Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

 Xbox One
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1385 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 964 out of 1385
  2. Mixed: 189 out of 1385
  3. Negative: 232 out of 1385
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  1. Silverbow
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    Even if you have not played MGS before, play this one. If you like Splinter Cell, Far Cry, Hitman, Deus Ex then you will surely like this as it's better than all of them

    The open world nature gives you unparalleled freedom in approaching missions as you see fit. It's not a question of guns blazing vs stealth, it's more like you have 10 stealth approaches and 10 guns blazing approaches,    Even if you have not played MGS before, play this one. If you like Splinter Cell, Far Cry, Hitman, Deus Ex then you will surely like this as it's better than all of them

    The open world nature gives you unparalleled freedom in approaching missions as you see fit. It's not a question of guns blazing vs stealth, it's more like you have 10 stealth approaches and 10 guns blazing approaches, at least.

    The base building and research components are so well developed. you really feel like you can direct an army of people to help you achieve goals the way you want to achieve them.

    The variety in guns and other tools boggles the mind.

    Game of the year guaranteed.    … Expand
  2. McGillotine
    Sep 1, 2015
    9
    Metal Gear Solid The Phantom Pain is a great game however falls short as a perfect game

    Where the game-play mechanics can be argued as being unparalleled by any other stealth based game or any 3rd person shooter at the matter, game-play follows pretty similarly to the games predecessor, Ground Zeros. However in saying this the phantom pain offers a more refined approach to this with    Metal Gear Solid The Phantom Pain is a great game however falls short as a perfect game

    Where the game-play mechanics can be argued as being unparalleled by any other stealth based game or any 3rd person shooter at the matter, game-play follows pretty similarly to the games predecessor, Ground Zeros. However in saying this the phantom pain offers a more refined approach to this with controls feeling smoother and well implemented. Game-play is also a more noticeable challenge with players getting spotted easier and dying faster stressing the games need for player based strategy

    The free-rooming aspect is another fantastic feature, running well even on 900p at 60fps, structures and npc's generate far and wide not disadvantaging you when scouting out for missions, However making it through the environments to begin with proves difficult as there are set paths the player must take to get to a location, with large un-passable mountains blocking of alternate routes to objectives. Fast travel is another pain with players having to first go back to mother base before they can fast travel to a location on the same map

    The most disappointing function of the game is its main story which is unfortunately caught between itself and the rest of the game, with half the missions mimicking the side ops variety, containing no story material, with mission objectives simply being find this guy or destroy this thing until the game decides it wishes to trigger the next story moment. This is unfortunate as what story there is, is interesting and captivating but becomes lost in a tedious mission variety

    Voice acting the Phantom Pain is on par with what you would expect from a triple A title, with the main cast doing their performances well. Yet like the main story there is a lack of material to work with, with most recorded dialogue appearing in cassette taps which unlock through progression of the main story, begin detailing the blanks and filling in the 9 year gap between Ground Zeroes and Phantom Pain nicely. However when it comes to the main game, cut-scenes tend to involve a small amount of dialogue that is generally is one-sided and unsatisfying with cinematography being the main highlight. And to clarify on a side note Kiefer Sutherland is good as Big Boss, however i can only wonder what could have been with David Hayter.

    The main reason ill give this game a 9/10 is for its quality over money packing in easily 60 hours worth of content to fill the otherwise dead zone for video game releases. While also being able to tie together an enjoyable gaming experience    … Expand
  3. TheGhostBrain
    Sep 2, 2015
    9
    I wanted to write a review after the first hour (hospital), saying it was the best thing ever, but decided to wait and get into it first. now, after 14 hours, I love it even more. Everything I loved about Peace Walker is amplified here. Base management is engaging, Side Ops are a blast, it's my ideal Metal Gear game. I get lost in all the minor details, then when a cutscene happens, it'sI wanted to write a review after the first hour (hospital), saying it was the best thing ever, but decided to wait and get into it first. now, after 14 hours, I love it even more. Everything I loved about Peace Walker is amplified here. Base management is engaging, Side Ops are a blast, it's my ideal Metal Gear game. I get lost in all the minor details, then when a cutscene happens, it's super exciting... most satisfying gaming experience in a long time.… Expand
  4. oxXBLADEZXxo
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    Dont trust the trolls giving this game a rating of zero. The game has just been released. There is no way that someone has already gone through and completed the game.
  5. partyintheback
    Sep 7, 2015
    3
    As a fan of the Metal Gear series, particularly 1, 2 and 3, this game has left me disappointed. Why is that? First, it's an open world game. Now mind you, I have nothing against open world games. Open world games can be a blast if done right. Since this is the first time Metal Gear has gone open world, I had high expectations that they'd not only meet but exceed their competitors when itAs a fan of the Metal Gear series, particularly 1, 2 and 3, this game has left me disappointed. Why is that? First, it's an open world game. Now mind you, I have nothing against open world games. Open world games can be a blast if done right. Since this is the first time Metal Gear has gone open world, I had high expectations that they'd not only meet but exceed their competitors when it came to creating a world that you actually want to explore. I mean, what is the point of making an open world game if it's not interesting to traverse? If you're not going to do that, just make it a linear game like prior games in the series and perfect each space by littering them full of interesting things to see and do. And here is my first complaint with Metal Gear Solid 5: the open world is uninteresting. You have Africa and Afghanistan - both overly brown, void of much life, and little to hold your interest while moving throughout the world. While there are side missions sprinkled throughout the world, the side missions are, sadly enough, entirely filler content that does little to add to the game. Actually, they sort of detract from the game overall. Instead of creating a linear, narrative-driven Metal Gear Solid, they've created an open world, one that doesn't have anything interesting going on in it, and then try to throw in some copy & paste side missions that are incredibly uninteresting and by-the-numbers in their design. But, then, the story must be good, especially if you're a Metal Gear fan, right? Wrong. For whatever reason, Konami replaced their old voice actors with new, more recognizable actors. For example, instead of David Hayter, we get Kiefer Sutherland. Not only does his performance fail in comparison to Hayter's, he rarely even talks throughout the game. And here's another issue: there's barely any cutscenes compared to the prior Metal Gear's. While I'll concede that prior Metal Gear's may have been overkill when it came to cutscenes, but they've swung the pendulum so far from that that there's not enough now. I do agree that the gameplay here is solid and enjoyable, but when the world it takes place in, the narrative that surrounds, and the extra content is so poor, I can't give it praise that it simply doesn't deserve. If you're a fan of open world games, this will disappoint you. If you're a fan of Metal Gear Solid's past, this will disappoint. As a fan of both, I'm floored that people are giving this game high marks. I can only surmise that it's because people were really hyped about it and now they're forgiving issues that they'll soon come to dislike. As is the case very often with people who play games and people who write about them, they sometimes overlook glaring issues when they release and then only come to grips with the fact that the game wasn't all that years down the road. Metal Gear Solid V is one such game.… Expand
  6. Mando44646
    Oct 26, 2015
    8
    I enjoy the game, but struggle to stay 'in it'. The missions seem super repetitive, as do many of the environments. There's a good game here, but I guess just not for me
  7. baris697
    Apr 21, 2016
    9
    I have not been playing any previous Metal Gear games, so this game has been new experience for me. I have been expecting stealth military tactical action game and it exactly is. This game has a ton of positives. Great gameplay, great stealth, absolute freedom, ton o small but interesting and original details, many weapons, strategies, secrets or absurd, but funny things like balloons forI have not been playing any previous Metal Gear games, so this game has been new experience for me. I have been expecting stealth military tactical action game and it exactly is. This game has a ton of positives. Great gameplay, great stealth, absolute freedom, ton o small but interesting and original details, many weapons, strategies, secrets or absurd, but funny things like balloons for transport everything or everyone in the game. It is almost perfect samdbox military tactical action game.
    What is negative in gameplay is missing option to travel via helicopter in open worlds maps. I mean, when you want to complete multiple side missions on the same map and you do not want to travel by foot/horse/car. Interesting is, that this feature is possible on fast-travel system in the mother base. Second problem is waiting times in the weapons and equipment developing system. And it is real gameplay time. It does not make a sense for me, why? Why has been added this F2P feature into a B2P game? And why we have to see Konami and Kojima logos on the start/end every main mission? I know, who created this game, so why have I to watch it every mission again and again?(!)
    But these problems are in fact just smaller details. Great game, really.    … Expand
  8. PDNexus
    Nov 21, 2016
    10
    Regarding the multiple endings of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain...

    Spoilers! First of all, I want to start by saying that I do like how the "Truth" ending ties in with the first Metal Gear but I'm here to talk to you about "Kingdom of the Flies", the cut ending from the game revolving around Eli, Venom Snake, and a certain Metal Gear. I'm just going to dive right in... It    Regarding the multiple endings of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain...

    Spoilers!

    First of all, I want to start by saying that I do like how the "Truth" ending ties in with the first Metal Gear but I'm here to talk to you about "Kingdom of the Flies", the cut ending from the game revolving around Eli, Venom Snake, and a certain Metal Gear. I'm just going to dive right in...

    It seems there was a struggle for creative control between publisher Konami and series director Hideo Kojima and it's evidently clear that the game was launched prematurely and the internal struggle for creative control had stunted the games development.

    Where does all this come from? There's a whole third chapter of the game, with a third ending, that ties up crucial loose ends and makes MGSV what could have been the definitive turning point for the series lore, the game that features the major turning point for the relationship between Big Boss and Les Enfants Terribles, thus bridging the game to the start of both the MGS series, and the original MSX games. MGSV accomplishes this in it's gameplay through an incredibly robust stealth sandbox, but just misses this in it's storytelling.

    You can take a look at the ending here.

    So just a recap. In the retail launch of the game, Eli and his soldiers take off with a captured Metal Gear and that's the last we see of him. That's it! So we're left to assume that maybe Salanthropous would be the metal gear that would be modified to become Metal Gear REX in Metal Gear Solid 20 years later??? We don't know!

    In actuality, this deleted (unfinished) mission depicts Venom Snake tracking Eli and the kids down retrieving the Metal Gear, and confronting Eli about his heritage and future.

    From what I understand it was a handful of missions that would lead up to the recapture of Salanthroupus. All of this would've been great for the character development of Eli because again, spoilers... Eli is Liquid Snake and it would've been great just to show how he really is that clever enough to outsmart the adults at motherbase to the extent that he escaped with it's most destructive weapon.

    The absence of this makes for one of the key examples of when the story just flies off into the realm of unanswered cliffhangers we see in most story-driven Japanese game series today. The presence of this chapter would have brought the game back down to reality, similar to when a child steals a car, eventually both the child and the car return. Instead, the story ends in a state where we're just left to assume that Eli has taken the Metal Gear for good, and it's ridiculous unfinished business.

    I think it's safe say, Konami really stunted Kojima's creative rule over the project. I don't think Kojima was able to tell the complete story he wanted to and that's very disappointing. If there's one thing the game does better than anything else, it's provide a stealth sandbox deeper and more creative than any other I've ever seen. What you get in MGSV, is both quality and quantity, but it's not the whole picture.

    It's just not a complete game. In some ways and for some people that will pose as a fatal flaw in the experience and for me personally, it's really the anchor to what could've been Kojimas definitive ending to the magnum opus that is Metal Gear. Things were happening behind the scenes between Kojima and Konami and that's never more apparent than when experiencing the disjointed story present in The Phantom Pain.

    Having said all that negativity, I did actually appreciate the ending that was there. How they pass the torch to the player at the very end by not only telling you that you're not Big Boss, but challenging you to role-play as him, but also allowing you to take the avatar that you created at the beginning of the game and actually play with it and customize it anyway you like. It really adds a sense of personal accomplishment to the game and nearly breaks the fourth wall by explaining that this was your story and this was your adventure, not Big Bosses, his story is in another game.

    I think that without this ending, The Phantom Pain can't help but but crack under the weight of a superb gameplay experience wrapped around a story that just isn't of Metal Gear quality and just the idea of what it could have been with a stable relationship between publisher and developer gives me such mixed feelings on the game all I can hope for is Directors Cut now. With the directors cut, it could be one of the best games of the series.

    I originally had a review of MGSV up that had a numbered scoring system and the like, but I took it down. The more I played the story, the more I felt like something was missing. The game as it exists is about as much of a phantom Metal Gear as Venom Snake is a phantom Big Boss. We expected the real thing, and what we got was something held back from greatness. I took my review down because for me, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is not ready to be reviewed, not now, not under these circumstances. Out of respect for Hideo Kojima as an artist, I won't do it.

    After the short but stellar experience that was Ground Zeros, I was waiting for more of Kojimas signature story in The Phantom Pain. Kojima had dropped hints of trouble brewing internally, through Easter eggs hidden in Ground Zeros, and now I'm not too sure it isn't safe to theorize that Ground Zeros was the last game he had full creative control over. If Konami did one thing right, it was removing Kojimas name from the box art. MGSV is not "A Hideo Kojima Game", but rather an unfinished masterpiece by a man whos captivated three generations with a story worth experiencing by anyone who thinks video games can't be art. Call me when Metal Gear Solid 5: Director's Cut comes out.    … Expand
  9. Miguelxdz
    May 16, 2016
    10
    I won't make it long but this is one of the most polished and good looking games i ever played. The Fox Engine works like a charm and the gameplay is the top of the line in stealth games. I wouldn't said that the story is bad like a lot of people are saying but it definitely felt a little incomplete, and it let a lot of thing to the player to deduce. The only low point for this game in myI won't make it long but this is one of the most polished and good looking games i ever played. The Fox Engine works like a charm and the gameplay is the top of the line in stealth games. I wouldn't said that the story is bad like a lot of people are saying but it definitely felt a little incomplete, and it let a lot of thing to the player to deduce. The only low point for this game in my opinion is the lack of the classic boss fights that Metal Gear is so famous for, there is like two (which are fairly good) but there could have done a lot more. The multiplayer base system is really solid and it adds a lot of depth to the gameplay and the actual multiplayer is quite unique and original. Overall i think this is a great game and a definite buy for stealth fans or Metal Gear fans.… Expand
  10. thurm
    Mar 21, 2016
    8
    Kinda late to the party, but I'm just finishing this game up. Overall, it's a great game, though not really for everyone. If you've been a fan of MGS since the PS1 days, this is a fitting end chapter than you'll probably enjoy. If you're new to MGS, you might be disappointed.

    Things I liked: the graphics are great, I'm not all about fps or anything, just like games to look good, and    Kinda late to the party, but I'm just finishing this game up. Overall, it's a great game, though not really for everyone. If you've been a fan of MGS since the PS1 days, this is a fitting end chapter than you'll probably enjoy. If you're new to MGS, you might be disappointed.

    Things I liked: the graphics are great, I'm not all about fps or anything, just like games to look good, and this one does. The sound (or lack of it) is pretty immersive, and the controls have been consistently solid. Lots of customization for the weapons you carry, your buddies, vehicles, if you're into that sort of thing. The almost infinite different ways to play the various missions, different ways to infiltrate, to approach the objectives is really fun and makes for some interesting decisions. Again, if you're a fan of the series, lots of lore and tying up of loose ends throughout. The boss fight was fun and pretty intense.

    Things I didn't like: the game isn't finished. The second part is kinda weird and feels undone. I haven't finished the game yet, but I'm not keeping my hopes up for the finale. And it can be easy to get burned out on the game, though that's probably my fault for doing so many side missions and not focusing on the story missions. I don't care for the online FOB stuff, or the online dispatch missions, or managing my crew at Outer Heaven, or some of the other gameplay things that are just kinda forced on you (I'm looking at your, quarantine platform).

    In closing, it's no Snake Eater, but it's been fun. I'd highly recommend it to fans of the series, but would hesitate to recommend it as a first foray into MGS. It's not a "regular" game. In this day and age of run and gun FPS and RPGs, it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but you owe it to yourself to try it out at least.    … Expand
  11. DEN117
    Aug 20, 2016
    10
    The best game i played for the last 5 years, good stealth, awesome story. "A HIDEO KOJIMA GAME". Now i want to play old parts. 10/10, i cant say more, mgs 5 tpp for me like a mix of awesome: awesome music, gameplay, story...
  12. hahaalan
    Apr 2, 2018
    10
    Its disadvantages are masked by its excellent gameplay, I give it 10 points, which is respect for the developer。 btw **** you konami
  13. SkinnySkittles
    Sep 23, 2018
    10
    Yeah. My friend told me that this is the best game he ever played. AND BOY WAS HE RIGHT!!! This is the best stealth and action game and open world game I've ever played. This game provides content. People may argue that this game is repetitive, but the 12 hard mode mission that repeat are the most fun mission in the game. They truly test you and what you have learned throughout your timeYeah. My friend told me that this is the best game he ever played. AND BOY WAS HE RIGHT!!! This is the best stealth and action game and open world game I've ever played. This game provides content. People may argue that this game is repetitive, but the 12 hard mode mission that repeat are the most fun mission in the game. They truly test you and what you have learned throughout your time in this world. Micromanagement is fun and satisfying. AND MY GOD!!! People say this game has a bad story. No, no, no. This game has on of the biggest twists I've every seen. This is the game that made me love Metal Gear Solid games.… Expand
  14. SheepishGecko71
    May 30, 2017
    10
    Metal Gear Solid V is a awesome game, It looks great on the Xbox one. The story is the only problem, its confusing for the most part, You will not be happy with the ending story wise.
    The game play is fantastic,the fox engine is one of the best. The only problem is the STORY apart from that its one of the best games in the current generation!
  15. DiegoEscalona
    May 30, 2019
    9
    ``Gracias por todo, Kojima´´
    Doy por aviso. Que a diferencia de los demĂ¡s juegos de la saga. No hablare casi sobre el guiĂ³n de este juego. Ya que en un juego de Metal Gear lo mĂ¡s importante es eso, pero les explicare la razon de esto. The Phanom Pain es un juego que funciona de manera totalmente independiente. La historia es un desastre total, hay sub-tramas sin concluir por todos lados.    ``Gracias por todo, Kojima´´
    Doy por aviso. Que a diferencia de los demĂ¡s juegos de la saga. No hablare casi sobre el guiĂ³n de este juego. Ya que en un juego de Metal Gear lo mĂ¡s importante es eso, pero les explicare la razon de esto. The Phanom Pain es un juego que funciona de manera totalmente independiente. La historia es un desastre total, hay sub-tramas sin concluir por todos lados. Pero la razĂ³n de mi calificaciĂ³n final, se da por su excelente e innovadora jugabilidad, entretenimiento sin lĂ­mites, y todo el factor tĂ©cnico.

    Durante el juego acompañamos a nuestro protagonista Big Boss, a lo largo de diferentes Ă¡reas en su casi totalidad: Desiertos. Cumpliendo misiones de alto riesgo junto a su equipo de mercenarios, separando e irrumpiendo organizaciones terroristas, podrĂ­a categorizarse como un ´Sandbox de sigilo´
    Realmente me hubiera fascinado ver mĂ¡s territorios ademĂ¡s de solo desierto, e y el interior de una base secreta. Ya que el modo en que estĂ¡n construidos estos pocos escenarios, el resultado es perfecto y fascinante. Cabe destacar que gracias a su motor grĂ¡fico, los efectos visuales resultan preciosos, eso sumado a su dinĂ¡mico, divertido y muy bien seleccionado Soundtrack, que trae consigo varios clĂ¡sicos de los 80s. Puede resultar una experiencia totalmente diferente y gratificante para varios jugadores.

    No puedo cerrar sin antes mencionar lo que considere lo mejor de este juego… Su prĂ³logo. El inicio que transcurre en la famosa Ă¡rea de ¨El Hospital* hasta el final caĂ³tico de ella, es uno de los mejores inicios en cualquier videojuego en la historia, y con una gran, poderosa y visceral forma de empezar como esta, el resto vendrĂ¡ de cualquier forma y calidad, pero con un mejor sabor.

    En resumen, The Phantom Pain no es una entrega que se pueda puntuar o evaluar como cualquier otro juego de Metal Gear, y tampoco es por asomo el mejor de la saga. Es mĂ¡s ni siquiera es del todo cronolĂ³gico ni necesario para contribuir a la historia del resto de la franquicia. Pero este tĂ­tulo, es toda una celebraciĂ³n, una despedida, agradecimiento y recordatorio, hacia una gran serie que llego a su fin. Y dejo consigo uno de los legados mĂ¡s importantes en la historia de los videojuegos, una franquicia que revolucionĂ³ a la industria. Y que le dio la experiencia cinematogrĂ¡fica a los jugadores que antes no habĂ­an vivido. TerminarĂ© esta crĂ­tica con un gran placer, diciendo:
    Gracias por todo. Hideo Kojima

    Jugabilidad: 10/10
    Personajes: 8/10
    Historia: 5/10
    Diseño: 9/10
    Entretenimiento: 10/10    … Expand
  16. irbegui
    Apr 30, 2018
    10
    Excellent game, great game dynamics, I sincerely liked it, although it is annoying to have to listen to the tapes to carry the thread of the story, great closing of the story of the Big Boss before the NES games
  17. ElDavid
    Nov 28, 2020
    9
    That intro, is soo gooooooooooddddd, that it practicaly carries the entire game.

    The gameplay is just perfect, there are soo many possibilities and ways to play, yo wanna go straight ahead, go. You wanna go stealth, go. You wanna grab a tank, and kill everyone, do it.

    The only thing is the story, but because is skippable, i dont find it a big issue.
  18. Chanfan02
    Sep 23, 2015
    8
    I'm just going to break down this short review with a few key areas:

    Visuals: Pretty solid overall although some aliasing is noticeable (not a big deal). Environments look good and the character models are good as well. Lighting is very well done and emits a sense of realism with the visuals. 8.5/10 Performance: 60fps is nice and seems to remain pretty steady throughout the game but    I'm just going to break down this short review with a few key areas:

    Visuals: Pretty solid overall although some aliasing is noticeable (not a big deal). Environments look good and the character models are good as well. Lighting is very well done and emits a sense of realism with the visuals. 8.5/10

    Performance: 60fps is nice and seems to remain pretty steady throughout the game but there are some bugs. There is a bug where the sound distorts and you lose control of your character. That obviously can be annoying when trying to stealthily attack a camp. Good news is that it doesn't happen too often but still often enough to warrant criticism. Previously there was a save bug but Konami has now patched that so no worries there. Overall it runs pretty smooth and the controls feel tight and responsive. 8.5/10

    Gameplay: This is where the game shines. The mechanics are top notch and the customization options are great because they allow you to play the game in whatever way you want. If you want to go in loud, you have the tools to do so. Sneaking works as good as ever with the commands to interrogate enemies, and the Fulton is a great device to help grow Mother Base. The whole Mother Base system is basically a mini game within a game. Keeping track of supplies and having your soldiers complete missions is actually more entertaining then I expected. The controls are super responsive and it is neat to see how the A.I. adapts to your play-style. 9.5/10

    Story: This is where the game is a bit of a letdown for me. While I enjoyed what little story there was, I wish they integrated it into the missions in a more conventional way. Listening to tapes for the story or the backstory isn't a good idea in my opinion. Also, I would have liked to hear Big Boss speak more, he hardly seems to speak. I think it would just add a bit more depth to the game. 6.5-7/10

    Open World: This is also where I have some negatives. I feel that the open world is pretty bland overall and this shows in the repetitive mission styles. A lot of the missions felt like the same thing over and over which can become a bit tedious for some. I still enjoyed them but after Chapter 1 it became a bit annoying. I wish there would have been a bit more variance in that department. The missions themselves are done well mainly due to the excellent gameplay but I think they could have done so much more in the second act. 7/10

    Overall I really have enjoyed the game but there are a few glaring flaws for me like the bland open world, story mission structure, and the lack of a tight narrative. The gameplay is EXCELLENT though and that obviously is the major part of any game. My score would be an 8.5/10 but I can only do round numbers on here so I will put it at an 8.    … Expand
  19. Kompakt
    Oct 21, 2015
    8
    Don't get me wrong, I thought this game was pretty fun. However, the developers using the same maps felt kind of lazy to me. The game play is fun. But, the point is the same map gets kinda boring. Sure, it's a different objective each mission. But the same maps don't hold in well.
  20. Forza182
    Sep 12, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Best third-person, action, open-world, semi-RPG game ever? Quite possibly Yes. Best Metal Gear Solid game? Way off. If you wanted the Metal Gear game to end all Metal Gear games, go back to 4. The story in this chapter is near non-existent. What lacks in story and terrible pacing (post game story is a slap to the face) is some of the best game play ever designed. Difficulty, control and customization are beyond anything any other game has done to date. Would have loved to give it a 10, but the story element is sorely missing, such a surprise given EVERY past installment in the Metal Gear series. There are many cute nods to MGS3, but other than that, it's a simple tale of revenge, with seemingly unbeatable threat, thwarted almost by a flick of the finger in an abrupt dull ending.… Expand
  21. 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. Sadly the Xbox One was given a less impressive version. Xbox One graphics are not so different from PS4, sometimes it's just the game and that's clear in Phantom Pain. The graphics and UI are better on PS4, before you go bombing this game with low scores just keep in mind Konami is a Playstation offspring. So remember this game could have easily been a PS4 exclusive. Lastly 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
  22. Gnasher1001
    Nov 2, 2015
    9
    I have experience with MGS from MGS1, 2 played to death, MGS3 didn't like, didn't play MGS4 because of that. So when TPP was coming out I wasn't interested. I then played Ground Zeroes, read the previews/reviews of TPP and knew I had to give it a go. I was certainly not disappointed.

    The gameplay is one of the best stealth systems in any game ever. The guns feel satisfying, stealth    I have experience with MGS from MGS1, 2 played to death, MGS3 didn't like, didn't play MGS4 because of that. So when TPP was coming out I wasn't interested. I then played Ground Zeroes, read the previews/reviews of TPP and knew I had to give it a go. I was certainly not disappointed.

    The gameplay is one of the best stealth systems in any game ever. The guns feel satisfying, stealth kills/knockouts are always satisfying, and you never quite feel you're safe from being spotted, but you don't also get spotted instantly by someone appearing behind you that you had 0% chance of spotting.

    The Motherbase/FOB building and staff recruitment is a nice rpg-esque addition, all contributing to being able to research better weapons and accessories etc for you and your buddies.

    Most of the missions are quite easy, until you get the expert versions later on, some of them are nearing on impossibly hard (though you'll eventually find an easy/easier way to do most of them, trying different approaches and/or weapons/buddies).

    Now the down sides, losing the game that one point - Getting all the buildings/upgrades etc can be a grind, and some of the buddies abilities are a little OP so make many missions easy (so just don't use them if you want a challenge!)

    There's fun to be had here, with launching sheep into the air, running around in a box and other little tidbits here and there.

    Online is fun, I don't think it'll be at the next esports event, but it'll probably still be popular for a long while.

    Buy it? Yes.    … Expand
  23. Genome12
    May 19, 2016
    5
    I'm a huge fan of Metal Gear and before its release MGSV was a game I expected to be my game of the year for 2015. After putting in over 100+ hours, I can safely say this entry is not only the worst Metal Gear Solid game ever made, but it is also my biggest disappointment for 2015.

    I truly believe that Hideo Kojima was finished with MGS after 2008's MGS4 and this, "I don't give a damn,"    I'm a huge fan of Metal Gear and before its release MGSV was a game I expected to be my game of the year for 2015. After putting in over 100+ hours, I can safely say this entry is not only the worst Metal Gear Solid game ever made, but it is also my biggest disappointment for 2015.

    I truly believe that Hideo Kojima was finished with MGS after 2008's MGS4 and this, "I don't give a damn," attitude appears throughout the empty and soulless experience that is MGSV.

    The story is the worse of the entire franchise, even MGS2's plot was leagues better. The open world is lifeless, unnecessary, and boring unlike the ones in Far Cry 3 or Red Dead Redemption. There's no memorable boss fights that the series is famous for having. However, the biggest sin is just how repetitive the whole game feels after the first 10 or so hours of gameplay. Prepare yourself to keep repeating the same missions and objectives over and over if you want to unlock the better weapons/gear and upgrades for your mother base.

    The game isn't completely boring, as there are a few great moments here and there. However, these moments are few and far between. This game by no means deserves the 9s and 10s "professional" game reviewers have awarded it.

    I expected more from a Kojima directed video game and I don't think all the blame for just how mediocre MGSV turned out belongs to Konami. Kojima should've moved on to other or new game franchises.

    I hope if Konami does make another Metal Gear game, they will not repeat the same mistakes made by MGSV and return the series back to its former glory that these unnecessary prequel entries have soiled.    … Expand
  24. djpushplay
    Sep 8, 2015
    8
    The game has great graphics , good gameplay, lots of weapons and thinking , but I have to admit I get bored , and I don't play it non stop like I would Witcher 3 our Forza Horizon so I can't rate it higher then those games, but its a game that others might think are better !! Still gets a solid 8 on my book
  25. Kenmei
    Sep 10, 2015
    10
    What ends up being the best Metal Gear game to date also ends up having the most disappointing story out of all of the main Metal Gear games to date. The game lives and dies by the open-world concept, a first for the Metal Gear series. While that open world concept and all the things they let you do in it really make this one of the best Metal Gear, and stealth action games to date, theyWhat ends up being the best Metal Gear game to date also ends up having the most disappointing story out of all of the main Metal Gear games to date. The game lives and dies by the open-world concept, a first for the Metal Gear series. While that open world concept and all the things they let you do in it really make this one of the best Metal Gear, and stealth action games to date, they really dropped the ball on the story.
    The story looks to bridge the gap between Ground Zeroes and the first Metal Gear Solid game by finishing up the whole story and trying the first game into the older games (Metal Gear Solid 3 and 5, as well as Peace Walker and Portable Ops). While the game presents a wonderful world that really lets you do almost anything you want, out of the 31 main missions that are in the game, only about 12-13 pertain to the main story in anyway, really going against what Metal Gear is known for with the intricate plots and over-the-top craziness that eventually gets "explained" in a realistic sense. While the over-the-topness is there, the rest of it is not and the story isn't as engaging as past games, with only a few cutscenes between the start of the game and the end.
    Special mention needs to be made for Keifer Sutherland playing Big Boss in the sense how badly wasted he was on the game. He doesn't have a main line in the first 10 hours of the game, which can't really be explained as the cassette tapes has him talking all the time, and you would think Big Boss was a mute if it weren't for the fact that he sometimes talks during gameplay with short one word things. With the big stink that was made with them replacing long time Snake actor David Hayter with him, they really dropped the ball in regards to how to use him. It's quite disappointing to see honestly.
    Even still there's a ton to love about this game and the fact that they could easily add more main mission storylines to it for years to come (if Kojima allows it). The gameplay is superb and the controls are excellent. It really is one of the best stealth games I've ever played and I love it to death even with all its faults.    … Expand
  26. Joe614
    Jan 5, 2016
    9
    Where do I begin? This game is amazing. If this is your first Metal Gear game, I still would recommend getting it. The story is great. The game-play mechanics are are solid. Different decisions impact you for the worse or good. Many games claim this, but that isn't the case in most of those games. You can choose your style of game-play. For example if you wanna go in stealthy, you have theWhere do I begin? This game is amazing. If this is your first Metal Gear game, I still would recommend getting it. The story is great. The game-play mechanics are are solid. Different decisions impact you for the worse or good. Many games claim this, but that isn't the case in most of those games. You can choose your style of game-play. For example if you wanna go in stealthy, you have the option. If you wanna go in balls deep, you have the option. If you decide to do both, you have the option! The online mode is amazing as well! Seriously, this game won't disappoint.… Expand
  27. Mauro_Mawo
    Sep 5, 2015
    10
    I will say just a thing. TOO MUCH OVERHYPED. It is a good game, with decent graphics (nothing special indeed), good freedom of action, great story, but IA is quite embarassing. A good game, as many others...
  28. oli13
    Sep 12, 2015
    9
    This game i agree should not be taken as a pure open world game. It should be taken as a pure and incredibly precise stealth game. The amount of depth that is offered through upgrades in your 'Mother Base' is amazing and kept me excited about my next development and how it would change my play. The open world is empty and lifeless but i would not advise spending time in it. Instead focusThis game i agree should not be taken as a pure open world game. It should be taken as a pure and incredibly precise stealth game. The amount of depth that is offered through upgrades in your 'Mother Base' is amazing and kept me excited about my next development and how it would change my play. The open world is empty and lifeless but i would not advise spending time in it. Instead focus on the detailed bases that litter the world and the many different ways of doing things. The story is wacky for me ; a newcomer to the metal gear scene but i would still recommend it to any player.… Expand
  29. theadman2315
    Oct 28, 2015
    7
    This game has an amazing soundtrack, amazing graphics, and a decent storyline. The only negative thing is the grinding, repetitive side ops, and the main missions just end up being reused but on a harder difficulty. The multiplayer is not really leveled out, so it is harder for a new player to just jump in and have fun.
  30. Solid2312
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    Besides the shallow story, this game is awesome. Best gameplay and mechanics of MGS series. Hideo Kojima always will be a genius of game industry and Konami will miss him forever. That´s the best Metal Gear Solid ever made.
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Xbox One Game of 2015
12
#12 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2015
6
#6 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
95

Universal acclaim - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Gamestyle
    Sep 30, 2015
    80
    With The Phantom Pain, Metal Gear has had its arm removed and replaced with something technically far more impressive.
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  2. MondoXbox
    Sep 19, 2015
    90
    Kojima managed to create the perfect open-world stealth game, giving the player an incredible freedom coupled with great depth and variety. MGS fans will probably dislike its sparse and somewhat unsatisfying storytelling, but it undoubtedly is a masterwork of game design.
    Read full review
  3. Impulsegamer
    Sep 13, 2015
    100
    Metal Gear Solid V Phantom Pain is an interactive piece of art that truly pays homage to the original game and successfully expands the franchise into an open-world game.
    Read full review
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