Początkowo opublikowane przez -Gray Fox, Metal Gear Solid:

"We're not tools of the government or anyone else. Fighting was the only thing... the only thing I was good at, but... At least I always fought for what I believed in."

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain stands as Hideo Kojima's final opus in the legendary franchise, and what a farewell it turned out to be. Like a perfectly orchestrated military operation, every element of this game comes together to create something truly remarkable, even if it leaves us with more questions than answers

Gone are the linear corridors of Shadow Moses, replaced by vast, open landscapes that serve as your tactical space. Every mission becomes a playground with many solutions - whether you're calling in D-Dog for backup, asking Quiet to provide sniper support, or riding into an enemy base on D-Horse while blasting "Take On Me" from iDroid. Yes, the grind for GMP to develop advanced gear can feel tedious, but each new gear in your arsenal opens up fresh approaches to infiltration

Beyond the licensed '80s hits like "The Man Who Sold The World" (which carries deeper meaning than initially apparent) and "Friday I'm In Love," the original score perfectly captures both the loneliness of the Afghan desert and the tension of a nighttime infiltration, but in order to find all these bangers you ought to explore the world for these precious cassettes!

The narrative is where things get complicated, in true Metal Gear fashion. The plot itself might seem straightforward compared to previous entries, but there's a fascinating theory worth exploring: What if the 'V' isn't just for "5" or "Venom"?(Is it Peace or Victory)
Possible Spoilers Ahead: What if we're experiencing another VR simulation, similar to Raiden's training in MGS2? Consider the evidence: The hallucinations, the peace symbol callbacks to Peace Walker, the fragmented nature of the missions, and most importantly, the themes of phantom pain and manufactured reality. Just as MGS2 questioned the nature of digital information and manipulation, MGSV might be questioning the very nature of identity and memory. This would explain some of the game's the surreal whale scene (MobyDick reference?), the frequent hallucinations, and how certain missions repeat with increased difficulty (very VR-like). The way characters appear and disappear, the inconsistencies with established Metal Gear lore, even the game's obsession with "phantom pain" itself - it all points to a deeper layer of reality manipulation that Kojima never explicitly confirms or denies... This ambiguity seems intentional, leaving players to grapple with questions of reality versus simulation - a theme that's been present since Metal Gear Solid 2. Unfortunately, with Kojima's departure from Konami and Metal Gear Survive's different direction, we may never get concrete answers

Początkowo opublikowane przez -Big Boss, MGS: Peace Walker:

"The truth is what you make of it."

The game's technical achievements can't be overlooked. The Fox Engine delivers stunning visuals while maintaining smooth performance across platforms. The attention to detail is staggering - from the way sand sticks to wet clothing to the dynamic weather system affecting stealth gameplay, soldiers adapting to tactics and the Cardboard box! The online Forward Operating Base (FOB) missions add another layer of depth, creating a persistent world of espionage and base defense, though they might not be everyone's cup of tea

Is it a perfect game? No. But its imperfections, much like the shrapnel in Big Boss's head, serve as a reminder of what was and what could have been. MGSV represents both the pinnacle of stealth-action gameplay and a bittersweet farewell to one of gaming's most influential series.
And with the MGS3 remake on the horizon and somewhat recent release of the Master Collection, there's never been a better time to dive into the series. The Phantom Pain might not tie up every loose end in the Metal Gear saga, but it's an incredible stealth-action sandbox that pushes the boundaries of what games can be

While MGSV:TPP's unfinished story is a classic case of Kojima writing and direction, the crème de la crème of this flawed masterpiece is the gameplay. With various weapons and tools to use at your disposal, the environments of Afghanistan and the Angola-Zaire border region are your playgrounds. Missions range from Infiltration, extraction, elimination and recon. Gunplay is smooth, satisfying and rewarding whether you choose a sniper from afar or go up close with a grenade launcher. As you progress through the missions, enemy forces adjust to your playstyle forcing you to approach scenarios differently than last time offering endless replay value/

Even after obtaining 100% completion I still return to the game every once in a while to replay missions and check up on my FOBs. The Phantom Pain is an unforgettable experience.

Since most of the reviews on this game are about the main story, I would instead like to write this review on the online portion of the game, specifically Metal Gear Online 3 (MGO 3). MGO 3 is essentially the only multiplayer game that I play, and it keeps bringing me back. There is something so satisfying and fun about it, and its uniqueness repeatedly draws me in.

One of the striking unique points of MGO 3 is the inclusion of non-lethal options as well as lethal. Taking out foes with non-lethal is (typically) more difficult that simply going for kills with lethal, but it comes with benefits such as being able to rack up points and fulton enemies (which is very important in the Bounty Hunter game mode). Non-lethal requires more skill than lethal, however that makes it all the more satisfying when you are able to pull it off. Furthermore, the option of CQC is something I adore, it is such a rush whenever you are able to perform CQC and do 'true combos' to guarantee a stun on your enemy. It can take a bit of time to learn, but once you master it I find it to be incredibly fun. Some examples include a guaranteed headshot from grab release and placing an explosive mine under a target being fultoned. Other small quirks such as interrogating the opposing team to expose enemy locations and quirky playstyles (like a smoke + NVG non-lethal stealth loadout I have, or magazine stun loadouts) allows for player experimentation and increased enjoyment.

Onto the game modes, only one is consistently played today and that is Bounty Hunter. The great thing about this game mode is that it is a simple death-match but it rewards going non-lethal. Other game modes may be played from time to time, but if you go into any lobby chances are it is going to be Bounty Hunter. The other game modes are Cloak and Dagger (stealth incentivised gameplay), Sabotage (defend or destroy a target), and Comm Control (basic defend/capture territory).

That said, MGO 3 can be quite hard to get into especially nowadays. Its quirks can be unfamiliar to new players and the dwindling playerbase means that although there is usually one lobby in most parts of the day, you will most likely be playing against dedicated and skilled fans with 500-1000 hours (I even saw someone around 7000 hours), so expect to struggle a bit as you learn the ins and outs of the game. The lag in this game can be pretty bad depending on your internet and who is hosting, often leading you to die through walls among other things. It also is not the most balanced game with some weapons being quite hard to deal with (like the grenade launchers). The game is also notorious for cheaters. From personal experience, I seldom encounter very obvious cheaters (such as speedhacks and aimbot) so it is not so much of an issue that the game is unplayable. But allegedly there are an amount of players who use more subtle cheats such as lagswitching. However, this has not been a big enough of an issue for me to not be able to derive any fun from the game.

I often see MGO 3 get compared with its predecessor MGO 2, with individuals claiming that MGO 3 is a downgrade from MGO 2. I have not played MGO 2 myself, but from some of the videos I have seen MGO 2 has better game modes and potentially a better loadout system, but MGO 3 shines when it comes to the fast paced gunplay and the combos which I mentioned earlier.

In short, the uniqueness of the game and satisfying gameplay keeps drawing me back to hop on for yet another match. It can be hard to jump into at first, but if you already have finished the base game, I would suggest giving it a try.