expand
  25. GiftofGab
    Sep 4, 2015
    10
    I've put somewhere in the ballpark of 15-20 hours into this game and my initial reaction is that this is the GOTY so far. Hands down.

    Pros: -Finally a game that doesn't treat players like idiots and allows the player to attack any sort of situation as they choose. Want to play it like a traditional MGS game and stealthily accomplish the mission? Check. Want to aggressively charge into    I've put somewhere in the ballpark of 15-20 hours into this game and my initial reaction is that this is the GOTY so far. Hands down.

    Pros:
    -Finally a game that doesn't treat players like idiots and allows the player to attack any sort of situation as they choose. Want to play it like a traditional MGS game and stealthily accomplish the mission? Check. Want to aggressively charge into a base and cause mayhem? Check.
    -Buddy system adds an additional dynamic to fit most players play styles.
    -The most visually stunning game to release on the PS4 so far.
    -Large open world with an abundance of side quests and main story missions
    -In depth base expansion, staff management, and weapon development.
    -Smooth framerate with no drops

    Cons:
    -While the enemy AI is mostly spot on, there are a few instances in which they will blindly walk feet from your position and at the very worst will pause and get closer to see if they can find you.
    -The overall story is very good, but can be overwhelming/disjointed for people who are new to the series.

    All in all, this is an absolute must buy as it could very well be one of the best open world games to come out in a long, long time.    … Expand
  26. Ynja
    Sep 3, 2015
    10
    Kojima kept me waiting, huh?

    But in the end, it was worth the while. I've never been so hyped to a game since GTA V and TLOU.

    I thank him for this masterpiece.
  27. JustinTheDivine
    Sep 3, 2015
    10
    Konami can delete Kojima off the boxart, but they can't delete me. A Hideo Kojima Game. A Hideo Kojima Game. Rip off Kagemasa's arm so he can feel The Phantom Pain. A Hideo Kojima Game. A Hideo Kojima Game. Written by Hideo Kojima, directed by Hideo Kojima, produced by Hideo Kojima, loved by Hideo Kojima. And it's also the greatest game of all time.
  28. chescone
    Sep 4, 2015
    10
    This is the best game of the last 5 years. it's a Masterpiece by a real craftsman, Hideo Kojima. Don't pay attention the the bad reviews from users, there is a review from a guy who didn't even get past the prologue.
    This is the most freedom you'll ever get in a video game. No other open world is like this. You can DO whatever you want to get the mission done. It's Amazing. Plus, you get    This is the best game of the last 5 years. it's a Masterpiece by a real craftsman, Hideo Kojima. Don't pay attention the the bad reviews from users, there is a review from a guy who didn't even get past the prologue.
    This is the most freedom you'll ever get in a video game. No other open world is like this. You can DO whatever you want to get the mission done. It's Amazing. Plus, you get to play Hideo Kojima's farewell to his greatest creation. Metal Gear Solid.    … Expand
  29. JJota
    Sep 29, 2015
    10
    The best game of this generation, and other masterpiece of the Master or Samurai Hideo Kojima...all the charisma and elements of the visionary producer are intact here, in your last game for Konami. Almost perfect, and serious candidate for the GOTY...on side of Batman Arkham Knight, of course.
  30. AhmadAlsumain
    Nov 14, 2015
    10
    This is everything you would want in a metal gear game. Plus more. The only complaints I have about this is the lack of epic moments and long cutscenes.
  31. apoe
    Sep 9, 2015
    9
    Good:

    Amazing voice acting, characters, and story. Probably has the best intro section to a game I've ever seen. Very satisfying shooting mechanics that greatly rewards careful aim and headshots. Enemies do not feel dumb, and will do things like check your last known position or try to smoke you out with mortar fire. Enemies do not feel like they can see you through walls.    Good:

    Amazing voice acting, characters, and story.

    Probably has the best intro section to a game I've ever seen.

    Very satisfying shooting mechanics that greatly rewards careful aim and headshots.

    Enemies do not feel dumb, and will do things like check your last known position or try to smoke you out with mortar fire. Enemies do not feel like they can see you through walls.

    Stealth is reliable, but you can also play rambo mode if you have good aim.

    Bad:

    Many things feel needlessly inconvenient. For example, your helicopter will take off right as you land on Motherbase, so you end up needing to call it back 20 seconds later when you want to leave Motherbase. Why doesn't the helicopter just stay landed until I want to leave?

    An option to manually save would have been nice, sometimes you forget when the last autosave happens so you are scared to exit the game and lose progress.

    Usage requirements are annoying and kind of ridiculous. For example, lvl 3 helicopter costs ~16 times more money to call down than the lvl1 helicopter, even though they do the same thing.

    A lot of the missions feel repetitive. Many of them are "kill this target at this outpost" or "rescue these prisoners at this outpost" with a few lines of story dialogue added in. Since it's an open world game, there will be more filler content than previous linear MGS games.    … Expand
  32. SShiekh11
    Sep 11, 2015
    10
    A wonderful experience with all the bad things in the previous Metal Gear games have been changed to the best , Thanks to the amazing FOX engine......................................................................................................................
  33. FRAge
    Sep 12, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee is great.… Expand
  34. siscobueno
    Sep 15, 2015
    10
    Without writing a full review I will say: I don't know if this game is actually a 10/10 but its a great game. Kojima is a man that takes risks and is successful because of it. For everyone saying the game is "too repetitive" its no different than previous games in the series. Whether its "extract this guy" or "make contact with this guy" its the same thing. The difference being thatWithout writing a full review I will say: I don't know if this game is actually a 10/10 but its a great game. Kojima is a man that takes risks and is successful because of it. For everyone saying the game is "too repetitive" its no different than previous games in the series. Whether its "extract this guy" or "make contact with this guy" its the same thing. The difference being that you are progressively infiltrating newer and tougher bases as you advance in the storyline. So in that sense its not repetitive at all.

    The game did lose me on the story which is very unfortunate since before this game I only played MGS for the storyline. Its what captivated me and kept me with the series for almost 20 years now. Never the gameplay. MGSV has me clocked in at over a 120 hours so far and I really enjoy this game. Its online functionality with the FOBs is a good addition to prolong the experience. And with MGO3 around the corner it can only get better. I was upset the story didn't live up to previous MGS titles but its easy to gain an appreciation for the individual cutscenes in the game due to their direction and cinematography and just how cool they look in general. The melodrama is still there. I think the pacing was off. Too little story. And I found myself not caring for any of the characters, including the ones we're known from before (Ocelot, Miller, etc.) I also really disliked the twist.

    I think the biggest issue I have with the story is that it felt like all the trailers leading up to the game painted a very different image than what we ultimately got. Every trailer was edited in a way to imply that Big Boss is going through a difficult time and ultimately this breaks him. You saw tension in the trailers (and in the game) between him and Miller but ultimately that amounted to nil. The twist at the end was bleh...I had to use hypnotic suggestion to forget it completely (thanks Ocelot).

    I guess not the grandeur of MGS storytelling we've come to expect but all in all its alright. Which is very unfortunate. But story aside, the game is awesome and there is plenty of gameplay there. I look forward to Kojima's next game because its obvious he's had enough writing about the MGS universe.    … Expand
  35. Xandercell
    Sep 15, 2015
    10
    A masterpiece, the best looking game on the PS4, very polished high quality presentation to go along with smooth and incredible gameplay and an immense amount of content that will have you playing for hours, each mission can be played to your style whether its being stealthy or going in loud with guns blazing.

    The story is good and engaging that features one of the best prologues that i    A masterpiece, the best looking game on the PS4, very polished high quality presentation to go along with smooth and incredible gameplay and an immense amount of content that will have you playing for hours, each mission can be played to your style whether its being stealthy or going in loud with guns blazing.

    The story is good and engaging that features one of the best prologues that i have ever played, great soundtrack and voice acting, you can also unlock items, weapons and customize them to your liking with a robust customization system.

    The game isn't perfect but it is an incredible achievement in gaming, an instant classic that shouldn't be missed.    … Expand
  36. JCH
    Sep 16, 2015
    10
    Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain delivers on every level, amazing graphics, excellent gameplay and a killer soundtrack. Do not miss out on this one! 10/10
  37. RoddyRigo
    Sep 16, 2015
    10
    First Off let me start off this Review by saying I am A Huge MGS Fan but I do not limit myself to saying that all the games in the series have flaws. Just as any game does. So I'm be afraid to sport some in this.

    MGSV: The Phantom Pain is easily my favorite Metal Gear Solid, and that's a hard **** statement to make Because I played MGS 4 and MGS 3 multiple times over just to experience    First Off let me start off this Review by saying I am A Huge MGS Fan but I do not limit myself to saying that all the games in the series have flaws. Just as any game does. So I'm be afraid to sport some in this.

    MGSV: The Phantom Pain is easily my favorite Metal Gear Solid, and that's a hard **** statement to make Because I played MGS 4 and MGS 3 multiple times over just to experience them again. What makes it great? Beautiful graphics, Great Characters and Voice acting, Very in depth gameplay and so so so so much to do. All without the inclusion of the Online mode, which based off other games, will be equally as fun and addicting.

    Story - I love everything about MGS Storylines. The humor, the serious notions, the way it plays into real life history and puts it's own spin on it. It's all very clever and intriguing. You can't knock MGS for going over the top every now and then because hey, that's Kojima for you, he's weird. And lets be honest, most games coming out of Japan have a very weird characteristics, so seeing mechs in 1984 is actually pretty damn tame. Everything making a kojima game is all there, the overlaying themes, the question raisers, emotional moments, there's hardly anything you won't love SLIGHT "IMPACT" SPOILER STOP READING IF YOU WANT TO AVOID. I won't spoil anything too much, but something within the story occurs as a big twist MGS games are all known for, and it will either make you say "wow that was ballsy" and blow your mind or completely make you go What the **** that's so dumb. If you've seen the trailers you already have a slight idea, and early on you get a hell of a lot of moments making you say "could it be...?" If you beat the game you know what I'm on about. Overall I PERSONALLY loved the story, and understand some fans complaints but it's really being picky in all honesty, but I would've loved the long cutscenes MGS is known for. Created a void for me personally, but you get those cutscenes in the form of casette tapes ala Peace walker, that you listen to in order to fill in story gaps you have questions for. Something too many people overlook and ruin their experience with.

    Gameplay - THE BEST, YES THE BEST I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF PLAYING. Why? Because I can do things in so many different ways, I actually get overwhelmed in thinking what to do. Here, is where SO **** MANY PEOPLE, and getting wrong with this game. All the negative opinions I've seen that aren't just **** idiots being trolls or just being idiots, are underwhelming every aspect of the gameplay. Either they just go in full stealth with no variety, or guns blazing, and leave it at that. And yes, you can boil it down to that, but there so many ways for you to go about it, so many entry points and manners of infiltration that had me thinking "well night-time would be better because these guards will be asleep, but then I can't see the most important ones unless I choose quiet to scout, but then I lose the mobility of D-horse, or D-walker's ability to.." That's what I mean. There's so many layers to combat, and everything, down to day and night, weather patterns, Guard Patrol Patters, Truck arrival times, Guard meetups, Guard shifts, **** even the position of their HEAD matters. Everything is purposeful and every weapon and tactic you employ is rewarding when done right, and even if things don't go to plan it's a **** joy to get out of a sticky situation. Cons? Well the "open world" is more like a big sandbox to go and tackle certain guard posts. There's NO civilian life whatsoever, which makes the world feel dead and barren at times. It is a big flaw but in fairness, it's a desert and jungle War-zones, so you don't expect to see civilians, but it would've been nice to have in there and could've added to gameplay. Enemies at the start are stupidly easy, but that's to get you used to the game and mechanics, and they quickly ramp up their difficulty after the first "tutorial" modes.

    Graphics + Sound - The game is downright gorgeous to look at. With some slightly low res textures in some areas that were understandable, almost everything comes out crisp and looking great, with great, and I mean GREAT draw distance for console games, and looks **** awesome on PC. The lighting, the character models, the animations, the weapon detail, the designs of EVERYTHING are so well done. Admittedly some of the enemies may have repeats in design in the same area, but there's enough variety, and really, what more can you do with enemy types, this isn't a world like The Witcher or Elder Scrolls. Sound as well was incredible. with noise being a key factor to finding out certain things in the environment and how enemies react towards your actions. the voice acting is great. If you're unfamiliar to MGS games, the anime at times sounding voice work will come off forced or over the top but that's nothing new to MGS. You learn to love it.

    GOTY. Fallout 4 may come close, but this is my favorite game. EVER    … Expand
  38. Thanosoftitan
    Sep 28, 2015
    10
    Not sure what all of the cynicism is about, but I am really enjoying this game. I feel like I've done so much, but yet I'm only at 17% complete. This is great game to me.
  39. Preidon
    Oct 30, 2015
    10
    Best game ever released in the world, I **** love it and you willl love it too,stop reading and go buy it you lazy butt, easiliy better than fallout 4.
  40. TheTrurth
    May 11, 2016
    9
    As you walk around in this gorgeous open world in the 1980's you find yourself hiding in a box packing enough heat to blow up a 60 ton tank. Enough said.
  41. KWOW
    Aug 14, 2016
    1
    Ughhh!!! What an utter disappointment, Who ever says this game is good is lying to themselves. It seems as though Kojima and his team were just hating this franchise at this point. The open world is barren, the cut scenes are lackluster, the story was ridiculous. Not having David Hater as snake killed this game. The only thing good about this was the graphics. they where beautiful.Ughhh!!! What an utter disappointment, Who ever says this game is good is lying to themselves. It seems as though Kojima and his team were just hating this franchise at this point. The open world is barren, the cut scenes are lackluster, the story was ridiculous. Not having David Hater as snake killed this game. The only thing good about this was the graphics. they where beautiful. Playing this game really gave me a bad taste in my mouth and does not live up to its ps1, 2, or 3 counterparts.… Expand
  42. Bilbur
    Sep 1, 2015
    9
    Been playing this on PS4 all today and yesterday thanks to ShopTo, so here's my two pennies worth for what it's worth.

    After the confusing, slow paced and overly long intro, I'm settling into the gameplay and it really is sumptuous. I'm a real stickler for realistic horses in games and the horse here is very well done. In fact, in many ways it feels a lot like the horse from SotC,    Been playing this on PS4 all today and yesterday thanks to ShopTo, so here's my two pennies worth for what it's worth.

    After the confusing, slow paced and overly long intro, I'm settling into the gameplay and it really is sumptuous. I'm a real stickler for realistic horses in games and the horse here is very well done. In fact, in many ways it feels a lot like the horse from SotC, especially when you break off into a gallop and the wind rushes by your ears.

    The desert tundra filled with rocky escarpments is brilliantly realised, with a dazzling array of gameplay choices on offer. The controls feel tight, if a little bit janky with a couple of strange button choices and not really much customisation options (typical MGS fare, I guess, but it's a bit jarring after playing other slick third person games like TLoU). But it's the gameplay that's key here and it's got bucket-loads. It's just so much fun sizing up camps and outposts from the hills then sneaking in to steal gear, materials and personnel to send back to Motherbase for development. This element is superb, and easily as fun as base management in X-COM E.U. The sheer array of available research projects and upgrades is incredible and being able to physically watch the base expand and develop is highly satisfying. This is where the game actually races ahead of it's peers. Not only are we dealing with an almost open world here, with a similar level of mechanics to the very best third person games, but we're also getting a giant metagame on top which feeds into the experience in the form of Motherbase. The fact that this game performs at a rock solid 60fps on consoles is the cherry on the top and is almost mystical. To my mind, it really does set the bar very high for current gen.

    Personally, I absolutely loved Peace Walker and I disagree that tPP is totally unlike any other MGS game. For me, it feels like a very natural progression from PW. I know lots of people disliked PW for it's deviation from many MGS tropes. If you did, then don't just write-off tPP. It's much meatier in the gameplay dept and the corridor missions have been replaced with these vast open zones with total freedom and endless options. I particularly like the fact that you are part conservationist too, it actually made me chuckle with glee.

    I don't love MGS games for their story arc, however, and for me it's the weakest element of the series. I just think the characters and story haven't matured enough to keep pace with the progression of game mechanics and the entertainment industry as a whole (let alone those fans that have grown up with the series like me). When put in the context of some other games, films and box sets out there (ahem 24), I thought the beginning sequence in tPP felt positively low budget (albeit very shiny and good looking). It's a shame, because it sets things up in poor stead (in my opinion) and I feel many discerning gamers will just write it off as bollocks and send it to the swap-shop. There IS a damn fine game here buried underneath the waffle and quirky nonsense. I personally feel the series is moving in the right direction by altering the way in which the story takes centre stage, often at the cost of gameplay. If it was better written and easier to actually follow, I may feel differently.

    Snake is a great character, but the length and breadth of the military-industrialised nature of the series feels seriously at odds with many of the characters, especially when they start referring to one-another in gravelled action-movie voices as 'Rough Diamond Dogs' and 'Big Boss'. It just comes across as crass and poorly written and doesn't serve well to pastiche those 80's action movies as it would so like to. And for god's sake let me skip a cut scene if I choose, at the very least on the second visit to it. Jesus.

    That's my opinion, anyway, which I'm sure will rub up heavily against many stalwart fans, but know that I am a huge fan of MGS also. I just don't think it reached it's full potential in terms of vision. Do buy this game though. Just like playing around in Los Santos, at the very least it's a tour de force of what highly skilled programmers are capable of. At it's very best it's a superb lone-ranger military stealth game.    … Expand
  43. lukszu
    Sep 5, 2015
    10
    This game is a masterpiece, from technical point of view through gameplay, story and visuals. Enjoying every minute of playing as Big Boss again. GOTY 2015
  44. Boss-Mc
    Sep 4, 2015
    10
    Hideo Kojima Game, NUff said, amazing truly a master piece!'

    Its amazing in every aspect, buddy, equipments, own mother base, own mercenary army, vehicles, items and all, i never wanted to buy ps4, but when this came i just had to get Phantom Pain edition of ps4 superb quality game, and truly worth the money!
  45. Obiwanmark
    Sep 8, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was the first Metal Gear game I've played, and it is one of, if not the best game I've played this generation. Game play is spot on, brilliant mechanics, great sound track and a great story with! Wasn't a fan of the true ending, and also thought the missions which you replay under certain circumstances post 30 were a bit cheap, however, this in no way hinders this game being a masterpiece.… Expand
  46. CaraDavies
    Sep 6, 2015
    7
    (SPOILER FREE)
    Could this final instalment ever really satisfy all the unanswered questions and audience expectations? Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear series was medium and genre defining, not only setting a standard for stealth gameplay and mechanics, but also demonstrating in the early days of the video games industry how cinematic and storytelling techniques could be innovatively used to    (SPOILER FREE)
    Could this final instalment ever really satisfy all the unanswered questions and audience expectations? Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear series was medium and genre defining, not only setting a standard for stealth gameplay and mechanics, but also demonstrating in the early days of the video games industry how cinematic and storytelling techniques could be innovatively used to create powerful and moving stories. Fans around the world were drawn into a rich and at times brilliantly convoluted universe, populated with characters so three dimensional and likeable that the player finds themselves genuinely caring about their fates. Fates played out in a saga where sub plot and character history are an addictive garnish atop the substantial meat of a philosophically and politically motivated main narrative.
    The issue with this release is the side lining of the story which has captivated fans for so long, the lengthy frequent cut scenes and codec conversations that so characterised the series are gone.
    While Kiefer Sutherland has done a fantastic job other voice actors let the production down and your character is too often mute which becomes jarring, particularly when something is directly revealed to you and there is no snappy one liner or thoughtful response as there has been in all the other games. As someone who struggled with the series gameplay pre the introduction of Fox Engine in MGS 4 (to the point of playing them on easy mode), I can appreciate how there was pressure to match the easy fun style of recent games like GTA V, Far Cry 4 and Tomb Raider. Audiences demand a less linear world to explore; they are less forgiving of clunky controls and most desire some RPG style element such as upgrading skills or characters to chart their progression through the game.
    The Phantom Pain succeeds in bringing this more player friendly style of gameplay, not only does it run ridiculously well on PC due to the power of Fox Engine, action and stealth mechanics are greatly improved making both infiltration and a more aggressive approach really fun to play. However the addition of elements such as the development of Mother Base mainly through resource management feels slightly tacked on and dare I say pointless. Though the world is huge and open there isn’t an awful lot to do when travelling between bases or missions, making a lot of the game a frustrating dash or painstaking crawl between A and B. This would not be so noticeable if the autosave/check pointing system (you cannot manually save) was not so poorly implemented. It is difficult to tell when your game has saved and too often you end up wasting hours redoing missions because the game has bugged and forgotten a checkpoint. While some gameplay is ruined by what would seem very simple fixes, for example the close quarter combat actions, buddy attacks and prone are so over powered it ruins the immersion significantly.
    Kojami has always been an uncompromising auteur and innovator, possibly one of the most important creative minds of our times. It has been revealed there was great pressure not only to recoup profits on the pushed back release leading to annoyances like micro transactions but also that publishers Konami effectively ripped the story out of the game, hours of cut scenes were removed and for a year they wouldn’t allow funding for development of effectively anything but the gameplay. Some we will see, for example a particularly important cut scene was included on the special edition and is surely destined for upload, but some tragically will probably never reach the eyes of fans.

    The truth is this release and the mixed reactions of players across the world just goes to proves how when business and creativity come together in the right ways, as the series has done in the past, wonderful things can be allowed to develop, however as with this game when profit margins dictate creative content the result is almost always half-baked, even with the best material to work with. However, I think the best way to view the series is not through the lens of this one game, but rather as we view any iconic saga from Star Wars to James Bond, it should be viewed as a sum of its parts and judged by enjoyment it has given fans and inspiration it has given to artists. It would be easy to harshly proclaim this game a disservice to fans but in comparison to most commercial premium games it still stands out as a very good game. Kojami put it best when in an interview he said:
    “When a flower dies it scatters its seeds. Snake’s DNA, his seeds of life, dissolves in the wind and gives rise to a new life in a new place…that’s the kind of “dissolve” I had in mind. Likewise I hope I can pass various genes onto a next generation of game designers”.
    Given the commercial pressures the game was created under I’ll cherish what little story was allowed to survive, ignore the nit-picks and then probably replay the older games.    … Expand
  47. OutlawTX
    Sep 8, 2015
    10
    I've played a lot...I'm talkin A LOT of friggin games. I've been an avid gamer since the days of Legend of Zelda, Metroid and FF1 on Nintendo. Hell I even had an Atari 2600 and Intellivision before that. That being said, This game is one of the most amazing games I've played. Period. I've got around 60 hours into it and am only at 50% completion. I can already see that I'll still beI've played a lot...I'm talkin A LOT of friggin games. I've been an avid gamer since the days of Legend of Zelda, Metroid and FF1 on Nintendo. Hell I even had an Atari 2600 and Intellivision before that. That being said, This game is one of the most amazing games I've played. Period. I've got around 60 hours into it and am only at 50% completion. I can already see that I'll still be playing after 100%. Congrats to Kojima and his crew. They made a masterpiece, all while, fighting Konami every step of the way. That fight paid off.… Expand
  48. Kraliestgamer
    Sep 2, 2015
    10
    pretty phenomenal game, great sendoff to the metal gear series that while staying true to the rest of the games manages to feel completely different, a lot more serious than the previous games and that works out well in the end. easily my game of the year
  49. Cstriker01
    Sep 23, 2015
    10
    One of the best entries in the MGS series. Very impressive, and the new mechanics are a natural evolution of the tactical stealth genre that MGS help establish. It is too bad that this is Kojima's last title with MGS as I would love to see where he would go next.

    The Good: Graphical fidelity is fantastic with great skyboxes and vistas. Some buildings can look bland, but this is far and    One of the best entries in the MGS series. Very impressive, and the new mechanics are a natural evolution of the tactical stealth genre that MGS help establish. It is too bad that this is Kojima's last title with MGS as I would love to see where he would go next.

    The Good: Graphical fidelity is fantastic with great skyboxes and vistas. Some buildings can look bland, but this is far and few between. The use of lighting plays a huge role with the detection system and enemy vision cones (which is no longer visible), coupled with a camo system and noise system creates a nice marriage of mechanics to make sneaking more natural. Enemies do have patrol patterns, but they are a little less predictable, but patterns are there. The base building metagame is AWESOME, I enjoy it and it makes you feel apart of a PMC and the MGS universe, it makes your base feel like a base and alive. Story is interesting but a little light, not a bad thing as I believe the gameplay more then makes up for this. Solid shooting mechanics and a great buddy, weapon, helicopter customization system.

    Bad: Not a lot really but there are a few points. The open world is great, but as a first foray into open world, you can feel it. Not a lot of wild life and zero civilians to engage with. But there is TONS to do so this doesn't hamper things.

    Motherbase, the base building aspect...none of the facilities are enterable. This sucked, I totally wanted to enter the buildings I was pumping resources into!

    Solid 10/10. GOTY contender indeed.    … Expand
  50. Kawai
    Sep 7, 2015
    9
    Finally.
    An amazing must-have game for next-gen.
    Rare to see a game that's NOT over-hyped & then NOT pushed out the doors early.
    They took their sweet time. And they nailed it on the head.
    WIN!
    (and i've only ever played Snake Eater & the prequel last year (didn't care much for it)
    This game, however, is a solid bet for GotY.
    -Only giving a 9 because nothing is perfect. :)
  51. Dat_One_Critic
    Sep 7, 2015
    8
    I am having mixed feelings. Gameplay is by far amazing. Graphics are awesome. And me being new to the series i thought the story was fun, thrilling and amazing. But the ending. The ending felt like Destiny. To finish the cliffhanger of the story it seems like your going to have to pay for the rest of the story.
    Story 8/10
    Graphics 8/10
    Gameplay 9/10
  52. t0mmyg
    Feb 3, 2017
    7
    Metal gear solid 5 is a very tough game to review. On one hand you have solid graphics and animations, solid voice acting and solid gameplay. On the other you have bland endless nameless enemies and drab rocky desert base after drab rocky desert base. I had great fun using different weapons and gear to take enemies out however I had much less fun, researching them with the overblown menusMetal gear solid 5 is a very tough game to review. On one hand you have solid graphics and animations, solid voice acting and solid gameplay. On the other you have bland endless nameless enemies and drab rocky desert base after drab rocky desert base. I had great fun using different weapons and gear to take enemies out however I had much less fun, researching them with the overblown menus and convoluted mother base operations. Every moment of excitement I had planning an infiltration was met with a moment of mundane base management and research of weapons. The menus give very little incentive to be excited about researching anything and every time I booted up a new mission I couldn't help but be disappointed looking at another craggy desert waste filled with generic samey bunkers. All in all I had fun playing Metal Gear solid, but the presentation just left me less than pumped.… Expand
  53. 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
  54. CiphirSol
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    Welcome to the new generation of gaming. This is the 1st and best example of a next gen title I have seen so far. Hopefully more games learn from this one and take us even further!
  55. Kawsgard
    Sep 3, 2015
    10
    Think of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain like that epic finale to a series that marked generations.
    It's like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King or Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
    It's something to see and review. In this case, play and "replay".
    Enjoy the animations, play the whole story, do sidequests.
    It's not every day that we have a masterpiece of games like this.
  56. TwistedSmitty
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    Excellent game, not as good as MGS4 in my opinion but a great delivery by Kojima. I find it offensive that some users are giving it a bad grade (as low as 0), not liking it is something, saying it is a bad game is very different.
  57. fxa5209
    Sep 16, 2015
    7
    At one point, the game gets boring and repetitive. I dont like the open world approach taken by Kojima. Please take MGS to its old route if there will be a next MGS
  58. Rodrigogeiger
    Sep 21, 2015
    10
    The best game ever--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  59. KokeFunky
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    Una obra maestra con todas sus letras. El titulo te ofrece un nivel de inmersion altisimo, probablemente uno de los mejores en la historia en este aspecto. Un mundo hermoso y misiones muy epicas. El sistema jugable es solido y la inteligencia artificial de los enemigos es lo mejor que tiene actualmente la industria.
  60. GumBoy
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    This is the most perfectly crafted game I've probably ever seen and obviously the best MGS installment. I feel sorry for people that didn't play all the previous MGS games, because they will not be able to fully enjoy and appreciate this one. Nevertheless it's still worth giving a try if it's your first approach to Metal ear universum. For fans like me, it's just a masterpiece andThis is the most perfectly crafted game I've probably ever seen and obviously the best MGS installment. I feel sorry for people that didn't play all the previous MGS games, because they will not be able to fully enjoy and appreciate this one. Nevertheless it's still worth giving a try if it's your first approach to Metal ear universum. For fans like me, it's just a masterpiece and obviously must-have. One of the greatest birthday gifts I've ever received. Thank you Kojima San… Expand
  61. jakeman25
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    "Kept you waiting huh?"... These words at the beginning of Ground Zeroes marks the beginning of an epic game, that is MGS V - The Phantom Pain. Not only is it one of the best mgs games ever made, but to me its also one of the best games ever made. The game play is flawless, the graphics beautiful, the story is great though you gotta invest some serious time in it. Big boss is one of my"Kept you waiting huh?"... These words at the beginning of Ground Zeroes marks the beginning of an epic game, that is MGS V - The Phantom Pain. Not only is it one of the best mgs games ever made, but to me its also one of the best games ever made. The game play is flawless, the graphics beautiful, the story is great though you gotta invest some serious time in it. Big boss is one of my favorite characters and if this is the last mgs game with Hideo Kojima... then sir "I Salute You!" Thank-you for this awesome series I got to grow up with!… Expand
  62. Decaido
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    The best experience is in the Playstation 4, look for this game for a long time and indeed this note 10, is on gameplay, storyline and more, must-buy!!
  63. Ossy_King_99
    Sep 2, 2015
    8
    Absolutely amazing, A true Hideo Kojima game.
    Please take my advice and ignore the user reviews, haters are spamming negative reviews and are probably making extra accounts to give this game a lower rating.
    Phantom Pain is easily 10/10 material.
    A MUST OWN.
    If you don't have this in your collection then you should be ashamed of yourself!
  64. Bertoflyingfox
    Sep 5, 2015
    7
    This game is a tour de force. I've always been a Metal Gear Solid fan (Snake Eater being my favorite) and being able to follow Big Boss again but in the 80s is a treat. An explosive beginning chapter leads to the most feature-packed stealth/action game I have ever played. While the initial setting does leave something to be desired (some folks can't stand the desert sandbox for too long)This game is a tour de force. I've always been a Metal Gear Solid fan (Snake Eater being my favorite) and being able to follow Big Boss again but in the 80s is a treat. An explosive beginning chapter leads to the most feature-packed stealth/action game I have ever played. While the initial setting does leave something to be desired (some folks can't stand the desert sandbox for too long) everything else makes up for it in spades.

    Having a base, collecting weapons/armor/soldiers/animals, developing things that'll help in future missions. This game has it all and has pretty much shot up to the top of my GOTY contenders. Bravo Kojima & Team, bravo.    … Expand
  65. OwnagePS3
    Sep 10, 2015
    10
    MGSVTPP has finally come and I can definitely say it was worth the wait , this game is a marvellous example of how to make a good game and it surpasses almost all of the games that have come this year . While the game is troubled by a not so great second part of the game ( when you reach Africa ) it's still fun enough to guarantee a purchase , Afghanistan is the thief of the show with aMGSVTPP has finally come and I can definitely say it was worth the wait , this game is a marvellous example of how to make a good game and it surpasses almost all of the games that have come this year . While the game is troubled by a not so great second part of the game ( when you reach Africa ) it's still fun enough to guarantee a purchase , Afghanistan is the thief of the show with a great opening in Cyprus leading into the war torn Afghanistan where Russia is fighting the Muhajideen , it's a good way to begin the game . Once you get your own Mother Base things get a lot more interesting but as I said once you reach Africa it dials back down a little . The gameplay is probably the best part of this game , the stealth is extremely fun and even going in guns blazing Is surprisingly fun for a game based on stealth . I loved the buddy system and being able to level up you partner , my favourite being Quiet as she can scout a base and inform you where all the important items are ( enemies , prisoners , turrets etc. ) . The Graphics are also phenomenal , it's a beautiful version of the Fox Engine and I wouldn't want the graphics any other way . Overall this is a fantastic experience that at the same time has a lot of flaws , you might be wondering why I didn't lower the score even though I had some major complaints and the simple answer is , everything else in the game is done so well the flaws are surpassed and forgotten , this game is a straight 10/10 with a fantastic everything besides as I said the few flaws .… Expand
  66. WilChurch103
    Sep 4, 2015
    10
    In a gaming generation where games are normally sequels that are parallel the games before it, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain proves that old dogs can learn new tricks. As a longtime fan of the Metal Gear Solid franchise I have spent the past 3-4 years tracking the development of this game and hearing almost every news article to come out. Having waited that long, when I finally gotIn a gaming generation where games are normally sequels that are parallel the games before it, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain proves that old dogs can learn new tricks. As a longtime fan of the Metal Gear Solid franchise I have spent the past 3-4 years tracking the development of this game and hearing almost every news article to come out. Having waited that long, when I finally got my hands on the game I took my expectation and set the bar really high. From the very beginning mission the game has a deep deep feel for situational discomfort, you aren't comfortable with that's happening, but this is done in a way that both excites you and scares you. You don't want to run into an enemy base but you also wonder if there are any diamonds there so you can create a larger Mother Base. It's things like this that really make the game shine as a stealth simulation, an experience where you actually feel like you are infiltrating something much larger than yourself.

    What would a Metal Gear Solid game be without it's story? Although at the time I am writing this review I have yet to complete the story, I have already seen how this story is structured and polished. Some chapters don't matter as much as others, but they all play a role in where the story is going. Even some of the side ops that aren't part of the main story hold important answers to questions created from previous games, and some give the player a fun experience that differs from the main story. Along with this incredible story comes the character's that drive them. Big Boss isn't the soldier he used to be, Kaz Miller isn't the agent he was in 1975, and Ocelot is definitely not the same as in Snake Eater. Each of these characters play an important role in where this story goes and why this story is happening. With this characters come the voice actors. When I first heard that Kiefer Sutherland would be taking the place as Big Boss I was a bit skeptical, but after having player 15+ hours of this game I can see exactly why he was chosen. Troy Baker and Robin Atkin Downes both give powerful and emotional performances as Ocelot and Miller, and both actors put just as much, if not more, raw emotion into these characters.

    Overall, The Phantom Pain is nothing short of a masterpiece, something that will be looked upon by gamers in the coming years. If there is a game that reflects the improvement of franchises, this is the one that should be looked at.    … Expand
  67. fishandcheese
    Sep 6, 2015
    10
    Best game ever! The freedom in this game greats the replay-ability to another level! Apart from the story keeping you gripped, the other side-ops and base activities are really really REALLY fun and is my fav part of this game and what makes this game from very good to super great.
  68. VicViper1984
    Sep 8, 2015
    10
    Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is without a doubt a modern classic. It is a game that dares to push boundaries and to be truly ambitious where far too many developers and their series are far too comfortable stagnating with each iteration of their respective series. Whether you are a long time fan of the series, a newcomer, or even someone who found previous titles in the seriesMetal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is without a doubt a modern classic. It is a game that dares to push boundaries and to be truly ambitious where far too many developers and their series are far too comfortable stagnating with each iteration of their respective series. Whether you are a long time fan of the series, a newcomer, or even someone who found previous titles in the series weren't really your thing, or just outright disliked them, I implore you to try this game, really try it. I say this because it is one of the only instances in gaming history where a series has made such an incredibly and surprisingly massive leap forward, not only for the series itself, but more importantly for gaming as a whole. This is the kind of game that sets a standard, this is the kind of game that's merits can not be simply measured by the sum of it's parts. I can only hope, and pray that other gamers will look at this game as a shining example of the difference between a game that is produced with true care and creativity, with ambition behind it and innovation pushing it forward and making it a reality, and games that are just yearly releases of the same old **** running on dated engines, with barely any real change save for new maps and a new generic story, pushed out too early and often buggy and incomplete, with withheld content planned as DLC's right from the start.

    Don't get me wrong The Phantom Pain is not a "perfect game" nothing is of course. It has it's fair share of issues, could have a better fast travel system, missions could be a bit more varied, has a few bugs that could be cleared up, vehicles could have been made to preform better. But overall, in the grand scheme of what the game offers, and also compared to the faults of MOST modern games, it's flaws are negligible at their worst. And that is impressive considering how technically advanced the game is, the fact that it's on every console and PC barring the Wii/Wii U, and that it's running on an entirely new engine on unfamiliar consoles. That's almost always a recipe for a whole lot of technical glitches that this game is surprisingly lacking in all things considered.

    The one really major "flaw" that may turn some people off from this game is how it approaches it's story. Due to the extensive length of the game, and also due to the fact that it's both a Prequel and a Sequel to a long running timeline (which is a writing nightmare) the game has a relatively slow pace that won't grab a good number of people. This is amplified by the fact that Kojima made a strong attempt at shifting the focus in storytelling to be more action and expression based than dialogue based, which for any film freaks like myself, is great. The cinematography is second to none, but I fully understand how it would be hard for many to really take in. The game does provide exposition in the form of cassette tapes you can play whenever you'd like. But still I can see how the story may not click with a good deal of people. That said it is quite a violent and often times grim game, so it's great for those who are interested games that are a bit more on the mature side.

    Gameplay and presentation are where the game really shines though. As the focus has shifted from what was a cut scene heavy series, MGSV is in nearly every way, the most amazingly detailed game-play experience yet in gaming, the beauty behind it is the level of depth in it's mechanics which is what Hideo Kojima is known for, although it's always been on such a small scale. George Weidman from Super Bunnyhop once said "If The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim is an ocean that's a foot deep, the Metal Gear Solid 3, is the Mariana Trench." Which is something that I would agree with. And now, Kojima has taken that depth that warranted such a statement and has applied it to an "ocean" of his own, no longer confined to such a limited scale or game length, MGSV is one of the very few games where you can do just about anything you could ever want to do and more, and more importantly, where it all feels good, where it's all natural and applicable, where any choice you make is a valid choice that isn't penalized or ineffective. But what's more it may be the ONLY game I have ever played that grows and adapts to how it's being played and then works to counter it and forces the player to grow and adapt, all thanks to it's multitude of features that all work in tandem to make each time you replay a mission, or replay the game unique, and unpredictable.

    If you have any doubts about purchasing MGSV, I implore you to throw caution to the wind and buy this game, it is without a doubt, the best game purchase you'll have made in the last decade. And it will serve to send a message to developers that this is the level of quality we expect from our games, and that we as gamers are done being shoehorned in to only having a steady stream of rehashed bull**** available for us to play. Support quality, not marketability and profit margins.    … Expand
  69. 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
  70. Howl
    Sep 2, 2015
    10
    "What a disappointment, I hope I can get a refund."

    Your mother commenting on you SuperMe.

    The game is a master piece, easily the best saga that there is to date.
  71. Calado
    Sep 2, 2015
    9
    In a few words? The Last of Us meets open world.

    The freedom of approach, de mind blowing cutscenes and the addition of First Person Aim are amazing upgrades comparing to Ground Zeros. Even if you never played a Metal Gear game, even if third person stealth isn't you're style, you will still enjoy this game. It's a masterpiece worth your time.
  72. JDSan24
    Sep 2, 2015
    10
    This is definitely not just the best game in the MGS saga, but one of the best action games ever created, period. It's a sublime masterpiece that should be taken as a reference of how games can evolve without hurting its core feeling. Props to Hideo Kojima and his awesome team!
  73. Venomous
    Sep 9, 2015
    10
    This is simply THE greatest game I have ever played, EVER. The amount of polish and the production level is through the roof. The graphics are outstanding. The story is gripping. Lots of fan service for all the MGS fans. And most importantly, AMAZING GAMEPLAY. You must get this game.
  74. shm0
    Sep 2, 2015
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. The opening hour of the game is kind of weird - it's very illogical and feels like you're part of a movie. Once you get past this, you enter the open world which is what this game is all about. It is the best open world game I've ever played. Once you start horseback riding, you'll have memories of the Legend of Zelda, RDR, Skyrim. Every single element ofThis game is a masterpiece. The opening hour of the game is kind of weird - it's very illogical and feels like you're part of a movie. Once you get past this, you enter the open world which is what this game is all about. It is the best open world game I've ever played. Once you start horseback riding, you'll have memories of the Legend of Zelda, RDR, Skyrim. Every single element of this game works towards it's overall design. A masterpiece.… Expand
  75. Quenouille
    Sep 7, 2015
    10
    This game doesn't feel like a metal gear game, but the gameplay is awesome! You always have something to do and after 40 hrs I'm at 20% of completion. it's the best 60$ I have spend!
  76. Greedy_Warfare
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    The best game I've ever played.
    All in this game is perfect.
    It's not just a fanboy's point of view, this game will change your future.
    Thanks Mister Kojima for this jewel.
  77. sawyermade
    Sep 3, 2015
    10
    def going to be GOTY! the pc version is legit, runs so smooth. the new standard for next gen games. this has to be one of the best games that i have played in a while. buy it.
  78. Rulshok
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    Absolutely a must buy. Had never played a Metal Gear Solid title before Ground Zeroes and the Phantom Pain, and I'm still entirely in love with it. Pick it up, you won't regret it. If you like having free-flowing and innovative gameplay, this is the game for you.
  79. sonofashepherd
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    After growing up with Snake on every platform, I can now say if this is the end, it was one hell of a ride!
    Graphics are beautiful, some of the best yet in any game. Mechanics are tight and responsive, and the addition of an open world can not be praised enough. It shows with the right direction, any game could be a successful open world game. Voice acting is done right, by which I mean    After growing up with Snake on every platform, I can now say if this is the end, it was one hell of a ride!
    Graphics are beautiful, some of the best yet in any game. Mechanics are tight and responsive, and the addition of an open world can not be praised enough. It shows with the right direction, any game could be a successful open world game. Voice acting is done right, by which I mean you don't notice it, like when you watch a movie. It doesn't feel like the person was just reading on the paper. I would go ahead and call this game of the year if it wasn't for another little title called fallout 4. But it will certainly be between those 2 I believe.    … Expand
  80. JRG
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Kojima has made a masterpiece......I feel like I'm watching a movie. I havent played all that much but from what I've seen I can tell this is a winner.… Expand
  81. XjuLius89
    Sep 3, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A Hideo Kojima Game. You got it? It's a Hideo Kojima game! You will see "A Hideo Kojima game" at opening of the game. Opening every missions! also after complete every missions!

    Even see his face in game!    … Expand
  82. xtabrisx
    Sep 7, 2015
    9
    People rating this game so low are just haters. Now, focusing on the game:
    This is probably one of the best games ever. It went directly to my top 5 of all time. The story it's not the best, games like MGS, MGS3 and MGS4 are way deeper in story terms, but the gameplay, the graphics, the sidequests, the characters, and many other things make this game REALLY HUGE.
    I've been playing for 55    People rating this game so low are just haters. Now, focusing on the game:
    This is probably one of the best games ever. It went directly to my top 5 of all time. The story it's not the best, games like MGS, MGS3 and MGS4 are way deeper in story terms, but the gameplay, the graphics, the sidequests, the characters, and many other things make this game REALLY HUGE.
    I've been playing for 55 hours and still wanting more.
    Thank you Mr. Kojima for such an amazing game. You're just too good for Konami ;)    … Expand
  83. mosessaur
    Sep 10, 2015
    10
    The Phantom Pain for me is a Master Piece. Previously Snake Eater was my favorite in the serious. Phantom Pain brought all the goodness of Snake Eater and Guns of The Patriot together in an amazing tactical espionage within an open world.
    The game has really great content. Now I admit it gets repetitive! But because you do it each time with different approach and style; it feels fresh!    The Phantom Pain for me is a Master Piece. Previously Snake Eater was my favorite in the serious. Phantom Pain brought all the goodness of Snake Eater and Guns of The Patriot together in an amazing tactical espionage within an open world.
    The game has really great content. Now I admit it gets repetitive! But because you do it each time with different approach and style; it feels fresh! And when the situation gets messed up you got to improvise and adapt. Cause a diversion and come back.
    The game gives you the change to play action without punishing you. Or punish you with minimum. Still when you go into action in such type of a game you gotta be smart. This is not and FPS shooting game.
    There is no Right or Wrong! you plan your attack and you execute it the way you see it fit.
    Main missions got ranking. You go stupid and loud you still can rank an S if you do it well. However stealthy approach will reveal a lot and makes your task much more easier.
    Side Ops are fun. No ranking. So go loud or stealth isn't much of a big deal for your reward.
    Mother Base meta game is also fun. I liked it because it made me take a break from exploring and action. Enhance my team. Develop better gear and be ready for the next mission.
    Cut scenes are amazing. Characters are super cool. Voice acting is fantastic.
    Story side it is just another MGS great story. I loved it.
    It is really a great game.
    However I guess you get it if you are familiar with MGS. There is a lot of history here    … Expand
  84. Slevin310
    Sep 12, 2015
    9
    28 years of Metal Gear... 28 years of Hideo Kojima. All that has come to close as Kojima has left Konami. He leaves his us, his fans, with Metal Gear Solid 5 The Phantom Pain. Regardless of our thoughts on the game, we should at least respect the work this man has put into his games. He treats Metal Gear as his pride and joy. The effort is seen in the extensive stories and innovation that28 years of Metal Gear... 28 years of Hideo Kojima. All that has come to close as Kojima has left Konami. He leaves his us, his fans, with Metal Gear Solid 5 The Phantom Pain. Regardless of our thoughts on the game, we should at least respect the work this man has put into his games. He treats Metal Gear as his pride and joy. The effort is seen in the extensive stories and innovation that comes with Metal Gear games. Even today when games seem to enjoy rehashing items, textures, designs and mechanics, Phantom Pain introduces new ideas not seen in games before.

    Lets start off with the bad things. The open world aspects and your main base (Mother Base) seem to lack consistency. There's not much to do at Mother Base and the open world doesn't have much other than enemy bases. Side Missions can become repetitive and the story is not quite on par with the previous Metal Gear games. Snake barely talks and there's not as many cutscenes. This may not bother other players but fans of the Metal Gear franchise will definitely notice those differences.

    The gameplay is flawlessly created to provide you with nonstop entertainment. The stealth and enemy placement can be difficult, but to me that's a good thing. The game is challenging and requires you to use some tactical plans in order to get to your objectives. If you enjoy running down corridors shooting mindlessly at enemies, this isn't your game. If you expect to just crouch down in a shadow and expect enemies not to see you in other stealth games... this is not the game for you. You must be very careful around enemies.

    Enemies have been programmed with sufficient AI. They're smart during combat, observant during stealth and they'll mix up their path every so often. Luckily you have a massive list of different items, weapons, tools and support options to handle them. You have to develop your base in order to create better gear. Collecting resources and recruiting team members is vital to your progress. You have the option of being a blood thirsty killer or an honorable soldier who only resorts to killing as a last ditch effort. There are multiple ways to take down enemies without killing. Unlike other games this would usually be done with stealthfully choking out enemies or tranq darts, which can be kind of boring when you have so many badass guns. In Phantom Pain you can upgrade a lot of your favorite weapons to shoot rubber bullets that will stun enemies and still provide you the fun shoot outs.

    The open world is set in the deserts of Afghanistan, you get around by horse or vehicles. It almost feels like a western but with futuristic qualities. You can go it alone or have a support unit help out with missions. Could either be a specialist soldier or D-Dog (Wolf). Online features base fighting, you can assault online player's bases to steal their resources and players can also assault your base. You'll need to upgrade your bases defense and make sure your army is well equipped. Assaulting player's bases is a lot of fun, easily my favorite thing about this game.

    Right off the bat this game throws you into an extremely intense intro. This is one game that does NOT have a slow start. Although the game does have a lot of features that will be locked off till you progress far enough into the game, this actually makes the experience better. You're constantly being given new things to try out so there's never a dull moment. The graphics and music are breath taking. The game's presentation is incredible, cinema worthy experience.

    I know the issues fans have pointed out and I understand, as a hardcore fan myself, but look at the current state of games. New games like Resident Evil 5 and 6, Silent Hill Homecoming and Downpour, Battlefield 4 and Hardline, Elder Scrolls Online, Sonic and Sim City they have all circum to the changes in the mainstream gaming industry. Features and gameplay dwindle as games slowly become less and less challenging. Entire gameplay mechanics are stripped to provide more mass appeal. In this era I can only hope games try to do their best and improve as times go on. Yet they're all taking big steps back and now all we can hope is that a game will be worth their prices. It would have been so easy to take this franchise and turn it into yet another Call of Duty clone. But Kojima cares about his games and fans. He genuinely tries to make a video game masterpiece, he wouldn't sacrifice quality for money. While it might not be MGS, Snake Eater or Peace Walker... Phantom Pan is amazing in its own way. Definitely worth buying!

    Farewell Kojima, thanks for the awesome games!    … Expand
  85. sgy0003
    Sep 5, 2015
    10
    This is a stealth game at its finest. There is so many ways to complete your objective. Want to gather as much intel as possible before going in? You can do that. Want to charge in straight in with guns blazing? You can do that. Want to cause distraction to lure enemies away to get to your target? You can do that. Gathering your army is one of the best experience there is. You can recruitThis is a stealth game at its finest. There is so many ways to complete your objective. Want to gather as much intel as possible before going in? You can do that. Want to charge in straight in with guns blazing? You can do that. Want to cause distraction to lure enemies away to get to your target? You can do that. Gathering your army is one of the best experience there is. You can recruit enemy soldiers to your base, and assign them in different department of operation. Doing this with grant you new weapon/gadget development, gathering intel of an base your infiltrating, or bring in better support.

    The graphic is beautiful in its glorious 60 fps. The dynamic weather can affect how you infiltrate the base. For example, you may encounter sandstorm in Afghanistan. The sandstorm makes you harder to be detected, by your visibility also gets low. The weather, day/night cycle, and the location itself all affect how you want to complete each mission.

    If you are fan of MGS, this is must own. If you are a fan of open world, this is must own. If you are a fan of stealth game, this is a must own.    … Expand
  86. TisAFineBarn
    Sep 4, 2015
    10
    As someone who went into this with 0% prior MGS knowledge, I've found that this is the best stealth game of all time, and easily one of the top 10 games of all time on any console.
  87. Abhigyanparasha
    Sep 7, 2015
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. Releasing without bugs and having so much content to do at all times. Not only is this the best game of this year, but also it is the best AAA release in the past few years. This is a must buy.
  88. szszsz
    Sep 5, 2015
    10
    never played any metal gear before. im not very familiar with stealth genre
    BUT
    i cant stop playing it. the feeling of freedom of approach is great.
    also im amazed by how smooth this game runs, how fast it loads and how huge it is.
    will be a hard time to decide whether witcher 3 or mgs5 is the GOTY
  89. Jokerkira
    Sep 1, 2015
    9
    I been played around 6 to 8 hours and I keep re-playing the missions to get the best score that is RANK S per mission, so sometimes is very difficult also to accomplish all the objectives in a single mission, however when you comply with the characteristics to fulfill the requirements is very nice to replay the mission, it gives a good replay value to the game and also a different way toI been played around 6 to 8 hours and I keep re-playing the missions to get the best score that is RANK S per mission, so sometimes is very difficult also to accomplish all the objectives in a single mission, however when you comply with the characteristics to fulfill the requirements is very nice to replay the mission, it gives a good replay value to the game and also a different way to accomplish the mission, cannot be done by the same way 2 times in a row, history so far is very good as previous games of Kojima is very tricky and you have to pay attention to the little details provided in all conversations, details of cinematics an so on. Graphics are stunning just gorgeous and weather system delivers (is hard to see in a sandstorm, even when you mark enemy soldiers), the only think that I feel forced and unnecessary was the microtransactions, they do not affect the game but really? Microtransactions to improve the speed of base construction, just feel bad and unnecessary.
    Regards to all    … Expand
  90. jojo7yheng68
    Sep 6, 2015
    10
    All those people who gave this game a bad score...only means every one is an individual, but true gamers sound OFF with a resounding 10. TRUE Candidate for GAME OF THE YEAR!
  91. Takumi81
    Sep 3, 2015
    9
    I love MGS from MGS1 to Guns of Patriot. This MGSV is really different from the past (more freedom, open world, MB - equipment - allies development etc ...); but this is really a masterpiece of MGS : TACTICAL (yes tactic is how to use things inside a battle), ESPIONAGE (yes , mission are really close to espionage) and ACTION (during your really quiet mission, things should goes WRONG!).I love MGS from MGS1 to Guns of Patriot. This MGSV is really different from the past (more freedom, open world, MB - equipment - allies development etc ...); but this is really a masterpiece of MGS : TACTICAL (yes tactic is how to use things inside a battle), ESPIONAGE (yes , mission are really close to espionage) and ACTION (during your really quiet mission, things should goes WRONG!).
    My feeling in the past (when i bought the released MGS game) was "i'am actively WATCHING MGS", in this MGS5 release my feeling is "i'm playing MGS".
    So, a different perspective that in my opinion should "complete" the vision about MGS.
    Have a nice infiltration !    … Expand
  92. CoNn3r_B
    Sep 4, 2015
    9
    This game is great right out of the gate, it somehow balances story narrative with open world gameplay really well but there are one or two things that make it a awkward game. Here is a spoiler free breakdown of the game.

    Story: I haven't got far in the story yet but if the rest of it is like that opening then I'm in for a fun time. The story manages to take the more ridiculous aspects    This game is great right out of the gate, it somehow balances story narrative with open world gameplay really well but there are one or two things that make it a awkward game. Here is a spoiler free breakdown of the game.

    Story: I haven't got far in the story yet but if the rest of it is like that opening then I'm in for a fun time. The story manages to take the more ridiculous aspects of the Metal Gear games and wear it like a badge of pride, I think it tries too hard to be taken seriously though with certain pieces being too philosophical just after you saw a giant flaming whale eat a helicopter, but that is just Metal Gears charm. 10/10

    Graphics: The world is just plain sexy, I'm not a graphics buff I don't usually care for it but it was during a sandstorm I just stopped and thought "holy s**t! This looks awesome." The facial features of the characters are great, if you stop for too long Big Boss adopts a bored look on his face, during a fire fight he looks focused. There is just so much detail and it is great. It is a bit bare-bones though with most of the story happening in cassette tapes, its good to listen to them while you're roaming but they just become background noise over time and you miss details. 9.5/10

    Voice acting: The voice acting is where the game starts to slip, as most fans of the series know David Hayter was replaced with Kiefer Sutherland which at first made me hesitant about the game because the codex conversations were most of the previous games but Kiefer Sutherland does it well but the main issue is that he barely speaks, where in the other games Snake/Big Boss would chat until his lips fell off you don't hear more than a few direct words from Big Boss other than a question or a clarification and this can make conversations awkward, you'll have Ocelot (played by Troy Baker) chat for about half an hour and Snake will just stare with a blank look. Robin Atkin Downs the voice actor for Kazuhira Miller is a voice actor I've heard in several games and deserves more spotlight. 9/10

    Gameplay: Metal Gear V is probably the most gameplay orientated MGS so far (I haven't played MGS:1, so I might be wrong) the gameplay is smooth yet challenging but I get the felling that later on in the game as you get better weapons it becomes easy, for example when you get the silenced sniper rifle you'll never need to get close again and with all the mountains and high places it's easy to get a vantage point. Also with the scoring system I feel pressured to stealth and not kill but there are so many ways to kill people with interrogations and mortars and stuff what they should have done is what Splinter Cell did with different types of scoring systems and if you did a certain amount of things over another you would get scored for that. But other than those little things it is probably one of the best gameplay systems I've ever played. 10/10

    The world: From what I've seen of Afghanistan I would consider visiting it, I'm not sure how accurate it is but I think it will be close to real thing, I've only seen a small area so far though but it is a pretty sight, I'm glad there is no wait system but instead you have to wait in real time, there is something about sitting on top of a mountain overlooking an enemy encampment watching for guard patrols and gaps in their patrols it just reminds me of the real thing so much I'm impressed, The enemy AI is also very unpredictable, in a good way, if they see you some will immediately try to shoot you, some will panic and fumble and some might just ignore you. 10/10

    Things to do: Despite the epic size of the world there isn't much to do, there are side ops and missions but outside of that there is only resource collecting and random murder sprees, there needs to be more in the world to do, I like the way it's just a playground where you can mess with guards, blow up towers using Jeeps and so on so forth but that's just busy work which can get boring quickly depending on who you are. 7/10

    Overall though Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a must own game which has great gameplay, great story, great graphics and a great world I would gladly loose a few months of my life to this game and I believe I will.
    Verdict: 9.4/10 a true masterpiece!    … Expand
  93. zubiecup99
    Sep 2, 2015
    10
    I can't stop playing. Why, Kojima? Why did you have to release this during the fall semester? Couldn't you have released it during the summer when I actually had 8 hours a day to put into this game?
  94. MisterMansfield
    Sep 5, 2015
    10
    I always liked Metal Gear games but this game is insane! This is how you bring a game franchise into next-gen! Only negative reviews I see are ones that complain about prologue which yeah its kinda long but the game opens up a lot after the first 10%
  95. Gwyndolin
    Sep 16, 2015
    10
    MGSV deserves each and every single perfect score it gets.
    Sure, the narrative isn't as good as previous MGS titles, and leaves much in the air in its conclusion. But to be honest, very MGS other than Snake Eater left me with more questions than answers anyway, I was used to it.
    That said, any flaw it may have in its new narrative, is more than made up by its gameplay. I am nearly 100    MGSV deserves each and every single perfect score it gets.
    Sure, the narrative isn't as good as previous MGS titles, and leaves much in the air in its conclusion. But to be honest, very MGS other than Snake Eater left me with more questions than answers anyway, I was used to it.

    That said, any flaw it may have in its new narrative, is more than made up by its gameplay.
    I am nearly 100 hours into the game, the completion screen is still in it's 60%.
    But the scary part is, I am not playing the game for the sake of completion, I am playing because even after 100 hours of game play, I still enjoy the hell out of it.

    I strongly suggest newcomers to pick up Piggyback's strategy guide, because it is more than a guide to tell you how to efficiently 100% the game, it tells you how to get the most enjoyment out of the game.

    The best part of the game is how it breaks away from the old games in the fact that it does not penalize you for using lethal weapons / nonstealth playstyles when you are outside Missions.
    For free roam / side ops, bring whatever weapon you like and play whatever style you want.
    Be creative, I test new weapons that I developed every time I play.
    Rocket Arm, Decoys, Sleep mine/grenades....are all very rewarding when mastered. Try combination attacks with your buddies too, its just so satisfying when I grab a guard while tranq'ing another guard with my pistol, all while my Dog goes and stuns the 3rd guard.

    Don't be intimidated by Mother Base staff management, there's really not much to micromanage, just press R3 and let AI assign your guys, gradually you will learn more and you will WANT to micromanage a bit here but it's not necessary.

    Enjoy this masterpiece.    … Expand
  96. KnownOperative
    Sep 9, 2015
    9
    The game is good, i give it 9 / 10 for Innovation out of the MGS Series.
    Its incorporated a number of Features from other games, mixed in Kojima's world.
    Reasons for upvote: 1: Your decisions impact outcome to a certain degree 2: Actual challenge in sneaking a scoring 3: Lots of time to waste with many things to do and not enough time to do it all 4: Great Music, cutscenes and    The game is good, i give it 9 / 10 for Innovation out of the MGS Series.
    Its incorporated a number of Features from other games, mixed in Kojima's world.
    Reasons for upvote:
    1: Your decisions impact outcome to a certain degree
    2: Actual challenge in sneaking a scoring
    3: Lots of time to waste with many things to do and not enough time to do it all
    4: Great Music, cutscenes and gripping storyline - Following the other MG series.
    5: Mildly political and realistic content adds to the immersion and environment of the game, does it well.
    6: Child soldiers mentioned in the game, appealing to a more mature audience expressing realism of the game.

    All in all, great, fun game to play, with lots of hours to be spent in.

    Downside:
    1: Pricing, - Expensive purchase of 45£
    2: Controls - Ported to PC however still usable and bearable.
    3: How to ( Mini tutorials ) missing in game allowing things such as Customizing weapons ( I still dont know how to customize my weapons 18% completion )

    Its worth it.    … Expand
  97. Fu_l_-_-_l_
    Sep 7, 2015
    9
    The only thing missing was octocamo from mgs4. This mgs doesn't use camouflage at all. The enemies see you when they see you. Other than that is has aspects of destiny, mgs 1 and 2 and of course ground zeros.
  98. bigbosssnake916
    Sep 9, 2015
    10
    Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a game that I have been praying to be a reality ever since the credits rolled from its predecessor, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots. Phantom Pain is by far the biggest game in the series due to Big Boss being able to freely explore two open maps with much to do, such as complete Side Ops or Main Missions; as well as gathering resources forMetal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a game that I have been praying to be a reality ever since the credits rolled from its predecessor, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots. Phantom Pain is by far the biggest game in the series due to Big Boss being able to freely explore two open maps with much to do, such as complete Side Ops or Main Missions; as well as gathering resources for your Mother Base, another large component of the game. This time, your base is a physical place you can actually visit. I have had over 53 hours in the game since its release and with only 32 percent complete, I have means of stopping to play. It's a must have for people who have been fans of the series to see Kojima's last installment in the series as well as new players to the series because you could go into this story because it holds out on its own. Certainly a Game Of The Year contender and possibly WINNER!!… Expand
  99. Tazcat2011
    Sep 5, 2015
    10
    I hate to be just another person giving this a 10, but if a game ever deserved it it's Phantom Pain. Mr. Kojima not only has set the bar for stealth action games but has redefined the genre. Finally we have a game that tosses out the tired old tightly scripted mission structure and boss encounters and let's the gamer construct their own fun in how people choose to complete an objective.I hate to be just another person giving this a 10, but if a game ever deserved it it's Phantom Pain. Mr. Kojima not only has set the bar for stealth action games but has redefined the genre. Finally we have a game that tosses out the tired old tightly scripted mission structure and boss encounters and let's the gamer construct their own fun in how people choose to complete an objective. It's safe to say that if you talk about the same mission to people who played you will end up very different stories as to how they completed it. If this isn't game of the year I'll be very surprised.… Expand
  100. Ewflex
    Sep 12, 2015
    10
    This is the best stealth game ever made. I am not finished yet but their is no way this game should get a zero or these stupid 5-6 scores. Even if the story at the end isn't great the cutscenes are a plenty so far at mission 16. The gameplay is by far the best ever in a Mgs game which I've played every Mgs game besides the portable games. Their are so many ways to infiltrate a base andThis is the best stealth game ever made. I am not finished yet but their is no way this game should get a zero or these stupid 5-6 scores. Even if the story at the end isn't great the cutscenes are a plenty so far at mission 16. The gameplay is by far the best ever in a Mgs game which I've played every Mgs game besides the portable games. Their are so many ways to infiltrate a base and accomplish your objectives it's insane. The AI soldiers are the smartest I've seen in any game. Just imagine how long we will be playing phantom pain long after the story is done with metal gear online and invaded other ms mother bases?… Expand
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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.
    Read full review
  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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