It’s hard to believe that more than a decade has passed since the last Metal Gear game made and directed by Hideo Kojima – Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was released, and despite the controversy and issues that transpired before and after his departure from Konami – the game is remembered by fans for its gameplay, expanding the lore, and utilizing the Fox Engine to push the boundaries of the series and create an almost open-world stealth adventure experience. For the most part the game succeeded at its goal, with praise given to its innovations, graphics, and narrative centering on the continuing story of Big Boss. However there was also evidence of cut content and the game being incomplete – such as an additional episode not included and only featured in a supplementary disc on the collector’s edition. It left fans wondering just what else could have been included had there been no tensions between Konami and Kojima, and whether the game would have been a masterpiece had it been truly finished and released on its intended and completed state.
Those are questions left lingering in the minds of fans worldwide, but we’ll never truly know for certain the answers as we only have the released game as a baseline of reflection and comparison. However, does Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain still hold up 10 years later? With both Kojima and Konami having long moved on from each other and the latter company releasing only one new Metal Gear game using the Fox Engine in the critically panned Metal Gear Survive, is there still a reason to revisit and play The Phantom Pain?
The simple answer is YES IT STILL HOLD UP. Despite the controversial nature of its production and release, MGSV TPP is a fantastic game to play and experience – especially if you’re a fan of action, adventure, stealth, and cinema. As a lone soldier named Venom Snake aka Big Boss, you’re tasked with rebuilding your army of soldiers called Diamond Dogs all while leading the mercenary life and engaging in missions set during the Soviet-Afghan War and the Angolan Civil War. Set primarily in 1984, Snake gets reacquainted with past rivals and meets new allies and adversaries, all while trying to uncover the truth behind the destruction of his former mercenary group nine years ago as well as a deeper conspiracy that could spell disaster for all nations as a new type of nuclear armed bipedal weapon threatens the world once more.
Despite the incomplete nature of the game and controversies behind the scenes, The Phantom Pain is still very much a playable game. The only caveat is if you’ve never experienced any of the past Metal Gear games – they’re somewhat essential to appreciating everything the game has to offer. You’d have to at least played MGS1 to 3, Peace Walker, and the prequel game MGSV: Ground Zeroes to truly grasp some of the nuances, easter eggs, and storyline foundations The Phantom Pain builds upon, as well as the plot twist centering on the character of Venom Snake.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phanton Pain is available for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC.
