The more I play The Phantom Pain, the more I realise it’s not a Game of the Year contender

Ben Salter of MMGN: It’s a strange feeling. I’m still really enjoying it, but I need it to be finished. I’ll go home tonight and play it for four or five hours without realising how much time has passed. But I’ll be disheartened if I’m still here with the same dilemma next weekend. I can see the finish line, and I'm happy to cut corners to get there.

Perhaps I’m falling out of love with The Phantom Pain.

[TLG1991]

I do kind of agree with this, at first i was certain it would be game of the year. im 45 hours in so not loads but the more i play now the more i think it wont get it. not saying its not an amazing game and i dont know if its because im a MGS fan and the lack of story as i go further is disheartening me.

Saying that i have a friend which this one is his first MGS game and he isn't having a problem with what everyone else seems to be.

It a fantastic game gameplay wise, if there was just more story and cut scenes i would be more than happy. so im expecting fallout 4 to take it this year.

[lameguy]

Same here with the story. Usually I wouldn't be able to keep a good story game out of my mind the entire day and I'd want to play it every free waking moment I have.

With TPP, the gameplay is top notch, but there's no story that keeps me coming back each night. In fact, I feel ok even tonight having not played it at all. It's almost like I wouldn't even mind if I never finished it at all. There needed to be more story to go along with the gameplay to keep me yearning for more.

I'm only on mission 18 so maybe it gets better, but man... at the rate that I'm playing it, and knowing there's so much more to complete, and knowing the story so far... it's making it so hard to keep playing.

[madmonkey01]

the thing syou describe only get worse as things prgogress, you have maybe 2 or 3 more missions with a story development behind them, the rest are just rinse and repeat the same things.

[SniperControl]

I feel the same way, i haven't touched it in a week or so, got to mission 20 and just lost interest, kinda boring if i'am honest. The resource management and base extension is tedious and unnecessary and something i have no interest in doing, the story is non-existent, the scoring system is also unnecessary, and Kojima is so vain that he has to have his name plastered all over the screen whenever a mission is completed, WTF is that about?

Really dont understand how this game is getting such high reviews, the worst MGS in the series in my opinion.

No way is this a GOTY contender.

[bouzebbal]

Bloodborne is my GOTY this year. didnt play MGSV yet but Bloodborne gave me that feel of playing on my Genesis. i was hooked from start to platinum trophy and every game that makes me feel like this is a GOTY.

[mikeslemonade]

Bloodborne is game of the year, Duh!

[OhMyGandhi]

I'm about 50 hours in so far, and the game is immensely enjoyable for 5-10 minutes at a time, but rinse and repeat the same kinds of missions without even the illusion of a greater meaning to any of it, and I got really bored.

The great thing about a game like Far Cry 3 for example, is that when you clear an outpost, said outpost is then available for fast travel, so there is an incredible incentive to clear as many outposts as possible, especially in such a big and expansive world.

In the Phantom Pain, you don't get that luxury. Enemies come back, magically talking over their radio even though I've destroyed all of their equipment ages ago, and it's rinse and repeat.
Phantom Pain is practically all outposts, without a single defining narrative pushing you through the missions and taking your breath away at the "big reveal" at the end of each of them.

I am a huge Metal Gear fan and while the story is bat-sh*t crazy and outlandish as all hell, I want some of that zany attitude to make me feel like I am working for a true, realized goal then checking off boxes on a list of chores.

People act like I'm a sympathizer for ISIS when I mention that this game isn't the best thing since sliced bread. It's enjoyable in small doses, but tedium and dullness set in so quickly that I suspect this game will quickly become the black sheep of the Metal Gear franchise.

[XBLSkull]

Phantom Pain is easily the best MGS. If any other MGS has been a GotY contender this deserves to be one as well. That being said I'm certain Halo 5 is going to win anyways so it doesn't really matter.

[WelkinCole]

It's what I feared when I heard that they are cutting down on the cutscenes and taking an open world approach.

MGS has always been a game/movie hybrid with exceptional focused/directed story and gameplay experience. Once you cut down on cutscene and go open world it changes it significantly.

MGS4 is a fan-service and why with MGS3 are the best in the series.

Before 5 I would enjoy every second and play until the next custscene that would expand more on the amazing story/experience.

I blame these stupid kids that have the attention span of a gold fish that cry like babies if the games they bought does not give them hours and hours of gameplay. It is really really sad.

In saying this though Kojima still did an amazing job in trying to adapt to what these kids wanted while still maintaining some semblance of a MGS experience for long time fans. I would not be surprised if he was pushed into this new direction by Konami and contributed to him leaving.

[DevilOgreFish]

Won't pass full verdict until i complete it. The cinemas are pretty scarce but there is a story, let us not forget Ground Zeroes + Phantom Pain = the MGSV experience. There's plenty of cassette tapes between the two if you wanted to know the minds of a few characters.

The choice of cassette tapes for background story was based around the interruption of gameplay. Would gamers prefer to see the same background story in a codec moment, which breaks away from gameplay. Or would gamers prefer to see the background story in a lengthy conversation via through cinemas. The question remained with kojima productions.

They could add in another chapter to fill in more story but the rest of the game was made as it is.

[StrawberryDiesel420]

Same here, I was way more pulled in by MGS4 and the story between Old Snake and Liquid. And MGS4 had stellar gameplay to match the story. I'm actually debating selling Phantom Pain back while it still has value. It just seems like a barren open world with random guard posts to infiltrate. It gets boring fast.

[miyamoto]

And people were amazed at me MGSV is not on my Top 10 games of 2015....

For me

the top contenders for PS4 GOTY are Bloodborne and ....

Until Dawn- the PS4 right hook of a game no one saw coming!
And it hits gamers around the world really hard!

[chrisco84au]

GOTY this year is going to be brutal.

So many contenders with more to come. Remember, it's all opinions guys.

The most fun I have had with a game so far this year is Disney Infinity 3.0 (Star Wars nerd) but it's not my GOTY, it's close to be honest.

Bloodborne, Until Dawn, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, Rocket League, Disney Infinity, MGSV so far, yes I mainly play on PS4. But that's just me, I'm not wrong, nor am I in any way right.
How he feels about MGSV I feel about the Witcher, I LOVED it to begin with, then the more I played the more I lost interest and it dropped out of my top games of the year, it's still an amazing game, just didn't keep me hooked and by the end I just wanted it to be over, so I can see his point of view.

At the end I'm thinking Fallout 4 or Battlefront will get it for me. But this year has been amazing.

Just like the article, he is just giving his opinion. Well written.

[Magicite]

why do I have a feeling that Mad Max deserves more praise and MGS deserves less praise? I think first impressions were wrong and now people realize the truth.

[StanLee]

I really believe the over inflated review scores for MGSV is directly responsible for many being disappointed in the game. Reviews hail the game as groundbreaking, genre defining. It's crazy the superlatives used but the game simply isn't any of those things! It's a good game but it's no where near the game reviewers perceive it to be.

[christian hour]

As someone who played the infamous OPSMUK demo for Metal Gear Solid almost twenty years ago, over... and over... and over again... and again... and again...

...I'm not relating to this problem of getting bored from repetition.

I tackle each approach differently every time. You're in part responsible for switching up how you play to keep the game fresh, it's not entirely up to the game. It gives you the tools and varying ways to play, if you choose to play repetitively then that's not really the games fault.

Granted there are some minor flaws here and there (and these are just flaws with open world games in general), but nothing worth devoting article upon article to. MGS had flaws in the past, and they were mostly due to inherent flaws in Linear Games. Of COURSE these are only flaws when you compare them to something else and say "well such and such doesnt have this problem". Probably because such and such isn't the same thing, therefore would not have the same inherent flaws.

I don't think people know how to critique properly anymore. It's all just hate without reason or consideration.

I've played every MGS, over and over time and time again. And every time, the levels stayed the same, the guards stayed the same, but my approach and how I chose to play, the various new gadgets that made replaying worthwhile or the difficult unlocks to set my goals for... They keep it fresh. All of this is available to you in Phantom Pain too.

[OhMyGandhi]

I respectfully disagree with that logic.
It's not the gamer's fault for getting bored.
Telling the player that he/she should should be the one to keep it interesting is ridiculous...It's the game's sole responsibility.

It's like me telling people to play Mario with an arm around my back, or that people should only play with a certain, weaker weapon in a game like Bloodborne just to "change it up". Obviously, both games don't need it because they are intensively interesting and fun to play, but the point still stands.

If a game truly sells the player on the concept of open world mission design, and "many ways to play", then tactics should change up dramatically in a more organic way as they play. Variances in weather try to make it more interesting, like the dust storms, but I've found that trying to meander around these storms is equally pointless, because I've always been spotted from 100 feet away by some random joe who decides NOT to keep his head down during it.

I've tackled a base at night, I've shuffled along the desert floor during the day (which is seriously the most pointless time of day to tackle ANY mission) and I've changed gear to mix things up. I don't want to be detected, and I want to hide bodies, and I want to extract the prisoner or "highly skilled soldier", destroy their comm equipment and call it a day...It's really difficult to mix it up when nearly every method to complete aforementioned objectives with a good rank is identical. Your not going to go in guns blazing, or go about sniping people that you may want to use Fulton with. You also don't want to kill someone from across the map and leave their body in the complete open...

The way this particular game is designed makes it seem like there are so many ways to go about a particular mission, but in reality, there is only one or two ways you can clear a base and still get a good rank for your effort.

[flyingwombat33]

This. I think most MGS fans were not prepared for this much freedom. I can relate to the story woes in the second half, but I think this is one of the most marvelous games I've ever played. I think expectations were impossibly high. There were people on these forums thinking the game was going to end with you playing as Solid Snake sneaking into the mother base you built as Big Boss to take down Venom. THOSE WERE ACTUAL FAN EXPECTATIONS, OF COURSE UOU INSANE FANS ARE DISAPPOINTED.

My friend, who never liked MGS, just got to Africa and was thrilled that there was a whole other area. Meanwhile, MGS fans are sad that there isn't another COUPLE of open worlds. This is a mixture of Metal Gears usual divisivness and expectations that had run amuck.

I think it's fair to criticize the games narrative pacing, I think that the game would actually be better if it was shorter And they'd condensed all the story material in chapter 2 into chapter 1, but some of the complaints are just ridiculous.

[blvdnights1414]

So what you're saying is to put ketchup on my steak? It's not the fact that in it's original form the steak is bland but my fault for not not finding a way to cover it up.

[Helios86]

That's a weird argument, look here's the thing, I want to get through every mission undetected and non-lethal because that's always been MGS for me. What this means is that I will use tranq rifle and tranq pistol whenever I can and go in for grab and choke when not.

So find target, find a path and tranq whoever I can't sneak past and hide their bodies if needs be. If this works, which it does 90% of the time, then there is no incentive for me to do otherwise especially when the game rewards me for playing this way.

In fact getting S-rank basically requiers you to get through the mission as fast as possible undetected.

The game encourages me to play a certain way, it doesn't encourage me to experiment.

When doing sideops on the other hand I do whatever I feel like. So the scoring system or atleast the way that it works is a big culprit in this.

As RustedMan said it's not the players responsibility to make the game interesting.

Witcher 3 is a good example of how open world games should be made, with all sidequests being little stories in and of themselves that weave into the world and backstory. In MGS5 it get's boring and you lose track of the story, which already feels very thin.

With that being said I enjoyed the game a lot overall and as far as being a game of the year contender, yes sure but it doesn't come near Witcher 3 let alone Bloodborne and we haven't tasted Fallout 4 yet.

[FunkMacNasty]

My biggest problem is that, in previous metal gear games, every mission, every moment when players controled Solid Snake, Big Boss, or even Raiden or Plissken, every corridor we crept down, every C4 we planted, every time we quietly subdued a soldier... It was done with a purpose, a feeling of resolve as we move forward through a story of international espionage, military secrets, back stabbing characters and unlikely allies, and plot twists...

Now with Phantom Pain, while the gameplay is fantastic and the game is overall very fun... It seems more like a "greatest hits" collection of great infiltration missions rather than a true metal gear game. Big Boss barely even speaks, despite Keifer Sutherland doing a much better job of sounding convincingly like Big Boss than I expected.

As a huge metal gear fan, I must say I'm a little let down by MGS V

[flyingwombat33]

I think that the futility of conflict and the cycle of revenge is the point if the games design. I'm a huge MGS fan, and I think this goes with the best of them. I wouldn't say it's my favorite, but it's a worthy addition to the series.

[nub_cakes101]

There's a reason why big boss barely speaks, I'd be spoiling it if I told you so I won't. All I'll say is the secret ending (mission 46) has a very interesting twist.

[vickers500]

"It was done with a purpose, a feeling of resolve"

Gotta disagree with you there. Mgs4s areas to me felt ridiculously unresolved as I moved through them, trying to silently take out everyone while enemies just kept infinitely respawning. Really broke immersion for me. While the enemies in mgs v will respawn, they only do once you quit the instance and come back, which can be explained away by new soldiers being called to defend that outpost while you're gone, whereas with mgs4, there's no limit to the amount of stupid soliders that will come from behind a corner, fail to notice the pile of dead bodies in front of them, and will go to their pre determined spots waiting for things to happen. At least the soldiers in mgs v move around a bit, some of them unpredictable at times.

[callahan09]

I'm loving MGS5. It's not as purely perfect of an experience for me as Bloodborne was, so it wouldn't get my GOTY, and I haven't played The Witcher 3 yet (just bought it though, so SOON!), but MGS5 is just an absolute joy to play. I just love the gameplay, couldn't have asked for better.

[user9950279]

hmm. kind of glad i opted out of this one. Seems like the hype is fading, dust is settling, and reality is setting in. I see it a lot across the net.

I'll prob still get it, but down the line for cheaper.

[TLG1991]

WOW no just because the "hype is fading" don't get that confused with a poor game. this game is still by FAR my game of the year. but i am expecting fallout to make me feel more satisfied throughout the whole thing.

I am 45 hours in to MGS and no sign of slowing down, i play it every spare moment i have really and it is far from getting boring or repetitive. there are not many game at all that can hold on to me for that long these day, wither 3 i don't even think i got 30 hours and was completely burnt out on that game.

as i have said before if this was a brand new IP nearly every issue wouldn't be an issue is this game would in turn be flawless.

[FunkMacNasty]

It's definitley worth the hype, but if your a hardcore Metal Hear nerd, as some of us are, it might let you down on the story side of things. Don't get me wrong it's an excellent game, gameplay is top notch, mission strategy and freedom is great... For me, it just comes down to missing those long (sometimes 20 minute) cinematic scenes where characters had meaningful interactions and the lore, history, and secret cannon of the Metal Gear universe was shared in detail.

Either way, its definitley not a game to be missed, if you like stealth-action games! But I went into it expecting story design along the levels of the other MgS games. But, sadly at 30% completion.. Ive seen about 3-4 three-minute or less cutscenes. And the story thus far has
Not contained any of the "holy sh*t!" moments that MGS3 or 4 contained.

[madmonkey01]

its worth the hype for a couple of hours, the best bit is the prolouge, an the first few missions, everything after that is just rinse and repeat the same formula, being repetitive works for games that are gripping and exciting, but not in this.

[-Ikon-]

Game is STILL getting 10/10s weeks after release.. cry more your opinion sucks

not even a contender? rofl garbage clickbait

[TheBurger29]

So opinions only matter if you agree with it? Nice logic...

I have 3 friends who bought mgs v and all are bored with it already. Konami probably paid IGN and all these other places to give it high scores. I will wait for angry joe as he actually tells it how it is.

[RowdyNeil]

MGS4 - "More gameplay, less cutscenes"
MGS5 - " More cutscenes, less gameplay"
Do people ever stop bitching?

[xxchicago33xx]

I couldn't agree more with this comment. I actually really like how they've integrated the story into the game via the cassette tapes.

This gets a lot of the lengthy backstory/set up elements out of the way without requiring 30-40 min cutscenes. I also like how they've broken them into smaller 2-3 min sections.

Plus you can go back and re-listen to them...which is necessary given all the different story arcs.

I dig it...because I did bitch about the cutscenes in 4.

[Hk85karlsson]

Another agree from me. People will never stop moaning.

[madmonkey01]

its actually,
MGS5 needs more actual unique game play instead of the same mission 100 times, and some semblance of coherent story. that does not mean it needs hours of cut scenes.

[DrumBeat]

Someone should tell these blowhards to stop acting entitled.

[WelkinCole]

Two sets off people you are referring to.

People that complained about MGS4 long cutsecens are not long term MGS fans. MGS4 is a fanservice.

People now complaining about less cutscenes are in fact long time MGS fans. Like me.

[coolman229]

MGS4 had ridiculously long cutscenes, some going up to 45 minutes, with very little gameplay in between. It's not that it had a reasonable amount of cutscenes and people complained. The game was called Movie Gear Solid for a reason.

MGS5 has so few cutscenes that unless you manage to find the specific tapes that have critical plot points you're going to be completely lost. It has plenty of gameplay. I regularly see people say that they put hundreds of hours into the game without beating it. But the story is so sparse it might as well not be there.

MGS1, 2, 3, and PW all had a standard length for cutscenes in the series. No one complains about them having too long of cutscenes. Unless they're not into Metal Gear. It's ridiculous to say that either of those complains are somehow unwarranted. Metal Gear is known for long cutscenes and lots of story, regardless of the quality. MGS5 drops all of that for almost no story. That's the main reason people are complaining.

[MysticStrummer]

"MGS5 has so few cutscenes that unless you manage to find the specific tapes that have critical plot points you're going to be completely lost."

I don't see how. I barely listened to any tapes and I didn't get lost.

[mark_parch]

i still think witcher 3 should get it although halo 5 and fallout 4 will be epic. but can't see a xbox exclusive getting it so probably between witcher and fallout

[madmonkey01]

dont think an xbox exclusive as ever won a mainstream GOTY. so it will probably go to bloodborne or fallout.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

There's a difference between BEING game of the year and being a game of the year contender. Phantom Pain is obviously a game of the year contender. But at the end of the day, who cares? This whole goty stuff has been nothing but another detraction over the last X amount of years. Everyone should just enjoy their games instead of proclaiming which is the 'winner,' especially months before they even play them.

[KidMakeshift]

That's disheartening. Sounds like my experience with Mad Max. I'm guessing it's like the Halo effect where everyone praises the shit out of it, but after the hype train disembarks everyone starts being rational and analyzing the game. I'll eventually play The Phantom Pain, but my expectations are now a lot lower.

[nyctophilia13]

It was a losing fight anyway. Bloodborne locked up GOTY in the Spring.

[3-4-5]

Knew it.

All the media hype and fanboy hype blind praising a game JUST because a certain random human being is involved.

This is the problem with America these days.

Everyone Celebritizes people and acts like because somebody did something they like in the past, that everything they touch must be perfect or whatever.

* They praised it within making it be earned.

Just GIVING him the game of the year title instead of making somebody earn it.

Liberals.....

[MysticStrummer]

I had the opposite reaction. The more I played MGS5 the more I enjoyed it. Bloodborne is still GotY for me so far but I think MGS5 is awesome fun and easily deserves to be in the conversation as a contender.

And, early next month…

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[WelkinCole]

The worst MGS is till better than 99% of games out there. Of course it is a contender. It's just not an automatic GOTY for me like every other MGS when they were released.

How I rate it is still a 9.5 for me. I was so looking forward to go back to big boss/naked story as MGS3 to be is the best in the series. It just has not lived up to the insanely high standard in terms of story I expected. To be quite honest the story is quite bland.

[Realms]

MSG 5 is a game GOTY contender. You don't have to like the game, but many gamers are minimizing the good things that MSG 5 did well. As far the game play is concern some gamers keep saying, well it's repetitive you can say that about any game. I feel like it didn't live up to some gamers expectations and that's the reason they are knocking on this game. Hardcore MSG fans may even feel cheated and say that the story is lacking and that a valid point. The problem with that is that even early reviews said that was the case and still gave 10 out o 10. In the end play game don't play the game but judge on it's merits and not what your perception of what the game should have been and you will find it much more enjoyable.

[madmonkey01]

i found the first 10 hours or so were really good, great in fact, but then after that it became repetitive and bland.

[Tedakin]

I haven't played it myself, but I have 2 friends who said they're not loving it. One said he wishes it were a bit more linear.

[Naji4Me]

For me MGS4 much better, there is no doubt MGS5 one of the best game in this generation but still TW3 and Bloodborne my nominees for GOTY.

[Evil Rant Monkey]

Mgs4 gameplay is awesome! That game dragged me right in and had me playing non stop. I've found it difficult to get into Mgs5 the same way. PS MGS always holds top spot in my heart though for story and gameplay.

[oIITSBIIo]

The game is repetitive, it was boring after for me the 20th episode I was not having fun with the game, I kept playing to see the end that's all.

[silkrevolver]

I enjoyed the gameplay throughout, but making a bunch of the last story missions just harder versions of old missions was a terrible decision. Made no sense from a narrative standpoint, and it made a really interesting and exciting game boring.

I still love it, and I think it's one of my favorites, but I can recognize its flaws.

It's probably my GOTY, but we'll see in a few months where it lands.

[DEEBO]

The witcher 3 combat is not really good so storytelling is what makes it good.

BB was just good all around so if it beats MGS5 for game of the year then so be it.

But my list go's as.
1 MGS5
2 BB
3 BATMAN and witcher 3 are a tie for me.

[gosukyomomma]

The witcher 3 had some of the best combat ive experienced in an open world game imo, its probably because it takes a bit of skill and timing like bloodbourne and people whonthinknits a hack and slasher type combat suffer amd deem it a bad system. The witcher 3 combat really is amazing in my opinion

[kranker]

It really isnt dude. It completely ruined the game for me.

[DanteVFenris666]

The combat was not great at all. I beat the entire game with mind control. Barley had to lift my sword. Also what combos? Square square square, or do you mean the awsome triangle triangle triangle. Great game none the less. But it definitely didn't take skill. Mind control=get recked son

[Savsky]

The combat is too reminiscent of the watered down Batman/Assassin's Creed fighting. It's too simplistic and too easy. The game basically does the work for you. Counter, attack. Counter, attack. And the mind control magic was extremely overpowered.

[Zhipp]

I think its important for you guys to mention what difficulty you were playing at. I haven't played TW3 yet, but if it's anything like TW2, it should be a hell of a lot more fun on higher difficulties.

[Savsky]

@Zhipp

I played on Death March and still, I didn't enjoy the combat.

[gamejediben]

I love the MGS series so much and I've played every single one of them but even I have to admit that the Game of the Year Award seems predestined to go to the almighty juggernaut that is Fallout 4.

It's been a great year! The Witcher 3 was beyond amazing, Bloodborne was the best action RPG I've played in ages and Ori and Blind Forest redefined what indy games could be. We have the awesome looking Xenoblade Chronicles X and gorgeous Star Wars Battlefront still to come. I love MGSV despite it's flaws but none of these games can stand in Bethesda's shadow...

I'm convinced that society will grind to a halt on November 10th... Such is the Majesty of Fallout 4.

[saphiron]

I love the game, but for me it is still The Witcher 3 for GOTY. Played it on PC.

[aquaticDonut]

Same. MGS is a fantastic game, but but Witcher 3 is probably the greatest RPG ive ever played.

[ArchangelMike]

Hup same here. The Witcher 3 does it for me more than MGSV.

[KOIMOJO]

Witcher 3 edges out Bloodborne and MGS5 for me too. But what a year it has been, huh guys? I'm not a huge Fallout fan but it actually has me intrigued too, and don't get me started if Persona 5 is confirmed to release this year.....

[Savsky]

Witcher lacks in the most important aspect of gaming. Gameplay. That combat system was reminiscent of the overly simplistic Batman, Assassins Creed, and Shadow of Mordor combat systems. The fighting was too easy and too boring. Also, playing Bloodborne before the Witcher may have soured the combat for me simply because Bloodborne's combat is miles better than the Witcher's. TW3 is a great game otherwise, the combat is just not good enough though.

[DrumBeat]

Agreed.

Witcher was great storywise, quest-wise, and visually, but playing the game was something of a big drag.

I hated the inventory with a passion, and I disliked Geralt's clunkiness. Don't even get me started on that horse. The combat. Oh, the combat. You left so much to be desired.

[InMyOpinion]

Sounds like his issues are that there is too much variety and content in MGS5 for him to finish it quickly. Seems like the issues lie with him and not the game.

I for one appreciate that Kojima made a game that you are not supposed to be done with in a week or two, and look forward to spending months and months with it. For me it's not a problem to put it down for a while and play other titles inbetween, and then get back to it again.

And how can you say that "it's not GOTY material" when you A) haven't even finished it yet, and B) the online part isn't even released yet?

[DEEBO]

Now with mgso3 this going to make phantom pain even better.

I love seeing my FOB base defend themselves and i need to buy them better gear.

I hope the online is connected
It looks fun.

[slappy508]

A good game but I found the missions after 30 are copy and pastes of earlier missions , I'm at 40 so I don't know if the missions after that are different ones, there's just no excuse for that man.

[kranker]

Yh theres something really off about the story and mission structure in general. Why would the game give you a select few missions with difficulty modifiers from act 1 and why is act 2 only 8 missions long? For whatever reason kojima san didnt finish his game.

[bixxel]

It never was and never would be. But, undoubtedly The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt is.

[kranker]

The complete opposite is true in my eyes.

[MysticStrummer]

"It never was and never would be"

One of the weirder opinions I've ever seen on here.

[tweet75]

The more i play super mario maker the more i realize it should be goty

[aquaticDonut]

I feel the same way. A week ago I thought Id be able to play this over and over and get endless entertainment. Now, though, i havent even gotten around to finishing it and ive had plenty of time.

[Meltic]

Mgs Will not be game of the year. Have you all forgot just cause 3. That and fallout Will easy be My game of the year!

[Fezza]

Even with all the bad points mentioned it's still a better game than most so far this year so it's at least a "contender" for GOTY.

[Bolts]

A contender is what is. But definitely not THE GoTY.

[boing1]

Same. Was playing MGS for a week and then I bought Mad Max. I have no desire to go back to MGS for the time being as Mad Max has pulled me in immensely. It's wierd though, as you constantly do the same thing over and over and yet, it feels like I'm having more fun with it than with MGS.

[WitWolfy]

I can only play MGS V at short spurts at a time... OMG its so repetitive!!! With every capture the general, rescue the prisoner or escort mission I die a little.

[on_line_forever]

i love metal gear so much

but this is the worse one in the entire series

the open world make the game boring ( the game must be more linear )

the missions is copy and past and there is no cutscene with no more about story .

and the most annoying thing is the score screen that show up after every mission .

is this metal gear that we love ?

honestly metal gear solid 1 still until today the best one in the entire series .

[isa_scout]

I'd say MGS4,2, and then MGS1. I think 3 was the weakest. I love the Phantom Pain, though I do wish Hideo hadn't taken so much of the criticism of MGS4 to heart. Most might disagree, but long cutscenes are a part of MGS DNA. Most of the people that was complaining about MGS4 wasn't even fans of the series in my opinion.

[WelkinCole]

How on Gods Earth is MGS3 the weakest?

[coolman229]

What. MGS3 is easily the one of the best games in the series, and arguably is THE best. And with the MGS3D port the gameplay was updated so that's not outdated. I'd say it has the best story in the franchise.

MGS4 was definitely the weakest game. The story was the worst even if the gameplay was improved. 2 was technically sound but too much focus on being a mindscrew messed up the story. I am a big fan of the series and MGS4 is really bad. MGS1 has aged in terms of graphics and gameplay but the story is still solid (pardon the pun).

[isa_scout]

Besides for The Boss and EVA I just didn't really enjoy 3 as much as 2. It's was still an amazing game. I loved it, but I just preferred 2. Never said I was right....lol
Just my opinion is all.

[MysticStrummer]

3 is still the best imo, and 2 is still the worst. Loving 5 though.

[WelkinCole]

MGS Nerd fight!!

lol!. isa. It was a joke. But seriously though MGS3 is not last.

Coolman. What are you smoking?. MGS4 is tied with MGS3 as the best.

It tied up everything and it was like going down memory lane with references from Solid's past.

I almost lost it when I went back to Shadow mosses.

@Mystic. Right now for me MGS2 is tied with MGS5 as the worst.

[jetlian]

best to worst mgs1,5,3,2,4.

in mgs1 you had all the best boss fights,
in mgs5 you had best gameplay and a few decent fights
in mgs3 had few decent fights and cool setting
in mgs2 ok setting and ok bosses
in mgs4 one worthwhile boss fight in metal gear vs metal gear and that was it

If I was choosing goty witcher 3 would be it as of right now. Batman and mgs5 both good but have flaws. still got a few contenders in halo,tomb raider, cod and fallout

[isa_scout]

MGSV is so much better than Arkham Knight, and I platinum trophied AK. Batman may be the most disappointing game I played all year. I was expecting so much more than a car combat game.

[Emme]

Gimme RDR over MGS any day.

[WitWolfy]

At least RDR's open world has a point like doing side missions and meeting NPCs... In MGS V open world just means capture as many skilled soldiers as what you can!

It's like Pokemon... But for MGS...

[Paleblood]

I agree MGS5 is not the metal gear I am used to love and play. I honestly don't like the score at the end of each mission. You have an arsenal of top notch weapons but you are penalized if you use them so even when I have lots of weapons I am always using the same tranquilizer gun.

Also there is too much contradiction from people. Whith MGS4 people were complaining there was a LOT of story and cut scenes. Now they are complaining because there is not much story or cut scenes. For real?

[DanteVFenris666]

You've always been penatilized for not using stealth in mgs games. Most games gave you amazing rewards for beating it discretely. It's also not supposed to be a run and gun explosions. That's not very hard and therefore you don't deserve a good ranking. There is also tons of unlocks led to enhance your stealth options. I got rid of the tranquilizer long ago. Decoys, stealth, smoke grenades, cqc, robotic arm, other armaments with stun or sleep abilities, and cardboard box upgrades.

You shouldn't be too concerned about the grade sense you can redo missions. You want to have a I don't give a fuck play through of a mission you can.

[lolosgolos]

The wild hunt is GOTY

[CaptainObvious878]

I'm at 120 hours and I think I'm done at this point. I had a blast at the beginning, but I'm just a hollow shell now when I play.

I blame the complete lack of story. It's very very disappointing.

[DanteVFenris666]

I blame the fact you played 120 hours. More than a full timer could works between the time upon release and now.

If you can enjoy a game for 120 hours id consider it did its job.

[fxa5209]

It gets boring and repetitive at one point. Should not made it an open world game. Bring MGS to its tradition in next game iteration (If there is one)

[DanteVFenris666]

The difference in a linear one is we probably would have a greater time but with less content. It would be 10 hours. Compared to the mgs5 100. Thought that ten might be more enjoyable.

So there is pros and cons to both designs. You'd also be missing the open design which in my opinion made it a lot of fun. Though I've also thought the mgs story was crap. Always only played for gameplay

[coolman229]

But a well designed game can still be rewarding because it has replayability. I've play MGS3 7 times, each time clocking in around 16-20 hours. So on a conservative estimate I've put over a hundred hours into the game. I've played Resident Evil 4 multiple times and each time was rewarding.

So it's not like a game with a shorter run time won't be able to entertain you for much longer than that. I'd take a 10 hour game I can play 10 times than a 100 game that gets boring due to repetitiveness.

And there's no reason why MGS5 couldn't have an open design and still be functionally linear. Imagine MGS3's set up but with larger areas and more tools. You still need to get from point A to point B, but now you have more space to work with and a better engine so things are less broken up. It'd be like a whole bunch of sections done like Ground Zeroes, which sounds pretty awesome to me.

[isa_scout]

I must say that as a fan of MGS I was very dissapointed with the story, but the gameplay has never been better. I'm 87 hours into it, working on the platinum trophy, and it couldn't be any more fun. I get into the micro management elements in most games so it's no surprise that resource management and base development is one of my favorite things about the game. Also, Quiet is right below Boss as my favorite female character in MGS.

[PorkMuffin]

GOTY or not, does it really even matter? No single game is ever 'the definite' GOTY because everybody has their personal favourite. I'm just glad I'm having alot of fun with MGS TPP in my 50 over hours playthrough with 24% completion and I think my money was well spent considering most games I've gotten I finished in a little over 10 hours. With MGS online on the way as well, I can probably play this until Fallout 4. This is my first MGS game so the lack of storyline is perfectly fine for me, in fact, I like it that way because I just treat every mission like going into a playground and do whatever I like in them and have a great time.

[hughlb]

On the contrary, I think The Phantom Pain is able to dig deep into its complexity, providing subtle changes to the experience as you progress.

In fact, to my eyes, it's the most refined example of pacing in a large scale game. I've seen narrative driven games less interesting as you play through; Bioshock is a perfect example of rinse-and-repeat gameplay. Even GTA5, like the others in the series, fails to excite beyond the story missions.

As previous people have mentioned, the game is detailed and expansive enough to allow you to have an idea and be able to achieve it. The 'levelling' system and narrative evolves enough that it never feels stagnant.

Haven't seen a game so well balanced in a long time, and never an open world game.

[kranker]

I agree, imagine if kojima was allowed to actually finish his game.

[Picnic]

I've never played a Metal Gear Solid game. I'm interested to know how people square such a serious looking game with being able to 'hide' in a cardboard box that you move around in? Suspension of disbelief and sheep?

If you want comedy, don't you buy a more light hearted game?

[coolman229]

Metal Gear has always balanced goofy and sometimes humorous elements with serious elements. MGS3 is the best example of this. This is a game where a man has to kill the woman who trained him, and is someone he utterly respects. He because so disillusioned after killing her that it sets him on the path to become a mass murdering monster.

This is also the game where you can run around in a duck patterned costume while wearing a crocodile hat. You can call up your support to have them talk to you about goofy things. Eating glowing mushrooms recharges your batteries. Everyone in your support team unironically talks about the game controls. Your CO is a James Bond and tea obsessed Brit who has a few screws loose. Your medical adviser babbles about movies when you talk to her. Your tech and weapons guy tells you about a dream where a giant poop monster runs around shooting poop at everything.

That's always been a part of the charm of the series. The better games have a very good plot, mixing realistic (-esque) military and spy stories with supernatural elements (like Psycho Mantis or The Sorrow). They can hit emotional high points while still being a little goofy. You have to suspend your disbelief to some of these elements. In the same game that has a psychic almost force someone to kill you, you're also told to look on the back of the game case for a radio frequency.

It's probably not something that works for everyone. I know a number of people who don't find any appeal in Metal Gear. I myself love those weird parts mixed with serious parts. They're also fun to play if you're into stealth games. Admittedly the older games feel restrictive. It's not until games like MGS4, PW (HD version), and MGS3D that you have games that aren't held back by outdated gameplay.

[Kosic]

MGS V TPP, was an alright game. It wasn't anything amazing. It felt like it tried to add a lot of content in such a slow progression system.

The game felt lifeless for the first 20 hours. If you wanting to run around with DD, and you hadn't yet progressed enough to drop vehicles, you spent ages running past the same bush, same grain of sand and so on. It was boring being forced to run 1000+ meters, or spawning the helicoptor and go through loading screens just to creep up a little closer to your mission points.

After a few main missions, and a bunch of side missions. The game felt the same every time I step further into progression. You'll then get to missions that would re use old locations. Sure it's nice to be able to plan a different approach to the game.

I actually got to the point where I had enough, and wanted to rush to the end and rambo style every mission, just to see the "amazing" cut scene to finish off what is MGS, and yeah. It wasn't there. The story just decided to have a huge turn about 4 missions from the end, and it seemed like everyone just forgot about it. So when the end came, and the small twist/cliff hanger happened, I wasn't excited, pleased, just felt like "what just happened? is the rest locked in DLCs?"

I'd personally give the game a 6/10 just because it didn't seem to be anything ground breaking. But on a plus I sold my copy for £5 more than I paid for it. So wasn't a total loss.

[SuperBlunt]

Lol

[Gardenia]

I knew this before it was released. I'm still enjoying the game with over a 100 hours right now, but the story is weak and the main missions at the end are the exact copies of the first chapter

For me GotY will be Fallout 4, if the game is at least as good as Fallout 3

[WitWolfy]

Oh boy this game is getting A LOT and I mean A LOT of hate from it original fanbase. Many of us hardcore MGS fans went into MGS V thinking we'll get this awesome swansong of a game just to get royally fudged.

No character development... No codecs (replaced by tape conversations). Then we get that ending.... DAT ENDING made me realize once again that I'm a sheep for falling for games like these DAMN hype all the time!!!

You sit and watch endless hours fan theory videos explaining what seems like a credible proof to theories that just never came!!! And to make it worse to be given a FMV that could've easy been ANY FMV that ends after ANY damned MISSION!

No build up, no contrast.. JUST a big F you! Kojima you failed us hardcore fans. Once again you under deliver on what you actually wanted to do, and you have nobody to blame but yourself. If it takes more than 4 YEARS and $80 000 000 to create a game of this size with so little content then you can sure as hell bet your bottom dollar I'll never buy any of your future games again. EVER!

Your perfectionist ways made you loose a lot of fans bro. Screw all the time you wasted polishing this game, that can be fixed in patches or in post release. CONCENTRATE ON YOUR DAMN STORY STRUCTURE FFS!!!!

[ybadr]

Couldn't say it better. Man I'm furious at how i feel betrayed.

[Unyoked]

If it just wasn't so repetitive and it wasn't open world just to be open world

[Revengeance]

Bloodborne still GOTY.

[WellyUK]

Funny how everyone is saying this now but when me and a few others said this on the launch day or a few days after we got a million dislikes... How things change. MGS5 is a good game but it is NOT good enough to be a GOTY game.

[76erz24]

GOTY is an entirely subjective term. That being said I think MGSV absolutely deserves recognition as a goty contender. The games two biggest issues are its sparse amount of cutscenes and repetitive mission objectives. While both these are legit problems neither are game wrecking. MGSV's wealth of content, amazing core gameplay, and ridiculous layers of depth add so much to it for me. The story is there, but just isn't the focus this time, which understandably could anger some MGS fans. The mission objectives are repetitive, but the different ways you can infiltrate a bad on top of the myriad of gadgets and play styles added to the mix help stave off this problem. Mother base is a fantastic meta game which meaningfully effects your work in the field. MGSV might not be a good Metal Gear Solid game, but it's arguably one of the best stealth action games ever made on its gameplay and depth of content merits alone.

[Deeke]

I'm hoping that some game outlets can do interviews with Kojima and talk about why these decisions were made in MGSV. I myself like the game but it just feels too open-world for a MGS game. It feels like there's too much filler and not enough delicious savory meat on the game's bones.

[kranker]

You can never, NEVER please everyone. Theres always someone to pick holes in your game which is why no game will be perfect. Kojima is someone who is always trying new things and whether you like the game or not it is one of the few things in this industry that deserves praise. I think despite its many flaws and the fact the story is not finished the game is a blast in terms of stealth gameplay. For me its in the running for goty.

[Snappy]

Havent completed mgsv yet but for me the witcher 3 is goty until fo4 comes out

[ybadr]

Weapons in MGSV are meaningless,do you remember how freaking awesome was the sensation when you find the SOCOM in the truck back in MGS1!I even cared for the amount of bullets i had.

Miss those feelings

[SouljAx360]

Kind of confused at these comments. Seen nothing but love for MGS V outside of "the ending" and now people hate it. Won't discourage me from picking it up but it's crazy seeing all the dislike for it now.

[coolman229]

That's the hype speaking. I had a friend who kept talking to me about how awesome Watchdogs was for about a week then he said it sucked. A lot of people let excitement get in the way of seeing things for what they are. All the hype MGS5 had going for it is dying down so criticisms are now being allowed (even if some people want to squash them). On top of the fact that too many places gave the game a 10/10 because it was so hyped.

[FunkyGoron]

I disagree, but that said, I am not a MGS fan/lore-ist. The gameplay and the sandbox you’re allowed to play in are what makes this game, so far, the GOTY for me. I enjoy the desigining of weapons, tools, gear, etc. I like that the more I use my dog the better he becomes. I like building Mother Base up. It’s not hard, clear an outpost and take all the resources.

You can start a zoo (LOL), you can fulton a car with people in it… not that this makes it GOTY but I enjoy the small quirks. I was in a porta-potty and played the person taking a shit tape and the alert went away and I proceeded with the mission. That’s silly

[8BitSoul]

How is this a problem? Do you enjoy a game more or less based on wether or not it gets some kind of pointless award?

Yes, the game does lack the deep and rich story that the franchise has become known for, but to be honest, I'm having more fun with this than I did with any of the previous games. I can run around for hours doing nothing but explore and have fun messing with random enemies, without being interrupted every 5 minutes to hear a 30 minute long sob story about how some character got his nickname. Don't get me wrong, I love the old Metal Gear games! I still play through them from time to time, and the attention to detail is part of what made those games so memorable. All I'm saying is times are different, and this is a new kind of Metal Gear that focuses more on pure gameplay and fun, rather than convoluted and over the top bizarre stories.

Kojima and his team should be commended for trying something different with this game, rather than following the old formula and slapping some next gen graphics on it.

[76erz24]

Couldn't agree more. It may not be the MGS everyone wanted but its a beast of game on its own merits.

[xxchicago33xx]

I'm by no means done with the game...but I am finding plenty of story on the cassette tapes. Here is how you get the story from MGS5:

1. Check that the cassette player has a power supply. If the player requires batteries, properly install the appropriate batteries into the player according to the diagram printed on the inside of the battery compartment. If the player has a power cable, make sure it is safely plugged into the wall. Connect any speakers, headphones or any other amplifying equipment using the proper cables and jacks. If there is a power switch on the player, turn it to the "On" position

2. Find the "Eject" button and press it. Before you put a cassette in the machine, use a pencil or your small finger to turn the sprockets to make sure the magnetic tape inside is taut. If the player is a model with a tape door, the door will open. Place the cassette, tape side fist, in the slot. Gently close the tape door and make sure it is completely shut. If the player requires you to slide the tape in (a car stereo, for example), press "Eject" to make sure the player is empty first, then orient the tape according to the diagram on the tape door and gently push it in.

3. Adjust the volume to a low level and press "Play", then adjust the volume accordingly. To stop the tape, press the "Stop" button. To temporarily pause the tape, press the "Pause" button, but note that the player is still in operation in pause mode. To move the tape along to later point, press "Stop" and then "Fast Forward". To remind the tape, press "Stop" then "Rewind".

4. Once the tape has reached the end of a side, if your player does not start playing the other side automatically, press "Stop" if need be, then "Eject." Remove the tape, flip it over and re-insert it into the player and press "Play."

5. Once you are done using the tape player, either press "Stop" on the player or press "Stop" and turn off the power switch.

[c31647]

Its not number one on my list for GOTY but it is in the top 5.

My list for GOTY
1. The Witcher 3
2. BloodBorne
3. Life is Strange
4. Phantom Pain
5. Fallout 4

Life is strange got a higher rating than MGSV for me cause of how much i wanted to go back and play the episodes again. I have 3 saved game files right now for it and episode 5 isn't even out yet. I beat MGSV didn't really care about going back and doing the missions for S-rank.

Fallout 4 is in 5th just because it hasn't come out

[gano]

Been a long time here so I'll make it quick.
I was surprised to see no real complaints on the game.
Everywhere perfects. Oddly enough, the last games not only
Didn't get perfects but complaints abouy certain things.
The shyt that a certain groups of people complained about now hype it as the best.

Now as a fan. I didn't get far in. No hayter.
But I noticed no rations, from comments no cutscenes, light story and a incomplete ending. How the hell is this a goty anything.

This seems like the industry ver. So where is the fan ver.
Fu im herering about scenes online that may or may not be in a game.
For a supposed complete game!
I blame all the corporate and non gamining/non Kojima fans for trying to give him advise on his original game. Ms fans bitched aboUT it being a movie cuz it wasnt on their system, now its the greatest of all time.

And people comparing Witcher and fallout. Wtf!? One is a rpg the other is a fps.
Thank you basterds for ruining mgs final story to a enhanced ver of splinter cell.
When the wrong groups of people, tell you what other people might like. No cutscenes, but put stories on tapes. Yeaaaahhhhh!?

[Xbonewone32015]

Poor storyline.
Expensive microtransactions.
Perfect 10's from CHOSEN JOURNALISTS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

3 x Big huge NO's.

Will not support this game.

Disagrees incoming, I'm sure. I'm allowed to have my opinion.

[Zefros]

My goty is mgs5, played almost 100 hours. Online is releasing very soon and fallout is probably gonna be amazing,but it will be buggy as hell lile all the other games. GOTY so faar for me is mgs5. Ign and gamespot wilø also probably give it to mgs. But i can see both fallout and mgs recive gotu from reviewers.

[MasterD919]

When there is a cut-scene though...I am paying full-attenton, thats the difference.

Perhaps we're so used to being inundated with cut-scenes that it's just shocking that a game like this went the other route.

[Psychotica]

I haven't played much of it but things like the supernatural aspects in the prologue, chicken hats, sneaking in a cardboard box etc are complete turn-offs to me. I never got into the MGS series before and was expecting a more serious stealth game.

[dansdooz]

Yep i have to agree, ive only just got to africa and im finding the game a grind, solid gameplay but gets old after so long, some linear sections would have shook things up, im not sure i will finish it at all. Ground zeroes might have been better.

[DrumBeat]

Fallout 4 is still being released this year, and I'm almost certain it will be my goty. For now, Bloodborne holds that position.

[benji101]

It is a good job that Giant bomb.. some of the most respected critics in gaming said it is one of the best games ever made. They would know.

[Kalebninja]

And the more I play MGS5 the more i realize your opinion is horrible. This gameplay is absolutely fantastic and after 100 hours playing I'm still unlocking things. We even have MGO incoming and most definitely more dlc than they just showed us.

[Aaroncls7]

"Mommy, I don't understand how to play or enjoy this game, it must be cz it's not GOTY material, right mommy...?"

[thricetold]

I have almost 30hours in and I'm enjoying it, but I'm a gameplay first gamer so no surprise there. However I'm glad finally gamers have put away their fanboy goggles and finally come back down to earth. No way this game deserved all those tens from "gaming " journalist proclaiming it to be the best game ever made.

All the while slamming mad max for doing things that plague tpp as well, but ignoring them in tpp! Such bollocks and it's time for it to stop. If you're going to slam one game then DAMNIT slam all of them. Don't gloss over the "flaws" because you grew up idolizing mgs and slam another so it doesn't take the shine away from your childhood goty.

Makes me sick. I'm also not a fan of cutscenes so no surprise to why less is more for me. Go watch a movie as it seems you'd rather watch instead of playing. Love that it's open world instead of linear.

[Trekster_Gamer]

Halo 5 GOTY Halo 5 GOTY Halo 5 GOTY Halo 5 GOTY

[Locknuts]

With Halo, Witcher III, Fallout 4, Mario Maker and Bloodborne, this would have its work cut out for it anyway. This is a great year for gaming, almost like 2007 all over again (but not quite).

[TXIDarkAvenger]

Feel the same way. Don't get me wrong, it is still a very good game and I still think it will be a contender, just not GOTY. I felt this game was weaker in comparison to the previous MGS games like MGS2, MGS3, and even MGS4.

[Emme]

The more I read Your experiences, folks, the more I zhink that story is indeed important in sich a character driven game. So it would probably have been wise for Kojima to not make a 180 vs MGs4 but rather develop it into some sort of Skyrim experience ? With main quests and subquests etc ? I wonder what the philosophy was behind this design idea. Isnt Just Cause similiar or does it offer more story ?

[x800]

Have to agree, it's gotten so boring doing the same things over and over again.