Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

[Oaf]

Reviews are flooding in today, and they are looking pretty fucking great.

IGN have given it a 10, that's the first 10 since TLOU and GTA V in 2013 (not including rereleases of those two games for PS4/XBO). It's also picked up a 10 from Gamespot and after 15 reviews is sat on metacritic 95 with a lowest score of 88.

So a good start. But I'm loving some of the things being said. Just stealing from metacritic quotes:

"This isn’t just the best Metal Gear game, nor is it just the best stealth game, it is one of the best games ever made."

"There has never been a game in the series with such depth to its gameplay, or so much volume in content. The best elements from the past games are here, and the new open-world gameplay adds more to love on top. When it comes to storytelling, there has never been a Metal Gear game that's so consistent in tone, daring in subject matter, and so captivating in presentation. The Phantom Pain may be a contender for one of the best action games ever made, but is undoubtedly the best Metal Gear game there is."

"There have certainly been sandbox action games that have given me a bigger world to roam, or more little icons to chase on my minimap, but none have pushed me to plan, adapt, and improvise the way this one does. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain doesn’t just respect my intelligence as a player, it expects it of me, putting it in league that few others occupy."

"Kojima's last addition to his legendary Metal Gear franchise is the greatest game he's ever produced. An undeniable pinnacle for the franchise and for video games in general."

And just basically more of that kind of shit. I don't read the phrase "best Metal Gear game there is" lightly... because, to me, that'd make it the best game ever released. While I hope that is true, and certainly see potential there, I'm going to take that with a grain of salt for now... even if seemingly all of the reviews are saying it

So yeah. As if there was any doubt, it turns out MGS V is yet another home run. And I can't fucking wait!

 

[Red]

Sounds awesome. I hope they didn't let David Hayter anywhere near it.

 

[saddler_andy]

Sounds awesome. I hope they didn't let David Hayter anywhere near it.

GTFO.

I am genuinely unsure about buying it because of no David Hayter.

 

[G.B]

IGN score games months, sometimes even years, before they're actually released and change it depending on how much money the publisher pays them for advertising. They called GTA 4 "oscar worthy" ffs. I'd take their corrupt reviews with a large pinch of salt (actually, I'd ignore them completely, but that's just me).

But yeah, MGS HYPE!

 

[Alanstag]

I got ripped off when I bought my XB1 and naively brought ground zeroes for pure nostalgia purposes after being out of the gaming loop for a few years. Luckily I managed to trade it in and regain most of my money before it went on games for gold. bama:

I'm really tempted to get this but there's so many games coming out in the next few months that I want. I'm trying to resist temptation for the sake of my bank balance and my final year at uni. GZ was good from what you could play and hadn't lost the touch of the older versions like some games do.

 

[Jockney]

I can't wait, but I will fucking clean my cock hole with drain cleaner before I listen to a fucking consumer review over something genuinely critical.

The new metal gear looks ridiculous. I'm not sure whether that's a good or a bad thing yet.

Also, they're suggesting that Skull Face is Big Boss? Not literally, I assume, as the chronology doesn't fit, but I suppose on a spiritual level. Boney M was the fella banging on about 'sans lingua franca', and all that other gobbledegook, in the E3 trailer which as far as I can tell ties in with what we know about BB's ethos with the benefit of hindsight.

 

[Jockney]

IGN score games months, sometimes even years, before they're actually released and change it depending on how much money the publisher pays them for advertising. They called GTA 4 "oscar worthy" ffs. I'd take their corrupt reviews with a large pinch of salt (actually, I'd ignore them completely, but that's just me).

But yeah, MGS HYPE!

I agree but I wonder how much of the problem is explicitly dubious ethics and not the fact that game reviews have yet to find a critical foothold in the same way that other types of entertainment media have done. In no other medium would a title be judged solely on its own merits, as if it existed in a vacuum, but it's the norm in the games industry. It's infuriating.

 

[G.B]

A LOT of it is down to dubious ethics. That's like.. what the games industry is known for. Although I agree with the second part, gaming is still growing and you'd expect things will change for the better in time regarding video game critique. The monopoly the likes of IGN have built is a really big problem imo, they literally have the power to kill a title stone dead (see God Hand) but the importance consumers place on that freaking number, even more so. The larger, more well known reviewers tell us what to buy and we basically just go along with it without question.

Some miffed IGN employee left the company a few years back and leaked some of their practices on teh interweb. Not sure where you'd find it but it were fairly interesting, I seem to remember.

 

[Red]

GTFO.

I am genuinely unsure about buying it because of no David Hayter.

What will you miss about his 'acting' ? The grunting way he talks? The total lack of personality he brought to the role per chance?

No, the game will be better off without Hayter. Let him do voiceover ads for razor blades or something.

 

[saddler_andy]

I got ripped off when I bought my XB1 and naively brought ground zeroes for pure nostalgia purposes after being out of the gaming loop for a few years. Luckily I managed to trade it in and regain most of my money before it went on games for gold. bama:

I'm really tempted to get this but there's so many games coming out in the next few months that I want. I'm trying to resist temptation for the sake of my bank balance and my final year at uni. GZ was good from what you could play and hadn't lost the touch of the older versions like some games do.

That is why I use Boomerang. I wouldn't have bought any of - The Witcher, Batman, Dying Light, Bloodbourne and Far Cry 4. But I have paid about £90 to rent them all.

What will you miss about his 'acting' ? The grunting way he talks? The total lack of personality he brought to the role per chance?

No, the game will be better off without Hayter. Let him do voiceover ads for razor blades or something.

Nothing to do with ability, but its just my association and the good memories that come with it.

 

[Oaf]

Holy shit, my copy of this was dispatched this morning It's not out until Tuesday...

I am excite.

But damn. I'm actually trying to get through MGS 4 before it comes out, and then play Ground Zeroes one last time as well. Pretty sure MGS 4's cutscenes alone are going to make that tricky to do in time

 

[Jockney]

What will you miss about his 'acting' ? The grunting way he talks? The total lack of personality he brought to the role per chance?

No, the game will be better off without Hayter. Let him do voiceover ads for razor blades or something.

I'm not sure how much of that was Hayter and how much of it was just poor dialogue. I mean, he had to play lines like these...

Meryl Silverburgh: So, there's something you like?

Solid Snake: Yeah, you've got a great butt!

Meryl Silverburgh: Oh, I see! First it's my eyes, now it's my butt! What's next?

Solid Snake: On the battlefield, you never think about what's next.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Solid Snake: There are no heroes in war. The only heroes I know are either dead or in prison. One or the other.

Meryl Silverburgh: But Snake, you're a hero, aren't you?

Solid Snake: I'm just a man who's good at what he does: Killing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...pretty much completely straight.

I would say I'm not entirely sure Keifer Sutherland would be able to bring any more gravitas to the role, with or without the motion capture, but from what I've heard PP will be very low on Snake dialogue, at least compared to previous titles.

 

[Stevencc]

#DownwithHayterhaters

 

[Red]

I'm not sure how much of that was Hayter and how much of it was just poor dialogue. I mean, he had to play lines like these...

Meryl Silverburgh: So, there's something you like?

Solid Snake: Yeah, you've got a great butt!

Meryl Silverburgh: Oh, I see! First it's my eyes, now it's my butt! What's next?

Solid Snake: On the battlefield, you never think about what's next.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Solid Snake: There are no heroes in war. The only heroes I know are either dead or in prison. One or the other.

Meryl Silverburgh: But Snake, you're a hero, aren't you?

Solid Snake: I'm just a man who's good at what he does: Killing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...pretty much completely straight.

I would say I'm not entirely sure Keifer Sutherland would be able to bring any more gravitas to the role, with or without the motion capture, but from what I've heard PP will be very low on Snake dialogue, at least compared to previous titles.

I suppose they asked him to voice the role like he did too.
OK I might ease up on the Hayter hating a bit.

 

[Jen420]

So so excited for this game, can't wait to pick my Pre Order up! I love Metal Gear and Snake is amazing, but I really hope they bring David Hayter back, I can't get used to Kiefer Sutherland at all. Favourite game to this day is Sons Of Liberty.

 

[Jockney]

Broke my no pre-order rule last night. £34 on Amazon.

Doesn't arrive til Wednesday, though.

 

[Oaf]

Hate to rub it in after reading that Jockney, but...

It's fucking here This is insane! This is even earlier than Bioshock Infinite arrived for me, and I had that completed the day before it was due to be released!

The only issue is... I always intended to play through MGS 4 again before it arrived, and I have been... I just didn't bank on getting the game this early. I still have acts 4 and 5 to go, and then I want to get one last play of Ground Zeroes done before I get started. The cutscenes on MGS 4 alone may cause me to struggle to play it today

Oh well... having to go and do act 4 of MGS4 instead of playing TPP is hardly the worst thing in the world, considering the fact that it's probably my favourite part in all of gaming.

I'm in god damn work for most of the next two days as well, though... man it's gonna be tricky to get some early MGS V in. Still, it's like 5/6 days early, I guess I can't complain too much!

 

[Jockney]

Hate to rub it in after reading that Jockney, but...

It's fucking here This is insane! This is even earlier than Bioshock Infinite arrived for me, and I had that completed the day before it was due to be released!

The only issue is... I always intended to play through MGS 4 again before it arrived, and I have been... I just didn't bank on getting the game this early. I still have acts 4 and 5 to go, and then I want to get one last play of Ground Zeroes done before I get started. The cutscenes on MGS 4 alone may cause me to struggle to play it today

Oh well... having to go and do act 4 of MGS4 instead of playing TPP is hardly the worst thing in the world, considering the fact that it's probably my favourite part in all of gaming.

I'm in god damn work for most of the next two days as well, though... man it's gonna be tricky to get some early MGS V in. Still, it's like 5/6 days early, I guess I can't complain too much!

Go fuck yerself, you piece of shit.

Supremely jealous, especially as I've spent the better part of the past day watching all of the first impressions videos I can find from journos who attended one of the Konami boot camps across the globe.

How you can delay PP in favour of finishing that-- now I don't want to say piece of shit, but the weakest entry in the series by a good margin, is beyond me.

 

[Oaf]

I can't just leave it, especially with it being just before the Shadow Moses stuff!

Actually, in saying all of that, I always said that MGS 4 was possibly my favourite, purely for the nostalgia stuff... but this time around, to be honest, I am actually finding that the cutscene/play time ratio is pretty damned outrageous, even for MGS. When the gameplay does happen, it's great, but there's just so little of it...

 

[Jockney]

Watched too many of YongYea's Metal Gear videos, among others, and have a decent idea of what the plot involves and more importantly the themes. Really wish I hadn't spoiled it for myself now.

 

[Jockney]

Also there's the most fucking awesome reference to MGS1 that you can piece together just by watching the trailers. I'll put it in spoiler tags; only read if you know the prevailing theory about Eli's identity (although more fact than theory knowing everything we know now).

Spoiler

It's Eli in the new metal gear chasing Big Boss through the canyon, so Liquid has a history of trying to kill his family with giant mechs...

 

[Megaclyde]

Why are there no video reviews out yet?
I've read the written reviews just kind of surprised that no one has a video one eg. IGN or Gamespot

 

[Oaf]

Watched too many of YongYea's Metal Gear videos, among others, and have a decent idea of what the plot involves and more importantly the themes. Really wish I hadn't spoiled it for myself now.

No Jockney, you FOOL! I've seen so much about how the best way to go into MGS V is to go in as spoiler free as possible. Reading spoilers never turns out well

Why are there no video reviews out yet?
I've read the written reviews just kind of surprised that no one has a video one eg. IGN or Gamespot

There has been a video review embargo until the 1st of September, when the game is released. Guess they don't want people seeing footage of the game before its released (you know, besides the likes 21785 hours of gameplay footage they've chosen to release themselves). Probably just full of little surprises that they don't want to ruin.

Anyway, got acts 4 and 5 of MGS 4 done today. Fuck it, I know it's so cut scene heavy and full of bullshit, but I just love the whole of those last two chapters. So damn epic.

So yeah... get that one last play of GZ done tomorrow, then I can finally get going on TPP!

The one thing I am worried about is how much Peace Walker stuff is going to tie in with the game. I mean, I know that this Paz and that other kid are something to do from that game, right? But I don't really know what the game is all about. I hope it's light on the references on that game... sort of torn between just reading up on the story online to prep myself for TPP, or hoping that one day I'll get around to playing it properly to experience it all for myself. Though everything seems to suggest that TPP kind of renders PW irrelevant in terms of how much of an upgrade it is to a lot of PW's basic systems, so I guess there may be no real point in ever getting around to playing it.

 

[Megaclyde]

Another question.
Basically with all the hype I been watching all the trailers and stuff again.

In the link below Snake/BB has to rescue a translator to help provide mission support, at the 9 minute it mark it clearly states he/she's a Russian interpreter.

But in MGS3 Sokolov cleary states that Snakes Russian is 'superb' (6:04)

So basically, what's the deal? Did he forget it after his coma or what?

 

[Megaclyde]

The one thing I am worried about is how much Peace Walker stuff is going to tie in with the game. I mean, I know that this Paz and that other kid are something to do from that game, right? But I don't really know what the game is all about. I hope it's light on the references on that game... sort of torn between just reading up on the story online to prep myself for TPP, or hoping that one day I'll get around to playing it properly to experience it all for myself. Though everything seems to suggest that TPP kind of renders PW irrelevant in terms of how much of an upgrade it is to a lot of PW's basic systems, so I guess there may be no real point in ever getting around to playing it.

Not worth it IMO, I suffered through it just to say I did and the only things I can think of of note to TPP are a bit about Paz and Chico, and basically the fact that PW involved the first iteration of your mother base and MSF/DD and I guess a large part of the revenge theme being what happens at the end of GZ.
I'm probably forgetting loads of subtle things to do with Ocelot or Zero as I usually do, but still, PW ain't worth the effort really.

 

[Jockney]

Why are there no video reviews out yet?
I've read the written reviews just kind of surprised that no one has a video one eg. IGN or Gamespot

Gamesradar, IGN and GameTrailers have video reviews up, just not any new footage.

The one thing I am worried about is how much Peace Walker stuff is going to tie in with the game. I mean, I know that this Paz and that other kid are something to do from that game, right? But I don't really know what the game is all about. I hope it's light on the references on that game... sort of torn between just reading up on the story online to prep myself for TPP, or hoping that one day I'll get around to playing it properly to experience it all for myself. Though everything seems to suggest that TPP kind of renders PW irrelevant in terms of how much of an upgrade it is to a lot of PW's basic systems, so I guess there may be no real point in ever getting around to playing it.

Apparently more tied to PW than any other game in the series, which is why I picked it up yesterday (£3.99 from Game, not too shabby).

So basically, what's the deal? Did he forget it after his coma or what?

Series is full of retcons. Without them, Kojima would have long since written himself into a corner.

http://metalgear.wikia.com/wiki/Retcon

 

[Megaclyde]

Series is full of retcons. Without them, Kojima would have long since written himself into a corner.

http://metalgear.wikia.com/wiki/Retcon

It just seems like this was easily avoidable. I'm assuming once you pick up said interpreter that's it, so at most you get one extra side mission from it. Maybe they're hoping people won't notice, but weirdly enough that bit about Sokolov complimenting Snakes russian in MGS3 always stood out for me, as in my teenage mind that was a cool way of avoiding the whole 'why they speaking english in soviet territory' question.

EDIT: It also just occurred to me that Ocelot knows russian anyway so unless they sent him out to grab mother base's order of Papa Johns he could be interpreting and Snake wouldn't have to be potentially jeopardizing the mission going out his way to kidnap someone who speaks a language they both already know!

 

[Jockney]

Fair enough points. I suppose I can, for the most part, suspend my disbelief when it comes to these games. This is the series that keeps trying to explain its supernatural elements (poorly) when the majority of the fanbase already readily accepts its magical realism. If things make sense dramatically, then I'm willing to overlook its many inconsistencies.

P.S. there's an argument to be made that PW, GZ and PP exist in a self-contained universe, much in the same way that the first four MGS games were separate from the Metal Gear games.

 

[Stevencc]

Just bought this for the PC.

(That's right Cas, I just paid more than eleven pence for a game - I feel a bit lightheaded.)

I can't wait!

 

[Oaf]

Got my final play of Ground Zeroes done today. Should hopefully get around to checking it out before work tomorrow... man, getting it so early has been more painful than anything, having it sat there but being unable to touch it. But tomorrow.

TOMORROW!

(Now watch some other bullshit come up and I don't get around to playing it tomorrow as well)