6.30.2014

A review of "Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes" on the PS4


























First things first: yes, it's incredibly short, but I'm one to take my time, so I'm all right with that.

There's nothing bad about it, it's a perfect evolution of the series and if The Phantom Pain is going to function like a next gen Peace Walker (with a huge amount of small, modular missions), then I'm more than happy, as long as there aren't any of those goddamn filler missions, like taking down the chopper, okay, now take down the GREEN chopper, okay, now, take down the GREEN chopper with brown spots).
I don't think I've spent more time on anything more frustrating in recent memory.

However, I loved hunting for the different POWs and building and expanding Mother Base.

I still think Snake Eater is probably the best game in the series and Peace Walker goes right up there with it, it's basically Snake Eater 2. So, another continuation is fine with me...if this is the last. Things are getting a bit crowded. I mean, I know that Big Boss is supposed to be a legendary mercenary and that we need to establish this legend...but they're running out of years in which to do it.

Back to GZ; the issue for me isn't the length of Ground Zeroes, but, rather, the length of time between it and Phantom Pain. Kojima has promised the game will be out "before the end of 2015".
Yes, there were tears.

As of right now, I've played the main mission four times, once taking my time and clocking in at around 100 minutes, the second, going for all the XOF patches and cassette tapes, the third, a speedthrough, clocking in at just under half an hour (and scoring an "S" rank!) and the fourth time just to rescue the escaped POW in order to get Chico's 4th tape.
I also did the two bonus missions "Deja Vu" and "Jamais Vu" a few times because they were so goddamn fun. Anyone complaining about there not being enough stuff here hasn't been trying hard enough. The Foxdie freak out in the prison cell? The MGS quiz? The weird, little logo erasing challenge? It's a compact and delicious slice of pure MGS.

The other four missions start to feel a bit redundant, try as they might to mix things up. I mean, they're not awful, I love that Kojima's put himself in the game again, but, yeah, it does feel stretched thin.
By the time I out it down, I had "S" ranked all the normal missions and completed all the hard ones. I am only missing one trophy, which I'm not going to bother with. After finishing GZ, I picked up Peace Walker again. When I put that down, I had cleared all the missions with B's and A's not to mention a handful of S's, so I have the stealth camo and bandana...which means I am now God.
Let's see how long that fucking Chrysalis lasts against Invisible Snake with infinite rockets.
You fuck.

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