Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain & Ground Zeroes

[Deleted member 11852]

To be honest you can't do much compared to other open world games or even to other stealth games.

It would definitely benefit if your cousin Roman could phone you mid-mission and you could go bowling.

DD is my best buddy. No need of any scouting at all, the little guy just marks everyone. Have my best times with him. Quiet is too loud with her sniper, makes guards cranky. and doesn't spot everyone around me as i move.

How long does it take for the dog/wolf to grow? I picked him up during the second Afghanistan mission and he's still a puppy five main missions and half a dozen side missions later.

I don't get the complaints about the world being empty. It's soviet occupied Afghanistan. What are people expecting that is missing?

 

[Sigfried1977]

^I think that's a lazy-ass excuse, especially for a series with giant bipedal robots. Nobody expects cousin Roman on the phone (way to go cherrypicking the worst side quest mechanic of any GTA game ever). I am not even asking for civilians. But what about witnessing some actual Mudschaheddin activities? Judging by all the tapes, they are supposed to be a pretty big deal. In the actual game, their presence is limited to the occasional POW you have to extract. Heck, even some more patrols would go a long way. That one jeep you encounter every 20 minutes or so doesn't really liven the place up much. What are these Soviet troops even doing there besides guarding a bunch of dirt I wonder. And what's with the boring animal life. Am I supposed to fill up my giant zoo with Gerbils, Crows, Sheep and Hyenas? No idea whether Lions are actually a thing in those parts of Afrika, but in a game that sports worm hole extraction devices in the eighties, I'd be willing to let a thing like that slide.

 

[Nesh]

Action wise MGS is a TPS like many, nothing special or unique aside for the fact you can go in first person, which is something I love anyway.
And the amount of crazy action stuff you can do pales compared to Just Cause 2

MGS V is made of countless of small areas with semi-empty buildings, surrounded by nothing.
IMO unlike Batman or Splinter Cell or previous MGS though all these areas are poorly designed, flat, anonymous, with limited freedom of approach due to the limited traversal.
I much prefer crafted at art maps, smaller even, than this s***

I still fail to understand why you are judging MGSV as an action game vs another action game when it is not trying to be an action game?
There are a lot more you can do and experiment with the AI and its routes than any of the games you mention IMO.

 

[JPT]

No idea whether Lions are actually a thing in those parts of Afrika, but in a game that sports worm hole extraction devices in the eighties, I'd be willing to let a thing like that slide.

Africa? Hmmm is the game not set in Afghanistan?

 

[Phil]

That [Africa] was a minor spoiler, one I only uncovered 3 days ago (I've been doing lots of side-missions and have been replaying missions to get better and haven't progressed that quickly yet).

 

[dobwal]

^I think that's a lazy-ass excuse, especially for a series with giant bipedal robots. Nobody expects cousin Roman on the phone (way to go cherrypicking the worst side quest mechanic of any GTA game ever). I am not even asking for civilians. But what about witnessing some actual Mudschaheddin activities? Judging by all the tapes, they are supposed to be a pretty big deal. In the actual game, their presence is limited to the occasional POW you have to extract. Heck, even some more patrols would go a long way. That one jeep you encounter every 20 minutes or so doesn't really liven the place up much. What are these Soviet troops even doing there besides guarding a bunch of dirt I wonder. And what's with the boring animal life. Am I supposed to fill up my giant zoo with Gerbils, Crows, Sheep and Hyenas? No idea whether Lions are actually a thing in those parts of Afrika, but in a game that sports worm hole extraction devices in the eighties, I'd be willing to let a thing like that slide.

Go look at the database. There are actually a ton of animals from snakes to scorpions to birds. Some are rather rare and some aren't so easily distinguished from the environment.

Seeing the numbers, you would think you would see a lot more. But given that in real life running around the woods or desert doesn't automatically expose you to the wealth of life in that environment. Animals and their need to either avoid predation and/or the sun (most desert animals are nocturnal), probably makes MGS more realistic than most in terms how readily you will run into animals in the wild.

But I do agree with you that the game in its open worldness lacks something that almost makes the open nature of the game unnecessary. The game could of gotten away with making a bunch of maps the size of GZ and it would almost no different than what it is now. Having permanent Mujahideen or regular Afghan camps, villages and towns around the map that offered something to the gameplay would have gone a long way to justify the game's open world map. The closest thing I've come across in terms of random encounters is catching a prisoner (who wondered off) out the corner of my eye at distance, and seeing him killed by wild dogs before I could get to him.

I honestly love the game but it seems the Kojima spent a significant portion of that 80 million to barely scratch what open world games can offer. They could have used that to make more cutscenes or fleshed out some the more basic mechanics of the game.

I think a part of it is Kojima and his team inexperience with open world titles. This makes me sad because Kojima with one open world game under his belt probably would have made MGS 6 even better, bigger and badder.

Thanks Konami.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

^I think that's a lazy-ass excuse, especially for a series with giant bipedal robots. Nobody expects cousin Roman on the phone (way to go cherrypicking the worst side quest mechanic of any GTA game ever).

Whoosh! That was humour - the clues being the use of one of the most high profile highly maligned mechanics of the last ten years and the smiley! Never mind.

I am not even asking for civilians. But what about witnessing some actual Mudschaheddin activities? Judging by all the tapes, they are supposed to be a pretty big deal. In the actual game, their presence is limited to the occasional POW you have to extract. Heck, even some more patrols would go a long way. That one jeep you encounter every 20 minutes or so doesn't really liven the place up much. What are these Soviet troops even doing there besides guarding a bunch of dirt I wonder.

Well, a quick history lesson in why the Soviet Union failed to pacify Afghanistan was they primary military doctrine was to enact a mass occupation in an attempt to prevent insurgents from organising a resistance, communicating or moving about freely. The soviets moved into an occupied area (insurgent or civilian), largely destroyed it then left a small skeleton unit behind to prevent re-occupation by the original inhabitants.

And what's with the boring animal life. Am I supposed to fill up my giant zoo with Gerbils, Crows, Sheep and Hyenas?

I haven't really dabbled in this aspect of the game so I'm happy it's optional and can be ignored.

 

[dobwal]

I've sunk about 8-10 hours into the game and I'm on main mission 7 (Red Brass) and have done a bunch of side missions and have neither of these companions yet - just the horse. The missions thus far have required a ton of stealth although I've not thought about putting a smoke grenade into my car and just driving it around!

Take my advice and focus on the main missions early on. The process of opening up the game and its mechanics are tied to your progression through the main missions.

Just do enough personnel collection to build up your research and combat but make the bulk of your base building and personnel collecting a mid to late game tactic.

You'll thank me later.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Will do!

 

[RenegadeRocks]

Go look at the database. There are actually a ton of animals from snakes to scorpions to birds. Some are rather rare and some aren't so easily distinguished from the environment.

Seeing the numbers, you would think you would see a lot more. But given that in real life running around the woods or desert doesn't automatically expose you to the wealth of life in that environment. Animals and their need to either avoid predation and/or the sun (most desert animals are nocturnal), probably makes MGS more realistic than most in terms how readily you will run into animals in the wild.

But I do agree with you that the game in its open worldness lacks something that almost makes the open nature of the game unnecessary. The game could of gotten away with making a bunch of maps the size of GZ and it would almost no different than what it is now. Having permanent Mujahideen or regular Afghan camps, villages and towns around the map that offered something to the gameplay would have gone a long way to justify the game's open world map. The closest thing I've come across in terms of random encounters is catching a prisoner (who wondered off) out the corner of my eye at distance, and seeing him killed by wild dogs before I could get to him.

I honestly love the game but it seems the Kojima spent a significant portion of that 80 million to barely scratch what open world games can offer. They could have used that to make more cutscenes or fleshed out some the more basic mechanics of the game.

I think a part of it is Kojima and his team inexperience with open world titles. This makes me sad because Kojima with one open world game under his belt probably would have made MGS 6 even better, bigger and badder.

Thanks Konami.

I have had more emergent stories in thsi game than I can count, so I don't understand that complaint. This is better open world than any other for me. Maybe since its random it cannot be guaranteed, but the way missions evolved for me was spellbinding. Also sometimes missions just started while free roaming that felt so fluid and real !

 

[RenegadeRocks]

Action wise MGS is a TPS like many, nothing special or unique aside for the fact you can go in first person, which is something I love anyway.
And the amount of crazy action stuff you can do pales compared to Just Cause 2

MGS V is made of countless of small areas with semi-empty buildings, surrounded by nothing.
Unlike Batman or Splinter Cell or previous MGS, all these areas are are very bi-dimensional/flat, anonymous and lack any complexity whatsoever.
I much prefer crafted at art maps than this s***
The limited traversal also severely limits you freedom and makes every map even more boring.

When it comes to variety then Batman or Sam Fisher also have way more ways to take down an enemy stealthily: takedowns that can be performed from multiple angles, gadgets of all sort for Barman, weapons lethal and not for Sam etc...

Also there are many little design flaws that make stealth gameplay less enjoyable compared to other stealth games, like the fact that you can't immediately carry an enemy after subduing him, the lack of lethal CQC moves, the hive mind AI or the clunky cover system.

I don't get it....this has more variety, options and gadgets than any Batman. And unlike Batman all gadgets and options are viable all the time, while in Batman the freedom is an illusion as specific stuff can be done only in a specific way.

Also, u can kill in CQC, so its there. And u can move the body as soon as u capture, hold and move.

It's funny that a game that offers many more actions for any given situation than other games is being called the very opposite ! Maybe u need to experiment more, just saying.
I mean for whatever need sto be done, me an dmy niece usually cook up around 4-5 plans and then decide which would be most fun or funny or rewarding and go with that. And all those plans are viable unlike the other games u mentioned where Max 2 approaches are allowed and that too pre meditated.

 

[Gitaroo]

its plays better than any tactical 3rd person action game I have played, like Ghost recon, just control so smooth.

 

[Cjail]

Also, u can kill in CQC, so its there. And u can move the body as soon as u capture, hold and move.

Sorry I wasn't' clear, I meant that you can't kill somebody in a single move without grabbing him.
CQC throw, combo, counters are all non lethal.

I can't carry an enemy immediately after stunning/killing him with CQC, he always falls on the ground and I have to pick it back again...how do you do it in one move?

It's funny that a game that offers many more actions for any given situation than other games is being called the very opposite ! Maybe u need to experiment more, just saying.

I am experimenting but the game only asks me to: 1) extract a prisoner/animal/container/vehicle 2) kill/destroy a guy/vehicle IN THE SAME AREAS OVER AND OVER or in a barren, flat hill/desert.
I have revisited the fu***

Spoiler

OKB Zero

god knows how many times times already and I would be perfect moron if instead of doing the one thing that always works flawlessly I would try something else and end up wasting my time.
All the maps/areas areas so far have been too simple to even offer a challenge so I rarely feel the need to plan something clever or crazy.

Sure I could just use stealth camo, call in an airstrike or sand storm and earn 10 times more GMP anyway thus completing ANY mission in few minutes but I restrain myself from doing so...probably I am very stupid but I don't find it fun.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

I can't carry an enemy immediately after stunning/killing him with CQC, he always falls on the ground and I have to pick it back again...how do you do it in one move?

I'd also like to be able to do this. When you are surrounded by hostiles but are in cover, incapacitating/killing then killing up the body feels agonizingly slow!

 

[dobwal]

I'd also like to be able to do this. When you are surrounded by hostiles but are in cover, incapacitating/killing then killing up the body feels agonizingly slow!

Then use my strategy that I call "the light grenade" (if you ever saw 'Mom and Dad saves the World", you understand the reference). Its where I tranq a guy in a wide open area containing plenty of bad guys. And I simply tranq each and every guy who stumbles upon the ever growing pile of sleeping bodies.

I fulton them all in one go.

LOL.

 

[Cjail]

I finished the game and IMO everything that made MGS 1 & 3 special is gone here.
The story IMO is banale, predictable, often incongruent, writing/storytelling is at "maga level" at best and the "language" theme is handled superficially. (BTW there are many of grammatical errors in the game)
The fact that you need to listen to tapes to actually know/learn vital aspects of the story is IMO a new low for storytelling in the medium...Kojima went from too many cutscenes and dialogues in MGS4 to not enough.
Side charters are presented only to be forgotten soon after; no respect has been give to any of them IMO, all of them are bit players.
Only Quiet gets a decent spot...too bad she is depicted as a sex doll for 95% of the game.
Boss battles are half assed.
Technically MGS V it's poor, very poor.

The only thing that saves this game from being a total piece of crap IMO is the gameplay...which could still be so much better IMO

It's better than MGS 2 & 4 but it's a mediocre game IMO.
Another creative anomaly.

 

[Nesh]

I am having the The Last Of Us Syndrome.
I am trying to enjoy other games after playing MGS V and it is impossible. I just want to go back playing more MGS V.
It is just super fun to play and experiment with the AI.
It is like when I was playing with plastic toys when I was a kid. Only this time they are digital and I can pretend I am an awesome soldier.

 

[loekf]

I am having the The Last Of Us Syndrome.
I am trying to enjoy other games after playing MGS V and it is impossible. I just want to go back playing more MGS V.
It is just super fun to play and experiment with the AI.
It is like when I was playing with plastic toys when I was a kid. Only this time they are digital and I can pretend I am an awesome soldier.

I'm not too excited. The BD disc is sitting on my coffee table, I installed it, played some time with it, but I'm not looking forward to go through 50-odd missions, which all look the same (from what I've seen in the walk throughs) and spend at least 40 hours on this.

I prefer intense games with a decent story, a start and an end, not an endless open world play room.

The game also has no ending. I wonder what the heck Koijma has been doing during those 3 years. The development started in 2012. Three years should be enough to finish a decent AAA game with a story and a decent ending. As some reviewer put it looks Kojima already stopped working on this a while ago and out of desperation Konami took what they could find, put it together and threw something out of the door. Story is that in the PC version you can find assets (see Reddit) of an actual ending for this game.

 

[Sigfried1977]

I've spend a lot of hours (70 or so) on it myself, and I'd say it's a mess of wonderfully realized gameplay systems nestling inside a framework that is utterly undercooked. I finished each main MGS game at least 4 or 5 times. MGS V is the first in the serie I have very little desire to see through even once.

I've had a lot of fun with it. It's not a bad game by any means. That said, to me it's a bitter disappointment.

 

[Cjail]

A warning: do not play Quiet side mission before you have finished the game (get S in all missions, complete all side ops, complete all tasks, etc...)
Even better if you have the Butterfly emblem use it and do not change it EVER.

You will thank me later.