Ground Zeroes: Worth it?

There's been a crap-ton of people that all of the sudden want nothing to do with Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. I'm here simply to clear the air.

The game isn't 2 hours; only the main mission is 2 hours. There are side missions that probably bring that total to 3 maybe 4 hours. Also, Metal Gear games tend to have VERY high replayability. So you're probably going to get like 10 hours out of the game when all is said and done. Now, that's still not a lot, but the number of hours you get out of a game does not reflect it's quality. In that case, most online games that people spend their lives on would be the best games in existence.

Not all copies of the game are 40 dollars/euros/pounds/whatever! That's for the next-gen physical copy. Most people will probably be getting it digitally (with 20 bucks for current gen and 30 for next gen). I highly doubt the pricing was either Hideo Kojima's or even Kojima Production's idea. It was Konami's decision to price as such. Don't boycott the game or something dumb like that. Just wait for it to go down in price.

They're releasing it separately to reward fans, not to punish them. Kojima Productions realized that TPP was going to be massive and wanted for fans to have something to play in the meantime. Buying this will only help and it might even help them get TPP out faster.

It won't be filled with cutscenes. I'm guessing there will be 3 cutscenes: one at the beginning, one in the middle, and one at the end of the main mission. Or it will be some variation. They're trying to do single camera, uninterrupted cutscenes so you aren't taken out of the action as much. If you don't believe me, watch the 10 minute cutscene at the beginning of the game on YouTube.

The gameplay isn't going to suck because they added streamlining features. People that haven't even played the game denounce it for some reason just because there is an optional slow-mo feature to avoid detection or tagging. And it's definitely not a bad thing that they offer features that allow for action. Even with the option in Peace Walker to just blow everyone up with an RPG, I almost always went with a stealth approach. They make both options worthwhile. Don't judge a game based on videos of it. Kojima has never been bad at making a game that's satisfying to play.

GROUND ZEROES WILL NOT BE INCLUDED WITH THE PHANTOM PAIN FOR FREE! They've stated again and again that they're separate releases. They're not going to screw over people that bought Ground Zeroes by offering it for free in The Phantom Pain. That's illogical. Now, they might bundle it with The Phantom Pain, but you'd still be paying more for having GZ included anyway.

[Luke_fon_Fabre]

Is it taboo to ask for approvals? Where are the mods/whoever approves these things?

[coolbeans]

lol

I don't think it's that bad for user-submitted stuff, unlike some posters using PM to continually use the "I approved your article now do the same for me" reasoning when it comes to news articles.

Being a mod whose vote is all the you need to get to the front page, I don't like to take the opportunity away for normal contributors to read through this and give you their approve vote. If this festers for a couple more days, then I jump in since it would seem like people have abandoned it outright. I don't think that'll be the case b/c there isn't anything inherently wrong with it and I'm sure others have an interest in this topic.

[Luke_fon_Fabre]

Thanks for the response. You have quite a lot of bubbles there. (I always say stuff that disagrees with most people so that's probably why I don't get bubble ups.)

[zerocrossing]

I replayed the tanker level of the MGS2 demo disc over and over again, probably clocked in around 40 hours so I don't doubt the Ground Zeroes will have replay value. However, that demo disc didn't cost me anything.

My problem is, what kind of precedent will we be setting if we allow for Konami to put out a prologue game that should really just come with the main game?

I'm aware that Ground Zeroes is cheaper than most other games to reflect how short it is. But I'm against it because of the potential it has to open a flood-gate of anti-consumer practices.

[Luke_fon_Fabre]

I'm against that stance since this GZ release is not anti-consumer other than it's higher pricing for physical and next gen copies. As I wrote in this blog, this earlier release is for the fans. I don't understand why N4G is so against it on principle and I find the arguments against GZ to be silly. There are many other releases worth protesting and this is not one of them. And honestly, the entire industry has changed since the Tanker mission was released for free with a demo disc. Nobody does that anymore, unfortunately.

I'm a bit angry now seeing as I'm being silenced for my opinions when I wrote a well-thought-out blog.

[zerocrossing]

Still, I feel that allowing such a thing to become the norm is simply inviting trouble. Konami may be being sincere but just think about what EA, Activation or other such publishers/developers would do if they could release "prologue episodes" And where does it stop being OK? Gamers have already proven themselves spineless when it comes to standing up for themselves, all too willing to bend over if it means getting their latest fix or supporting their chosen creed and their poor decisions.

BTW, no one is trying to silence you, coolbeans and I are Mods here so if either of us were to approve your blog it would go straight through, that's not in the spirit of a community driven website like N4G so we avoid approving blogs and such.

[Luke_fon_Fabre]

@zerocrossing Still, companies have been doing these kind of things and not buying Ground Zeroes won't affect it really. Only if something is as big of a deal as say.. the Xbox One fiasco does something get changed by the outcry of gamers. Maybe I just don't care since I just want this game so bad and just want it to release already. This and watchdogs are the only games I have to look forward to for months really. I'm a gamer of limited interest, unfortunately.

[zerocrossing]

double post...

[FogLight]

I am actually going to get the digital next gen version ($30) since it is cheaper and well, I have the PS4 and I want the best experience possible and at the same time, I have to check if it is worth the money or not since it could be that short.

I am not great at stealth games, so I expect taking more than 2 hours to complete that game as it would be an insult to the series if I managed not to die/get detected once while I am blind about the level design. MGS has always been a difficult stealth game series.

I (and hopefully more people) will review this game to share our opinions about it, and see if it is worth the money or not. If you are still worried, and don't have the next-gen console, I suggest getting digital version on PS3/Xbox 360 since it would be $20. For now though, gonna risk and give it a shot once it releases. I will just say that I don't know if I would be happy or regret that I didn't rent it.

[darren_poolies]

"Also, Metal Gear games tend to have VERY high replayability. So you're probably going to get like 10 hours out of the game when all is said and done."

But very few people play though a game more than once.

[Luke_fon_Fabre]

This one seems especially replayable with all the random placement of soldiers and the big camp omega to explore.

But you're right, people who aren't into Metal Gear would be less likely to play through it more than once.

[KillerPwned]

As a huge MGS collector I'm got the psychical edition PS4 on preorder and to me it may be short somewhat. But I personally play the hell out of everyone of these games so regardless how long it is. I see it as its completely worth it.

[GrandpaSnake]

I think the problem here is that people act like times have not changed. The way games are now and the infrastructure within the publishers to release free games is just not the same. Fact is that by definition a demo is not a full game to any extent. Some are longer than others but a demo never really gives you what a full game offers. We are not getting a demo.

[Z501]

"GROUND ZEROES WILL NOT BE INCLUDED WITH THE PHANTOM PAIN FOR FREE!

They're not going to screw over people that bought Ground Zeroes by offering it for free in The Phantom Pain. That's illogical. Now, they might bundle it with The Phantom Pain, but you'd still be paying more for having GZ included anyway"

^THIS x10

Some people don't seem to grasp. GZ is it's own GAME, not a demo.

TPP (by itself) is going to cost $60. TPP w/GZ included is AT THE VERY LEAST going to cost $80-$90. Mark my words.

*Save this blog if you don't believe me.

[Chard]

To be fair, it was never really made clear. Until recently I was under the impression that TPP would contain GZ on the one disc when it released.