Metal Gear Solid 5 Phantom Pain snake all bloody.
September 1, 2025, marks the tenth anniversary of Hideo Kojima's final entry in the Metal Gear Solid series, before departing Konami and going independent to make Death Stranding. This game was one of the most anticipated titles of the year.
I was there, and the wait felt so long, especially since the Prologue chapter, Ground Zeroes, was released all the way back in March 2014. With a year-and-a-half wait, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain finally dropped in September 2015 to polarizing fan reception. The sequel to the most underrated Metal Gear title, Peace Walker, MGS5 has to include one of the weakest stories in the franchise, but with stealth gameplay so phenomenal that it more than makes up for it. MGS5's Gameplay Is King Kojima Finally Stepped Up Its Game There's a reason why Metal Gear Solid 1 through 4 had the tagline of"Tactical Espionage Action," because they are action games at heart. Sure, stealth was in them, but the stealth mechanics always proved to be inferior to other games on the market at the time, like Thief or Splinter Cell. As someone who has gotten all Xbox achievements in every Hideo Kojima Metal Gear game, the action is what keeps me coming back again and again. Metal Gear Solid 5, on the other hand, finally stepped up its game regarding stealth. The Phantom Pain is a pure stealth sandbox, with Kojima Productions setting up all these large enemy encampments, and it's up to you to figure out the best ways to accomplish your tasks. There are so many tools to play with here, and the encampments are often somewhat randomized. Hence, the 100% completion journey never grew boring, even if 90% of the tasks usually boil down to infiltrating and then exiting. That is a common criticism, but again, you have so many items and tools that you can always spice it up, and I had a blast from start to finish. To boot, even on release, the game ran at a solid 60fps, a feat that Metal Gear games both before and after this failed to match. The new movement and controls worked perfectly for this more open-world MGS, with bullet drop introduced, making headshots a bit trickier to nail. The level design is crafted with the new movement and controls in mind, which is why they work significantly better here than in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. The Problem With The Story An Incredibly Unsatisfying Final Chapter Considering Metal Gear Solid 5 ended up being Kojima's final entry in the Metal Gear saga, the story ends with a big whimper. Many describe Metal Gear Solid 5 as an unfinished game. In terms of the story, that's definitely true, as many plot threads are left unresolved, like what happened to Liquid. The ending, especially, is done so poorly, with you replaying the same first level again, but with the inclusion of a huge plot twist. Most of the good stuff is left behind in cassette tapes, which is no replacement for an actual cutscene between the characters. There's a reason I recommend saving Metal Gear Solid 4 until last regarding the best order for playing the Metal Gear games, because it's such a fitting finale to the series. That said, Metal Gear Solid 5 still offers some memorable moments, some memorable lines, and the characters are pretty good, with solid voice performances. Robin Atkin Downes once again nails it as Kazuhira Miller, delivering the most iconic and greatest monologue in the game. The best and most powerful story bits involve a secret questline on Mother Base that still hits hard to this day. It must not be spoiled. Despite the positives, the story of MGS5 remains a significant downgrade from prior titles. The story matters above all else to many MGS fans. However, for me, as a gameplay-first person, the"Tactical Espionage Operations" core of MGS5 is so great that I would consider The Phantom Pain a flawed masterpiece. MGS5 Is One Of The Best Stealth Games You Can Play Right Now It Still Holds Up With Today's Stealth Games Even 10 years later, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain remains one of the most stunning and greatest stealth games you can play today. It's still not the best, as that would be Hitman, given the sheer amount of content within the game right now. However, MGS5 is right underneath it, with a phenomenal gameplay loop that never gets old, keeping the stealth fresh time and time again. In terms of gameplay, Metal Gear Solid 5 really is the ultimate Kojima stealth experience. It fascinates me that Kojima wants to make another action espionage game with Physint, which is still more than half a decade away. How does Kojima top the amazing, endlessly replayable stealth gameplay of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain? Maybe he can't - only time will tell. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Follow Followed Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain Action Open-World Systems 10.0/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 93/100 Critics Rec: 99% Released September 1, 2015 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language Developer Kojima Productions Publisher Konami Engine Fox Engine
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Review: A Masterpiece UpdatedMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a triumph for Konami as Hideo Kojima's masterpiece has never been better.
Read more »
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater review: stuck in the shadow of its own legacyMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater's most poignant message about living up to someone else's legacy has been turned on itself.
Read more »
10 Things Even Metal Gear Fans Didn’t Know About Solid SnakeSolid Snake has wowed players with his combat skills throughout the Metal Gear Solid series, but here are a few lesser-known facts.
Read more »
Steam Has a New #1 Game Beating Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake EaterSteam has a new top dog, and it is not Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, and it is a PC game not even out yet.
Read more »
10 Key Differences in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater RemakeLee D’Amato is a writer born, raised, and based in Queens, New York. He’s been writing since he could hold a crayon, and has been doing do professionally since 2020. Lee has covered a wide range of topics, including ancient history, affordable travel, and now game features for Screen Rant.
Read more »
8 Things To Do After Beating Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake EaterClose-up of Volgin from Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
Read more »