Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes Review: Is This Enough?

Metal Gear Solid has always seemed like an impenetrable fortress of convoluted plot points and over complicated gameplay that seemed like too much work and effort to even try to get into with un-knowable amounts of success and enjoyment. But now with the start of a new generation I decided to give the famed series a go and wow have I ignorantly missed an amazing experience for the past gaming years of my life.

This game takes place after the events of MGS Peace Walker and stars Big Boss/Snake as he infiltrates a very harsh military camp to rescues two agents that have been captured.

That is the bare bones of the main story and for the veteran MGS player there is a lot more story depth and lore connections to be found but for a new comer, such as myself, the story is a good and simple first step into the elaborate world of MGS. Putting you into the shoes of a badass legend with little explanation needed but what is there is enough to intrigue and really pull me into the events on screen, encouraging me to want to find out more and delve deeper into the world.

In my opinion this is a great jumping on point for new players as not too much of the past games events are needed to be known to fully enjoy the game and what is needed is handily put into an understandable synopsis. This can be accessed on the games main menu giving you more than enough knowledge to confidently jump into the game and not immediately become confused by the flashing lens flares and loud exclamation points.

Also a lot less complicated than first thought is the immaculate gameplay. The controls are expertly mapped out so you can apply muscle memory almost immediately after the first in game prompt of what each button does, really letting you control Snake with high precision letting you strategically play out tactical espionage operations. And this is immensely important when out on the field as some scenario’s you can find yourself in, through this very fluid style of choice the game has (letting you tackle the objectives in almost any way you see fit), can all hinge on a needed precise single movement that could unravel an hours worth of planning and discretion.

The games ability to allow the player to complete a mission in any style, from complete stealth to absolute carnage, is not only impressive but also makes the player really feel in control and deserving to play as Snake, a legend in his work who can utilize any weapon and even deal deadly and impressive hand to hand combat; while still keeping the very challenging aspect that stealth gameplay usually comes with, making every decision made count and you have to really put your mind to the problem at hand.

But what also leads me to encourage new comers to the game is the new reflex ability that has been added in. This allows you to go into slow motion and quickly dispose of an enemy if seen, but before they can call for reinforcements and alert the whole base to your presence. This allows for someone new to the franchise or stealth games in general feel more comfortable in the game and not always intimidated by the games cut throat gameplay that can lead some to feel always on the brink of imminent death.

What is also shockingly impressive is the style of the game. From the jaw droppingly realistic graphics that let you indulge in the fantasy that you are playing out a neatly choreographed spy movie to the as jaw dropping cinematics. The camera work Hideo Kojima employs in these fantastic spectacles is astounding and makes the sometimes twenty minuet sequences fly by through exciting and inventive uses of the camera to express the thrilling events that take the story on an interesting path. Personally I would really love to see Kojima turn his talents also to movies and let some of his vision out onto the big screen as I’m confident it will create some really amazing work.

A factor that further helps the story is the very good voice acting that is used in this game. I enjoyed Kiefer Sutherland’s performance as a believable weathered veteran, Snake and somehow Robin Atkin Downes’ Miller did not become annoying through the many audio prompts he delivers in the game. The whole voice cast really gives believability and personality to the games story and script, an aspect that I before thought to just be a cheesy complicated mess.

However for all the feats Konami and Hideo Kojima have accomplished in this game there is one fault that cannot be escaped or forgotten and this is the games length. For the average gamer it should only take four hours (including side missions) to experience almost everything on the disk with the main story only coming to one out of the four hours (in gameplay time).

On the other hand there is great incentive to replay all the missions on the harder difficulty you unlock when completing the mission on normal and myself have put 10 hours into trying to attain the ultimate stealth play through for each mission. Also the ending of the main campaign mission, and in some part the short but sweet content of the game overall, left me more than excited for the next instalment and now put a game, Phantom Pain, that wasn’t even on my radar near to the top of my most anticipated games.

Trying to compensate for the embarrassing length of the game are the mission’s on offer. Through the mission’s you can really see that this game is a demo for the main event of Phantom Pain. All the side missions having a very loose story that doesn’t exactly fit into the main campaign but instead shows off all the different features and possibilities this free flow gameplay has. With some objectives focusing on the games trade mark strategic stealth and others allowing you to really let loose your destructive side; destroying 3 or more anti aircraft unit’s on site or going in, all guns blazing on a helicopter, to save a very familiar VIP. All the missions are fun exploratory (gameplay wise) ventures that are very replay-able and give the game some much needed extra material outside of the Ground Zeroes mission.

What also helps the game to accomplish greatness even in the short time frame you have with it is the living and breathing map you are placed in, in every mission. Whilst in other games the same exact location may become boring, this structural decision actually plays well to MSG’s gameplay. It allows you to learn the map and almost become apart of it; un-hesitantly blending into the background, knowing every and the best routes for the given objectives, and how to truly fool or completely sneak past the intelligent AI without breaking a sweat, some times.

And visually in each mission the setting of the base feels like a new place all together as the weather is ever changing. From stormy climates to the unflattering beams of the sun there is always a new visual flare. This can sometimes even give you an upper hand or disadvantage in game as in the clear, sun laden mission’s guards can see your position a lot more easily then in the moody rain of the main Ground Zeros mission. All this adds great atmosphere to each mission and helps makes every mission feel unique and definitely memorable.

Undoubtedly, the game is very short and can be completed in an afternoon but the gameplay within the short but sweet package is almost un-miss-able and is a truly gripping and thrilling experience that shouldn’t be missed, with amazing vision from Hideo Kojima and graphics to boot.

Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes = 9/10

 

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