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Review: The Phantom Pain is Kojima’s magnum opus (Includes first-hand account)

Back in 2014, gamers first got to sample the next chapter in the story of Big Boss in Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. Looking back now, what was presented in Ground Zeroes was not even the tip of the iceberg compared to the overall scope of what is experienced in The Phantom Pain.

In the end, Hideo Kojima has crafted a stunning masterpiece that has story that will never be forgotten along with a gameplay setup that may become the norm used in military-themed and stealth genres for years to come.

Nine years after XOF attacked Mother Base and wiped out most of Militaires Sans Frontières, Big Boss (also known as Punished Snake) wakes from his coma at a military hospital in Cyprus. Several weeks after his return to the world, an assassin along with a psychic and XOF attack the hospital at once in the hopes of taking him out. Big Boss escapes the hospital thanks to the help of a mysterious guardian named Ishmael along with Revolver Ocelot.

Big Boss and Ocelot arrive in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan with the task of rescuing Kazuhira Miller. Once all three are re-united, they begin the task of rebuilding their mercenary army and seeking revenge against Cipher. This quest to stop Cipher and desire for revenge will take Snake across the battlefields of Soviet occupied Afghanistan along with the war torn region of the Zaire and Angola border.

Skull Face unveils Metal Gear Sahelanthropus. In-game screen shot of Metal Gear Solid V for the PS4.

Skull Face unveils Metal Gear Sahelanthropus. In-game screen shot of Metal Gear Solid V for the PS4.

Like previous titles in the serious, gamers are immersed in a story that takes them on a quest for revenge in a war-torn region. Once again Big Boss will go up against a rogue gallery of memorable villains while meeting characters that gamers will be talking about for years to come.

Yet the story does have a few problems, the result of how it contradicts events told in previous games along with the twist ending having created more unresolved issues. In the end, fans are left with more questions than answers while the concept of a hero to villain story is absent.

Besides a memorable story and a collection of iconic characters, The Phantom Pain also features one of the best gameplay mechanisms of any game. This was achieved by combining the best gameplay elements of Snake Eater, Guns of the Patriots, and Peace Walker.

Players are tossed into an open-world environment while being forced to use stealth and their limited resources to survive. Like previous games, one has to adopt to the environment to overpower the enemy forces. Yet be warned as overtime the enemy will adopt to the players’ tactics by being equipped with stronger body armor and night vision.

At the same time players need to build up Diamond Dogs by collecting resources and gear, recruiting volunteers and expanding Mother Base. The better the mercenary army is, the better the player is able to overcome the many challenges they encounter.

Yet a simple review Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain could not properly describe how majestic this game truly is. Compared to so many titles this year, Fallout 4 will be its only rival for the honor of being “Game of the Year.” This is a title that must be played first had just to understand what a masterpiece it is for the gaming arts.

With a memorable story along with a gameplay that pushes the series to a new high, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is truly the first real game of the Next-Gen consoles. Even though this may be the end of the series, Kojima has ensured it will be an ending that is memorable among gamers.

Final Score: 5/5

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