Metal Gear Solid 5 Phantom Pain Definitive Edition

[Berenice Pretlow]

Republishedon Wednesday 27th September 2017: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of October's PlayStation Plus lineup. The original text follows.

The sheer scale of the assortment available to you is instantly compelling for those looking to get experimental with things, and selecting the right loadouts and upgrades for the job can greatly improve your chances of it being a successful one. Even the aforementioned buddies that you can take into the field with you can be freely personalised, and, like Big Boss himself, can be dressed up in numerous unlockable outfits and armours. Exploring these combinations only becomes more enjoyable with time, too, as you get access to more and more content.

Of course, the sound design has also been polished to such an extent that it too creates an uncanny sense of realism and submergence. Not only do trademark touches like the menu navigation blip make a return, but ambient effects such as far-off animal cries and bullets that whizz past your head blanket every second spent traversing the wilderness. What's more, the score that overlaps your exploits is ever-changing, shifting, and matching your on-screen actions. It's an absolute pleasure for the ears, and there are even collectible cassette tapes scattered about that contain some pretty goofy 80s tracks for you to make memories with. Ever feel like driving a SUV into a bear to Kids in America? Well, that's something that you can do in Metal Gear Solid V.

If the idea doesn't seem like your cup of tea, then you can disable the game's online capabilities through the options menu. Doing so may be advisable anyway, given that faulty connections to the Konami servers have reportedly been causing crashes, lag, and generally bad performance, especially with the release's loading times.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a hallmark of excellence in tackling open world gameplay, with its creative approach being reflected organically through your own actions. The amount of detailed, quality content on offer is immense, and the title boasts such a diverse selection of gear and utilities that it rarely, if ever, becomes repetitive to play. Managing and supporting your forces is both addictive and compelling, though indulging in the game's online features may lead to some frustratingly unfortunate technical issues. In terms of its story, the fifth instalment in the series may leave some fans wanting more, but overall, the release proves to be a fitting, brutally brilliant finale to Hideo Kojima's beloved saga.

Between this and Super Mario Maker I've been having a busy weekend. I haven't played a Metal Gear game since.... the NES version, and I have been really impressed with this game. However, I know zip about the previous stories, so am just taking this all in stride right now.

My favourite game this gen so far where my options seemingly are only limited by my own imagination. I for one like the checkpoint system, it helps to give consequence to your actions rather than today's notion of simply respawning in the very spot you failed to have another go. It's also nice to finally read a review where Quiets boobs aren't offensive to mankind (yet killing countless people is seemingly fine).

Glad to see this game is pretty good, as a certain Ocelot would say. I really haven't looked too much into this game since it dropped, because you know, spoilers. Hopefully I'll be able to get it soon, Being the MGS nut I am though, I'll probably end up getting GZ before this.

I am constantly, constantly amazed by this game's tech. Huge open world, 1080p, 60fps and looks incredible, without taking into account how many systems are running under the hood to allow for such freedom in gameplay. The whole industry should really have a long hard look at this when games like Assassin's Creed can't even keep 30fps steady.

Definitely my favorite game so far this gen. In terms of the MGS series, gameplay wise it's the best. On the whole? I'd still put 3 and 1 ahead of it just because I thought they had the best balance of great gameplay and great story. I hope they eventually release some DLC to close off the story in this. Though I really wish that could've been done prior to release even if meant the game had to hit shelves in November. It's MGS so I didn't think it would've been too overshadowed.

@Anchorsam_9 Don't let the games length put you off, it eats your time like all good games. I'm only 7% or 8% in and am saving it for when I'm off work. The gameplay is what all big games will aspire to be, ace. Even if it does drag on, its not like assasins creed or Lego games going through the motions, mgs v is constantly entertaining.

MGS 10/10 easy Wild hunt 8/10 you can complete nearly all of WH on the hardest setting mode bashing just the square button. I've not enjoyed a SP game this much for year's, this game has totally given me faith that SP can be fun for longer than a week again. Didnt some indie game that was just little stick men running around a little stick world that looked like it was made on a ZX spectrum get 10/10 the other day. Still life would be boring if we all agreed.

@TheMightyPunram my point was more to try and point out how game's can't be compared just by the 9/10 or 7/10 spectrum it's kinda differn't for each game? If that make's sense lol, sorry I tend to overthink my post's and my point's are either lost in nonsense or totally missunderstood...and Super Time Force Ultra wasn't the game it was VVVVVV and it got 8/10 my bad lol

sadly im not gonna get this anytime soon, probably for christmas

still have to finish so many other games before this

havent looked at many trailers to dont spoiler anything but I doubt that there is any major fault to this game - mgs is always amazing, thats reliable

I would give MGSV 10/10 the gameplay is the best out of all of the MGS games, Story wise it's not the deepest but the story is still bloody good. To see the true ending you need to S-Rank every mission, and plus there is also hidden cutscenes which can be missed altogether and know one is sure if the story carry's on in Act 2. Its a massive game that I will be playing for months to come, and then there is MGO in October.

Really Enjoying it. Just found the honeybee weapon and I'm at 7% completion. Couple of things I hate are the horse controls (it bumps into rocks n gets kinda stuck ALL THE Time, particularly annoying in chase sequences ), and the climbing is just awful. Sliding back down rocks that the game says you can climb is a terrible, infuriating, design flaw. Other than that it's all pretty great! Bit overwhelmed by Mother Base but slowly getting hang of it.

Of course I don't aim it at rocks and I make sure I'm running around obstacles while chasing - are people expecting to just glide over everything as the crow flies? It turns on a dime and seems plenty agile to me. Odd :S

Great review - Totally agree with the lack of Big Boss (I miss D. Hayter TBH).

I am still only about 8% through.

I am taking my time completing all the Side-ops before progressing the story; which is the reason I believe I am progressing slowly. It's okay but I do think it leads to pacing issues, because of my obsession with remaining upto date - I really just wan't to smash the missions!

That being said though, this game just keeps getting better, the base developments for example, never did I expect the level of depth on offer. I just had to restructure the motherbase & sacked about 20 trouble causers from my ranks for lowering morale! Other things like sliding down hills in boxes! Most games lay out whats on offer very early and I feel I have the game down almost immediatly - Not MGS V: PP, new depths / discoveries still!

phew... now I wan't to play.

Just briefly on the score 9/10 is a solid score. I think that is about the best you can get, I always snarl at 10/10 reviews, because no game is perfect and 10/10 implies that. This game is a masterpiece as most agree, but it isn't without fault and could be better - in the areas Adam highlighted, for example. Of course you could say that with only 8% progression I don't qualify to give a score.... & you are right... I don't

Have fun!

@Beaston61 I did what you were doing but started getting a bit fed up of sideops after 80 hours and have pushed on with the story. I'd advise you do a few story missions to break it up every now and then

@Beaston61 well there are about 150 side ops although a lot of my time was spent just looting resources and staff members. Do more story before you get bored, there's plenty of it to keep you entertained

As huge fan of the series, I feel that 9 is perfect. While I do really love this game, It's one of my LEAST favorite games in the series. The game-play is fantastic, but as a Metal Gear game, the story and cohesiveness of this game feels lacking. I play Metal Gear games for the long complicated stories with bits of solid game-play between. I feel like this game took the opposite approach and THAT really disappointed me.

@NathanUC I agree. But I've got to say, knowing that this will be the last MG by Kojima, it's kinda nice to have a game with as much length and replayablity. Sure I still go back to the originals from time to time, but I see me popping this in fairly often to clear up a few side ops and tackle missions in different ways for the next couple of years. Kind of makes up for knowing there won't be a MGS6 from Kojima.

But you're right, 9/10 is on the money. I see why elements of what made the older instalments great had to be cut to accommodate the new gameplay, but the impact that it has on the game as a result can't be ignored entirely.

I love phantom pain but I miss the story telling of the other games in the series. Metal gear has a huge story and it seems it took a back seat to this game. It seems a lot of repetition with the missions to me as well. Your also in one or two environments for too long.

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