Stealth in an Open World That's Not for the Faint of Heart

🔷 INTRODUCTION 🔷

I was blown away by the sheer number of screenshots taken on my PlayStation 4.

I'd been waiting for this game for a long time. I remember the Metal Gear series from back in the day when I had a Dendy, and even the first part of the game seemed pretty hardcore to me.

I'd stumbled upon various parts of the series here and there in YouTube videos and old articles in Igromania magazine.

After buying my PlayStation 4 in 2015, I immediately picked up three games: GTA V (which I couldn't live without), Saints Row IV, and, surprisingly, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes.

It's no secret why I got the first two, but I'm still not sure why I got Metal Gear. I guess it was just because it was on sale for around 200 rubles.

But what really caught me off guard was when I finished the game in under an hour. It turned out that it was a 'paid demo' - a prequel to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. At the time, I thought it was pretty complex, both in terms of controls and gameplay.

Fast forward two years, and I see a sale on the full Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain on the PS Store. I figure, why not give it a shot? Plus, I was on vacation at the time.

🔶 STORY 🔶

I'll keep the story to myself, since pretty much every word I write could be a spoiler - not just for those who haven't played this part of the series, but also for those who've dabbled in the others.

One thing that's immediately clear is that the game's storyline comes after Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker and the original Metal Gear game.

I'm hesitant to dive into the storyline, because it's full of great twists and turns that can catch even an unprepared player off guard – even if they're not familiar with the series.

Despite the intimate nature of the scene, there are no explicit or romantic moments in the game.At first, it's easy to get confused about who's who and how they're connected, but it all starts to make sense eventually.

One thing that stands out is the final part of the game, which consists of several old missions with increased difficulty.

It's pretty clear that there was a conflict between Konami and Hideo Kojima (the creator of the series), which led to his departure and the game being rushed to completion.

🔳 GAMEPLAY 🔳

As I mentioned in the title, the game is a stealth-action game set in an open world. We're not stuck to a linear path, but instead, we get to complete missions on several large maps:

Afghanistan;Angola;Base (where we'll be managing it between missions and completing some story-driven tasks).

The world of gaming isn't standing still. All the key objectives are moving around a vast territory, adding more dynamics to the game and letting you set up ambushes in the most convenient spots for you. Weather is also a crucial part of the gameplay. A sudden sandstorm can help you hide from your enemies' sight, while a heavy downpour can muffle your footsteps when sneaking up on an enemy from behind. As night falls, some enemies will fall asleep, and the rest will be much harder to spot.

Molchunia I've gotta say, this game is a far cry from my beloved Hitman series. You won't be sneaking around in disguise, trying to avoid detection by your enemies, who, might I add, are pretty clever (not quite at F.E.A.R. level, but they hold their own). Just make eye contact with an enemy, and get ready for a full-blown firefight, with every enemy in the area joining in.

Personally, the gameplay reminds me of the early Splinter Cell games, where you had to be stealthy, taking out enemies silently rather than killing them outright.

Of course, there's no 'talk to the hand' moment when you take out enemies, but your character's appearance will change, and the enemies will start to get in your way:

If you're used to sneaking in under the cover of night, get ready for enemies to break out the night vision goggles. If you're a fan of sniping from a distance, expect enemies to start wearing helmets and face masks. If you're all about charging in guns blazing, enemies will soon remember the importance of body armor. One of the coolest things about this game is how many ways you can stay stealthy. The weather, time of day, landscape, your camouflage gear, and even having a cardboard box in your inventory (yeah, it's a series staple that fans of other games in this genre still can't get enough of) all play a role. The game also has a buddy system, where you can recruit allies to help you out on missions. Some will mark enemies on the map, others will provide sniper support, and others will just help you move faster. They all unlock gradually, but you'll likely end up sticking with one or two favorites, especially since they level up and get new gear as you complete missions with them. Most missions involve sneaking onto a location, completing a task (stealing documents, rescuing hostages, sabotaging equipment, or all of the above), and then getting out without being seen. And let me tell you, it's way more fun to do it stealthily. You can spend hours on a single mission, but it's worth it. Plus, you have no idea how much chaos can erupt when you get spotted. Some people complain that the gameplay gets repetitive, but I think that's only true at the beginning and end of each mission. The rest is all about playing to your strengths and improvising. You'll find yourself in all sorts of crazy situations, and it's up to you to figure out how to get out of them. I'm a big fan of the item collection system, which is a staple in many games. You'll have to scour bases and outposts for standard issue gun parts, blueprints, audio recordings, and cassette tapes. And, of course, there are plants and animals to collect, each with their own unique approach. Don't worry, you don't have to do this for every single item, but if you want to 100% the game, be prepared to put in some serious time. And then there are the boss battles, which are ridiculously varied. I mean, take the sniper duel with Molchun (which you'll encounter pretty early on). You can take it down in so many different ways:

Hide and snipe;Snipe from behind;Blow it up with airstrikes;Drop a supply drop on its head;Just roll up in a tank and blast it with a big gun.

MolchunEvery other fight is just as memorable, and you'll feel like a total wimp compared to the local bosses (especially when there are multiple of them).Base development is also a big part of the game. You'll spend your downtime between missions building new gear, tech, and abilities for your character. To expand your base, you'll need cash, materials, and personnel, which you'll have to scrounge up on the battlefield.

Molchun

🔲 MAIN CHARACTERS 🔲

I can only give you their names and a few photos, since their backstories are basically spoilers for the rest of the series. Each one has their own story, tragedy, and motivation.

◾️ Snake/Big Boss ◾️

Meet the main character, who's been handed to us to control. Him. Big Boss and Revolver Ocelot

Given the plot twists at the end of the game, set to David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World", you'll learn some pretty interesting stuff about him.

◾️ Revolver Ocelot◾️

One of our main companions throughout the game

◾️ Kazuhira Miller◾️

Kazuhira during our first meeting with himAnother one of our companions with a pretty tough life story

◾️ Mute◾️

Our first meeting with her happens at the very beginning of the gameHired gun. One of the enemies who, according to the plot, becomes our ally (or doesn't...)

I've got to give credit to the game's creators for making the character so popular among male gamers of all ages - thanks to Stephanie Usten, who basically gave her the look.

Let's be real, if they'd replaced her with some buff dude, she wouldn't even come close to the attention she's getting now.

Despite her super sexy design, which the Japanese are known for in the gaming world, there's not a single intimate scene in the game.

◾️ Hugh Emmerich◾️

This guy was our temporary expert, and I've got to say, he was pretty helpful.

◾️ Skull◾️ This guy's the main antagonist, and he's the one who caused all the chaos.

◾️ Third Child◾️

This guy's a secondary antagonist, and most of his story is told through the audio recordings you find throughout the game.

◾️ Man on Fire◾️

Another protagonist we'll be fighting a few times throughout the story.

◾️ Elai◾️

One of the most powerful monologues in gaming history

✔️ THE VERDICT

I'm not gonna lie, Kojima is a genius when it comes to cutscenes. It's all so smooth and engaging, I didn't get bored once. It feels like you're watching a movie, not a cutscene in a game.

Just like in Red Dead Redemption 2, I found myself wanting to take a screenshot every second of the cutscenes, and trust me, each one would be worthy of being a desktop wallpaper.

As for the gameplay, despite the monotony of what's happening on screen, the game still doesn't get old because it's up to you to decide how the story will unfold in each mission.

Okay, I'll admit it - starting to play this game was tough for me due to the unfamiliar controls (even on a controller), the variety of actions and mechanics, and my lack of knowledge about the previous games in the series. But you quickly get hooked, choose your preferred playstyle, and start paying more attention to the story (which, by the way, deserves a separate movie).

Two of my friends bailed on the game after just 2-3 missions, thinking it was way too hard (yeah, if you've only ever played FIFA your whole life). But after I told them about the rest of the story, both of them loaded it up again and actually finished it.

So, if you're like me and love stealth games, welcome to Metal Gear. I personally enjoyed playing the fifth one a year ago, and now I'm loading up the fourth one on my PlayStation 3 to experience the story, which, according to gaming critics, is way more emotional and engaging.

I wouldn't force anyone to play Metal Gear because, honestly, it's not for everyone; some people might find it ridiculously hard in every aspect; others might find it boring and uninteresting. You can always watch someone else play it on YouTube, but you'll only get a fraction of the emotions you'd experience during the actual gameplay.

Thanks for reading!

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